JPH02182329A - Swaging tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a swaging tool which is easy in operation, and capable of being manufactured at the low cost by connecting a holding head of a first die to a cylinder by a connecting means, and movably engaging a tongue part of the connecting means with the cylinder in the horizontal direction. CONSTITUTION: A workpiece is swaged between first and second (upper and lower) dies 20, 18. The first die 20 is held by a head 60, and the second die 18 is moved toward the first die 20 by a cylinder 53. The holding head 60 of the first die 20 is connected to the cylinder 53 by a connecting means. A tongue part 76 of the connecting means is movably engaged with the cylinder 53 in the horizontal direction. A head matching means to match the head with the cylinder in an appropriate direction is provided on the connecting means. The swaging work of a pipe joint at a place difficult to access can be effectively achieved by using a compact and lightweight swaging tool.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a swaging tool used for swaging fluid pipe fittings and the like.

Swaged fluid fittings used to connect tubes in fluid systems have been used for many years, particularly in the aircraft industry.

The tubes to be joined are first inserted into a fitting (usually consisting of a cylindrical sleeve) and then the fitting is swaged using a swaging tool to create a fluid-tight connection between the tubes. Form. During swaging, the fitting is compressed radially inward by the swaging tool.

Thereby, the annular ridge on the outer surface of the pipe fitting is flattened and transferred to the inner surface of the pipe fitting. As a result, an annular recess is formed in the tube, and the tube is fixed to the pipe fitting.

In this type of swaging, access to the fitting to be swaged can be severely restricted. Therefore, there is a need for a swaging tool that is not only capable of swaging, but is also compact enough to allow access to pipe fittings.

A relatively compact prior art swaging tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,451, which includes an upper die held within a yoke and a die holder. The swaging tool has a lower die connected to the swaging tool. The yoke can be removed by loosening the knurled nut, which separates it from the rest of the swaging tool so that it can be made for the first connection to the fitting to be swaged. It has become. Although this prior art swaging tool is an advance from the standpoint of being relatively compact and easy to use, the capabilities of this tool make swaging pipe fittings extremely difficult. Situations still exist that are sometimes even impossible.

In addition to the desire to make tools more compact, a number of problems exist with conventional swaging tools. One of these problems is that when connecting a swaging tool to a fitting to be swaged, it can be placed in an incorrect reverse orientation with respect to one die or the other. . This may result in an incomplete and therefore unreliable swaging process. Similar problems occur during initial assembly into the cool itself at the factory and during field use, where one die may be oriented in the opposite direction relative to the other.

Incomplete or defective swaged fittings must be discarded or replaced with new fittings.
Sometimes the tube also needs to be replaced with a new one. Not only does this result in increased costs in terms of materials and labor, but it is also inefficient and increases the associated failures.

Additionally, many existing swaging tools are known to have a tendency for the lower die to rotate or wobble during swaging. Rotation or wobbling of the die will not only damage the swaging tool (but also cause defects in the swaging process of pipe fittings). However, there are no sufficient measures to effectively prevent this problem. , has not been developed to date.Also, given the wear on the swaging tool due to repeated use, operators sometimes have to The tool must be repaired or replaced, but there is no known reliable means of indicating tool wear.

Many other problems exist with traditional swaging tools.

Therefore, there is a need for a swaging tool that is easy to use, compact in size, and can handle the various swaging situations faced by workers. Additionally, there is a need for a swaging tool that prevents the dies from being opposed to each other, from rotating or wobbling, and which provides an indication of tool wear over extended periods of use. The present invention can meet these and other needs and provide related advantages.

According to the present invention, there is provided a swaging tool used for swaging two tubes together (fluid pipe fittings, etc.).The swaging tool of the present invention has a two-piece structure. It has been designed to be very compact and lightweight, which, along with other features described below, makes it possible to effectively swage fittings in cramped and difficult-to-access locations. The swaging tool of the present invention is also intended to be simple to operate, reliable to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

The swaging tool of the present invention has a lower die that is movable toward the upper die, and is capable of swaging a workpiece (workpiece) between both dies. The head of the tool holds the first die stationary relative to the movable second die during swaging, the second die being supported by a gouger holder whose base is attached to the tool cylinder. It has become. The head is directly connected to a pair of tongues of the head that are movable in sliding engagement with a pair of grooves provided in the cylinder (tool cylinder). The tongue and groove are
It extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder to allow rapid assembly and disassembly of the head to the cylinder.

The swaging tool of the present invention further includes means for aligning both dies with each other.

One of these die alignment means comprises a lip extending along the length of one of said grooves and a trough extending along the length of the corresponding tongue. It is a matter of form. When the head is assembled to the cylinder, the ribs are movable in sliding engagement with the troughs. This feature of the alignment means prevents reverse assembly of the head relative to the cylinder and thus ensures correct orientation of the upper die relative to the lower die. Another feature of the gooey alignment means of the present invention is that it has a pin connected to the cylinder and protruding from the upper surface of the cylinder at a predetermined position, and the pin is provided on the lower surface of the gouey holder. The receiver can be inserted into the hole. Therefore, when assembling the die holder to the cylinder, always
Can only be assembled in one direction. For this reason,
Guaranteed to orient both dies in the correct direction with respect to each other,
It also prevents the lower die from rotating within the die holder during the swaging operation. In another embodiment of the pin and hole combination described above, the cylinder has an upwardly projecting tapered shoulder that abuts one end of the gooey holder, thereby causing the die holder to move on the cylinder. It is designed to be aligned, thereby preventing unwanted rotation.

