Flange alignment tool
AssigneeTruce Ned Trujillo
InventorAlan J Trujillo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flange alignment tool is used to align a flange to a pipe before welding. The flange alignment tool includes an inelastic ball which may be clipped over a hole of a flange to secure the flange alignment tool to the flange. The flange alignment tool includes a ring which is clips over the other end of a flange hole. A torsion spring is connected between the inelastic ball and the ring and applies the force necessary to secure the flange alignment tool to a flange. The inelastic ball is mounted to a first load leg of the torsion spring and the ring is mounted to a second load leg of the torsion spring. The torsion spring allows the flange alignment tool to flex about a rotation axis of the torsion spring. When the flange alignment tool is flexed, the inelastic ball and the ring follow a circular deflection path.
Claims8
A flange alignment tool comprises:
- an inelastic ball;
- a ring;
- a torsion spring;
- a first extension arm;
- a second extension arm;
- the torsion spring comprises a first load leg and a second load leg;
- a circular deflection path being perpendicularly oriented about a rotation axis of the torsion spring;
- the first load leg and the second load leg being perpendicularly oriented with the rotation axis;
- a center point of the inelastic ball being positioned coincident with respect to the circular deflection path;
- the inelastic ball being connected to the first load leg;
- a center point of the ring being positioned coincident with the circular deflection path;
- the ring being perpendicularly oriented about the circular deflection path;
- the ring being connected to the second load leg;
- the first load leg being connected adjacent to the first extension arm;
- the inelastic ball being connected adjacent to the first extension arm, opposite to the first load leg;
- the second load leg being connected adjacent to the second extension arm;
- the ring being connected adjacent to the second extension arm, opposite to the second load leg;
- the inelastic ball comprises a ball diameter;
- the ring comprises a ring inner diameter;
- and
- the ring inner diameter being less than the ball diameter.
A flange alignment tool comprises:
- an inelastic ball;
- a ring;
- a torsion spring;
- the torsion spring comprises a first load leg and a second load leg;
- the inelastic ball comprises a ball diameter;
- the ring comprises a ring inner diameter;
- a circular deflection path being perpendicularly oriented about a rotation axis of the torsion spring;
- the first load leg and the second load leg being perpendicularly oriented with respect to the rotation axis;
- a center point of the inelastic ball being positioned coincident with the circular deflection path;
- the inelastic ball being connected to the first load leg;
- a center point of the ring being positioned coincident with the circular deflection path;
- the ring being perpendicularly oriented about the circular deflection path;
- the ring being connected to the second load leg;
- the ring inner diameter being less than the ball diameter;
- a first extension arm;
- the first load leg being connected adjacent to the first extension arm;
- the inelastic ball being connected adjacent to the first extension arm, opposite to the first load leg;
- the first extension arm comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
- the proximal end being fixed to the first load leg;
- the distal end being tangentially connected to the inelastic ball;
- and
- the inelastic ball being positioned in between the distal end and the ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.