Pipe cutting assembly

Abstract

A cutting assembly 100 for cutting a pipe 50 having a longitudinal axis comprises a frame 70 and first and second clamps mounted on the frame for clamping the pipe. The first and the second clamps are

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cutting assembly and particularly, although not exclusively, to a cutting assembly for cutting a pipe, for example a pipe loaded onto a pipe coil trailer. Background Trailers are typically used for the transport of large lengths of pipe (such as PE pipe). These trailers are attachable to vehicles with a tow hook and can be used to transport large lengths of pipe to hard-to-reach sites. Such trailers offer easy and efficient pipe dispensing for operations such as slip-lining, open-trench pipe laying and in directional drilling procedures. Typically, to fit a large length of pipe onto the trailer, the pipe is coiled around a drum (reel) mounted on the trailer. Due to being coiled, the pipe stores kinetic energy. During pipe dispensing, the pipe is unwound from the drum and pulled out of the back of the trailer. There is a risk that, due to the stored kinetic energy in the pipe, the pipe may spring back towards its coiled state (i.e. re-coil) and injure nearby workers. Additionally, in some cases only a part of the coiled pipe is required for a certain operation. This requires cutting the pipe after dispensing the require amount, so that the remaining pipe on the trailer can be used elsewhere. Typically, the pipe is cut manually. However, this can take considerable effort and time and requires proximity of the operator to the pipe which can increase the risk of personal injury due to pipe recoil once the pipe has been cut. The present invention has been devised in light of the above considerations. Summary of the Invention In a first aspect, there is provided a cutting assembly for cutting a pipe having a longitudinal axis, the cutting assembly comprising: a frame; a first clamp mounted on the frame for clamping the pipe, and a second clamp mounted on the frame for clamping the pipe, the first and the second clamps being mutually spaced on the frame to define a pipe-receiving space having an assembly axis for alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pipe; and a pipe cutting tool mounted on the frame and interposed between the first clamp and the second clamp. The cutting assembly helps improve the quality and safety of pipe cutting due to the pipe being clamped either side of the pipe cutting tool in use, thereby being held securely (e.g. under tension) in the pipereceiving space while being cut. Additionally, by clamping the pipe in this way, there is no free pipe end which can re-coil due to stored kinetic energy in the pipe and injure workers once the pipe has been cut. Features of the cutting assembly are further described with reference to a transverse axis and a vertical axis. The assembly axis, the transverse axis and the vertical axis are perpendicular to one another. In use, when the pipe is cut by the pipe cutting tool, its cross-section is in a plane defined by the transverse and the vertical axes, and its longitudinal axis s aligned with e.g. parallel to or coaxial with the assembly axis. The pipe-receiving space may be elongated along the assembly axis. The pipe-receiving space may be further defined at least partly by the frame. For example, the frame may at least partly define opposed transverse sides of the pipe-receiving space. The transverse sides may extend parallel to the assembly axis. Each transverse side may comprise a respective transverse wall. The transverse walls may be parallel to one another. The transverse walls may extend in planes parallel to the vertical and assembly axes. The transverse walls may help guide the passage of the pipe through the pipe-receiving space along the assembly axis in use. Each transverse wall may comprise an opening to facilitate handling of the cutting assembly. That is, the transverse walls may also act as handles. The frame may at least partly define a base of the pipe-receiving space. The base may extend in a plane defined by the assembly and the transverse axes. In this way, the pipe-receiving space can at least partly enclose a portion of the pipe, so as to restrict it during cutting, thereby improving the safety of pipe cutting. The frame may be mountable onto a trailer, e.g. at the rear end of a trailer. To this end, the frame may comprise a pair of channels for receiving a pair of trailer bars. The channels may extend parallel to one another, along the transverse axis. The channels may be formed on an underside of the frame, facing away from the pipe-receiving space along the vertical direction. In this way, the cutting assembly can be placed on top of the trailer bars and secured thereto via the channels. In some examples, the pipe cutting tool may be removably mounted to the frame. This enables the pipe cutting tool to be stored and transported separately from the frame and the clamps, thereby improving the safety of transportation of the cutting assembly, and the longevity of the pipe cutting tool itself. In some examples, the frame may comprise one or more (e.g. two) mounting portions engageable (e.g. reversibly engageable) with the pipe cutting tool. The mounting portions may be provided on the transverse sides of the frame e.g. on an upper surface of each transverse side. The mounting portions may be spaced from the transverse walls along the assembly axis. The one or more mounting portions may be one or more locating holes or sleeves. In some examples, the frame comprises a pair of locating holes or sleeves, one provided on each of the transverse sides of the frame. The cutting tool may comprise one or more (e.g. two) mounts receivable in the mounting portion(s). Each mount may be vertically extending, i.e. such that the longitudinal axis of each mount extends parallel to the vertical axis of the assembly. The cutting tool may comprise a pair of mounts, one receivable in each of the transversely opposed mounting portions. The pipe cutting tool may be reversibly fixable to the frame via one or more locking elements, such as one or more locking pins. A locking element e.g. locking pin may be provided on the or each mount. The or each mounting portion may comprise a recess or bore for receiving (e.g. releasably receiving) the locking element / pin of the respective mount. Thus, the pipe cutting tool can be quickly and securely installed on (and released from) the frame. The pipe cutting tool may comprise a blade. The blade may be movable relative to the frame. The blade may be reversibly movable into and out of the pipe-receiving space. For example, the blade may have a cutting edge and the cutting edge may be moveable into and out of the pipe-receiving space. The blade e.g. the cutting edge may be moveable so as to cross the assembly axis. The blade may be movable along the vertical direction, i.e. perpendicularly to the assembly axis. The cutting edge may extend transversely relative to the pipe-receiving space. The blade may be made of metal, such as stainless steel. The pipe cutting tool / blade may be sized so as to cut pipes having different diameters, such as up to 300mm, e.g. up to 180mm inclusive. The blade e.g. the cutting edge may be movable into the pipe-receiving space so as to cut the pipe located therein in use. The blade e.g. the cutting edge may be movable out of the pipe-receiving space. The blade e.g. cutting edge being moveable out of the pipe-receiving space may facilitate installation of the pipe cutting tool on the frame and / or enable the insertion of the pipe into the pipe-receiving space when the pipe-cutting tool is mounted on the frame. The blade may be a planar blade. It may have a linear or V-shaped cutting edge on its lower edge. When mounted to the frame, the blade may extend perpendicularly to the assembly axis. The blade may extend in a plane defined by the vertical and the transverse axes. The planar blade may extend between e.g. transversely between the pair of mounts of the pipe cutting tool. In some examples, the pipe cutting tool may be a guillotine, with its planar blade configured to be raised away from and lowered into the pipe-receiving space. This can achieve a clean cut through the crosssection of the pipe, thereby reduce the amount of post processing required to join the cut face of the pipe to other components / pipe segments, e.g. via electrofusion or butt fusion. The pipe cutting tool may comprise a driving mechanism for moving the blade e.g. the cutting edge into and / or out of the pipe-receiving space. The driving mechanism may be one or a combination of: mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric. In some examples, the driving mechanism is a hydraulic driving mechanism comprising one or more (e.g. two) hydraulic cylinders. In use, the hydraulic cylinder(s) may extend and retract. Extending the hydraulic cylinder(s) may move the blade e.g. the cutting edge out of the pipe-receiving space, while retracting the hydraulic cylinder(s) may move the blade e.g. the cutting edge into the pipe-receiving space. In some examples, the / each mount of the pipe cutting tool may be provided by a respective hydraulic cylinder. Thus, the / each hydraulic cylinder may be insertable into a locating hole on the frame so as to mount the pipe cutting tool onto the frame. In some examples, the driving mechanism comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders insertable into transversely opposed locating holes / sleeves of the frame. Thus, in use, the hydraulic cylinders may be aligned with the vertical axis. Consequently, the hydraulic cylinders may be extendible and retractable along the vertical axis. The hydraulic cylinders may be connected to the blade via an interference fit. For example, each hydraulic cylinder may comprise a slit sized and shaped so as to form an interference fit with a portion of (e.g. a side edge of) the blade inserted therein. In some examples, the blade may be affixed to the hydraulic cylinders via one or more connectors, such as one or more clamping connectors. The hydraulic cylinders may be connected to transversely opposite portions of the blade, such as transversely opposite side edges of the blade. In some examples, the pipe cutting tool may be remotely controllable. This can further improve safety of operation of the cutting assembly. In some examples, the cutting assembly may comprise a controller configured to control the pipe cutting tool, e.g. the driving mechanism of the pipe cutting tool. To this end, the controller may be communicatively coupled to