Inside the cylinder, a pair of pistons move the lower die toward the upper die to perform swaging of the pipe joint. The cylinder is divided by a partition into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. More particularly, an upper piston with a head reciprocally held within an upper chamber engages a rod slidably extending through a bore in the cylinder for connection to a lower die holder. We are prepared. A lower piston with a head reciprocably held within the lower chamber includes a rod slidably extending through the bore of the septum to abut the head of the upper piston. There is. The upper and lower pistons are pushed toward the retracted position by return springs (preferably, the return springs are composed of a plurality of superposed disc springs). The second piston also has an axial bore to provide fluid communication between the upper and lower chambers when fluid is supplied to the cylinder to drive both pistons, thereby moving the lower die toward the upper die. and swages the workpiece.

The lower chamber of the cylinder further includes a cylindrical end cap positioned opposite the septum to close the lower chamber. The end cap has external threads that mate with internal threads in the lower chamber. According to one feature of the invention, the external threads on the cylindrical end cap taper outwardly, the outer diameter of the end cap increasing in a direction away from the open end of the end cap. It is formed to increase. These tapered threads provide improved load distribution compared to threads made according to the conventional fixed pitch method. In the present invention, the root radius of the internal thread of the lower chamber is also increased, and the crest of the thread of the end cap is increased.
est) has been excised by machining. By increasing the roundness of the valley and cutting off the top of the ridge in this way, it is possible to prevent the swaging tool from being damaged due to failure of the screw.

Both dies are connected to the swaging tool by a gouer retaining plate at each end of each gouer, with fasteners for securing the die retaining plate to the swaging tool.
The fasteners are provided with resilient means disposed between the fasteners and the die holding plate to prevent the tube from breaking during swaging without breaking the fasteners or damaging the die holding plate. Allowing the joint to expand and the die retaining plate to move. In one embodiment, the resilient means consists of three countersunk wankers arranged in series between the head of the fastener and the outer surface of its corresponding die holding plate.

Repeated use of the swaging tool causes wear on the tool. This wear is particularly noticeable where the head is connected to the cylinder (where the tongue of the head is fitted into the groove of the cylinder. There is a small gap between the mating surfaces of the tongue and groove. exist, and the assembly of the two is sometimes such that a relative sliding movement is possible, so these surfaces are gradually roughened by the use of a swaging tool.In this case, the roughening The amount of can be conveniently used as a visual gauge to determine and evaluate the degree of wear on the swaging tool.

Another feature of the swaging tool of the present invention is a tool insertion guide to prevent damage to the components of the swaging tool during assembly. These tool insertion guides are configured, for example, as sleeves with a chamfered opening that fits into the cylinder, allowing easy insertion without damaging the upper piston by the cylinder of the tool. . The swaging tool of the present invention can also be provided with a two-axis universal joint, which allows the swaging tool to rotate in a plane that coincides with the axis of the cylinder and to form a cylindrical shape about the axis of the universal joint. The tool can be moved along a path. Providing a universal joint allows the swaging tool to be oriented in virtually all directions, thus improving the ability to swage pipe fittings in space-restricted locations.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of the invention.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention is embodied in a swaging tool generally designated by the numeral 10, which swages a pipe fitting 12 (FIG. 2). can be used to join two tubes 14,16. The swaging tool 10 of the present invention has a lower die 18.
can move toward the upper die 20 to perform swaging of the pipe fitting 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pipe joint 12 connects two tubes 1
4.16 is a sleeve which can receive the ends of the tubes 14.16, so that the two tubes 14.16 can be joined when swaged by the tool 10. Before the pipe fitting 12 is swaged, the pipe fitting 12 has a smooth cylindrical inner wall 22 and an uneven outer wall 24, as shown on the right side of FIG. .

The outer wall 24 includes a small diameter annular groove 26 located adjacent each end of the fitting 12 . This groove 2
Extending outwardly from 6 is a flat annular ridge 28 and a radially inwardly tapering nose 30 that extends to the end of fitting 12 . The flat surface of ridge 28 is designed to prevent relative rotation between tube 16 and fitting 12 after swaging is complete.

During the swaging operation, the fitting 12 is compressed radially inwardly by both dies 18,20 of the swaging tool 10. As a result, an uneven shape is provided along the inner wall 22 of the pipe joint 12, so that the tube can be tightly gripped. On the left side of FIG. 2, fitting 12 is shown after the swaging operation has been completed, with annular ridges 28 being forced radially inwardly to form an inner wall 22 of fitting 12, as shown. An annular recess is formed in. The tube 14 is also swaged to match the inner wall 22 of the fitting 12, so that
A permanent leak-tight coupling of the two tubes 14,16 is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the swaging tool 10 of the present invention has a pair of identical dies 18, 20, each of which extends inwardly from opposite ends. It has a slot that allows the die to be compressed radially. With particular reference to the bottom die in the illustrated context, each die 18.20 has a curved surface 34 for receiving a portion of the fitting 12, the curved surface 34 extending from the left end of the die. It is provided with three parallel longitudinal slots 36 extending through the curved surface 34 to a position adjacent the right end. Other similar slots 38 are also provided extending parallel to the longitudinal direction through the curved surface 34 of the die, and these slots 38 extend inwardly from the right edge to a position adjacent the left edge. ing. These two sets of slots 36, 38 extend inwardly from opposite ends of the die.
form a long bendable element capable of radially compressing the die. If desired, each die 18.20 can be provided with more than two slots 36.3B. The outer end of each die is also provided with a sloped or beveled portion 42 that flares radially outward toward the corresponding end. A die with these and other preferred features is disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,848,451. The swaging tool 10 of the present invention uses these dies and no further explanation is necessary to understand the present invention.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the lower die 18 is attached within the die holder 44. As shown in FIG. The die holder 44 has an upper surface 46 with a central portion contoured as a substantially cylindrical segment 48 for receiving a curved die (lower die) 18 and tapered sides of the central cylindrical segment 48. outer part 49
(Figure 4). The die holder 44 also has four
It has two flat sides 50 and a flat base 52 for connection to a tool cylinder 53.

Lower die 18 is secured to die holder 44 via a pair of flat die retaining plates 54 that engage both flat short walls of die holder 44 . Die holding plate 54
is a pair of screws 5 provided at each end of the plate 54.
6 to the lower die 18. The die retaining plate 54 is provided at its central upper edge with an inwardly extending flange 58 that extends over the beveled portion 42 at both ends of the lower die. attached to the beveled portion 42 in an overlapping manner;
The lower die 18 is fixedly held by a die holder 44.

The upper die 20 is received within a substantially U-shaped head 60. The head 60 has a substantially cylindrical central portion 62 similar to the central cylindrical segment 48 of the die holder 44 and has a curved upper die 2 .
It is now possible to accept 0. A pair of tapered outer shoulders 63 are provided on opposite sides of the cylindrical central portion 62 of the head 60, which shoulders 63 engage the tapered outer portion 49 of the die holder 44 during the swaging operation. They are designed to be combined and engaged. The angle of these tapered surfaces 49.63 with respect to the transverse axis of the tool is approximately 30" (Fig. 4). In conventional tools, these surfaces are horizontal and therefore the swaging process During the contact between both surfaces, large undesirable stress concentrations were induced.Conventional tools were therefore reinforced in this area to prevent premature failure; The improved tapered tool face 49.63 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a substantially uniform stress distribution, thus reducing the possibility of tool failure. Further, according to the present invention, there is no need to reinforce this area of the tool 10, so the tool can be made smaller and lighter.

A pair of goo holding plates 64 are connected to opposite ends of the head 60 by screws 66 to secure the upper die 20 within the head 60. Each upper die retaining plate 64 has an inwardly extending flange 68. The flange 68 has a beveled portion 42 at both ends of the upper die 20.
It overlaps with the beveled portion 42 and is fitted into the beveled portion 42. The head of the screw 66 and the retaining plate 6 of the upper die 20 are shown in FIG. 9 and explained in detail below.
A special washer is interposed between the retaining plate 64 and the outer surface of the screw 66 to prevent the retaining plate 64 from being damaged or damaged by the screw 66 due to expansion of the fitting I2 during the swaging operation. It has become.

The head 60 has two parallel legs 70 extending from a tapered outer shoulder 63 and a central cylindrical portion 62 . These legs 70 have flat, mutually parallel outer surfaces 7.
2 and an inner surface 74, and these both surfaces 72.74
The free end of terminates in an inwardly extending tongue 76. The tongue 76 has a curved tip 78, a curved inner surface 80, and substantially flat parallel outer surfaces 82 spaced apart from each other by #70 flat parallel outer surfaces 82. The distance is smaller than the distance between the outer surfaces 72. Tongue 76
The receiver is adapted to be placed in a groove 84 provided in the tool cylinder 53 and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the tongue portion 76 . These grooves 84 extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tool cylinder 53. To attach the head 60 directly to the tool cylinder 53, the upper die 20 in the head 60 is attached to the lower die 18.
The end of each tongue 76 may be slotted into the corresponding groove 84 until it is aligned directly above.

The tongue 76 and groove 84 attachment means of the head 60 and tool cylinder 53 are excellent for directly connecting the head 60 to the tool cylinder 53, and therefore:
No intermediate posts, nuts or other components are required to connect the two. This direct sliding connection structure according to the invention therefore makes it possible to omit some special parts used in previously known swaging tools.

Moreover, as a result, both the axial length and the overall diameter of the tool can be made compact, and the tool can be made lighter. Furthermore, these two components (Head 6
0 and the tool cylinder 53) is ensured and a quick connection can be achieved. Other advantages of the sliding connection structure of the head 60 to the tool cylinder 53 according to the invention will be explained below.

According to the present invention, the head 6 is connected to the tool cylinder 53.
Head alignment means are provided for aligning the head 60 to the tool cylinder 53 each time the head 60 is connected to the tool cylinder 53.
The head 60 can be properly oriented and connected to the tool cylinder 53. Proper orientation of the head 60 with respect to the cylinder 53 is essential for proper swaging of the fitting 12 so that the upper and lower dies 20. This is important because it must be oriented. For example, if the upper die 20 is
If it were to be placed in the opposite direction with respect to B, the fitting 12 would be swaged incompletely or incorrectly.

The head alignment means of the present invention is comprised of a rib 86 and a trough 88, with the rib 86 preferably along the base of the groove 84 and the trough 88 extending along the corresponding tongue 76.
It is preferable to provide it along the tip part 78 of. head 60
When the tongue 76 is moved into sliding engagement with the groove 84, the rib 86 is received within the trough 88. Since the combination of the rib 86 and the trough 88 is disposed only on one side of the tongue 76 and the groove 84 corresponding to the tongue 76, the head GO is moved to the cylinder 5 when swaging the pipe fitting 12.
3, it becomes impossible to orient the head 60 in the opposite direction (and thus to orient the upper and lower dies 20.18 in the opposite direction). If the head 60 is
Even if you try to connect in the wrong direction with respect to 3, the groove 8
4 prevents the tongue 76, which is not provided with the trough 88, from sliding in.

Therefore, each time the head 60 is assembled to the cylinder 53, both dies 18, 20 can be correctly oriented.

The flat, parallel sides 50 of the gou holder 44 are connected to the head 60.
The inner surfaces 74 of the legs 70 are fitted so as to substantially complement each other. As shown in FIG. 4, the guide holder 44 is
Ball 90 fitted into opening 92 of Goo holder 44
The ball 90 is held between the legs 70 (the ball 90 is urged outwardly by a spring 94 into a groove 96 in the inner surface 74 of the legs 70). The groove 96 allows the lower die 11 and the guide holder 44 to move to the upper die 20 while the head 60 and the upper die 20 are held stationary during swage processing.
axially extending a distance sufficient to allow movement toward the The base 52 of the guide holder 44 is the cylinder 5
3 and has a shape that matches the base 52.

Another feature of the swaging tool 10 of the present invention is that the lower die 18 and the goo holder 44 are connected to the tool cylinder 53.
means are provided for aligning in the proper direction. For the above reasons explained in connection with the head alignment means, it is desirable to ensure that the lower die 18 is properly oriented with respect to the upper die 20 when attaching the lower die 18 and the guide holder 44 to the cylinder 53 during the swaging operation. is important. This lower die alignment means is pin 1
00, the pin 100 being connected to and protruding from the flat upper surface 98 of the cylinder 53 in a predetermined position. The pin 100 may be placed anywhere on the top surface 98 of the cylinder 53 except for the center course of the top surface 98 of the cylinder 53. Preferably, it is located sufficiently far from the center of the top surface 98, and any location adjacent one edge of the top surface 98 is suitable. The base 52 of the gooey holder 44 is provided with a hole 102 for receiving a pin 100 when the gooey holder 44 is assembled to the cylinder 53. The length of the pin 100 and the depth of the hole 102 are such that the pin 100 remains fully within the hole 102 when the gouer holder 44 is moved away from the cylinder 53 during swaging. Determine the size. The hole 102 is such that the pin 100 is received in the hole 102 and the edge of the guide holder 52 is connected to the cylinder 5.
The guide holder 44 is used to properly orient the lower die 18 on the cylinder 53 when aligned with the edge of the upper surface 98 of the
It is arranged on the base 52 of. This takes the guesswork out of assembly by factory assemblers and swaging tool operators in terms of properly aligning the dies.

Further, the combination of the pin 100 and the hole 102 described above can prevent undesired rotation of the gooey holder 44 with respect to the cylinder 53 (this rotation may occur during the swaging operation). In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. On the other hand, the gooey holder 44 can be prevented from rotating. By preventing rotation in this manner, the life of the swaging tool and the reliability of the swaging operation can be improved.

To swage the pipe fitting 12, the piston means in the tool cylinder 53 moves the lower die 18 into the upper die 2.
Move towards 0. The piston means includes a bulkhead 104 disposed within the cylinder 53, as best shown in FIG. It forms a (ie lower) cylinder chamber 10B.

The septum 104 is a cylindrical disk with a central axial hole 110. The outer peripheral edge of the bulkhead 104 is provided with an outwardly extending annular shoulder 112 that is provided on the inner surface of the cylinder 53 and that defines the entrance to the upper chamber 106. It is fitted into a forming and inwardly extending annular shoulder 114. Partition wall 104
The two chambers 1 are separated by an opening 6vJ116 in the cylindrical end cap 11B that closes the outer end of the cylinder 53.
06 and 108 to the shoulder 114 of the cylinder 53. The open end 116 of the end cap 11B is provided with an externally threaded surface 120 which can be screwed into an internally threaded surface 122 provided at the outer end of the cylinder 53 in the region of the lower chamber 108. It has become. This allows the end cap 118 to be attached to the cylinder 53.
When fully screwed in, the septum 104 is secured between the open end 116 of the end cap 118 and the inwardly extending shoulder 114 on the inner surface of the cylinder 53. End cap 118 is centrally provided with a threaded hole 124 through which fluid can be introduced into cylinder 53, allowing swaging tool 10 to be operated pneumatically or hydraulically, as desired. end cap 11
It should be noted that the cylindrical inner surface of 8 is smooth and forms the side wall of the lower chamber 10g.

A double piston structure is provided within the cylinder 53, consisting of a first piston 126 in the upper chamber 106 (i.e. the upper piston) and a second piston 128 in the lower chamber 108 (i.e. the lower piston). There is. More specifically, the upper piston 126 extends upwardly through a head 130 that is reciprocally held within the upper chamber 106 and an axial bore 134 formed in the cylinder 53. A rod '13 connected to a gooey holder 44 supporting the lower die 18
2. The upper end of the rod 132 is received in a recess 136 formed in the base 52 of the gouging holder 44, and is connected to the gouging holder 44 by a plurality of snap ring springs 138. upper chamber 10
A return spring 140 is disposed within 6 around the loft 132 between the upper end of the chamber 106 and the upper piston head 130 . This return spring 140 is
When there is no fluid pressure in the cylinder 53, the bulkhead 1
The upper piston 126 is pressed against the upper piston 126. Therefore, when each swage operation is completed (at the time of completion, the upper piston 126 is moving upward and the lower die 18 is being moved toward the upper die 20), the lower die 18 is adapted to be retracted relative to the bulkhead 104 by a return spring 140.

The lower piston 12B extends upwardly through a cylindrical head 142 that is reciprocated within the lower chamber 108 and through an axial bore 110 provided in the center of the septum 104. It has an opening 7 and 144. The rod 144 of the lower piston 128 abuts the head 130 of the upper piston 126. The lower piston 128 has an axial passageway 146 formed therethrough that connects the lower chamber 108 and the upper chamber 10.
6 are in fluid communication with each other.

The swaging tool 10 of the present invention uses the double piston structure described above to provide increased force. Fluid enters the lower chamber 108 through the hole 124 in the end cap 118 and further into the region behind the upper piston 126 through the passageway 146. Passage 1
48 is a chamfered entrance, that is, a beveled entrance 14B
to allow the lower piston 128 to easily move upwardly when fluid is first introduced. The end cap 118 is provided with an annular recessed area 150 below the head 142 of the lower piston 128, which allows fluid to accumulate more quickly behind the head 142, thus , the upward movement of the piston 128 can be performed more easily.

When fluid reaches upper piston 126 through passageway 146, it initially accumulates in a small area behind head 130. This fluid is transferred to the lower piston 128
moves upward (this causes the upper piston 1
26 is lifted from bulkhead 104), head 130
is rapidly distributed throughout the head 130 behind the head. The double piston structure allows effective use of the entire surface area of each piston head. Importantly, this allows maximum piston force without any increase in fluid pressure.

As a result, smaller sized piston structures can be used, which allows for a more compact and lightweight tool with respect to the diameter of the swaging tool.

In order to make the swaging tool most compact and lightweight, a conventional helical spring is not necessarily the most suitable for use as the return spring 140, but a stack of a few disc springs is very suitable. It was discovered that the same amount of load can be supported in a much smaller space than a larger helical spring. The stack of return springs or disc springs 140 in the present invention includes:
Although smaller in diameter and lighter than conventional helical springs, they can support larger loads and return the upper piston 126 more quickly. Once again, this configuration contributes to reducing the size and weight of the swaging tool 10 of the present invention.

The ease of use of the swaging tool IO of the present invention can be further improved by the biaxial universal joint 152. The two-axis universal joint 152 is threaded onto the base of the tool cylinder 53 in the female threaded hole 124 of the end cap 11B, as best shown in FIG. The two-axis universal joint 152 includes a first universal joint 154 that allows the swaging tool 10 to rotate in a plane that coincides with the axis of the cylinder 53. Further, the second universal joint 156 is such that the tool 10
The two-axis universal joint 152 is movable about a longitudinal axis following a cylindrical path. This biaxial universal joint 152 allows the tool IO to be oriented in virtually any direction. This feature is, for example,
When performing swaging work in a narrow space or pipe fitting 12
This is particularly useful when axial access is not possible.

By repeatedly using the swaging tool 10 and applying relatively large pressure to compress both dies 18 and 20,
Tool 10 gradually wears out. An example of such wear is wear due to stress in the axial direction acting on both legs 70 of the head 60 (particularly at the portion where the tongue portion 76 is fitted into the groove 84 to connect the head 60 to the cylinder 53). be. Because there is a slight gap between the engagement surfaces of the tongue 76 and the groove 84 to allow sliding movement relative to each other for assembly, the tongue 76 is removed during each swaging operation. is rubbed against the groove 84, which causes wear on the tool 1'0. Tool wear is important because worn parts of tool 10 must be replaced or repaired before serious problems occur.

Additionally, significant wear on the tool can result in incomplete or defective swaging of the fitting. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, the outer surface of the tongue 76 in the area that engages the groove 84 is , is worn and roughened during use of the tool 10 to provide an indication of tool wear.For reference, this roughened area is designated by number 158 (number 158). (Fig. 3).This area 158 is intended to be worn and roughened by a certain amount of friction generated between the tongue 76 and 'a84 during the screw machining operation. If 158 becomes sufficiently worn and roughened, it will signal that a component of tool 10 (or perhaps tool 10 itself) must be replaced or repaired.

Another advantage of the tool 10 of the invention is that tool insertion guides are provided to prevent the components of the tool from being damaged during assembly of the tool 10. Figures 5 and 6
As shown in the Figures, the tool insertion guide facilitates assembly of the cylinder components of the tool in the manner shown in Figures 5-8. A first cylinder assembly step is shown in FIG.
6 into the rod 132, and then inserting the upper piston 126 into the open end of the cylinder 53. Tool insertion guide 16 shown in FIG.
0 is designed to prevent the head 130 of the upper piston 126 from being damaged by the cylinder 53 when the upper piston 126 is inserted. This tool insertion guide 160 is configured as a substantially cylindrical sleeve and has a thin-walled inner end 1 which is inserted into the lower chamber 10B and fitted against its internal thread 122.
It is equipped with 62. A thick-walled outer end 164 of the tool insertion guide 160 projects from the lower chamber 108 and is adapted to be positioned over the open end of the cylinder 53 . A chamfer 166 is provided at the outer end of the sleeve (tool insertion guide) 160 to facilitate insertion of the upper piston 126 into the cylinder 53. Additionally, the inner diameter of the thin-walled inner end 162 of the tool insertion guide 160 is dimensioned to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the upper chamber 106, so that the region forming the lower chamber 108 of the cylinder 53 and the upper Between the chamber 106 and the piston 12
It should be noted that the head 130 of No. 6 can be moved smoothly. This tool insertion guide 160
can be constructed of free-cutting steel or other suitable material that will not damage the upper piston 126. After the piston 126 is inserted, the tool insertion guide 160
can be removed and stored for future assembly.

The next step in assembling the cylindrical components of tool 10 is shown in FIG.
inserting the lower piston 128 into the open end 116 of the piston 18. A separate tool insertion guide 168 is used for this insertion process to facilitate insertion of the lower piston 128. More particularly, this second tool insertion guide 168 is comprised of a substantially cylindrical sleeve adapted to be placed over the opening 116 of the externally threaded end cap 118. The inner diameter of the sleeve (tool insertion guide) 168 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the smooth inner wall surface of the end camp 118. The entrance to the tool insertion guide 168 is also provided with a chamfer 170 to facilitate easier insertion of the lower piston 128 into the cylindrical end camp 118. After inserting the lower piston 128 into the end camp 118 and removing the tool insertion guide 168, as shown in FIG.
The partition wall 104 is assembled to the 28 rods 144. The removed tool insertion guide 168 can be stored for subsequent use.

