US3008227A

US3008227A - Tube and rod driving device

Info

Publication number: US3008227A
Application number: US592902A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fielders Cecil
Original assignee: Sohio Petroleum Co
Current assignee: Sohio Petroleum Co
Priority date: 1956-06-21
Filing date: 1956-06-21
Publication date: 1961-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1961 C(FIELDERS TUBE AND ROD DRIVING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1956 INVENTOR. CfC/L F7EL DE R6 BY QOLQM ATTORNEYS- United States ?Patent 3,008,227 TUBE AND ROD DRIVING DEVICE Cecil Fielder-s, Newport, Ky., assignor to Soliio Petroleum Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 21, 1956, Ser. No. 592,902 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-255) This invention relates, as indicated, to an improved device for moving tubing, or pipe, and rod longitudinally against resistance in one form or another.

More particularly, I have been concerned with the difiiculty encountered heretofore in the re-tubing of a heat exchanger tube bundle, the same comprising conventionally a plurality of tubes connected to headers at their respective ends and maintained in parallel spaced-apart relation along their lengths by a number of tube sheets or plates through which they commonly pass. The old tubes to be replaced can be cut near the headers and the stub ends extracted from the latter conveniently by the use of available tools; it would then be most expeditions to withdraw the tubes axially fromthe bafiles or sheets. However, this latter operation has been difficult and even impossible to accomplish in actual practice due to scale formation and deposit on the outer tube surfaces and the lack of a device especially adaptedto eifect the removal of the tubes against the resultant resistance to the axial movement.

The provision of such a device, which may be used in like manner as well as in other types of tube assemblies and also in the driving of rod and the like, is a primary object of my invention.

It is also an object to provide a tube and rod driver of simple construction, which not only facilitates manufacture of the same but also enhances the convenience of use thereof. An additional object is to provide a tool of this nature which is readily adapted for use with conventional power equipment, such as fluid-operated hammers of commercially available types. It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube and rod driving device including means for positioning the same on the piece to be driven to afford and maintain a mechanical advantage, the safety and facility of use of the device thereby being also enhanced.

Another object is to provide a device for applying power-developed impact to move a tube or rod longitudinally, the driving element of the device being engaged with the tube at a small angle of approach, and thus held without slipping, so that the component of applied force transverse to the piece is at a practical minimum.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an exchanger tube bundle and a driver in accordance with the present invention, showing the manner of use of the latter;

FIG. 2 shows on an enlarged scale the engaged portions of the device and the tube to be driven thereby; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tool proper of the device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the illustrated exchanger bundle comprises a plurality of tubes connected at one end to a header 11 and already severed from the usual header at the other end, as indicated by flee 2 the broken end portions 12. The tubes are arranged in parallel spaced-apart relation and maintained separated throughout the extent of the bundle by means of plural tube sheets or plates 13 spaced longitudinally of the bundle and being provided with openings through which the tubes pass in snug fit.

This structure is, of course, conventional and it will be appreciated that in many such assemblies the number of sheets or bafiles is much greater than shown herein. Furthermore,- the battles need not all be penetrated by all of the tubes, but may be staggered transversely. Regardless of the specific array, however, disassembly of the tubes for replacement purposes clearly would be most easily accomplished by axially withdrawing the tubes, once the ends of the same have been suitably freed from the headers.

To this end, I have provided the driving device designated generally by reference numeral 14. The tool proper thereof comp-rises an elongated member 15 which is of square cross section over its major extent and has a cylin drical end portion 16 for gripping of the same in a chuck or the like. The other end of such member is beveled rather sharply as indicated at 17 and a V-notch 18 at a greater inclination is provided centrally in the extremity of such beveled end, this other end of the member t-hereby being formed like a gouge chisel.

A washer-like collar 19 is welded to the top surface of the member to project at right angles reasonably close to the chisel end. The circular opening 20 of this collar is somewhat greater than the diameter of the tube to be driven, so that it may be slipped freely thereon and moved along the tube. As shown, the notched end of the tool preferable embraces slightly less than half of the tube periphery, and the proportioning of the parts is such that when the collar 19 is canted relative to the tube to a position in which it binds thereon, the chisel edges of the notch are brought firmly against the tube. In such condition, the elongated member 15 is disposed at a relatively small angle to the tube axis, so that force applied lengthwise of the same has only a small component transverse to the tube, that is, the component in an axial direction is as great as is practicable. In FIG. 1, I have shown this tool mounted in a pneumatic hammer 21 which is of conventional type and comprises a rear grip 22, a lower hand stud 23, and a flexible hose 24 for connection to the air supply. The elongated member has its shank 16 gripped in the chuck 25 of the hammer, whereby the impact produced by the latter is directed along the length of the member.

In operation of the device, the collar 19 is slipped over a severed end portion of the tube to be removed after freeing the other end of this tube from the header by a cutting torch or other available tool, as shown by the lowermost tube of the FIG. 1 bundle. When positioned inwardly, a sufiicient distance from the end, the device is pivoted about the fulcrum provided by the clamping washer to bring the notched end against the tube and to clamp the tool on the tube by binding of the washer. The air hammer is then actuated to apply force intermittently, causing the notched chisel end frictionally to engage with the tube and the tool to drive the same longitudinally.

The resulting vibration assists in jarring scale and deposit from the tube operated on, and it will be seen that an operator can walk with the tool until the tube is fully withdrawn from all the mounting sheets 13. He can also advance a section of the tube in this manner and then relocate the tool rearwardly to take another bite on the tube and withdraw a further section, continuing until the tube is cleared of the last sheet.

The clamping washer, which can as well be made to encircle the tube only partially, serves as a guide and permits the force to be applied at a very small angle, as desired, without slipping of the tool on the tube. The chisel edge clearly could be curved rather than of V- shape, as shown, and the tool can also be modified to place the clamping collar ahead or in advance of the chisel end, wherebya second degree lever would result. It will accordingly be seen that my new device meets the specific need for an exchanger tube removal tube and, moreover, can be used to the same advantage to perform other operations likewise involving the driving of elongated elements, either by pushing or pulling of the same. Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed. I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A tube driving device comprising an elongated member having a relatively sharp end portion adapted frictionally. tobe engaged with the tube to be driven, a clamping member rigidly joined in angular relation to said elongated member adjacent such end portion thereof, said clamping member beingformed at least partially to encircle the tube and having a tube-gripping portion, such tube-gripping portion and the sharp end of the elongated member being spatially related for simultaneous engage ment of the two with the tube respectively at longitudinally spaced points therealong, and fluid pressure means having a connection to said elongated member for applying driving force lengthwise thereto.

2. A tube drivingdevice comprising an elongated member having a relatively sharp end portion adapted frictionallyto be engaged with the tube to be driven, a clamping member rigidly joined in angular relation to said elongated member adjacent such end portion thereof, said clamping member being formed at least partially to encircle the tube and having a tube-gripping portion, such tube-gripping portion and the sharp end of the elongated member being spatially related for simultaneous engagement of the two with the tube respectively at longitudinally spaced points therealong; and fluid pressure means for applying driving force intermittently to said elongated member lengthwise of the same.

3. The tube driving device of claim 1 wherein said relatively sharp end portion comprises a V-shaped notch, the edges of such notch being sharp to bite into the tube upon being engaged therewith.

4. A tube driving device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamping member comprises a ring projecting at right angles to said elongated member.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS