Wire saw for cutting pipe

Abstract

A wire saw for cutting pipe is provided including a saddle forming a saddle surface for abutting against a cylindrical pipe, an elongate guide fixed to the saddle, a bow having a first and second end, a bridge portion joining the first and second ends, and an open end having a length L from the first end to the second end which is greater than a diameter D of the pipe, a wire loop movable along a track formed within the bow, and a cooling system for actively cooling the wire loop. The elongate guide has an axis approximately perpendicular to an axis of the pipe when the pipe is abutting against the saddle. An exposed portion of the wire loop extends across the open end. The bow is moveable on the elongate guide toward and away from the pipe when the pipe is abutting against the saddle.

1 . A method for cutting non-submersed pipe, the method comprising:
 orienting a wire saw relative to a non-submersed pipe, wherein the wire saw includes
 a bow having a first end, a second end, a bridge portion joining the first and second ends, and an open end having a length L from the first end to the second end which is greater than a width of the pipe, wherein the first end, the second end and the bridge portion of the bow define an enclosure; and 
 a wire loop movable along a track formed within the bow, wherein an enclosed portion of the wire loop is positioned in the enclosure and enclosed by the first end, the second end and the bridge portion of the bow and an exposed portion of the wire loop extends across the open end; 
   moving the exposed portion of the wire loop towards the pipe; and   cutting through at least a portion of the pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining tension on the wire loop within a preferred range using a tension indicator which provides feedback to an operator as to the amount of tension on the wire loop. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the tension indicator is a visual indicator. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising moving the exposed portion of the wire loop towards the pipe at a feed rate using a manually operable crank. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 maintaining tension on the wire loop within a preferred range using a tension indicator which provides feedback to an operator as to the amount of tension currently on the wire loop; and   adjusting the feed rate based upon the amount of tension currently on the wire loop provided by the tension indicator.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein adjusting the feed rate further comprises adjusting the feed rate with the manually operable crank. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wire loop is a diamond wire loop. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wire saw further comprises a cooling system for actively cooling the wire loop, and wherein the cooling system is at least partially enclosed by the enclosure of the wire saw.