The final assembly step is shown in FIG. 8, in which the open end 116 of the end camp 118 supporting the lower piston 128 and bulkhead 104 forms the entrance to the upper chamber 106. Thread end cap 118 into cylinder 53 until it pinches septum 10-4 against shoulder 114 extending inwardly of cylinder 53. Once this final assembly process is completed, 2
A universal joint 152 is coupled to the end cap 118 and may further be coupled to suitable hydraulic or pneumatic means (not shown) to apply fluid pressure to the tool IO.

Yet another feature of the invention is the male thread 1 of the end cap 11B.
The reason is that a tapered screw is used for 20. It is well known that the load distribution of a screw can be substantially improved by tapering either the male or female threaded components in a suitable manner as compared to a conventional fixed pitch screw. Tapered screws like this are
The strength of the threaded connection can be significantly improved and, in particular, contributes to the prevention of brittle fractures that tend to be caused by dynamic loading of the swaging tool due to brittle plastic flow.
I can do it. Accordingly, the external threads 120 on the cylindrical end cap 11B in the preferred embodiment of the invention taper outwardly such that the outer diameter of the end cap 118 increases in the direction away from the open end 116 of the end cap 11B. The internal thread 122 on the cylinder 53, on the other hand, is designed as a regular fixed pitch thread.

Another improvement is shown in FIG. 11 with regard to the external threads 120 of the end cap 118 and the internal threads 122 of the cylinder 53. This improvement is achieved by adding U to the female thread 122 of the cylinder 53.
The roundness of the valley is larger than the NJ standard (root radius
s) 171 was established. In a preferred embodiment, the radius 17 of the internal thread 122 of the cylinder 53 is
1 is about 0.0175 to 0.020! (approximately 0.445
~0.508 N+11), and this internal thread 12
The inner diameter in area 2 is approximately 2.3751 inches (approximately 60.3 mm).
311III+). UN about such screws
The roundness of the valley according to the J standard is usually about 0.0125 to 0.0.
0150! (approximately 0.318 to 0.381 Illm)
within the range of Thus, the valley radius 171 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is about 40% greater than the conventional valley radius.

Yet another improvement in accordance with the present invention is the cre-st 1 of the outwardly tapered male threads 120 of the end cap 118.
73 was removed by machining.

In a preferred embodiment, about 0.029 to 0 at the top of the mountain.
．． 031! (approximately 0.737 to 0.787 +ua)
has been removed. Alternatively, the end cap 11
8 outwardly tapered threads 120 may also be formed according to the IINJ standard. By increasing the valley radius 171 in combination with reducing the size of the crest (and tapering the external threads 120 of the end cap 118), the load distribution of the thread can be significantly improved. Therefore, the strength of the threaded connection can be increased and the possibility of damage to the tool can be reduced.

Most of the components that make up the swaging tool 10 of the present invention are made of high tensile strength materials, such as stainless steel or maraging steel. These components include lower die 18, upper die 20, gouer holder 44, tool cylinder 53, head 60, pin 100, bulkhead 104, end cap 118, upper piston 126 and lower piston 128.

Many of these components, such as tool cylinder 53 and head 60, are preferably manufactured using an electrical discharge machine (EDM). Gui holding plate 54.6
4 can be made of cold rolled steel and the tool insertion guides 160, 168 can be made of free cutting steel. Return spring 140 can be made of spring steel.

The swaging tool 10 of the present invention operates as follows. First, the lower die 18 is retracted to the retracted position, and the pipe fitting 12 to be swaged is placed between the upper die 20 and the lower die 18.

This work involves removing the head 60 from the tool cylinder 53 by sliding the head 60, and then inserting the pipe fitting 12 into the lower die 1.
8 and reattaching the head 60. The flange 58.68 of the gou retaining plate 54.64 is attached to the fitting 12 before swaging.
It has a corner that extends into the die opening and engages the end of the fitting 12 when the tube is positioned in its final position. Therefore, the gou retaining plate 54.64 holds the pipe fitting 12.
It functions as a stopper for positioning the upper and lower dies 18, 20 at proper positions in the axial direction.

Once the fitting 12 is in place, pressurized fluid is introduced into the tool cylinder 53 through the axial hole 124 in the end cap 118. As previously explained, the introduction of pressurized fluid into the cylinder 53 causes both pistons 1
26.12B is moved upwards, thereby lower die 1
8 is moved toward the upper die 20. Both die 18
．． Compression by 20 continues until the tapered surfaces 49.63 touch each other, after which the swaging process ends. Once the fluid pressure is released and the return spring 140 returns the pistons 126, 128 to their retracted position, the fitting 12 can be removed from the swaging tool 10, thereby completing the swaging operation.

During swaging, the fitting 12 is inserted into the tube 14.1.
Expands axially relative to 6. For this reason, a force acts on the gou retaining plate 54.64, and this force becomes very large in some cases.
4 is deformed or damaged, these die holding plates 5
Worn or damaged screws 56.66 that secure 4.64 to the tool. In order to prevent this from happening, in the swaging tool 10 of the present invention, elastic means are arranged between the die holding plate 54.64 and the screw 56.66, so that the screw 5
6.66 and the die retaining plate 54.64 to allow expansion of the fitting 12 during swaging. This elastic means is the screw 66
and its corresponding outer surface of the die retaining plate 64 .
In the preferred embodiment, preferably comprised of two disc washers, the washers 172 are comprised of three countersunk washers arranged in series, as shown in FIG. This allows the countersunk washer 1 to expand when the fitting 12 expands during swaging and exerts a force against the die holding plate.
72 acts as a buffer and allows for some movement of the die retaining plate relative to the tool 10, thus greatly reducing the possibility of damage to the tool.

