US1584783A - Ring-compressing tool - Google Patents

Description

May 18 1926.

H. J. LESLIE ETAL.

RING COMPRESSING TOOL Filed Dec. 22, 1924 nm ATTORNEYS Patented May 18, Q. i M

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Y HARRY J'. LESLIE AND 'EARL BABY, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

RING-COMPRESSING TOOL.

Application filed December 22, 1924. Serial No. 757,501.

The present invention relates to ringcompressing devices, with particular reference to appliances for use in retaining piston rings compressed within the grooves of the piston, during the operation of inserting the piston and ring assembly into the bore of the cylinder.

' Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to devise a practical, simple and easily operated tool for compressing and retaining the rings within the piston grooves and adapted to be maintained latchedin this spring compressing relation without attention on the part of the operator for this purpose,so that the hands of the operator may, if desired, be temporarily free for other operations incidental to the assembly of the pistons within the cylinders.

It is further sought to provide a device of this character which will be adjustable to a certain extent for use with piston rings of various sizes, and adapted to exert a practically uniform pressure all around the rings, and *tol facilitate the insertion o-f the piston and ring assembly in a direction coinciding substantially with the axis vof the cylinder.

In carrying out the invention in practice, we make use of a spring metal construction comprising ring engaging segments which 30 are adjustable for dierent sizes of rings, and provided with a compressible handle for actuating the segments into riiig-clamping position, this handle being provided with -a keeper element movable along the handle for either releasing or compressing the saine and retaining the parts in their ring-clamping position. With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating one form of constructionwhich we have devised for embodying the proposed improveinents, after which those features deemed to be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure l is a lplan View of a tool constructed in accordance with the present invention, and illustrated inl expanded position ready for application to a piston;

F igure 2 is a side or edge view of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the device applied to the piston in ring-clamping position; Y

Figure 4 is a side view of the parts illustrated in Figure 3, and illustrating the operation of inserting the piston ring assembly within a cylinder;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view,

showing one of the spring-clamping segments of the tool before the guide loops have been secured thereto; and Y Figure 6 is a detail section taken on the line VL-VI of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail,A this illustrates the improved appliance as made from a band of spring metal which has been suitably shaped to provide a handle portion 7 oppositely bowed as shown in Figures l and 3, and terminating in ring engaging and clamping segments 8, the free end portions of which are arranged in overlapping relation, as illustrated in .the same views, in order to provide adjustments of linger extension 8 projects at an angle to y the adjacent portion of the attached segment 8, and is of a-slightly less pronounced curvature, as shown in Figure 5, so that when secured by the loops 9 to the segment 8, indengageinent therewith throughout the length of said extension 8, the end portion of the latter which is attached to said extension is Ysubjected to a slight straightening tendency by the action ofthe extension 8', as will be readily understood. Since the-curvature of both of the ring-engaging segments 8 is normally the same, the projection of the free end of one of them through the guide loops 9 of course causes the same to be embraced with ,fa friction grip, thereby holding the connected parts of the ring-engaging segments' against anyy casual displacement or 'alteration of its adjustment yexcept at such times as this adjustment is purposely valtered by the workman. One of the ring-clamping segments may be graduated, if desired, yas indicated at 10, to denote the dierent sizes to which the tool may be adjusted for a given range of ring sizes. l

The handle portion of the tool is provided with an interior spring member l2, bowed tion Tis a loop or keeper member 15 formedA with finger-engaging extensions 15 and havinga ci'oss bar lti'extending through the handle. and adapted, by engagement With the extreme end thereof, to prevent any complete disengagement o't'- the member 15' from the handle. It is apparent that by moving the loop or keeper 15 out to the extreme end ofthe handle as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, thespring tension of the tool' is released, as required for removing the tool trom clamping engagement with the piston;

Whereas, by forcing the loop or'heeper 15 to the opposite end ofthe handle, asshoivn in Figures 3 and 4', thel handle is compressed, thereby correspondingly compressing the ringeclamping segments 8 into tightly clamped relation to the rings 14, as required for holdingthelattercompressed Within the grooves ofthe pist-on, in the usual manner preliininary'to inserting the piston and ring assembly'ufithin tlie bore 1.7 of the cylinder 18, as seen in Figure Ll. Preferably, the under side of thev handle' 7v is undercut, as illust-rated' atv 20 in Figures 2 and l', so that the ineinberl may bexinoved into handlecoinpressing position WithoutV any intererencebeing offered by the cylinder head (see Figure fl).

