US3896654A

US3896654A - Diesel injector tube body reforming tool

Info

Publication number: US3896654A
Application number: US460371A
Authority: US
Inventors: Timothy R Mancini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-04-12
Filing date: 1974-04-12
Publication date: 1975-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-29

Abstract

A lightweight portable tool for reforming copper injector tube bodies in the head of a Detroit diesel engine, to reposition the flanges of the tubes into sealing contact with resilient O-rings, without removing the head from the engine, and without in any way altering the machined interior surface of the injector tube bodies.

Description

Alhertson Bennett... Uhl Dunkerlcy ABSTRACT cs 01 the tubes into sealing United States Patent 1191 Mancini 22 Filed:

Prinmr E.\'amin0rC. W. Lanham Allorney. Agenl 0r Firm-Wi11iam C. Bahcock [52] U.S. C1.72/393:29/Z55;29/2751 2 282 1 g of Search U A lightweight portable tool for reforming copper m- 29/283 282 280 763 755 744 73g 770 JECIOI' tube bodies In the head of a Detroit diesel encontact with resilient O-rmgs without rcmoung the gme to reposition the flan [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS head from the engine, and without in any way altering the machined interior surface of the injector tube bodies.

284,107 8/1883 Wheelock 311,960 2/1885 Cottrelluw 1,049,173 12/1912 Turek DIESEL INJECTOR TUBE BODY REFORMING T OL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The field of the invention Diesel injector tube body reforming tool.

2. Description of the Prior Art Diesel engines have been manufactured by the Detroit Diesel Division of General Motors for a number of years, and thousands of these units are in current use. In such engines, the fuel injectors are supported in copper injector tube bodies positioned in the head of the engine, with the tube bodies having flanges that extend outwardly from the upper ends thereof and pressure seal with O-rings therebelow. After prolonged use, the flanges on such injector tubes no longer pressure seal with the O-rings, and in the past it has been necessary to remove the head from the engine in order to rectify this condition.

The interior surfaces of the injector tube bodies are machined after the tubes are in place in the head, in order that the fuel injectors may be pressfit thereinto. Furthermore, the injector tubes are of a relatively thin wall thickness and are formed from copper or an alloy thereof.

In the past, attempts to force the flanges of the injector tubes into pressure sealing contact with the O-rings have resulted in unwanted forces being applied to the injector tubes that cause the machined interior surfaces thereof to deform and no longer maintain a seal with the fuel injectors disposed therein, or distort to the extent that the fuel injectors cannot be placed within the injector tube bodies.

The primary purpose in devising the present inven tion is to supply a lightweight portable tool that is particularly adapted for reforming the flanges on the injector tube bodies of a Detroit diesel engine into sealing contact with the O-rings associated therewith, and without the necessity of removing the head from the engine when such repairs are made. As a result, the injector tube bodies of a Detroit diesel engine may be easily and quickly repaired when the vehicle in which the Detroit diesel engine is the motive power is in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A portable tool for reforming the flanges on injector tube bodies in Detroit diesel engines to pressure seal with O-rings associated therewith, without the necessity of removing the head from the engine.

The tool includes a rigid plug having a number of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers extending upwardly therefrom, which fingers have downwardly and inwardly inclined inner surfaces. A center tapped first bore extends through the plug.

A rigid body having a frusto-conical exterior surface is in slidable contact with the interior surfaces of the fingers. A second bore of greater transverse cross section than the tapped first bore extends longitudinally through the body. A threaded rod extends through the second bore and engages the first bore. The upper end of the threaded rod is provided with a head for rotating the same. A washer is preferably interposed on the rod between the lower surface of the head and the upper surface of the body. When the rod is turned by use of the head, the head exerts a force on the body that tends to move it downwardly toward the plug, and in so doing, radially expands the fingers into pressure contact with the interior surface of the injector tube body in which the tool is disposed.

When the fingers of the tool are in pressure contact with the interior surface of the injector tube body, an inverted elongate cup may be used to reform the flange into sealing contact with the O-ring. This reformation is carried out due to the cup which has a lower, ringshaped surface thereon that tapers downwardly and outwardly, and when this surface is in contact with the flange and the cup is subjected to a series of light blows. the flange is permanently deformed downwardly and outwardly to pressure with the O-ring. Such reforming of the flange may be carried out without removing the head from the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the two major components of the invention, which includes the assembly to engage the injector tube body and the cup used to impact the flange to reform the latter to pressure seal with an O-ring;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly that is used to engage the injector tube body;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the portion of the invention that engages the injector tube body, and with this assembly in place in a Detroit diesel engine head;

FIG. 4 is the same view as shown in FIG. 3, but with the assembly being shown in side elevation, and the cup in vertical cross section, with the cup in contact with the flange, and the flange having been reformed to pressure seal with the O-ring; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the assembly portion of the invention. taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 3 and 4 a head A of a Detroit diesel engine is shown that has an opening 10 formed therein in which an injector tube body B is disposed that is formed from copper or other material having good heat-conducting characteristics. The injector tube body B (FIGS. 3 and 4) includes an upper tubular section 12 and a lower tubular section 14 of smaller transverse cross section, with the two sections at their junction defining a circumferentially extending body shoulder l6 therebetween that slopes downwardly and inwardly. The upper injector tube body section 12 has a circular flange 18 extending outwardly from the upper end thereof, with the flange being in pressure scaling contact with an O-ring 20 that is disposed in a recess 22 formed in the head A.