One of the tubes 14 or 16 to be swaged is
The assembled tool 10 may be inserted directly into the fitting 12 if it has a free end into which the assembled tool 10 can be inserted.

However, in other cases, from the tool 10 to the head 6
0 and place the fitting 12 between the free ends of the two legs 70 of the head 60 and position the head 60 around it. In this latter case, the present invention provides a two-piece structure in which the head 60 and the cylinder 53 can be easily and directly slid together, allowing for quick assembly of the tool IO and thus making it difficult to access. This method is particularly effective for swaging pipe fittings in certain positions. When swaging is completed, head 6
0 can be quickly removed from tool 10 to swage the next fitting.

From the above, the swaging tool 10 according to the present invention includes:
It will be appreciated that it is particularly suitable for swaging fittings 12 connecting two tubes 14, 16 located in narrow and difficult to access areas. Further, according to the present invention, in addition to being able to ensure proper connection, alignment, and orientation of the upper die 20 with respect to the lower die 18, the swaging tool 10 is easy to use and assemble, and therefore, the swaging tool IO is easy to use and assemble. The present invention has an important feature of being able to provide a tool that is much lighter and smaller than the tool that has been developed in the past.

Although specific forms of the invention have been described above, various improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swaging tool embodying features of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a part of a pipe fitting and related tube subjected to re-swaging by the swaging tool of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, showing the swaging tool with the head removed and ready to receive the pipe fitting; FIG. 4 is a side view showing an enlarged cross-section of the main components of the swaging tool of the present invention (the die has been removed for clarity of the drawing). FIG. 5 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a tool insertion guide that facilitates insertion of the return spring and upper piston into the tool cylinder during assembly of the swaging tool. FIG. 6 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of an alternative tool insertion guide that facilitates insertion of the lower piston into the end cap forming the lower end of the tool cylinder. FIG. 7 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the septum being assembled to the lower piston rod and end cap assembly of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view showing final assembly of the tool cylinder components including the two-axis universal joint connected to the tool cylinder. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a die holding plate for fixing the die to the swaging tool. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the tool cylinder according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion indicated by the double-headed arrow 11 in FIG. 10... Swaging tool (tool), 12...
・Pipe fitting, 14.16...Tube, 18
...Lower die, 20...Upper die, 53...
・Tool cylinder (cylinder), 54.64...Die holding plate, 60...Head, 104...Partition wall, 1 ()
6... First cylinder chamber (upper cylinder chamber), 108... Second cylinder chamber (lower cylinder chamber), 118... End cap, 6... First piston (upper piston) ), 8... Second piston (lower piston), O... Return spring (stack of disc springs), 2... 2-axis universal joint, 154...
- First universal joint, 6... Second universal joint, 8... Roughened area, 0.168... Tool insertion guide, 2... Countersunk washers.

Claims (33)

[Claims] (1) a first die; a second die movable toward the first die and capable of swaging a workpiece between the two dies; a head that holds the first die relative to the two dies; a cylinder that supports the second die and includes means for moving the second die toward the first die; , connecting means for connecting the head to the cylinder, the connecting means comprising a pair of tongues provided on the head, and the tongues comprising a pair of tongues provided on the cylinder. movable in sliding engagement with a pair of grooves, the tongue and groove extending substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. swaging tool. (2) The swaging tool according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means further includes head alignment means for aligning the head in a proper direction with respect to the cylinder. (3) The head alignment means includes a rib and a trough, the rib extends along the longitudinal direction of one of the grooves, and the trough extends along the longitudinal direction of the corresponding tongue. 3. The rib of claim 2, wherein the rib extends along the trough and is movable in sliding engagement with the trough when the head is assembled to the cylinder. Swaging tool. (4) during use of the swaging tool, each of said tongues is worn or roughened in the area where said tongue engages said groove to signal wear of the swaging tool; A swaging tool according to claim 1. 5. The swaging tool of claim 1, further comprising means for properly aligning the second die with respect to the cylinder. (6) The means for aligning the second die with respect to the cylinder includes: a die holder provided on the upper surface of the cylinder to hold the second die; and a die holder connected to the cylinder and holding the second die at a predetermined position. It is equipped with a pin protruding from the top surface of the cylinder.
2. The pin is adapted to be received in a hole provided in the die holder, and the die and die holder are configured to be assembled into the cylinder in the same orientation at any time. The swaging tool described in 5. (7) The device further includes means for preventing rotation of the second die with respect to the cylinder, and the rotation prevention means includes a die holder provided on the upper surface of the cylinder to hold the second die. and a shoulder extending from the top surface of the cylinder, the shoulder abutting against the die holder to prevent the die holder from rotating with respect to the cylinder. The swaging tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: 8. The swaging tool of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said second die toward said first die comprises piston means. (9) The piston means is a partition wall disposed within the cylinder, the partition wall forming a first chamber at one end of the cylinder adjacent to the second die and a second chamber at the other end. , a first head having a head reciprocably held within the first chamber and a rod slidably extending through a bore of the cylinder to connect to the second die;
a return spring disposed within the first chamber between one end of the cylinder and the head of the first piston; a return spring disposed for reciprocating movement within the second chamber; a second piston having a rod slidably extending through the bore of the bulkhead so as to abut the head of the second piston; an axial bore extending through the piston to provide fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, and further comprising means for supplying fluid into the second chamber. 9. The swaging device of claim 8, wherein the pistons are moved toward one end of the cylinder, thereby moving the second die toward the first die to swage the workpiece. ging tool. (10) The swaging tool according to claim 9, wherein the return spring is composed of a plurality of disc springs stacked one on top of the other. (11) the second chamber of the cylinder further comprises a cylindrical end cap disposed opposite the bulkhead to close the second chamber; The swaging tool according to claim 9, further comprising a male thread that engages with the female thread. 12. The swaging tool of claim 11, further comprising a tool insertion guide to prevent damage to components of the swaging tool during assembly of the swaging tool. (13) One of the tool insertion guides has a thin wall inner end inserted into and fitted into the female thread of the second chamber and a thick wall outer end extending from the second chamber. and a cylindrical sleeve having a chamfered entrance to the sleeve at an outer end thereof to facilitate insertion of the first piston into the first chamber of the cylinder. The swaging tool according to claim 12, characterized in that the swaging tool is configured as follows. (14) Another of the tool insertion guides is configured with a cylindrical sleeve that can be attached to the open end of the end cap provided with a male thread, and the inner diameter of the sleeve is equal to or smaller than the end cap. substantially equal to the inner diameter of the sleeve, the entrance to the sleeve being chamfered;
Claim 1, wherein the second piston is adapted to be easily inserted into the cylindrical end cap.
The swaging tool described in 2. (15) The swaging tool according to claim 11, wherein the internal thread provided in the second chamber of the cylinder has a valley radius larger than a valley radius according to the UNJ standard. (16) The internal thread provided in the second chamber of the cylinder is approximately 25 to 5 mm rounder than the roundness of the valley according to the UNJ standard.
12. The swaging tool of claim 11, having a 0% greater valley radius. (17) Claim 11, wherein the internal thread provided in the second chamber of the cylinder has a valley radius approximately 40% larger than a valley radius according to the UNJ standard.
The swaging tool described in . (18) The male thread provided on the cylindrical end cap is tapered outward, and the outer diameter of the end cap increases in the direction away from the open end of the end cap. The swaging tool according to claim 11. (19) The swaging tool according to claim 11, wherein the crest of a male thread provided on the cylindrical end cap is cut off. (20) a pair of die holding plates provided at both ends of each die to hold both dies in the swaging tool; and a fastener for fixing the die holding plate to the swaging tool; resilient means disposed between the clamp and the die holding plate, the resilient means being arranged during swaging of the workpiece;
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising resilient means for allowing said workpiece to expand without said fasteners breaking or said die retaining plate being damaged. Swaging tool. (21) The elastic means comprises a countersunk washer disposed between the head of at least one of the fasteners and the outer surface of its corresponding die holding plate. swaging tool. (22) The elastic means is comprised of three countersunk washers arranged in series between the head of at least one of the fasteners and the outer surface of its corresponding die holding plate. Swaging tool according to item 20. 23. The swaging tool of claim 1 further comprising universal joint means allowing the swaging tool to rotate in a plane coinciding with the axis of the cylinder. (24) Swaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the swaging tool further comprises universal joint means enabling movement according to a cylindrical path about the axis of the universal joint means. tool. (25) enabling a swaging tool to rotate in a plane coinciding with the axis of said cylinder, and enabling the swaging tool to move according to a cylindrical path about the axis of said universal joint means; The swaging tool of claim 1 further comprising universal joint means for swaging. (26) The cylinder further includes a die holder provided in the cylinder, the die holder having a central portion for receiving the second die and a pair of tapered outer surfaces provided on both sides of the second die. and the die holder is adapted to engage a complementary pair of tapered outer shoulders provided on opposite sides of the upper die in the head at the end of the swaging operation. Swaging tool according to item 1. (27) The angle of the tapered surface of the die holder and the angle of the tapered shoulder of the head are within a range of about 15 to 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal axis of the swaging tool. Swaging tool according to item 26. (28) The angle of the tapered surface of the die holder and the angle of the tapered shoulder of the head are about 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal axis of the swaging tool. Swaging tool. (29) a first die; a second die movable toward the first die and capable of swaging a workpiece between the two dies; a head that holds the first die relative to the two dies; a cylinder that supports the second die and includes means for moving the second die toward the first die; , connecting means for connecting the head to the cylinder, and alignment means for aligning the second die with the cylinder, the alignment means for aligning the second die with the cylinder to hold the second die. a die holder provided on the top surface; and a pin connected to the cylinder and protruding from the top surface of the cylinder at a predetermined position,
Swaging characterized in that the pin is adapted to be received in a hole provided in the die holder, and the die and die holder are configured to be assembled into the cylinder in the same direction at any time. tool. (30) The connecting means includes l pairs of tongues provided on the head, and the tongues are movable in sliding engagement with a pair of grooves provided on the cylinder. 30. The swaging tool of claim 29, wherein the tongue and groove extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. 31. The swaging tool of claim 30, wherein the coupling means further comprises head alignment means for aligning the head in a proper direction with respect to the cylinder. (32) The head alignment means includes a rib and a trough, the rib extends along the longitudinal direction of one of the grooves, and the trough extends along the longitudinal direction of the corresponding tongue. 32. The trough of claim 31, wherein the rib extends along a direction such that the rib is movable in sliding engagement with the trough when the head is assembled to the cylinder. Swaging tool. (33) During use of the swaging tool, each of the tongues is worn or roughened in the area where the tongue engages the groove to signal wear of the swaging tool. 32. A swaging tool according to claim 31.