US2991674A

US2991674A - Tube-expander hand tool

Info

Publication number: US2991674A
Application number: US22992A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph M Uhl
Original assignee: E Z WAY Inc
Current assignee: E Z WAY Inc
Priority date: 1960-04-18
Filing date: 1960-04-18
Publication date: 1961-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-11

Description

July 11, 1961 J. M. UHL

2,991,674 TUBE-EXPANDER HAND TOOL Filed April 18, 1960 M r. 40 L 7L 1 1M 1 I Ill] 25 .32

I I Tfsi INVENTOR.

United States Patent Cfice 2,991,674 Patented July 11, 1961 2,991,674 TUBE-'EXPANDER HAND TOOL Joseph M. Uhl, Logansport, Ind., assignor to r E Z Way, Inc. Filed Apr. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 22,992 4 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) The present invention relates to expander tools and more particularly to tools for expanding and shaping automoible mufiler necks and exhaust pipes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved expander tool wherein the parts are prevented from rotating within the pipe during the expanding operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an expander tool which is simple in construction and inexpansive to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an expander tool embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of FIGURE 1 with the tool in its contracted position;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the tool in its expanded position; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the tool in its expanded position.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral designates an expander tool having a handle 12, :a plurality of

arcuate segments

14, 16, 18 and 20 disposed about a common axis to form a cylinder designated generally by the numeral 22. A pair of

annular grooves

24 and 26 are formed in the outer surface of cylinder 22 to respectively receive split ring, music

wire type springs

28 and 30 which resiliently urge the

segments

16, 18 and 20 radially inward- 1y. Springs 28 and 30 are disposed to lie below the outer surface of cylinder 22. Segment 14 is rigidly secured to handle 12 as by Welding as shown at 32. A longitudinal conical bore on tapered socket 34 is formed in cylinder 22 to receive a conically shaped or tapered expander plug 36. A threaded bore 38 is formed in plug 36 to threadedly receive bolt or threaded member 40 which projects through an elongated slot 42 in handle 12. A washer 44 is disposed between the head of bolt 40 and handle 12 to overlap slot 42.

Plug 36 is formed with a longitudinal groove 46 which receives a pin 48 secured in segment 14 of cylinder 22.

In operation, when the tool is in its contracted position, the parts assume the positions shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 wherein plug 36 is in its maximum axially outward position and bolt 40 is adjacent the right hand edge of slot 42. To expand the tool, bolt 40 is rotated whereby plug 36 is moved axially inwardly to thereby force

segments

16, 18 and 20 radially outwardly against the force of

springs

28 and 30 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. During the expanding operation bolt 40 moves toward the left hand edge of slot 42 as viewed in the drawings. Pin 48 in groove 46 prevents plug 36 from rotating during the expanding operation.

Segment 14 being fixed to handle 12 is of course prevented from rotating when the handle is held stationary during the expanding operation. Since only radial move ment is imparted to

segments

16, 18 and 20 by plug 36, there is no rotation of cylinder 22 while handle 12 is held stationary.

The construction of the tool of the present invention is extremely simple and avoids expensive to manufacture 2 I designs such as tongue and groove to direct the segments radially. The fixing of one segment to the handle and the sliding engagement of the remainder of the segments with the undersurface of the handle insures parallel expansion of the segments. This is particularly important in the expansion of mufiler necks which are usually slotted at the outer end and thus have variable resistance to expansion along the axial length thereof. The tool of the present invention expands or restores the mufiler necks to cylindrical form without taper thus providing for the proper sealing fit of the neck with an exhaust pipe.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, other modifications and arrangements of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of arcuate segments disposed to form a cylinder, an annular groove in said cylinder, a split ring spring in said groove substantially encircling said cylinder and disposed radially inwardly from the outer surface of said cylinder, means for rigidly securing one of said segments to said handle, a longitudinal conically shaped bore in said cylinder, a conically shaped expander plug slidably disposed in said bore, a longitudinal groove formed in said plug, pin means secured to said one segment disposed in said longitudinal groove to restrain said plug against rotation, said handle having an elongated slot, and a bolt projecting through said slot into threaded engagement with said expander plug whereby rotation of said bolt caluses axial movement of said plug, which in turn causes radial movement of said segments except the segment secured to said handle.

2. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of arcuate segments disposed to form a cylinder, means yieldably retaining said segments in a cylindrically shaped assembly, means for rigidly securing one of said segments to said handle, a longitudinal tapered socket in said cylinder, a tapered expander plug slidably disposed in said socket, said handle having an elongated slot, means holding said plug against rotation with respect to said handle, a member extending through said slot into threaded engagement with said plug, whereby rotation of said member moves said plug axially inwardly, thereby urging said segments except said one segment radially outwardly.

3. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of segments disposed about a common axis to form a hollow cylinder, said cylinder having a tapered bore, means for rigidly securing one of said segments to said handle, a tapered expander plug disposed in said bore, means operatively connected to said plug and actuable to move said plug axially inwardly, whereby said segments except said one segment are moved radially outwardly, and resilient means urging said segments radially inwardly.

4. An expander tool comprising a plurality of arcuate segments assembled together in the form of a cylinder, at least one annular groove in the outer periphery of said cylinder, a split annular member of resilient material disposed in said groove, said member being preformed to retain said segments in assembly, a conically shaped axial bore in said cylinder, a conically shaped expander plug disposed in and shaped complementary to said bore, an axially extending groove in the outer surface of said plug, a pin secured to one segment and extending into said axial groove, said thread having a threaded coaxial bore, a bolt having a head and threaded shank, a handle having an elongated slot therein, said shank passing through said slot and being threadedly received by said threaded bore, the head of said bolt operatively engaging said handle, said one segment being fixedly secured to said handle, the remaining segments having end surfaces which are flat over the entire area thereof, said handle naving a flat- 909,182 Hart Ian. 12, 1909 surface which'is slidably engaged by said end surfaces, 2,273,741 Wenger Feb. 17, 1942 whereby rotation of said 'boltservestomove saidplugin 2,888,847 Younkin June '2, 1959 said cylinder bore causing said remaining segments to 2,905,226 Knorr Sept. 22, 1959 move radially with respect to said one segment. 5 F R IGN P TEN S References Cited in the file of this patent 54,773 Netherlands June 15, 1943 535,304 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTS 578,864 France m 16, 1924 233,797 Perkins et a1 Oct. 26, 1880 10