The present invention that is used in reforming the flange 18 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that illustrated in FIG. 4 is an injector tube body-engaging assembly C and an impact-imparting unit D, both of which are shown in FIG. 1. The assembly C, as can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, includes a plug 24 formed from-a hard, rigid material that is cylindrical in transverse cross section and snugly and slidably engages the interior surface of the upper tubular section 12.

The plug 24 has a centered longitudinally extending bore 26 formed therein in which threads 28 are defined. Plug 24 has a lower, tapered ring-shaped surface 30 that conforms to the tapered configuration of the body shoulder 16 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which extends down wardly and inwardly. The plug 24 has a number of circumferentially spaced fingers 32 extending upwardly therefrom. the exterior surfaces of which are formed in an arcuate configuration to conform to the interior surface of the upper tubular section 12, The inner surfaces 34 of fingers 32 at least partially taper downwardly and inwardly toward one another for reasons which will later be explained.

A rod 36 is provided that has threads 38 formed on at least the lower portion thereof, with these threads 38 engaging the threads 28 formed in bore 26. A rigid body 40 is provided that is of elongate shape and in which a centered second bore 42 extends longitudinally therethrough, and this bore is of greater transverse cross section than the first bore 26. The lower portion of the body 40, as is shown in FIG, 3, is of frusto conical configuration, and is of such angulation as to slidably and snugly engage the interior surfaces 34 of the fingers 32. A head 44 is on one end of rod 36, as best shown in FIG. 2, and this head has a non-circular recess 46 formed therein that may be engaged by a suitable wrench or tool to turn the rod.

Body 40 preferably has the upper portion thereof formed with two, parallel, laterally spaced flat surfaces 48 that may be removably gripped by a suitable wrench (not shown) to prevent the body from turning when the invention is being used. A washer 50 is provided. as may best be seen in FIG. 2, through which the rod 36 extends. with the washer being disposed between the under side 44a of the head 44, and the upper surface 52 of the body 40. The purpose of the washer 50 is to minimize friction when the rod 36 is being rotated.

The components comprising the in ector tube bodyengaging assembly C are shown in exploded perspective in FIG. 2 and in the assembled condition in FIG. 3. When the components of the assembly C have been assembled as illustrated in FIG. 3, the assembly is lowered into the injector tube body B to permit the tapered lower end 30 to seat on the body shoulder 16. The rod 36 is then rotated in an appropriate direction to move the plug 24 and body 14 towards one another, and as a result, the fingers 32 are deformed outwardly into pressure contact with the interior surface of the upper tube section 12.

The impact-imparting unit D is in the form of an elongate, rigid cup, as shown in FIG. 4, that has a cylindrical side wall 54, which on the upper end thereof develops into a heavy section 56 that serves to receive a succession of blows from a hammer, or the like. The lower end of the side wall 54 develops into a ringshaped surface 58 that is of the same transverse area as the upper surface of the flange 18, but with the surface 58 tapering downwardly and outwardly as shown in FIG. 4. When the impact-imparting unit D is disposed as shown in FIG. 4, and the anvil 56 subjected to a succession of light blows by a hammer (not shown), the flange I8 is reformed to extend downwardly and outwardly to pressure contact the O-ring to effect a seal therewith. It will be apparent from the drawing that the injector tube body-engaging assembly C and impactimparting unit D of the invention are portable, and may be used to effect reforming of the flange 18 into sealing engagement with the O-ring 20 without removing the head A from the engine (not shown) of which it forms a part.

The fingers 32, as can best be seen in FIG. 5, are separated by spaces 60. When the invention is used in the manner above described, the plug 24 and fingers 32 are in surface contact with the interior surface of the upper tubular section 12, and prevent this upper tubular section from deforming or having ripples formed therein when the flanges 18 are subjected to the reforming operation by use of the impact-imparting unit D.

The use and operation of the invention has been previously explained in detail, and need not be repeated.

