GB2335014A

GB2335014A - Tool for removing olives from compression fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2335014A
Application number: GB9804630A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Douglas Lawrence
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-03-06
Filing date: 1998-03-06
Publication date: 1999-09-08
Also published as: GB9804630D0

Abstract

A Tool comprising grooved rollers 1, 2 and 3 mounted in arms 4 and 5, pivotally articulated at one end and having a screw-threaded bolt with a nut 7 such that turning the nut brings the arms together and allows force to be applied by the rollers on an olive 6 attached to a pipe 9 when the olive is located between the grooves of all three rollers. By moving the tool around the olive the radially directed force is displaced circumferentially around the olive which is enlarged and becomes loose on the pipe. Several alternative forms of the tool have been disclosed.

Description

i 2335014 Tool for Removing Olives from Pipes This invention relates to a

tool for removing olives from pipework compression fittings.

Compression fittings used for pipework usually accomplish a liquid or gastight joint by compressing an annular ring called a gland or olive. When these olives are made from a malleable metal such as copper they can be very difficult to remove without damaging the pipe. The usual method for removing an olive is to make an oblique cut across the olive taking care not to damage the pipe which will occur if the olive is cut all the way through. The final action is to force the olive to open by inserting a blade into the cut and twisting. An alternative is to simply cut off the end section of the pipe with the olive attached, but this has the disadvantage of shortening the pipe.

The present invention provides a tool which will remove a compression fitting olive without cutting.

Accordingly the invention consists of a tool for removing the olive of a compression fitting, comprising means for applying radial force to the olive and for displacing the application of the force circumferentially about the olive.

A first preferred embbodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawing which is a perspective view of the tool also showing a section of pipe with an olive to be removed.

Rollers 1, 2, and 3 are mounted in bearings in arms 4 and 5 of the body of the tool. The arms are pivotally articulated at one end. A screw threaded bolt 6 passes through both arms and is provided with a wing nut 7 at one end such that turning the nut acts to close the arms and bring the rollers together. In practice the wing nut is initially released and the tool is brought transversely towards the olive 8 on the pipe 9 so that the olive lies within the grooves of all the rollers. The force applied by the rollers to the olive is adjusted by turning the wing nut 7 and then the tool is rotated around the olive thereby reducing the cross sectional area of the olive and increasing its circumference until it is loose enough to slide off the end of the pipe.

A second preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings which is a perspective view of the tool.

In this embodiment the gap between relatively fixed rollers 1 and 2, and a roller 3 attached to a slidable body member 4 such that turning knob 7 displaces body member 4, and with it roller 3, towards or away from the fixed rollers 1 and 2. In practice this second preferred embodiment is used in a similar manner to the first preferred embodiment. The tool is disposed such that the rollers 1,2,3 engage the olive at three points and the force exerted by the rollers is adjusted by turning knob 7. The tool and olive are rotated relative to one another until the olive has been rolled sufficiently to come loose and be removed.

A third preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 3) of the accompanying drawings which is a perspective view of a tool comprising a roller 1 and a grooved roller 2 held adjacent to one another with axis parallel or near parallel by a spring 3 which also acts as a handle. In practice roller 1 is inserted inside the pipe with roller 2 on the outside such that the groove of roller 2 engages the olive to be removed and the spring 3) serves to urge the rollers together thereby exerting force on 0 C> 1 i the olive. The handle is turned so that the olive is rolled by roller 2 until it can be removed. The action of roller 1 inside the pipe also helps improve the shape if damaged. One advantage of this embodiment ( as also in the forth embodiment described below) is that the rolling action produces little or no tendency to distort the pipe and there is no requirement to insert a tapered plug or support of any kind into the pipe as may be the case where a tool is applied and rolling action performed entirely externally. As in previously described embodiments, this tool can be provided with a screw-threaded adjustment, an overcentre action, or a cam instead of a spring. As a means of applying force to the olive.

A fourth preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings which is a perspective view of a tool comprising fixed rollers 1 and 2 mounted adjacent one another on a block 3. In this embodiment the rollers 1 and 2 may be of tapered cross section or mounted so as to provide a gap between the rollers which widens towards the end remote from the block 3. In practice one of the rollers is inserted into the pipe end until the outside roller contacts the olive on the pipe and exerts a radially inwardly directed force on the olive. The tool is turned relative to the olive so that the olive becomes loose and can be removed. The rollers 1 and 2 need not be fixed and the tool may be provided with rntans for adjusting the gap. In which case the gap need not be tapered though it may still be desirable.

A fifth preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings which is a perspective view of rollers 1, 2 and 3 mounted inside a tapered cylinder 4. The wide end of the tool is pushed over the olive and rotated so as to roll the olive under radially directed compressive stress until it can be removed from the pipe. It is desirable and may be necessary to support the inside of the pipe by a tapered plug or equivalent tool during the operation. This plug can then be removed, perhaps by using an incorporated slide hammer.

A sixth preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 6 shows in perspective anexploded' view of the tool; Figure 7 is a view of the tool from one end and with an end plate removed; Figure 8 is an axial cross section of the tool.

Three shaped rollers 1,2 and 3 are held in position on a wire cage 7 by springs 8, 9 and 10 respectively. The wire cage is located within a tapered cylinder 4 with end plates 5 and 6, and the springs act to push the rollers towards the narrow end of the cylinder. When the narrow end of the cylinder is offered gently over a pipe which has a firmly fitted olive, the olive comes into contact with the rollers 1, 2 and 31 which are then moved towards the wide end of the cylinder 4 until they are wide enough apart to move over the olive and engage it. To prevent the rollers moving past the olive under the action of the springs it may be necessary for example to provide the rollers with a wider cross section at the ends adjacent the springs. With the rollers positioned on the olive and force on the olive adjusted by relative axial movement of tool and olive, rolling can be effected until the olive comes loose. If the tool is pulled as it is rotated both the tool and the olive will be removed together.

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Claims

CLAIMS 1 A tool for removing the olive of a compression fitting comprising

means for applying

0 radial force to the olive and for displacing the application of the force circumfentially about the Olive.
2 A tool as claimed in Claim 1 in which said means for applying radial force comprise plurality of rolers.
3 A tool as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which at least one roller is adapted to engage the olive to allow rotation about the circumference of the olive without relative axial movement perpendicular to the plane of the olive.
4 A tool as claimed in Claim 1, 2 and 3 further comprising force adjustment means for adjusting the magnitude of the applied radial force.
A tool as claimed in Claim 4 in which said force adjustment means comprise a screwthreaded bolt or nut.
6 A to61 as claimed in Claim 4 in which said force adjustment comprise a cam.
7 A tool as claimed in 1, 2 or 3 in which said force adjustment comprise a spring.
8 A tool as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which at least one roller is of tapered cross section such that the separation between the rollers varies in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers.
9 A tool as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which at least one roller is angled relative to other rollers such that the separation between the rollers varies axially along the rollers.
A tool as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which said roller adapted to engage the olive is t> displaceable along an axis angled relative to other rollers such that the separation between said roller and other rollers may be varied.
11 A tool as claimed in claimed in claim 10 in which the displaceable roller is spring loaded.
12 A tool as claimed in claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which the displaceable roller has an axial cross section of greater width at one end.
13 A tool as claimed in claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

tP 0 0 14 A tool as claimed in claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

c) A tool as claimed in claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

t> C> 16 A tool as claimed in claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

0 C. 0 17 A tool as claimed in claim 1 and as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

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