US3817200A — Ambient pressure powered cable cutter

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

A cable cutter actuable by ambient water pressure comprising: a cutter body having at least one piston and a shaft cutting means secured thereto; said piston and shaft cutting means being received in a seal chamber and a cavity transverse thereto, respectively, in said cutter body; said shaft cutting means including throat means configured to receive and retain a cable therein and exposed to the environment; means for rotatably mounting said cable cutter on a sweep wire with said throat means facing the direction of approach of a cable to be cut; means in the area of said throat means for contacting a cable to be cut and when actuated causing water to be admitted under ambient pressure to said piston chamber; and a shear plate in said cutter body for shearing a captured cable when said shaft cutting means is urged downward by motion of said piston in response to ambient pressure acting thereon.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 155 words

A cable cutter actuable by ambient water pressure comprising: a cutter body having at least one piston and a shaft cutting means secured thereto; said piston and shaft cutting means being received in a seal chamber and a cavity transverse thereto, respectively, in said cutter body; said shaft cutting means including throat means configured to receive and retain a cable therein and exposed to the environment; means for rotatably mounting said cable cutter on a sweep wire with said throat means facing the direction of approach of a cable to be cut; means in the area of said throat means for contacting a cable to be cut and when actuated causing water to be admitted under ambient pressure to said piston chamber; and a shear plate in said cutter body for shearing a captured cable when said shaft cutting means is urged downward by motion of said piston in response to ambient pressure acting thereon.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 85 words

The device in claim 1 wherein axial movement of said piston is controlled by said shaft cutting means in the unactuated condition extending through said piston, said piston chamber and a close-fitting opening in the adjacent portion of said cutter body, said extension of said shaft cutting means protruding a substantial distance beyond said cutter body when said piston is in the actuated condition, said protruding portion of said shaft cutting means serving as a visual warning that the device is in the actuated condition.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 54 words

The device as defined in claim 2 and further including an exhaust check valve attached to said cutter body and communicating with the portion of said piston chamber remote from said throat means to evacuate said piston chamber upon actuation of said piston thereby precluding further movement of said piston and shaft cutting means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said shaft cutting means and said throat means are a piston rod having a throat formed therein, and a pair of jaws in said cutter body for intercepting a cable to be cut, said jaws terminating at the throat of said piston rod.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 69 words

The device as defined in claim 4 wherein said means in the area of said throat is a frangible tube extending into said throat, said frangible tube being closed at the end disposed in said throat and open at the opposite end, and a passage in said piston rod connecting said throat and said piston chamber, said opposite end of said tube seated in sealing engagement in said passage.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 73 words

The device as defined in claim 5 and further including vane means secured to said cutter body remote from said jaws and extending transverse thereto a substantial distance to align said cutter body with the direction of motion of said sweep wire, causing said jaws to be deployed more nearly transverse to a cable intercepted by said sweep wire, said vanve means being cut away to accommodate said extension of said piston rod.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 95 words

The device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the upper jaw of said cutter body is recessed to receive the end of said piston rod, said upper jaw being pivotable about an axis remote from said throat; the end of said piston rod adjacent said throat being pivotally connected to said upper jaw; and said cutter body being recessed to receive the end of said upper jaw when said piston has been actuated so that other cables or objects intercepted by the sweep wire will be diverted over the outer surface of said upper jaw.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for mounting is at least a pair of removable spaced clamps configured to receive said sweep wire in free-moving relationship.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 88 words

The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for rotatably mounting a cable cutter is a passage extending longitudinally through said cutter body, said shaft cutting means includes a piston rod and at least a pair of spaced cutters extending outward from said cutter body and disposed parallel to said passage, and said contacting means includes a pivotable lever arm disposed adjacent to at least one of said cutters, a valve operable by said lever arm, and a passage connecting said valve and said piston chamber.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device as defined in claim 9 wherein said cutters each have a throat portion, said throat portions beveled on their outer edges to shear a section of cable between them, and a shear plate removably attached to said cutter body between said cutters.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 138 words

Apparatus for cutting marine cables utilizing ambient water pressure as the power source comprising: a cutter housing having a sealed chamber and a slidable pressure-operated member disposed in a portion of said chamber; an elongate cutting means connected to said slidable member and extending exteriorly of said cutter housing, said cutting means being configured to intercept and retain a cable to be cut; a valve means associated with said cutting means so as to be actuated by a cable intercepted by said cutting means; and a passage in said cutting means communicating between said valve means and the adjacent surface of said slidable member, whereby said valve means when actuated by a cable in the environment admits water under ambient pressure into said passage, displacing said slidable member and said cutting means to effect shear of said cable.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 138 words

Apparatus for cutting marine cables utilizing ambient water pressure as the power source comprising: a cutter housing having a sealed chamber and a slidable pressure-operated member disposed in a portion of said chamber; an elongate cutting means connected to said slidable member and extending exteriorly of said cutter housing, said cutting means being configured to intercept and retain a cable to be cut; a valve means associated with said cutting means so as to be actuated by a cable intercepted by said cutting means; and a passage in said cutting means communicating between said valve means and the adjacent surface of said slidable member, whereby said valve means when actuated by a cable in the environment admits water under ambient pressure into said passage, displacing said slidable member and said cutting means to effect shear of said cable.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said elongate cutting means extends through opposite walls of said sealed chamber to closely define axial movement of said slidable member, the end of said cutting means remote from said valve means protruding beyond said cutter body when in the actuated condition, serving as a visual warning that the device remains in the actuated condition.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 48 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 and further including an exhaust check valve attached to said cutter body and communicating between the environment and an area of said sealed chamber remote from said adjacent surface thereof to evacuate said chamber and preclude further movement of said slidable member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said elongate cutting means is a shaft having an arcuate throat area whose longitudinal axis is canted to define an acute angle along its upper extremity for capturing and holding a cable.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said valve means is a frangible tube extending into said throat area, said frangible tube having an open end disposed in said passage in sealing engagement therewith and a closed end disposed in said throat area.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 70 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said valve means includes a lever arm pivotable about a shaft mounted In said cutter body and a valve connected to said shaft, said valve when actuated by said lever arm communicating between the environment and said passage in said cutting means, said lever arm being disposed alongside said throat area so as to be actuated by a cable entering said throat area.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of cutting cables at any depth without need of an external power source comprising the steps of intercepting a cable with a sweep wire; directing said cable to a cable capturing device; interposing pressure release means in the path of said cable at said cable capturing device; and severing said cable by shear means propelled by ambient water pressure released by said pressure release means.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of cutting cables at any depth without need of an external power source comprising the steps of intercepting a cable with a sweep wire; directing said cable to a cable capturing device; interposing pressure release means in the path of said cable at said cable capturing device; and severing said cable by shear means propelled by ambient water pressure released by said pressure release means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 17 and further including deploying said shear means substantially transverse to said cable.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 17 and further including closing said cable capturing device after severing of said cable by means connected to said shear means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 19 and further including the step of mounting said cable capturing device on said sweep wire in freely rotating relationship therewith.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-06-17	1977-12-17	1978-06-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-06-17	1981-12-17	1982-06-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-06-17	1985-12-17	1986-06-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ambient pressure powered cable cutter

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