the driving mechanism. In some examples, each clamp may comprise a lower contact member and an upper contact member. In use, the upper contact member and the lower contact member may be opposed to one another relative to the assembly axis and may be configured to contact respective diametrically opposed outer surfaces of the pipe in use. The lower contact member and the upper contact member may be vertically spaced relative to each other. The lower contact members may be identical to the upper contact members. In some examples, each upper and / or lower contact member may have a concave surface for contacting a respective outer pipe surface. The concave surface(s) can complement the rounded (convex) outer pipe surface to increase contact between the contact members and the pipe. This helps prevent transverse movement of the pipe in the pipe-receiving space in use. The concave surface may have a smooth curved profile (e.g. semi-circular in cross-section), or a profile formed by a plurality of connected linear portions, such as a trapezoidal profile in cross-section. In some examples, each lower contact member may be connected to its respective upper contact member by a connecting plate. The connecting plate may have a lower end and an upper end. The lower end may be pivotably connected to the lower contact member. The upper end may be pivotably connected to the upper contact member. The lower end may also be pivotably connected to the frame e.g. to one of the opposite transverse sides of the frame. The connecting plates can enable relative motion between the upper and lower contact members, while at the same time maintaining a fixed spacing between each upper contact member and its corresponding lower contact member. The / each connecting plate may comprise a handlebar. The handlebar may extend approximately parallel to the assembly axis. In some examples, the handlebar may form an internal angle with the assembly axis of no more than 20 degrees, or no more than 15 degrees, or no more than 10 degrees, or no more than 5 degrees. The / each connecting plate may comprise an opening. The opening may be substantially centrally located on the connecting plate. The handlebar may overlie the opening along the transverse direction. The handlebar and the opening together can facilitate gripping and handling of the cutting assembly by a user, e.g. during installation of the cutting assembly onto a trailer. In some examples, each lower contact member may be connected to its respective upper contact member by a respective pair of connecting plates. This can improve the stability of the cutting assembly. In some examples, the upper and lower contact members of the first clamp may be connected to one another via a first pair of connecting plates which may be parallel to each other and / or transversely opposed to each other. The connecting plates of the first pair may be rigidly connected to each other via a first crossbar extending along the transverse direction. The crossbar may help maintain a fixed spacing between the connecting plates. The crossbar can also provide additional structural support to the connecting plates. The first pair of connecting plates may be integral with the first crossbar. Similarly, the upper and lower contact members of the second clamp may be connected to one another via a second pair of connecting plates which may be parallel to each other and / or transversely opposed to each other. The connecting plates of the second pair may be rigidly connected to each other via a second crossbar. The second crossbar may extend along the transverse direction and may be parallel to the first crossbar. The second pair of connecting plates may be integral with the second crossbar. In use, the pipe inserted into the pipe-receiving space may overlie the first and / or second crossbars along the vertical direction. The first crossbar may be spaced from the lower contact member of the first clamp along the assembly axis, in a direction away from the pipe-receiving space. The second crossbar may be spaced from the lower contact member of the second clamp along the assembly axis, in a direction away from the pipe-receiving space. In some examples, the upper contact members of the first and the second clamps may be movable between an extended configuration and a contracted configuration. In the extended configuration the upper contact members may be spaced from one another along / parallel to the assembly axis by a greater distance than in the contracted configuration. In some examples, the lower contact members may be rotatable relative to the frame. The lower contact members may be fixed relative to the frame along the assembly, transverse and vertical axes. In this way, movement of the upper contact members between the extended configuration and the contracted configuration can move the upper contact members relative to the lower contact members along the assembly axis. This can vary the forces applied by the upper and lower contact members to the pipe clamped therebetween. In some examples, each upper contact member may be offset from its respective lower contact member along the assembly axis. In other words, a line extending along the vertical direction and traversing the centroid of the upper contact member would not traverse the centroid of its corresponding