I claim:

1. A lightweight portable tool for reforming a ringshaped flange on a copper injection tube body in a diesel engine head to permit said flange to pressure contact a resilient O-ring and seal therewith without removing said head from said engine, which injection tube body is of a type that includes upper and lower tubular sections of different internal diameter, which at their junction define a circumferentially extending body shoulder that tapers downwardly and inwardly, with said upper section having a machine finished interior cylindrical surface, said upper section having said flange extending outwardly from the upper end thereof, which tool includes:

a. a plug of substantially lesser depth than the length of said first section, saiid plug having a transverse cross section such that said plug is snugly and slidably insertable within the interior of said upper section, with said plug having a tapered ring-shaped lower end that is adapted to said body shoulder, which plug includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers that extend upwardly therefrom to the top of said first section when said injection tube body is disposed in said head with said flange ex-' tending over said O-ring that is disposed in a circular recess formed in an upper surface of said head, said plug having a first, centered, longitudinally extending and internally threaded bore therein below said fingers, with said fingers including arcuately curving external surfaces that have substantially the same radius of curvature as said interior surface of said first section, and said fingers having internal surfaces that taper downwardly and inwardly towards one another;

b. a rigid, elongate body that has a longitudinal second bore formed therein of greater transverse cross section than that of said first bore, said body having an external frusto-conical surface that tapers downwardly and inwardly at substantially the same angle as said interior surfaces of said fingers;

c. a threaded rod that extends downwardly through said second bore and engages said threads in said first bore;

d. a head on said rod for rotating said rod, which head when said rod is rotated in an appropriate direction with said plug being seated on said body shoulder, moves said body towards said plug and forces said external surfaces of said fingers into pressure contact with said interior surface of said first section to prevent said section from deforming when a longitudinally directed force is applied thereto; and

e. first means for concurrently applying a longitudinally directed force to the entire external surface of said flange in a direction towards said head to reform said flange to sealingly pressure contact said O-ring and without deforming said first sectron. 2. A tool as defined in claim 1 which further includes: a. a rigid washer interposed between said head and body through which said rod extends, said washer tending to minimize friction as said head is rotated relative to said body. 3. A tool as defined in claim 1 which further includes a pair of laterally spaced, parallel flat surfaces defined on said body that may be removably gripped by a wrench that is held stationary to prevent said body from rotating when said head and rod are rotated.

4. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means defines a ring-shaped surface that tapers downwardly and outwardly and reforms said flange to pressure seal with said O-ring when said ring-shaped surface is brought into forceful contact with said flange.

5. A tool as defined in claim l wherein said first means is an elongate rigid cup that defines a ringshaped surface at the open end thereof which tapers downwardly and outwardly, and which surface when in contact with said flange and said cup subjected to a succession of light blows, reforms said flange to pressure seal with said O-ring.

Claims

1. A lightweight portable tool for reforming a ring-shaped flange on a copper injection tube body in a diesel engine head to permit said flange to pressure contact a resilient O-ring and seal therewith without removing said head from said engine, which injection tube body is of a type that includes upper and lower tubular sections of different internal diameter, which at their junction define a circumferentially extending body shoulder that tapers downwardly and inwardly, with said upper section having a machinE finished interior cylindrical surface, said upper section having said flange extending outwardly from the upper end thereof, which tool includes: a. a plug of substantially lesser depth than the length of said first section, saiid plug having a transverse cross section such that said plug is snugly and slidably insertable within the interior of said upper section, with said plug having a tapered ring-shaped lower end that is adapted to said body shoulder, which plug includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers that extend upwardly therefrom to the top of said first section when said injection tube body is disposed in said head with said flange extending over said O-ring that is disposed in a circular recess formed in an upper surface of said head, said plug having a first, centered, longitudinally extending and internally threaded bore therein below said fingers, with said fingers including arcuately curving external surfaces that have substantially the same radius of curvature as said interior surface of said first section, and said fingers having internal surfaces that taper downwardly and inwardly towards one another; b. a rigid, elongate body that has a longitudinal second bore formed therein of greater transverse cross section than that of said first bore, said body having an external frusto-conical surface that tapers downwardly and inwardly at substantially the same angle as said interior surfaces of said fingers; c. a threaded rod that extends downwardly through said second bore and engages said threads in said first bore; d. a head on said rod for rotating said rod, which head when said rod is rotated in an appropriate direction with said plug being seated on said body shoulder, moves said body towards said plug and forces said external surfaces of said fingers into pressure contact with said interior surface of said first section to prevent said section from deforming when a longitudinally directed force is applied thereto; and e. first means for concurrently applying a longitudinally directed force to the entire external surface of said flange in a direction towards said head to reform said flange to sealingly pressure contact said O-ring and without deforming said first section.

2. A tool as defined in claim 1 which further includes: a. a rigid washer interposed between said head and body through which said rod extends, said washer tending to minimize friction as said head is rotated relative to said body.

3. A tool as defined in claim 1 which further includes a pair of laterally spaced, parallel flat surfaces defined on said body that may be removably gripped by a wrench that is held stationary to prevent said body from rotating when said head and rod are rotated.

5. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means is an elongate rigid cup that defines a ring-shaped surface at the open end thereof which tapers downwardly and outwardly, and which surface when in contact with said flange and said cup subjected to a succession of light blows, reforms said flange to pressure seal with said O-ring.