Portable pipe lathe and method

Abstract

A pipe lathe includes a shaft; a cutting head supported on the shaft for movement with the shaft; a mandrel positionable on an outboard end of the shaft for supporting the shaft along a machining axis; and a first external pipe clamp and a second external pipe clamp, the first and the second external pipe clamps supported for external pipe engagement substantially concentrically about the machining axis. Multiple spaced apart engagement sites provided by the mandrel within the pipe and the external pipe clamps on an outer surface of the pipe support the pipe in a linear and centered position for machining by the cutting head, even when the pipe is non-linear, flexible and possibly with a cross section that is on-circular.

1 . A pipe lathe for machining a pipe comprising: a shaft; a cutting head supported on the shaft for movement with the shaft; a mandrel positionable on an outboard end of the shaft for supporting the shaft along a machining axis; and a first external pipe clamp and a second external pipe clamp, the first and the second external pipe clamps supported for external pipe engagement substantially concentrically about the machining axis. 
     
     
         2 . The pipe lathe of  claim 1  further comprising a frame; and wherein the shaft is supported on the frame and the first and the second external pipe clamps are supported on the frame in a position encircling and substantially concentric relative to the outboard end of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe lathe of  claim 2  wherein the first and the second external pipe clamps are spaced apart with a space between them and the mandrel is positionable along the outboard end in the space such that a pipe to be machined is engaged at two exterior engagement sites and at an interior engagement site between the two exterior engagement site. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe lathe of  claim 1  wherein the mandrel is sized for insertion into the inner diameter of a pipe to be machined and expandable to be engaged substantially concentrically within the pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe lathe of  claim 4  wherein the mandrel further includes an central port through which the shaft extends, the central port permitting linear and/or rotational movement of the shaft relative to the mandrel. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe lathe of  claim 1  further comprising drive mechanism for driving the shaft rotationally about a long axis of the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled)