GB2336556A - Device for separating a hose from a fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

A device (1) for separating a fitting (62, 63) from a hose (61) comprises a splitting unit (20, 30) for spitting a socket of the fitting, the splitting unit comprising a wedge-shaped hammer (20) and wedge-shaped anvil (30). The device (1) further comprises a holder (37) for holding the fitting (62). The holder (37) comprises two support members (32) which define a V-shaped trough and which slidably bear on the flanks (31) of the anvil (30). The members (32) are preferably resiliently displaceable so as to locate the fitting, but to yield under movement of the hammer (20) driving the fitting down onto the anvil.

Description

1 DEVICE FOR SEPARATING A HOSE FROM A FITTING The invention relates to a

device for separating a fitting from a hose.

2336556 Hose assemblies can consist of a length of hose with, if or as required, fittings mounted at both ends of the hose, wherein such a fitting has a nipple, a socket or holder and a union or box nut on the nipple for connection with another hose fitting or a device. Basically, there are two possibilities for mounting a fitting on a hose; on the one hand it is known to connect the fitting to the hose by means of a screw connection and on the other hand the fitting and hose may be joined by a so-called compression joint. The last-mentioned possibility is the one that is most used. In that instance, connection fittings are pressed with high-force onto hoses by means of press tools. Such a compression joint represents a non-detachable junction and the fitting can be removed from the hose only by destroying it.

The disposal of hydraulic hose assemblies is a problem, since the fittings cannot be separated with acceptable cost and effort from the hoses, which are usually made of rubber or synthetic material such as plastics. That means that the hoses are disposed of together with the fittings. Since the hoses are contaminated by hydraulic oil or even more dangerous media, they can be disposed of only by burning. The cost of disposal depends on weight. The fittings, made of metal, are very heavy, so that they considerably increase the disposal cost.

A method is therefore known for separating the hose as near to the fitting as possible by means of a hose cutting-off machine in the form of a sawing device. In order for the machine to be able to separate the hose, the hose has to be bent to keep it taut so that the cut remains free. In case of particularly thick hoses with a correspondingly large bending radius, a large amount of hose material always remains on the fitting.

Another known procedure is to cut off the hose directly behind the fitting by means of a cutting machine. The disadvantage of this method is that the rubber of the hose is charred in the cutting process, which creates a smell. When cutting with a cutting machine, the risk of igniting the hose cannot be excluded, particularly because oil-containing liquid residues may still remain in the hose. The combustion of such a synthetic material hose has always a negative influence on the environment.

2 The common aspect of the afore-mentioned cutting procedures is that the fitting can never be completely separated from the hose, since a piece of hose always remains in the fitting, even when cut off with a cutting machine.

German Utility Model DE 295 11 530 discloses a device for detaching screw connections in which a metal part to be split, for example, a nut, bears against a wall whilst at the opposite side a wedge-shaped tool is brought towards the part to be split. The power needed to split the part is relatively high in this device, since the part is forced laterally onto the splitting tool by the flat bearing surface during the splitting procedure. The higher the force exerted by the wedge-shaped tool on the part, the more power the tool requires.

DE 26 23 013 discloses an apparatus for splitting metal parts, particularly screw nuts of the type mentioned above, in which the apparatus has two wedge-shaped tools mounted in a forked holding device, one of the tools being movable towards the metal part to be split. A problem with this apparatus is that the part to be split has to be placed exactly between the two tools, namely a hammer and an anvil, and in order to fix the part the movable tool has to be guided towards the part until the part is gripped by that tool together with the other tool. The risk of injury is considerable, since it is possible to jam fingers while trying to clamp the part between the two tools.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device as mentioned above that is easy and safe to handle.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for separating a fitting from a hose pipe, with splitting means for splitting the holder or socket of the fitting, wherein the means comprises at least one wedge-shaped tool, characterised in that the device is provided with a holding device that may receive the fitting of the hose pipe, wherein the holding device comprises two mandrels forming a triangular mould and sitting slidably on the legs of at least one tool, said legs constituting the wedge's points.

The mandrels fix the work piece in such a way that it is relatively easy to handle without risk of injury for operatives.

3 When the socket seated on the hose is split, that is effectively divided into two halves, the parts of the fitting can then be removed from the hose by pulling them, particularly the nipple, out of the hose. Splitting of the socket is possible, since, due to the material deformation caused by the previous compression procedure, the metal of the socket holder is embdttled. This, the socket breaks open under appropriate force exerted on the fitting. Once the fitting has been separated from the hose, the hose and fitting may be disposed of separately. The fitting itself may be treated as scrap-metal - sorted according to metal, aluminium, high-grade steel - and the hose may be disposed of by incineration.

Preferably, the splitting means comprises a wedge-shaped tool directed radially onto the fitting or the socket in order to be able to split the socket. The process of splitting the socket is facilitated by the fact that the hose, for example a hydraulic hose, is usually elastically flexible, so that during the splitting procedure the socket can be deformed until it breaks apart. The hose will not necessarily be damaged in this process, since the force and the stroke can be finely regulated.

According to a preferred feature the splitting means comprises two wedgeshaped tools aligned one above the other, wherein one of the tools is a hammer and the other tool is an anvil. The points of the hammer and anvil face each other so that the splitting process takes place from both sides, the socket thus being divided into two halves that may easily be removed from the hose.

In order to prevent the mandrels or support members from being damaged during the splitting process, at least one member is slidable parallel to the associated anvil leg or flanks, preferably against the force of a spring.

Through the provision of a triangular mould or V-shaped trough as a seat for the socket it becomes possible, in combination with the slidability of the two mandrels, that during the splitting process the mandrels effectively release the two halves of the splitting socket as the socket is widened. Thus, the power required by the device can be smaller than in the case of known devices.

According to another preferred feature the device comprises fixing means located on a table, the fixing means preferably comprising clamping devices advantageously placed in front of and behind the anvil in order to fix the hose. For preference, at least one of the 4 clamping devices can be received by the table to be slidable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hose. Thus, the hose may be pulled off the rest of the fitting after the splitting procedure. The largely destroyed socket, now split into two halves, can still be pulled off, since the socket may still be provided with a piece of a nipple in the form of a metallic tube, the tube being connected with the destroyed socket. If the tube, which is gripped by the one clamping device, is pulled off the hose parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, the fitting is released from the hose at the same time. The slidable clamping device can be guided by a rail and can be driven by, for example, a spindle, a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

In terms of construction, the device preferably comprises a frame having an L-shaped or C-shaped profile, wherein one leg of the frame is provided with the hammer, so that the tools are accessible from the front. Thus, the hose pipe may be inserted from the front in an easy and convenient manner.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a view along the line 11 - 11 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is the detail Ill of Fig. 1 to enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings where there is shown a device 1 for separating fittings from hoses, for example hydraulic hoses with metal end fittings secured by compressed sockets. The device 1 comprises a frame 2 with an L-shaped profile, the frame being borne on a table 3. A wedge-shaped hammer 20 is mounted on a limb 10 of the frame 2. The hammer 20 has a piston-cylinder drive unit 21 which provides movement of the hammer 20 in the direction of the arrow 22. Arranged on the table 3 is a wedge-shaped anvil 30, which is disposed in alignment with and below the hammer 20. The points of the hammer 20 and anvil 30 face each other in alignment. Arranged on both sides of the flanks 31 of the anvil 30 are plunger or mandrel members 32 forming a holding device 37. The members 32 are received by a pocket 33 to be parallel to the flanks 31 and slidable relative thereto. The pocket 33 is provided with a compression spring 34, which ensures that the member 32 is slidable in the pocket 33 against spring force in the direction of the arrow 35. Clamping devices 40 and 50 are located at the two sides of the anvil 30. The clamping device 50 comprises two clamping jaws 51 and 52 which can be moved towards each other by means of, for example, a piston-cylinder unit in order to clamp the hose. The clamping device 40 similarly comprises two clamping jaws 41 and 42 which can be moved towards each other by means of a piston-cylinder unit. The clamping device 40 is constructed as a slide and is displaceably mounted in rails 7, which are arranged in the table 3, in such a way as to be slidable in direction of the arrow 45. The sliding of the clamping device 40 in the direction of the arrow 45 can also be effected by means of a piston-cylinder unit (not shown).

in use, the device can be employed on, for example, a hose assembly 60 comprising a hose 61 and a fitting 62 with a nipple 63. The hose 61 is clamped by the clamping device 50 and the nipple 63 is gripped by the clamping device 40. A socket of the fitting 62 is placed on the anvil 30 and fixed thereon by the two resiliently yielding members 32, which serve as a counterbearing during the splitting procedure so that the socket does not veer away laterally. The hammer 20 is placed above the anvil 30 in alignment with its point. The socket is split by moving the hammer 20 in the direction of the arrow 25 towards the fitting 62, the socket being split on the one hand by the point of the anvil 30 and on the other hand by the point of the hammer 20. When the splitting procedure is concluded the clamping device 40, mounted on the rails 7, is slid in the direction of the arrow 45, thus releasing the nipple from the hose.

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Claims (1)

1. PATENT CLAIMS:

   1. A device for separating a fitting from a hose, comprising splitting means for splitting a socket of the fitting, wherein the splitting rneans comprising at least one wedge-shaped tool having flanks defining a wedge point thereof, and a holding device for holding the fitting during the splitting, wherein the holding device comprises two support members which form a substantially V-shaped trough for the socket and which slidably bear on the flanks of the at least one tool.

   2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the splitting means comprises two wedgeshaped tools, the tools, in use, being directed radially of a socket to be split.

   A device according to claim 2, wherein the tools are arranged in alignment one above the other, one of the tools being a hammer and the other one of the tools being an anvil.

   4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the support members is mounted to be sHdable parallel to the associated flank of the at least one tool.

   5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one support member is slidable against the force of a spring.

   6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising fixing means for fixing the hose and fitting.

   7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing means comprises a first clamping device for clamping the hose at one side of the at least one tool and a second clamping device for clamping the fitting at an opposite side of that tool.

   8. A device according to claim 7, wherein one of the clamping devices is slidable, in use, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hose.

   g. A device according to claim 8, wherein said one clamping device is guided in a rail.

   7 10. A device according to claim 1, comprising a substantially L-shaped or C-shaped frame and a further wedge-shaped tool carried by a limb of the frame.

   11. A device substantially as hereinbefore, described with reference to the accompanying drawings.