The present invention relates to a pipe machining device, in particular pipe cutting device or pipe-end machining device, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Pipe cutting devices are known, for example, from CH 372202, DE 101 34 269 B4, EP 1 138 125 Bl or US 2005/0097752 Al. Devices for machining pipe ends are known, for example, from DE 101 20 185 B4, EP 0 855 944 Bl, US 6,627,304 B2 or US 6,968,761 B2.

The machining of pipe ends may consist in a chamfer being made thereon and/or in the pipe end being machined in another way, in particular faced. Facing means that the end face of a pipe is machined in such a way that it is exactly at right angles to the pipe longitudinal direction.

The pipe machining implements known from the prior art are mainly suitable for pipes of small and average diameter and are relatively complicated in construction.

Proceeding from the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to specify a pipe machining device which can also be universally used for pipes of average and large diameter (depending of course on the size of the embodiment of said pipe machining device) , wherein the pipe machining device is to have as simple a construction as possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a pipe machining device having the features of claim 1. _ 9 —

Further possible and advantageous features of the invention are contained in the dependent claims.

As already mentioned above, the invention is suitable for cutting pipes of average and large diameter, i.e. for cutting pipes having a diameter of between 300 mm and 800 mm, although it is not restricted to just these diameters .

The invention is described by way of example below with reference to the attached drawings and preferred embodiments. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a possible embodiment of a pipe machining device according to the invention; fig. 2 shows a partial illustration of the embodiment according to fig. 1 in an exploded view; fig. 3 shows the pipe machining device according to figures 1 and 2 in plan view; fig. 4 shows a detailed view of a cutaway portion from fig. 1; fig. 5 shows a sectional view of a pipe locating device of the embodiment according to figures 1 to 4; fig. 6 shows a detailed view of a cutaway portion from fig. 5; fig. 7 shows a sectional view of a pipe holding device of the embodiment according to figures 1 to 6; fig. 8 shows an exploded illustration of the pipe holding device shown in fig. 7; fig. 9 shows a detailed view of a cutaway portion from fig. 7; and fig. 10 shows an exploded illustration of parts of the pipe cutting device.

As can be seen from fig. 1 for example, the embodiment, shown in the drawings, of a pipe machining device 10 according to the invention has two pipe locating devices

12, 14 designed approximately in an annular disk shape.

To locate a pipe to be machined, both pipe locating devices 12, 14 have a circular aperture 16, 18. The center of the circular aperture 16, 18 coincides with the center of the pipe locating devices 12, 14 in the embodiment described.

Furthermore, the embodiment of a pipe machining device 10 described has a tool locating device 20 (cf. fig. 3) for locating a tool 22, which may be, in particular, a pipe cutting tool or a pipe-end machining tool (e.g. chamfering tool) . Furthermore, to drive the tool 22, the pipe machining device 10 has a tool drive device 24 which sets the tool 22 in rotation about a rotation axis. The drive is effected by means of an electric motor.

Furthermore, the pipe machining device 10 has an advance device 26, which likewise comprises an electric motor.

The advance device 26 serves to be able to move the tool locating device 20 together with the tool 22 about the pipe to be machined.

The advance device 26, the tool drive device 24 and the tool locating device 20 are integrated in a machining unit 28 which is guided by one of the two pipe locating devices 12, 14 or by both pipe locating devices 12, 14 (by both pipe locating devices 12, 14 in the embodiment described in this case) by means of one (or more) guide - A -

devices assigned to the pipe locating device (s) 12, 14. In the embodiment described, each guide device is a groove 30 formed in the pipe locating devices 12, 14 (only the groove 30 arranged on the pipe locating device 14 can be seen from the figures) . Alternatively, it is also conceivable for a groove 30 to be formed only on one of the two pipe locating devices 12, 14. As a further alternative, a rail structure or a guide device of another type is also conceivable instead of the groove (s) 30.

To move the machining unit 28 about the pipe to be machined, said machining unit 28 has the advance device 26 already mentioned above. The advance device 26 in turn has a gear 32 which is rotationally driven by the electric motor assigned to the advance device 26. The gear 32 meshes with a corresponding toothed rim 34, arranged on that side of the pipe locating device 14 which faces the machining unit 28, and thereby ensures a reliable, uniform movement of the machining unit 28 about the pipe to be machined.