lower contact member due to the offset along the assembly axis. This offset allows the upper contact member and the lower contact member to apply a pair of opposite shearing forces to the pipe clamped therebetween in use. This can bend the pipe in a desired direction, e.g. so as to straighten it. Straightening the pipe before cutting it can help reduce pipe ovalisation and reduce the risk of pipe re-coil. In some examples, the assembly may comprise a mechanism for moving the upper contact members between the extended configuration and the contracted configuration. In some examples the mechanism may be connected to the connecting plates. The mechanism may be one or a combination of: mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric. In some examples, the mechanism is a hydraulic mechanism comprising a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder may extend parallel to the assembly axis. The hydraulic cylinder may be connected to the upper contact members of the first and the second clamps, e.g. via their respective connecting plates. In some examples, the hydraulic cylinder has one of its ends pivotably connected to the connecting plate which connects the upper and lower contact members of the first clamp, and the other of its ends pivotably connected to the connecting plate which connects the upper and lower contact members of the second clamp. In some examples, the hydraulic cylinder may be pivotably connected to the connecting plates at positions on the connecting plates intermediate the plates’ respective upper and lower ends along the vertical axis. The location on the connecting plate of the first clamp where the hydraulic cylinder is pivotably connected may be spaced from the upper contact member of the first clamp along the assembly axis, in a direction into the pipe-receiving space. The location on the connecting plate of the second clamp where the hydraulic cylinder is pivotably connected may be spaced from the upper contact member of the second clamp along the assembly axis, in a direction into the pipe-receiving space. In some examples, the hydraulic cylinder may have one of its ends pivotably connected to an axial end of the handlebar of the connecting plate of the first clamp, and / or its other end pivotably connected an axial end of the handlebar of the connecting plate of the second clamp. In some examples, the hydraulic mechanism may comprise a pair of transversely opposed hydraulic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders may be (e.g. symmetrically) mounted on opposite transverse sides of the frame. The hydraulic cylinders may be parallel to one another, and to the assembly axis. The hydraulic cylinders may be pivotably connected to the first and second pairs of connecting plates described above. In some examples, each of the upper and / or lower contact members may be a roller. In this way, a pipe can be easily pulled through the space between the upper and lower contact members. The pulling force causes the rollers to rotate which can ensure continuous contact between the pipe and the rollers, with little or no slippage. This can ensure that, in use, the pipe potion inside the pipe-receiving space is held in tension between the first and second clamps which can further improve the quality and the safety of pipe cutting. Each roller may extend transversely relative to the frame. As described above with reference to the contact members, each roller may comprise a concave surface for contacting a rounded (convex) outer pipe surface. In some examples, each roller may be a cylindrical roller, a cone roller, or a concave roller. Each roller may be formed of a thermoplastic material such as Delrin™. In a second aspect, there is provided a trailer comprising: a drum for winding a pipe therearound; and the cutting assembly of the first aspect. The trailer may be a pipe coil trailer. The trailer may further comprise a cage (also known as a superstructure) surrounding the drum and the pipe in use. The cage may have a pair of side walls extending along planes parallel to the assembly and vertical axes, and a front a rear wall e.g. extending along planes parallel to the transverse and vertical axes. The drum may be mounted on the cage. The trailer may comprise one or more (e.g. two) trailer bars onto which the cutting assembly may be mounted. The trailer bars may extend along the transverse direction. The trailer bars may be parallel to each other. The trailer bars may be at a rear end of the tailer, opposite the front end for attachment to a towing vehicle. The invention includes the combination of the aspects and preferred features described except where such a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided. Summary of the Figures Embodiments and experiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cutting assembly according to the present disclosure. Figures 2A and 2B show partial views of the cutting assembly of Figure 1 with the blade of the pipe cutting tool respectively (i) not extending into the pipe-receiving space and (ii) extending into the pipereceiving space. Figures 3A and 3B show a cutting assembly according to the present disclosure with its upper contact members respectively in (i) a contracted configuration and (ii) an extended configuration. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a cutting assembly according to the present disclosure. Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D respectively show a side view, a top view, a front view and a perspective view of a cutting assembly according to the present disclosure. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a trailer comprising the cutting assembly. Figure 7A and 7B show partial perspective views of the rear end of the trailer of Figure 6. Detailed Description of the Invention Aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All documents mentioned in this text are incorporated herein by reference. An example implementation of a cutting assembly 100 according to the present disclosure is described with reference to Figures 1, 2A and 2B. The cutting assembly 100 is for cutting a pipe 50 (e.g. a PE pipe) having a longitudinal axis. The cutting assembly 100 comprises a frame 70, a first clamp 10 and a second clamp 20, each mounted on the frame 70 for clamping the pipe 50. The first 10 and the second clamps 20 are mutually spaced on the frame 70 to define a pipe-receiving space 90 having an assembly axis for alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pipe. The assembly axis is denoted by z, the vertical axis is denoted by y, and the transverse axis is denoted by x in the figures. The cutting assembly 100 also comprises a pipe cutting tool 60 mounted on the frame 70 and interposed between the first clamp 10 and the second clamp 20. The pipe-receiving space 90 is elongated along the assembly axis. The frame 70 defines opposed transverse sides of the pipe-receiving space 90. The transverse sides extend parallel to the assembly axis. Each transverse side comprises a respective transverse wall 75, the transverse walls 75 extending in planes parallel to the vertical and assembly axes. The transverse walls 75 help guide the passage of the pipe 50 through the pipe-receiving space 90 along the assembly axis in use. Each transverse wall 75 comprises an opening acting as a handle for handling the cutting assembly 100. The frame 70 also defines a base of the pipe-receiving space 90 extending in a plane defined by the assembly and the transverse axes. The frame 70 is mountable onto a trailer 200, at the rear end 250 of a trailer. To this end, the frame 70 comprises a pair of parallel channels 78 for receiving a pair of trailer bars 230. The channels 78 extend along the transverse axis and are formed on an underside of the frame 70, facing away from the pipereceiving space 90 along the vertical direction. The pipe cutting tool 60 is removably mounted to the frame 70. The frame 70 comprises two mounting portions reversibly engageable with the pipe cutting tool 60. The mounting portions 72 are provided on an upper surface of each transverse side of the frame 70. The mounting portions are locating sleeves 72, each provided on a respective one of the transverse sides of the frame 70. The cutting tool comprises two mounts 65, each receivable in a respective mounting portion. Each mount 65 is vertically extending. The pipe cutting tool 60 is reversibly fixable to the frame 70 via a plurality of locking elements, i.e. locking pins 74. A locking pin 74 is provided on each mount. Each mounting portion comprises a bore for releasably receiving the locking element / pin 74 of the respective mount. The pipe cutting tool 60 comprises a blade 62 having a cutting edge 64. The cutting edge 64 extends transversely relative to the pipe-receiving space 90. The blade 62 is a planar blade 62. The cutting edge 64 in Figures 1,2A, 2B and 3 is V-shaped. When mounted to the frame 70, the blade 62 extends perpendicularly to the assembly axis. The blade 62 extends in a plane defined by the vertical and the transverse axes. The planar blade 62 extends between e.g. transversely between the pair of mounts 65 of the pipe cutting tool 60. The blade 62 is made of stainless steel. The pipe cutting tool 60 / blade 62 is sized so as to cut pipes having different diameters, such as 180mm. As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the pipe cutting tool 60 is a guillotine, with its planar blade 62 configured to be raised away from and lowered into the pipe-receiving space 90. Specifically, the blade 62 (and its cutting edge 64) is reversibly movable into and out of the pipe-receiving space 90. The cutting edge 64 is moveable so as to cross the assembly axis. The blade 62 is movable along the vertical direction, i.e. perpendicularly to the assembly axis. The pipe cutting tool 60 comprises a driving mechanism 66 for moving the blade 62 e.g. the cutting edge 64 into and / or out of the pipe-receiving space 90. The driving mechanism 66 is a hydraulic driving mechanism 66 comprising a pair of vertically extending hydraulic cylinders 68 insertable into transversely opposed locating sleeves 72 of the frame 70. The hydraulic cylinders 68 are extendible and retractable along the vertical axis. Extending the hydraulic cylinders 68 moves the blade 62 and therefore the cutting edge 64 out of the pipe-receiving space 90 (as shown in Figure 2A), while retracting the hydraulic cylinders 68 moves the blade 62 and therefore the cutting edge 64 into the pipe-receiving space 90 (as shown in Figure 2B). In this implementation, each mount 65 of the pipe cutting tool 60 is provided by a respective hydraulic cylinder 68. The hydraulic cylinders 68 are connected to transversely opposite side edges of the blade 62. The hydraulic cylinders are connected to the blade 62 via an interference fit. Specifically, each hydraulic cylinder 68 comprises a slit sized and shaped so as to form an interference fit with a side edge of the blade 62 inserted therein. The cutting assembly 100 comprises controller to remotely control the pipe cutting tool 60, e.g. the driving mechanism 66 of the pipe cutting tool 60. To this end, the controller is communicatively coupled to the driving mechanism 66. Each clamp 10, 20 comprises a respective lower contact member 40 and a respective upper contact member 30 opposed to one another relative to the assembly axis and configured to contact respective diametrically opposed outer surfaces of the pipe 50 in use. The lower contact member 40 and the upper contact member 30 are vertically spaced relative to each other. The lower contact members 40 are identical to the upper contact members 30. Each upper and lower contact member 40 is a concave roller having a concave surface for contacting a respective outer pipe surface. Each roller extends transversely relative to the frame 70. Each roller is formed of a thermoplastic material such as Delrin™. Each lower contact member 40 is connected to its respective upper contact member 30 by a pair of connecting plate. Specifically, the upper and lower contact members 40 of the first clamp 10 are connected to one another via a first pair of connecting plates 35 which are parallel to and transversely opposed to each other. The upper and lower contact members 40 of the second clamp 20 are connected to one another via a second pair of connecting plates 35 which are parallel to and transversely opposed to each other. Each connecting plate 35 has a lower end 35a and an upper end 35b. The lower end 35a may be pivotably connected to its respective lower contact member 40 and to the frame 70, while its upper end 35b is pivotably connected to its respective upper contact member 30. Each connecting plate 35 comprises a handlebar 76 approximately parallel to the assembly axis. In some examples, the handlebar 76 forms an internal angle with the assembly axis of no more than 20 degrees, or no more than 15 degrees, or no more than 10 degrees, or no more than 5 degrees. Each connecting plate 35 comprises an opening which is substantially centrally located on the connecting plate. The handlebar 7 overlies the opening along the transverse direction. The handlebar 76 and the opening together can facilitate gripping and handling ofthe cutting assembly 100 by a user, e.g. during installation ofthe cutting assembly 100 onto a trailer 200. The connecting plates 35 of the first pair are rigidly connected to each other via a first crossbar 36 extending along the transverse direction and integral with the first pair of plates. The connecting plates 35 of the second pair are rigidly (and integrally) connected to each other via a second crossbar 36 extending along the transverse direction and may be parallel to the first crossbar 36. In use, the pipe 50 inserted into the pipe-receiving space 90 overlies the first and / or second crossbar 36s along the vertical direction. The first crossbar 36 is spaced from the lower contact member 40 of the first clamp 10 along the assembly axis, in a direction away from the pipe-receiving space 90. The second crossbar 36 is also spaced from the lower contact member 40 of the second clamp 20 along the assembly axis, in a direction away from the pipe-receiving space 90. Each upper contact member 30 is offset from its respective lower contact member 40 along the assembly axis such that an imaginary line extending along the vertical direction and traversing the centroid of the upper contact member 30 would not traverse the centroid of its corresponding lower contact member 40 due to the offset along the assembly axis. This offset allows the upper contact member 30 and the lower contact member 40 to apply a pair of opposite shearing forces to the pipe clamped therebetween in use. This can bend the pipe 50 in a desired direction, e.g. so as to straighten it. Straightening the pipe before cutting it can help reduce pipe ovalisation and reduce the risk of pipe 50 re-coil. The upper contact members 30 of the first 10 and the second clamps 20 are movable between an extended configuration and a contracted configuration. This is discussed with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. In the extended configuration (shown in Figure 3B) the upper contact members 30 are spaced from one another along / parallel to the assembly axis by a greater distance than in the contracted configuration (shown in Figure 3A). The lower contact members 40 are rotatable relative to the frame 70 but are fixed relative to the frame 70 along the assembly, transverse and vertical axes. In this way, movement of the upper contact members 30 between the extended configuration and the contracted configuration can move the upper contact members 30 relative to the lower contact members 40 along the assembly axis. The cutting assembly 100 comprises a hydraulic mechanism 80 for moving the upper contact members 30 between the extended configuration and the contracted configuration. The hydraulic mechanism comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders 80. Each hydraulic cylinder 80 extends parallel to the assembly axis. The hydraulic cylinders 80 are transversely opposed to one another, either side of the assembly axis (and the pipe 50 in use). The hydraulic cylinders 80 are pivotably connected to the first and second pairs of connecting plates 35. The hydraulic cylinders 80 are identical to one another. Therefore, one the hydraulic cylinder 80 shown in Figures 3A and 3B is described in detail. The hydraulic cylinder 80 is connected to the upper contact members 30 of the first and the second clamps 20 via their respective connecting plates 35. Specifically, the hydraulic cylinder 80 has one of its ends pivotably connected to the connecting plate 35 which connects the upper and lower contact members 40 of the first clamp 10, and the other of its ends pivotably connected to the connecting plate 35 which connects the upper and lower contact members 40 of the second clamp 20. The hydraulic cylinder 80 is pivotably connected to the connecting plates 35 at positions on the connecting plates 35 intermediate the plates’ respective upper and lower end 35as along the vertical axis. The location on the connecting plate 35 of the first clamp 10 where the hydraulic cylinder 80 is pivotably connected thereto is spaced from the upper contact member 30 of the first clamp 10 along the assembly axis, in a direction into the pipe-receiving space 90. Similarly, the location on the connecting plate 35 of the second clamp 20 where the hydraulic cylinder 80 is pivotably connected thereto is spaced from the upper contact member 30 of the second clamp 20 along the assembly axis, in a direction into the pipe-receiving space 90. Furthermore, the hydraulic cylinder 80 has one of its ends pivotably connected to an axial end of the handlebar 76 of the connecting plate 35 of the first clamp 10, and its other end pivotably connected an axial end of the handlebar 76 of the connecting plate 35 of the second clamp 20. Figure 4 shows a further example implementation of a cutting assembly 100 according to the present disclosure. The cutting assembly 100 of Figure 4 has the same features as described with reference to Figures 1,2A and 2B above but differs in that the blade 62 of the pipe cutting tool 60 is affixed to the hydraulic cylinders 68 via a plurality of clamping connectors 69, instead of or in addition to the interference fit described above. Figures 5A-5D respectively show different views of a further example implementation of a cutting assembly 100 according to the present disclosure. The cutting assembly 100 of Figures 5A-5D has the same features as the cutting assembly 100 of Figure 4, except the shape of the rollers is different. The rollers in the example of Figure 4 are concave rollers have a smooth, curved concave surface. In contrast, in the example of Figures 5A-5D, each concave roller is provided by a pair of truncated cone portions connected by a cylindrical portion, the cone and cylindrical portions sharing the same longitudinal axis which is aligned with the transverse axis of the cutting assembly 100. As such, the shape of the concave surface of these figures is trapezoidal in cross section instead of semi-circular as in the case of the rollers of Figure 4. The cutting assembly 100 shown in Figures 5A-5D has a length along the assembly axis of 1030mm, a width along the transverse direction of 464mm, and a height along the vertical axis of 537mm. Next, a trailer 200 comprising the cutting assembly 100 discussed with reference to any of the above figures is described with reference to Figures 6, 7A, and 7B. The trailer 200 is a pipe coil trailer and comprises a drum 210 around which a pipe 50 (not shown) is wound during use for transportation. The trailer 200 further comprises a cage 220 (also known as a superstructure) surrounding the drum 210 and the pipe 50 in use. The cage 220 has a pair of side walls extending along planes parallel to the assembly and vertical axes, and a front a rear wall. The rear wall extends along a plane parallel to the transverse and vertical axes, while the front wall is angled relative to this plane in a forward direction. The drum 210 is rotatably mounted on the cage 200 such that it is vertically suspended inside the trailer walls. The trailer comprise a pair of trailer bars 230 onto which the cutting assembly 100 is mounted. The trailer bars 230 extend along the transverse direction and are parallel to each other. The trailer bars 230 are at a rear end of the tailer, opposite the front end 240 for attachment to a towing vehicle. Enlarged partial views of the rear end 250 of the trailer are shown in Figures 7A and 7B, with the cutting assembly 100 mounted onto the trailer bars 230 via its channels 78. The views of Figures 6 and 7A are in the absence of a pipe, while Figure 7B shoes a pipe 50 located in the pipe-receiving space 90 of the cutting assembly 100. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations. Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described. Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” and “include”, and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and / or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term “about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example + / -10%.

