THE ELLIS-FORD PIPE CUTTER.

The Ellis-Ford Pipe Cutter company, of Great Falls, Mont., has put on the market a pipe cutter which may be described as: A frame containing a screw operated yoke, by which can be tightened the series of links carrying the cutter wheels. It also has two cutting wheels which come in contact with the pipe, whereby all pivotal lost motion is prevented. There is likewise a series of links carrying cutter wheels. These links are proportioned to the difference in circumference of the various sizes of pipes, and are detachable and connected to each other and the ends of the tightened yoke by thumb-bolts and nuts. Thus a change can be made from one size pipe to any other within the range of the cutter with simply the hands of the operator. To operate the cutter it is placed in position on the pipe, and an oscillating motion is imparted by the handle which also serves to tighten up the links carrying the cutting wheels. All the motion required is to make one of the wheels in the frame cover half the distance to the cutting wheel in the first link, the other half being taken up when the handle is thrown in the opposite direction. It is necessary to move the handle through only a short space in order to accomplish this. In cutting a pipe in the trench all the room required is enough to pass the links carrying the cutter wheels underneath the pipe, and, in making ordinary repairs or inserting specials, the work can be completed with the aid of the cutter while a hole was being dug out large enough to make a cut with hammer and chisel; besides, the cuts are made clean and smooth without any danger of breaking the pipe. Figure 1 is a sectional view of the cutter. Figure 2 shows the machine on a heavy-weight, twelve-inch pipe cutting off a rough or broken end. It includes the shoulder. By its means one man can easily cut off all sizes of pipe up to twelve-inch in diameter, as there is no friction or lost motion. Every point in contact with the pipe is a cutting disk, and every pound of energy exerted by the operator is expended in cutting off the pipe. The least movement of the handle makes a corresponding movement of the cutter wheels or disks.