As already mentioned above, both the tool drive device 24 and the advance device 26 have electric motors. The power is supplied to the respective electric motors via electrically conductive contact rails 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 (cf. fig. 6), arranged in the pipe locating device 14 and likewise of circular design, and via sliding contacts (not shown in the figures) which correspond thereto and are arranged on the machining unit 28. The contact rails 36, 38, 40 serve to supply power to the tool drive device 24, whereas the contact rails 42, 44 serve to supply power to the advance device 26. In alternative embodiments, a number of contact rails 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and sliding contacts differing therefrom are of course also conceivable for each of the two devices. It is likewise conceivable as an alternative thereto for the tool drive device 24 and the advance device 26 to use the same contact rails 36, 38, 40, 42, 44.

In order to be able to insert the pipe to be machined into the pipe machining device 10 in as simple a manner as possible, i.e. into the two pipe locating devices 12, 14, or in order to also be able to enclose, if need be, pipe sections or already existing pipe connections (pipelines or the like) , the two pipe locating devices 12, 14 are designed such that they can be opened (swung open in the embodiment shown) . To this end, the pipe locating devices 12, 14 are produced from two respective semicircular segments 12-1, 12-2, 14-1, 14-2 or the circular device is split into two semicircular segments 12-1, 12-2, 14-1, 14-2. The other parts of the pipe machining device 10 that are arranged on or in the pipe locating devices 12, 14, such as, for example, the toothed rim 34, formed over the full circumference of the pipe locating device 14, and the grooves 30, are split up in a corresponding manner.

To swing open the respective segments 12-1, 12-2 and 14- 1, 14-2, a hinge 46 is arranged on each of the two pipe locating devices 12, 14, and each hinge 46 has two hinge lobes 48, 50, two hinge bushes 51 and a hinge pin 52 (cf. in particular fig. 10) . The hinge lobes 48, 50 are fastened to the segments 12-1, 12-2 and 14-1, 14-2. The hinge pin 52 is rotatably mounted in the hinge bushes 51, which are arranged in apertures 53 of the hinge lobes 48, 50, thereby ensuring that the segments 12-1, 12-2 and 14- 1, 14-2 are hinged or can move relative to one another.

To reliably close the pipe machining device 10 before the pipe to be machined is machined, said pipe machining device 10 also has a respective closing device 54 arranged on each pipe locating device 12, 14. Each closing device 54 comprises an approximately T-shaped closing bolt 56 which is arranged in an articulated manner on a closing bolt retainer 55 fastened to the respective bottom segments 12-2 and 14-2 of the pipe locating devices 12, 14 and which is provided with a thread 57 at an end facing away from the closing bolt retainer 55. A closing body 58 is arranged on the respective top segments 12-1 and 14-1 of the pipe locating devices 12, 14, said closing body 58 having an aperture in which the closing bolt 56 can engage. To fix the respective closing bolt 56, that end thereof which is provided with the thread 57 is provided with a nut 60 which is in engagement with the thread 57 and is arranged such as to be longitudinally displaceable on the closing bolt 56 by means of a rotary movement along the thread 57. The longitudinal displaceability of the nuts 60 ensures reliable closure of the pipe locating devices 12, 14. The closing bolt 56 is rotatably mounted or mounted in a hinged manner in the closing bolt retainer 55 about a rotation axis 100 extending parallel to the pipe locating devices 12, 14.

It should also be mentioned that the tool feed, i.e. the feed of the tool 22 relative to the pipe to be machined, is effected manually in the embodiment described in this case, whereas an automatic feed into the pipe is also conceivable in alternative embodiments. For example, the automatic feed could be driven electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically . The same applies to all the drive and advance devices, in particular to the tool drive device 24 and the advance device 26. Here, too, a pneumatic or else even a hydraulic drive is conceivable as an alternative to an electric drive.

In order to make it easier to open and transport the pipe machining device 10, each pipe locating device 12, 14 has a first and a second fastening device 64, 66 having apertures into which, for example, the lifting device of a crane (shackle, spring hook or the like) , of a hydraulic device or of a rope tackle block can latch. To this end, the fastening devices 64, 66 have corresponding apertures in the form of holes 65, 67. Of course, other aperture cross sections, such as rectangular or oval cross sections for example, adapted to a lifting device to be used are also conceivable.

