Apparatus and methods for shear valves in hydraulic power tools

A shear seal valve comprising:

• a one-way clutch including a drive member and a driven member;
• a valve body defining a first fluid passage, the valve body coupled to rotate with the driven member so that the valve body rotates with the drive member when the drive member is rotated in a first direction and is rotatable relative to the drive member when the drive member is rotated in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
• and
• a manual input coupled to the valve body so that actuation of the manual input causes the valve body to rotate relative to the drive member.

A method of operating a hydraulic tool, comprising:

• rotating an input shaft in a first direction to generate pressure in a hydraulic fluid;
• rotating the input shaft in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
• rotating a valve body from a closed position to an open position, based on rotation of the input shaft in the second direction;
• and
• releasing the hydraulic fluid through a fluid channel of the valve body when the valve body is in the open position,
• wherein the input shaft is coupled to the valve body via a one-way clutch, and
• wherein the one-way clutch is configured to rotationally couple the input shaft to the valve body when the input shaft rotates in the second direction and to rotationally decouple the input shaft from the valve body when the input shaft rotates in the first direction.