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US 11,534,900 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for disassembling a pipe joint
OwnerJohn McNeelyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for disassembling a pipe joint is provided. A radially expandable sleeve positioned on a shaft is inserted into a distal open end of a pipe of the pipe joint. A sleeve nut on a threaded portion of the shaft is tightened against the sleeve to urge the sleeve to longitudinally slide along a tapered distal end of the shaft in a distal direction. The sleeve radially expands as the sleeve slides in the distal direction along the tapered distal end of the shaft. The sleeve is radially expanded until an interference fit is formed between the sleeve and the pipe. A force is then exerted upon the shaft to urge the shaft in a proximal direction and remove the pipe from a pipe fitting of the pipe joint.
Claims20
A system for manipulating a pipe joint, the system comprising:
- an apparatus for disassembling the pipe joint, the apparatus including
- a shaft having a threaded portion longitudinally proximal to an outwardly tapered distal end,
- a radially expandable sleeve configured to be inserted into a distal end of a pipe of the pipe joint, the radially expandable sleeve defining a longitudinally oriented lumen through which the shaft extends, and
- a sleeve nut threadedly attached to the threaded portion of the shaft adjacent to a proximal end of the sleeve, selective rotation of the sleeve nut relative to the shaft tightening the sleeve nut on the threaded portion of the shaft against the sleeve and thereby urging the sleeve to longitudinally slide along the tapered distal end of the shaft, the sleeve radially expanding as the sleeve longitudinally slides along the tapered distal end of the shaft, the sleeve having an interference fit with the pipe when expanded;
- a clamp having first and second clamp plates, the clamp having at least one clamp opening configured to hold a pipe fitting of the pipe joint, the at least one clamp opening being defined by associated clamping surfaces on the first and second plates;
- a yoke having opposing first and second yoke arms and a yoke body interconnecting the first and second yoke arms, the first yoke arm having a first clamp grip configured to hold the first clamp plate, the second yoke arm having a second clamp grip configured to hold the second clamp plate, the yoke body having a yoke opening through which the shaft is inserted;
- and
- a yoke nut threadedly engaged to the threaded portion of the shaft adjacent the yoke opening, selective tightening of the yoke nut on the threaded portion of the shaft against the yoke body longitudinally urging the shaft, and the sleeve and sleeve nut when connected thereto, in a proximal direction.
5 more elements
A system for manipulating a pipe joint, the system comprising:
- an apparatus for disassembling the pipe joint, the apparatus including
- a shaft having a threaded portion longitudinally proximal to an outwardly tapered distal end,
- a radially expandable sleeve configured to be inserted into a distal end of a pipe of the pipe joint, the radially expandable sleeve defining a longitudinally oriented lumen through which the shaft extends, and
- a sleeve nut threadedly attached to the threaded portion of the shaft adjacent to a proximal end of the sleeve, selective rotation of the sleeve nut relative to the shaft tightening the sleeve nut on the threaded portion of the shaft against the sleeve and thereby urging the sleeve to longitudinally slide along the tapered distal end of the shaft, the sleeve radially expanding as the sleeve longitudinally slides along the tapered distal end of the shaft, the sleeve having an interference fit with the pipe when expanded;
- a clamp having first and second clamp plates, the clamp having at least one clamp opening configured to hold a pipe fitting of the pipe joint, the at least one clamp opening being defined by associated clamping surfaces on the first and second plates;
- a yoke having opposing first and second yoke arms and a yoke body interconnecting the first and second yoke arms, the first yoke arm having a first clamp grip configured to hold the first clamp plate, the second yoke arm having a second clamp grip configured to hold the second clamp plate, the yoke body having a yoke opening;
- and
- a swage tool including
- a swage shaft configured to be selectively inserted through the yoke opening, the swage shaft having a threaded portion longitudinally proximal to a cylindrical swage end, the cylindrical swage end being configured to swage the pipe fitting,
- a first swage nut selectively threadedly attached to the threaded portion of the swage shaft distal of the yoke body, selective tightening of the first swage nut on the threaded portion of the swage shaft against a distal end of the yoke body longitudinally urging the swage shaft in a distal direction, and
- a second swage nut selectively threadedly attached to the threaded portion of the swage shaft proximal to the yoke body, selective tightening of the second swage nut on the threaded portion of the swage shaft against a proximal end of the yoke body longitudinally urging the swage shaft in a proximal direction.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.