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US 8,931,980 B2Granted
Tap and die devices
OwnerKen Knechtinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tap and die devices are provided to repair internal and external threads, respectively. The tap and die devices are provided with components that coaxially align the tap and die to the nut or fitting being repaired. The tap and die devices are easily portable, compact tools that can be used in tight places.
Claims9
A tap and body combination device, comprising:
- an elongated tap including a shaft having external cutting threads on one end, wherein the end of the shaft includes an axial opening configured to match a size of a standard tubing size to maintain the tubing coaxially aligned with the shaft;
- an elongated body being a unitary piece of material, the body comprising a first end portion having an axial bore within which the tap rotates and a second end portion having a hexagonal interior socket, wherein the center of the socket is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal center axis of the tap, wherein the body includes a hexagonal-shaped exterior around the periphery of the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion with the socket and the second end portion with the bore are connected via a third and a fourth body portion, each of the third and fourth body portions connects opposite sides of the first end portion to the second end portion, and the third and fourth body portions are configured to leave a first and second elongated opening on each of two opposite sides of the body, and wherein a diameter of the bore is sized slightly larger than a diameter of the tap to engage with the shaft of the tap to minimize lateral play of the tap.
A method for repairing internal thread chasing of a nut captured on tubing, comprising:
- placing a tap within a bore of a body having a socket located opposite from the bore, wherein the socket and tap are coaxially aligned;
- placing a nut within the socket, wherein the nut is captured on the tubing, and the nut has damaged threads;
- and
- rotating the tap to engage cutting threads on the tap to threads on the nut, wherein the end of the shaft includes an axial opening that contacts the tubing with a ferrule to maintain the nut coaxially aligned with the shaft, and
- producing from the damaged threads accurate, straight threads on the nut while the nut stays captured to the tubing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.