Tool for setting expansion bolts

• US 20040244179A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Warfield, Donald B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/509
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/386 Pliers for riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/0007 Tools for fixing internally screw-threaded tubular fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/061 of the buckling type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49915 Overedge assembling of seated part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49938 Radially expanding part in cavity, aperture, or hollow body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53717 Annular work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53896 having lever operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/539 Plier type means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53987 Tube, sleeve or ferrule

Abstract

A tool and method for installing an expansion bolt in a remote location where the expansion bolt is not readily accessible. The tool is comprised of a housing having a rod with a puller element on one end slidably mounted in the housing. A barrel is attached to and extends from the front of the housing. The headless screw of an expansion bolt is loosely threaded into the puller element and the barrel of the tool and the bolt are lowered until the expandable anchor on the screw is in or below a hole in a remote support structure. A ratchet in the housing moves the puller within the housing to pull the screw upward while the lower end of the barrel abuts and holds the flange on the anchor portion against the support structure to set the expandable anchor.

Claims

1. A tool adapted for setting an expansion bolt which is not readily accessible, wherein the expansion bolt to be set is comprised of a central threaded member having an expandable anchor portion on the lower end thereof, the anchor portion having a flange on the upper end thereof, said tool comprising:

a housing having a front and a back;

a rod having a front end and a back end slidably mounted in said housing between said front and said back of said housing;

a means in said housing for moving said rod towards the back of said housing;

a puller element attached at one end to said front end of said rod;

said puller element being adapted to be releasably attached at its other end to the upper end of the threaded member of the expansion bolt; and

a barrel attached to the front end of said housing and extending longitudinally therefrom, said barrel sized to surround the threaded member of the expansion bolt when the threaded member of the bolt is attached to said puller member and said barrel being of a length sufficient to abut the flange of the anchor portion when the expansion bolt is in position to be set.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said puller element has a threaded bore therethrough which is adapted to receive the upper end of the threaded member of the expansion bolt.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said means for moving said rod comprises:

a ratchet means for moving said rod towards said back of said housing in increments.

4. The tool of claim 2 wherein said barrel comprises:

an elongated, cylindrical member.

5. The tool of claim 2 including:

a face plate removably attached to said front of said housing; and

said barrel being attached to said faceplate.

6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said rod has a threaded bore opening from its said front end;

and

a threaded element threaded at one end into said threaded bore in said rod and at its other end into said threaded bore through said puller element to thereby attach said puller element to said rod.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein the rod and the puller are one piece.

12. The tool of claim 1 further comprising an expansion bolt.

8. A kit for modifying a tool so the tool as modified can be used for setting an expansion bolt which is not readily accessible, the expansion bolt being comprised of a central threaded member having an expandable anchor portion on the lower end thereof, the anchor portion having a flange on the upper end thereof, wherein said tool comprises a housing having a front and a back, a rod having a front end and a back end slidably mounted in said housing between said front and said back of said housing and a means in said housing for moving said rod towards the back of said housing, said kit comprising:

a puller element that can be attached at one end to said front end of said rod, said puller element being adapted to be releasably attached at its other end to the upper end of the threaded member of the expansion bolt; and

a barrel that can be attached to the front end of said housing and extend longitudinally therefrom, said barrel sized to surround the threaded member of the expansion bolt when the threaded member of the bolt is attached to said puller member and said barrel being of a length sufficient to abut the flange of the anchor portion when the expansion bolt is in position to be set.

9. A method of installing an expansion bolt in a remote support structure with a tool wherein said expansion bolt is comprised of a central threaded member having an expandable anchor portion on the lower end thereof, said anchor portion having a flange at the upper end thereof and wherein said tool has a puller element and an elongated barrel extending from the front of said tool, said method comprising:

forming an opening in said support structure;

releasably connecting the upper end of said central threaded member of said expansion bolt to said puller element in said tool whereby said flange on said anchor portion will abut against the lower end of said barrel;

lowering said expansion bolt until said expandable anchor portion will lie within or below said opening in said support structure and said flange will lie on the upper surface of said support structure; and

moving said puller element in a direction away from said support structure while said elongated barrel holds said flange against said upper surface of said support structure to thereby expand said expandable anchor portion of said expansion bolt and complete installation of the expansion bolt.

10. The method of claim 9 including:

releasing the upper end of said central threaded member of said expansion bolt after said anchor portion has been expanded.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said central threaded member of said expansion bolt is a headless screw and is releasably connected to said puller element by loosely threading the upper end of said headless screw into a threaded bore in said puller element.