US2711576A - Tube clamping means - Google Patents

Description

June28, 1955 F. R. WILSON 2,711,576

' TUBE CLAMPING MEANS Original Filed March-1, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 j /guZ 3 43 :7 47 47 L Z l IN V EN TOR. FRANK R. WILSON BY DESJARDINS, ROBINSON 8- KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS June 28, 1955 F. R. WILSON TUBE CLAMPING MEANS 4 Sheets-She et 2 Original Filed March 1, 1952 IN V EN TOR. FRANK R WILSON BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON a KEISER HIS ATTQRNEYS June 28, 1955 F. R. WILSON I 2,711,575

TUBE CLAMPING MEANS Original Filed March 1, 1952 4 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTOR. FRANK R. WILSON BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON 8- KElSER HIS ATTORN EYS June 28, 1955 F. R. WILSON 2,711,576

TUBE CLAMPING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 1, 1952 INVENTOR. FRANK R. WILSON DES JARDINS, ROBINSON & :EISER HIS AT TORN EYS United rates Patent TUBE CLAMPIN G MEANS Frank R. Wilson, Memphis, Tenn.

Original application March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,403. Divided and this application October 16, 1953, Serial No. 386,577

7 Claims. (Cl. 29-284) This invention relates to a hand-operated tube flaring tool and, more particularly, to a tube clamping means for use with such a tool.

This application is a division of my copending appli cation Serial No. 274,403 for Tube Flaring Tool filed March 1, 1952. v

In the prior art tube flaring devices of the hand tool type, it has been customary to cause a cone-shaped plug to be forced into the end of the tube to be flared so as to spread the tube and form a bell-shaped mouth or flare on the end thereof. In the performance of this operation, the tube is usually held in place by means of a split clamping block which grips the tube and holds it stationary While the plug is being forced into the end of the tube. This method of flaring the ends of tubes is slow and inefficient and results in an inferior product since the flare thus formed is dimensionally inaccurate and the surface of the flared portion of the tube will be left in a rough, unfinished condition. According to the present invention, 1 have provided a tube flaring tool of the hand-operated type which is adapted to spin a flare on the end of a tube and, thereafter, burnish the interior face of the flare so as to produce a flare having an accurate, polished surface. To accomplish this result, I have devised a tool of novel construction and having an improved type of clamping device for holding the tube in position while the flare is being formed thereon and also While it is being burnished after the flare has been produced.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a novel tube clamping means Which is adapted to clamp tubes of various diameters in correct axial alignment with the tube flaring cone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube clamping means for use with a tube flaring tool which includes a pair of members pivotally connected together and rotatable about spaced, parallel axes, with each memher being provided about its periphery with a plurality of semieylindrical slots of various curvatures and with each of the slots matching a corresponding slot in the other member so as to form therewith a tube-clamping opening when the members are swung together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube clamping means comprised of a pair of clamping members each having the form of an irregular polygon with tube clamping slots of varying sizes formed in the sides of the members, the length of the sides of the clamping members being approximately proportional to the size of the slots formed therein.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of flaring tool for carrying out the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

2,711,576 Patented June 28, 1955 Fig. 4 is an end view of the tube flaring cone shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1, showing the clamping means in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the device of Fig. 1, after being rotated showing further details of the tub. clamping means.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the flaring tool shown in Fig. 1, the clamping means being shown in the open position in this view, and the handle being positioned at right angles to its Figs. 1 and 5 position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along the line Iii-10 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the clamping members.

While my invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, I have shown in the drawings and shall hereinafter describe a single embodiment thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered merely as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment shown. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown herein one form of flaring tool which comprises, in general, a U-shaped fitting or yoke 21, a tube clamping means 22, and a tube flaring means includin a flaring cone 24. The cone 24 is adapted to be rotated by handle 26 and advanced against the upper end of a tube 25 held in place in the clamping means 22.

The tube flaring tool of the present invention is so designed as to provide means for advancing the flaring cone 24 against the end of a tube to produce the required degree of flare on the tube, and then to permit the flaring cone to be rotated against the flared end of the tube without further advancement so as to burnish or otherwise smooth and polish the flare. In the specific form of tool chosen for illustrating the invention, the advancement of the flaring means is accomplished by rotating a threaded member relative to a threaded carrying element mounted upon or forming a part of the yoke member. When the desired degree of flare has been achieved, relative rotation between such members is prevented whereupon the flaring means may continue to be rotated without simultaneously being advanced. After the burnishing operation has been completed, reversal of the direction of rotation of the handle 26 serves to withdraw the flaring means from the flared end of the tube and thus permit easy removal of the tube, and simultaneously to condition the tube flaring tool for the next flaring operation.

Referring now to Fig. 8 of the drawings, the base of the cone 24 is provided with a threaded extension or projection 30 which is located diametrically opposite the apex of the cone and is adapted to be received within a threaded hole provided in an enlarged head 31 formed on the lower end of a spindle or shaft 32 which is rotatably supported Within an externally threaded member or sleeve 33. The head 31 is hexagonal in shape, as shown in Fig. 1, so that a wrench may be applied thereto to hold the shaft 32 stationary when the threaded extension 30 on the flaring cone 24 is screwed onto the bottom of the shaft. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, an anti-friction thrust bearing 27 is provided between the flaring cone and the lower end of the sleeve 33 for the purpose of absorbing the upward thrust produced on the cone during tube flaring operations with a minimum of frictional restraint between the cone and the sleeve. As shown in Fig. 8, this bearing may take the form of a series of small, steel balls 34 running in a raceway 28 provided in a flange or shoulder 29 which defines the top edge of the head 31 formed on the bottom of shaft 32, though it may also take the form of any other suitable device for reducing friction between the shoulder 29 and the bottom of the sleeve 33. The sleeve 33 is supported in a carrying member or element comprising, in the embodiment herein disclosed, an internally threaded opening 35 provided in the cross-arm of the yoke 21.

' At its upper end, the sleeve 33 is provided with an annular flange 33' which lies just beneath the operating handle 26. The sleeve 33 extends a short distance above the flange 33' and this portion of the sleeve is provided with a hexagonal conformation as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. A clutch means is provided for connecting the sleeve with the shaft 32, this means including a ratchet 36 mounted on the upper end of the sleeve 33, this ratchet having a hub 36 formed thereon provided with a hexagonal opening which is adapted to mate with the hexagonally-shaped upper extremity of the sleeve 33. Consequently, the ratchet 36 is keyed to the sleeve 33 and is nonrotatable with respect thereto. The notched periphery of the ratchet 36 is adapted to cooperate with either of the teeth 39 or 40 of a double-acting pawl 37 mounted for pivotal movement on a rivet 38 mounted in the handle 26. The pawl 37 is held either in the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the tooth 39 engages with the ratchet 36, or in a shifted position in which the tooth 40 engages with the ratchet, by means of a toggle spring 41 having one end secured to the handle 26 and the other end received within a notch 42 provided in the rear end of the pawl 37. The upper end of the shaft 32 is provided with a portion which is of square cross-section. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8 of the drawings, this portion of the shaft is received within a square opening provided in a cap 44 which is welded or otherwise secured to the handle 26. The handle is thus keyed to the shaft 32 so as to constrain these two parts to rotate together. The handle 26 is retained on the upper end of shaft 32 by means of a cap screw 43 which is received within a threaded hole provided in the upper end of the shaft.

The handle 26 is formed of two similar plates 45 and 46 which are held together in spaced relation by means of rivets 47 as shown in Fig. 8. The ratchet 36 lies between the plates 45 and 46 and the hub 36' thereof is received in circular openings provided in the plates. The pawl 37, like the ratchet 36, lies between the plates 45 and 46 and is thereby held in alignment with the ratchet 36. 7

With the pawl 37 in the position shown in Fig. 5. i. e., with the tooth 39 engaged with the ratchet, clockwise rotation of the handle produces clockwise rotation of the shaft 32 and, through the medium of the ratchet 36 and pawl 37, produces a clockwise rotation of the sleeve 33 to advance the flaring cone 24 toward and against the end of the tube to be flared. After the flaring cone has been advanced sufliciently to produce the desired flare, direction of rotation of the handle may be reversed to rotate the flaring means without causing further rotation of the sleeve. Since the frictional restraint of the threads on the sleeve 33 with the threads provided in the opening in the yoke is much greater than the frictional restraint between the bottom of the sleeve 33 and head 31 on the shaft 32 due to anti-friction bearing 27, the sleeve will remain stationary while the cone 24 rotates. Hence, the flared end of the tube will be burnished while the tooth 39 of the pawl 37 ratchets over the teeth provided on the ratchet 36. When the burnishing operation is completed, the flaring cone may be retracted by merely shifting the pawl 37 to engage tooth with the ratchet and rotating the handle counterclockwise whereupon the tooth 40 of the pawl will cause the sleeve 33 to rotate in unison with the shaft 32 and cause upward feeding movement of the cone. The flared and burnished tube 25 may be removed from the device and replaced with the next tube to be flared and the pawl shifted back to the position shown in Fig. 5 so that clockwise rotation of the handle will again cause downward feeding movement of the flaring cone 24.