It Will thus be apparenttliat We have devised' a practical, simple and very efcient device for carrying out theY proposed objects of the invent-ion. In practice, it is common toV locate the split piston` rings 14 in Staggered relation, that is Witlrtheir butt joints at different points around the surface or' the cylinders, so that it quite often happens that one of thesejoints Will come opposite tliegap left. between thesegments 8 at the pointv Where they are attached to the handle 7. If the butt ends of' the rings come at this point, itis quite natural that they Will prevent the ready insertion of the piston Within the cylinder, oii'accouiit ofV projecting outside the pistongroove: butin the present construction the tool Will prevent any7 projection ofv the ring outsidetlie groove, since the spring member 12 ivill engage the ring 11i at'tliis point and Will operate automatically,.on compression of the; handle 7 by the movement' of' the loop or keeper member 15, to engage and force the ring Within the This groove and retain it in said position during the operation ot inserting the piston Within the cylinder. lt will be evident also that With such a construction the pressure exerted upon the ring will be substantially uniiorm entirely around the cylinder, and that thc loop member l5 will be retained automatiailly, by the spring tension ot' the tool, in the position shown in Figure 3 without any further attention from the operator, whose hands are thus left lrce for other manipulations which may be required in this Work. ln this connection, it may be further explained that tlieloops 9 prevent any tendency of the iing-clamping segments to follovv along with the piston into the cylinder bore, andl since these loops come opposite the member 15 at the other side of the cylinder, the piston assembly is properly alined with the axis of the cylinder bore, thus facilitating the movement of the piston inV a direct line ivith the cylinder axis.

The improved device has the further advantages of being ol an extremely light and compact cha actor, with great flexibility which promotes the ease oi its operation, and on account ol the absence of any hinge joints, or adjusting clamps or screws, there is practically nothing to get out oi order in the device, and the'cost oi`iiia1iut'acture of the device is correspondingly low. It' is moreover evident by virtue ot the character o'i the material usedin its ii'ianuiiacture, and its simplicity of construction, the durability of the improved device is correspondingly great.

7hile We have illustrated what we now regard as the preferred forni of construction, vre desire to reserve-all rights to malte Whatever changes or modifications may tairlyfall within the scope ot' the appended claims.

That We claim is:

1'. A ring-compressing tool comprising a ring-engaging portion composed ol spring metal segments having adjustable overlapping end portions, one oi' said end portions having gnidingmeans tor slidingly engaging the other end portion and exerting a straightening action thereon, a handle portion connected vrith said segments and operative to contract the latter into spring-coinpressing relation, and a device mounted slidingly on said handle portion and cooperating therewith to retain said segments in ring-clamping relation.

Q. A ring-compressing tool comprising a single piece ot' spring metal forming a handle portionan'd a pair oi; ring-compressing segments having adjustable overlappingr end portions, a spring element ivitliin said handle portion for engagement vvith the riner intermediate said segn'ients, andy a device carried by said handle portion Jfor retaining the parts in ring-clamping relation.

lill

3. A ring-compressing tool comprising a single piece of spring metal forming a handle portion a d a pair of ring-compressing segments having adjustable overlapping end portions, a band of spring metal within Said handle portion .and having its ends secured to the opposite sides of the handle portions for presenting the intermediate portion of the loa-nd in position for engagement with the ring intermediate said segments, and a device carried by said handle portion for retaining the parts in ring-clamping relation.

4. A ring-compressing tool Comprising a single piece of spring metal forming a liandle portion and a pair of ring-compressing segments having adjustable overlapping end portions, a spring element Within said handle portion for engagement with the ring intermediate said segments, and a loop or keeper device sliding-ly carried by said handle portion for retaining the parts oontracted into ring-clamping relation.

In Witness whereof We hereunto aiiix our signa-tures.

HARRY J. LESLE. EARL RABY.

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