To reliably hold the pipe to be machined, and in particular in order to be able to dampen (machining- induced) vibrations on both sides of the pipe to be machined, and also in order to hold the pipe in place on both sides even after the machining, in particular after the cutting, and therefore in order to be able to prevent the pipe from falling down, the embodiment of the pipe machining device 10 described has six pipe holding devices 68 which can hold the pipe on both sides at that point of the pipe which is to be machined. The pipe holding devices 68 are fastened to the two pipe locating devices 12, 14 by corresponding ^' fastening means in the form of screws 85 (cf. in particular fig. 7) and at the same time fix said pipe locating devices 12, 14 in their position relative to one another.

The pipe holding devices 68 (cf. in particular fig. 8) are of approximately U-shaped design and each have two legs (a first leg 70 and a second leg 72) which are connected to one another by a connecting element 74 extending transversely to the legs 70, 72. The two legs 70, 72 are each composed of a U-shaped hollow profile 70- 1, 72-1 and a corresponding plate-shaped lid 70-2, 72-2 covering the respective hollow profile 70-1, 72-1. The respective lid 70-2, 72-2 is fastened to the corresponding hollow profile 70-1, 72-1 by means of fastening elements in the form of screws 73. A respective clamping element 76 is arranged in the cavity defined by the respective hollow profile 70-1, 72-1 and the respective lid 70-2, 72-2, said clamping element 76 being displaceable along a leg longitudinal axis 77. The connecting element 74 has a connecting beam 80 which is provided with two leadthroughs 78 and which is fastened to the two legs 70, 72 (to the U-shaped hollow profiles 70-1, 72-1) by means of fastening elements in the form of screws 82. Furthermore, the connecting element 74 has a cover 84 which is designed as a U-shaped hollow profile and is closed at the ends. This defines a cavity 86 in which parts of an actuating device of the respective pipe holding device 68 are arranged.

The abovementioned clamping element 76 is composed, inter alia, of a tubular hollow body 88, which has a square outer periphery and a circular cavity, and of a round clamping jaw 90 which engages in the hollow body 88 on the side remote from the connecting element 74 and comes into contact with the pipe to be machined when the latter is clamped in place.

As can be seen in particular from figures 7 and 8, the abovementioned actuating device consists of two actuating elements in the form of actuating rods 92 which project into the respectively associated hollow bodies 88 and engage therein and which project into the cavity 86 on their side facing the connecting element 74. Furthermore, one of the two actuating rods 92 has an actuating extension 94 which projects beyond the cavity and which has a hexagonal outside diameter and projects through an aperture 96 in the cover 84 and out of the cavity 86. By means of a suitable actuating tool, the actuating rod 92 having the actuating extension 94 can thereby be set in a rotary movement. In order to be able to also set the second actuating rod 92 (not provided with the actuating extension) in a synchronous rotary movement, a toothed rim 98 is arranged in the cavity in each case on both actuating rods 92 (in such a way as to be connected to the actuating rods in a rotationally fixed manner) . The two actuating rods 92 are connected via a chain (not shown in the drawings) which interacts with the toothed rims 98 assigned to said actuating rods 92 and which ensures a synchronous rotary movement of the two actuating rods 92 of each clamping element 76. Via an external thread (not shown in the drawing) formed on the actuating rods 92, and via an internal thread which engages in said external thread and is formed on the inner side of the hollow body 88 (a factor likewise not shown in the drawings) , the hollow body 88 is fed forward out of the respective leg 70, 72 in the direction of the pipe to be machined during an actuation (rotation) of the actuating extension (and thus of both actuating rods 92) (or where appropriate is pulled back into the corresponding leg 70, 72 during a movement of the actuating extension 94 in the opposite direction) .

It should also be mentioned that, as can readily be seen from fig. 7, the pipe holding devices 68 are fastened to the pipe locating devices 12, 14 by means of fastening devices in the form of screws 85 and thus fix the pipe locating devices 12, 14 in their position relative to one- another.

Although the invention is described with reference to an embodiment having a fixed combination of features, it also comprises the conceivable further combinations as specified, but not exhaustively, in the dependent claims in particular. All the features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as essential to the invention insofar as they are novel over the prior art individually or in combination.