The flaring cone 24 is so constructed as to provide rolling contact, as contrasted with sliding contact, between the cone and the end of the tube to be flared. To this end, a plurality of conical rollers 60 (Fig. 8) are fitted in the sides of the cone with the apex of each of the rollers located adjacent the apex of the cone. The cone 24 is provided about its periphery with a series of conical recesses within which the rollers 60 are received. Each recess is provided near its apex with a bearing surface 61 for supporting the apex end of its associated roller 60. Above the bearing surface 61, each recess is relieved so as to provide a clearance 53 between the recess and the upper portion of the roller. The bearing surface 61 of each recess extends more than half way around its related roller so as to provide overhanging lips 62 and 63 (Fig. 4) which overlie, in part, the apex end of the roller and hold it in place within the recess. That is, the recesses extend through an arc of more than but substantially less than 360 so as to retain the rollers therein and, at the same time, allow a substantial portion of each roller to project beyond the peripheral face of the cone.

Each of the conical recesses provided in the cone 24 .is provided at its base with a cylindrical portion 64 (Fig. 8) within which an annular bushing 65 may be received. Each bushing 65 is provided with a bore 66 within which is journaled a stub shaft or tenon 67 formed on the base end of each roller 60. The rollers and their associated bushings 65 may be inserted in the cone by dropping them through the openings 64 whereupon the lower or apex end of each roller will seat in its respective bearing surface 61 and the upper end thereof will be supported for rotation in the bore 66 of bushing 65. The rollers and bushings are retained in place within the recesses by an annular end cap 69 which is apertured to fit over the threaded extension 30 of the cone 24. This cap is held in place on the end of the cone 24 by the head 31 on shaft 32 which engages the cap when the cone is screwed in place on the lower end of the shaft.

Each tenon 67 of the rollers 60 is provided with a rounded end 54 (Fig. 8) which is adapted, during tube flaring operations, to make contact with the bottom face 'of the end cap 69 and thereby overcome the upward thrust produced on the rollers 60 by the end of the tube being flared. By thus rounding the end of each tenon 67, point contact is provided between the tenon 67 and the substantially fiat bottom face of the cap 69. Hence, very little resistance to the rotation of rollers 60 will be offered by the thrust bearing provided by the rounded end 54 and the bottom of the end cap 69 and free rolling movement of the rollers against the end of the tube being flared will be insured.

The means for clamping the tube to be flared in position beneath the flaring cone is best shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and comprises a first pair of base plates 70 and 71 which are hingedly connected by a bolt 72 to a second pair of base plates. The second pair of base plates are similar in construction to the first pair, and therefore will be designated as 70a and 71a, and like parts associated with each pair of plates will be given like numerals, those associated with the second pair carrying the suffix a. Between each pair of base plates is a polygonal body or tube clamping member 73 and 73a each of which is rotatable about a pivot bolt 74 and 74a mounted in the base plates. The members 73 and 73a may either be machined from a solid block of metal or they may be built up from a series of stamped laminations 75 as shown in Fig. 11. The laminations are secured together to form the polygonal clamping member or die by means of three rivet pins 75 (Fig. 11) and the edges or sides of each clamping member are provided with hemi- cylindrical slots 76 and 76a, respectively. The slots 76 and 76a are provided at their upper ends with countersunk portions 77 and 77a, respectively, to provide a back-up face for supporting the flared end of a tube in case the particular clamping means shown herein should be used with a conventional flaring cone. This face is not required, however, when my improved style of tube flar ing cone is used.

The number and size of the slots- 76 provided in the clamping member 73 are, of course, equal in number to and matching in size with the slots 76a provided in the member 73a so that each of the clamping members may be rotated about its pivot bolt 74 and 74a to bring together matching, hemi-cylindrical slots and thereby form a cylindrical tube clamping opening when the two pairs of base plates are swung from the open position, shown in Fig. 9, to the closed position, shown in Fig. 7. The hemi-cylindrical slots of each member 73 and 73a are so located about the periphery of the member that their centers of curvature, or central axes, are all equidistant from the axis of rotation of the member. Also, each of the slots 76 and 76a provided in the members 73 and 73a are of a different radius so as to accommodate tubes of differing sizes. Furthermore, the slots are not arranged in the order of their diameter or radius, but are so positioned about the outer periphery of the clamping members so as to enable the member to accommodate the maximum number of slots. However, thecenters of curvature or central axes of all of the slots for a particular clamping member lie on a circle Whose center is located at the center of the pivot bolt on which the member is rotatably supported. Toward this same end, the sides of the members are irregular in size, some being longer than others, that is, the sides in which the larger slots are located are longer than the sides in which the smaller slots are located, the length of the sides being approximately proportional to the size of the slots formed therein, so that the size of the clamping members is kept much smaller than would be possible if all the sides were made of the same size.

As mentioned earlier herein, the second pair of base plates 70a and 71a are hinged on the bolt 72 so that this pair of plates may be swung from the closed position shown in Fig. 7 to the open position shown in Fig. 9, and vice versa. The base plates 70a and 71a are hinged on the bolt 72 by means of a U-shaped bracket 78 (see also Fig. l) which lies between and is welded to the base plates 70a and 71a. The laterally turned ears of the bracket are bored to receive a sleeve 79 (Fig. 8) which is adapted to be received in similar holes provided in base plates 70 and 71. The hinge bolt 72 is provided with a shank which fits within the sleeve 79, and also with a threaded tenon adapted to screw into the lower end of leg 19 of the yoke 21. Thus, the second pair of base plates 70a and 71a may be swung about the pivot provided by the bolt 72 and the bushing 79, the ears of the bracket 78 being adapted to rotate on the sleeve 79 which is clamped tightly by the bolt 72.

The two pairs of base plates are adapted to be clamped together in their closed positions by means of a clamping bolt 81 which is hinged on a bolt 84 screwed into the lower end of the leg 18 of the yoke 21. As shown in Fig. 6, the inner end of bolt 81 is secured to a sleeve 82 which is rotatably journaled on a bushing 80 which is received at either end in holes provided therefor in base plates 70 and 71. Hence, the bolt 84, when screwed into the tapped hole provided therefor in the bottom of leg 18 of the yoke, will retain the bushing 80 in said holes in the plate 70 and 71 and provide a pivot for the bolt 81 secured to the sleeve 82. A U-shaped bracket 83 (Figs. 6 and 7) is welded between ears 87 and 88 provided on the base plates 70a and 71a and a slotted plate is welded between the top and bottom flanges of the bracket 83 at the outer end thereof, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to provide a surface against which a wing nut 86 threaded on the bolt 81 may be tightened. If desired, a washer 89 may be interposed between the wing nut 86 and the slotted plate 85 to facilitate the clamping action of the wing nut against the plate. By loosening the wing nut 86, the bolt 81 may be swung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 9 after which the pair of base plates 70a and 71a may be swung away from the base plates 70 and 71 so as to permit removal of the tube which has been flared and the insertion of another tube in the clamping device. The pair of base plates 70a and 71a is then swung to the closed position shown in Fig. 7, whereupon the clamping bolt 81 is swung inwardly, the shank of the bolt being received within the slot provided in the end plate 85. The Wing nut 86 is then tightened so as to clamp the'two pairs of base plates together and securely clamp the tube to be flared within the aperture provided by the hemi- cylindrical slots 76 and 76a provided in the clamping members 73 and 73a. It will be noted that the yoke 21 and the first pair of base plates 70 and 71 are immovable with respect to one another, and that the second pair of base plates 70a and 71a is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the first pair of base plates and to the yoke 21.

Means are provided on each of the clamping members for assisting the operator in selecting the desired hemicylindrical slots so that matching slots of the proper size will be opposite one another when the members are swung together. As shown in Fig. 10, a leaf spring 90 is secured to the base plate 71 by means of a screw 91. The spring 90 carries a detent 92 which extends upwardly through a hole 93 provided in the base plate. The clamping member 73 is provided with a circularly arranged series of indexing notches or dimples 94 (Fig. 7), there being one such dimple for each hemi-cylindrical slot 76. Thus, as the clamping member is rotated to bring the desired slot into position, the rounded end formed on the detent 92 will snap into the appropriate dimple 94 to accurately locate the clamping member in correct clamping position. A similar locating means consisting of elements 90a to 94a, inclusive, is provided for the clamping member 73a.

To further assist the user of the tool in selecting the proper clamping slot 76 or 76a, the clamping members 73 and 73a are each provided with a series of indicia which, in the present embodiment of the invention, consists of numerals 95 and 95a (Fig. 11) inscribed on the upper face thereof and arranged in a circle about the axis of rotation of each of the clamping members. As shown in Fig. 5, the upper base plates 70 and 7001 are each provided with a sight opening 96 and 96a, respectively, through which the numerals 95 and 95a may be viewed. Hence, the appropriate numeral 95 or 95a will appear in the sight openings each time a clamping slot 76 and 76a is brought into operative position. The numerals 95 and 95a shown herein are adapted to indicate the size of the clamping slot in sixteenths of an inch. Thus, if the numeral 8 is brought into position beneath each sight opening 96 and 96a as shown in Fig. 5, this will indicate to the user of the tool that the proper clamping slot for a /2" tube is located in operative position.

'Having now described my invention in considerable detail in connection with the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and having, in connection with such description, utilized certain specific terms and language herein, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. Tube clamping means comprising a pair of clamping members each having the form of an irregular polygon in cross-section, a plurality of tube clamping slots of varying sizes formed in the sides of each of said members, the length of the sides of said members being approximately proportional to the size of the slots formed therein, and each of said members being mounted to turn about an axis parallel to and equidistant from the central axis of each of the slots formed therein and of the tube clamped thereby, means providing for movement of said members toward one another so as to bring a slot on one member adjacent a matching slot on the other member to thereby form an open-ended tube clamping closure, and means for clamping the members together.

2. The tube clamping means of claim 1 in which the slots formed in the sides of said clamping members are so arranged about the peripheries of said members as to enable the slots to be accommodated on a clamping member of the least possible size.

3. A tube flaring tool comprising a two-legged yoke,

a pair of spaced base plates secured to the legs of said yoke, another pair of spaced base plates hinged on one of the legs of said yoke for opening and closing movements relative to said first-mentioned pair of base plates, a tube clamping member received in the space between the base plates of each of said pairs of base plates, said members each having a plurality of hemi-cylindrical slots of different sizes formed in the outer edges thereof and being mounted on said base plates for rotation about an axis parallel to and equidistant from the central axis of each of said slots, and means for clamping the pairs of base plates together with a slot in one clamping member matching a slot in the other clamping member to form therewith a tube clamping cylinder.

4. The tube flaring tool of claim 3 wherein one plate of each pair of base plates is provided with a sight opening lying at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of its associated tube clamping member, and each tube clamping member is provided on one face thereof with a series of indicia each lying at a distance 8 from the axis of rotation of the clamping member equal to said predetermined distance so as to register with said sight opening as the clamping member is rotated to indicate to the user of the tool the size of the slot selected for use.

5. The tube flaring tool of claim 4 including a series of indexing notches arranged in a circle about the axis of rotation of each of the clamping members, and a springurged detent adapted to engage in one of the notches each time one of the indicia is brought into registration with said sight opening.

6. A tube clamping die for use in tube clamping means comprising a body having the form of an irregular polygon in cross-section, a plurality of tube clamping slots of varying sizes formed in the sides of said body, the central axis of each slot coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the tube clamped therein, the length of each of the sides of said body being approximately proportional to the size of the slot formed therein, and means for supporting said body for rotation about an axis parallel to and equidistant from the central axis of each of the slots formed therein.

7. The tube flaring tool of claim 3 wherein said clamping means includes a clamp bolt hinged on the other leg of said yoke for swinging movement into and out of clamping engagement with said other pair of spaced base plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 870,828 Jorgensen Nov. 12, 1907 1,531,377 Clarke Mar. 31, 1925 1,856,827 Carruthers May 3, 1932 2,302,794 Neukirch Nov. 24, 1942 2,424,871 Wenk July 29, 1947 2,505,665 Franck Apr. 25, 1950 2,526,210 Edelmann Oct. 17, 1950 2,563,088 Wilks Aug. 7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 177,843 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1922

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