Claims

1. A cutting assembly for cutting a pipe having a longitudinal axis, the cutting assembly comprising: a frame;a first clamp mounted on the frame for clamping the pipe, and a second clamp mounted on the frame for clamping the pipe, the first and the second clamps being mutually spaced on the frame to define a pipe-receiving space having an assembly axis for alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pipe; anda pipe cutting tool mounted on the frame and interposed between the first clamp and the second clamp.

2. The cutting assembly of claim 1 wherein the pipe cutting tool is removably mounted to the frame.

3. The cutting assembly claim 1 or 2 wherein the pipe cutting tool comprises a blade movable intoand out of the pipe-receiving space.

4. The cutting assembly of claim 3 wherein the pipe cutting tool is a guillotine.

5. The cutting assembly of claim 3 or 4 wherein the pipe cutting tool comprises a driving mechanismfor moving the blade into and out of the pipe-receiving space.

6. The cutting assembly of claim 5 wherein the driving mechanism is one or a combination of: mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric.

7. The cutting assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the pipe cutting tool is remotely controllable.

8. The cutting assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein each clamp comprises a lower contact member and an upper contact member for contacting respective diametrically opposed portions of the pipe in use.

9. The cutting assembly of claim 8 wherein each contact member has a concave surface for contacting an outer pipe surface.

10. The cutting assembly of claim 8 or 9 wherein each lower contact member is connected to its respective upper contact member by a connecting plate, the connecting plate having a lower end pivotably connected to the lower contact member and to the frame, and an upper end pivotably connected to the upper contact member.

11. The cutting assembly of claim 10 wherein the upper contact member and the lower contact member of the first clamp and / or the second clamp are connected to one another by a pair of connecting plates parallel to the assembly axis, the connecting plates being connected to each other via a crossbar extending in a direction perpendicular to the assembly axis.

12. The cutting assembly of any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein each upper contact member is offset from its respective lower contact member along the assembly axis.

13. The cutting assembly of any one of claims 8 to 12 wherein the upper contact members of the first and the second clamps are movable between an extended configuration and a contracted configuration, wherein in the extended configuration the upper contact members are spaced from one another along the assembly axis by a greater distance than in the contracted configuration.

14. The cutting assembly of claim 13 wherein the upper contact members of the first and the second clamp are movable between the extended configuration and the contracted configuration via a hydraulic mechanism.

15. The cutting assembly of any one of claims 8 to 14 wherein each contact member is a roller.

16. A trailer comprising:a drum for winding a pipe therearound; andthe cutting assembly of any one of the preceding claims.

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