Retriever tool

• US 4,537,071 A
• Filed: 11/23/1983
• Issued: 08/27/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Hospital Supply Corp. (Baxter International Inc.), Rohrback Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rohrback Corporation
• Inventors: Waterman, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stewart J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US06/554,317
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 73/432 B, 73/86, 73/863.85, 73/432 R, 137/317, 137/320
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/143 for installing wire thread inserts or tubular threaded inserts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/00 Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light

Abstract

A tool for retrieving or placing test or process elements from and into a pressurized container has a relatively short run in/run out shaft that carries a connector for attachment to and rotation of a holder that mounts a test probe, test coupon, or the like, in the container. The run in/run out shaft is driven by a pair of concentric drive cylinders, rotation of the shaft being achieved by a longitudinally slotted rotation drive cylinder, and longitudinal motion of the shaft being achieved by rotation of a spirally slotted cam cylinder. The arrangement provides a shorter length tool and eliminates gears and close-fitting drive elements that are subject to wear and damage from trash that may be contained in the fluid of the system.

Claims

1. A tool for retrieving a device holder from and inserting it into a vessel having an access fitting and an access valve connected with the fitting, said tool comprising

an elongated tool housing,

a transport shaft mounted in said housing for translational and rotational motion,

connector means carried by said shaft for detachably securing a device holder to said shaft,

translation drive means for axially driving said shaft between an extended position in which the shaft and connector means project forwardly of said housing so as to extend through said access valve and said access fitting and a retracted position in which the shaft is withdrawn into said housing, said drive means including an end portion that overlaps at least a portion of said connector means within said housing when said shaft is in said retracted position, and

rotation drive means for rotating said shaft.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises a spirally slotted cam cylinder a longitudinally slotted rotation cylinder and a drive pin interconnecting said cylinders and said shaft.

3. The tool of claim 1 wherein said rotation drive means and translation drive means are mutually independent, whereby the shaft may be independently driven axially and independently rotated.

4. The tool of claim 1 wherein said translation drive means comprises a cam drive cylinder and interengaging cam and cam follower means on said cylinder and shaft.

5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said translation drive means comprises a cam cylinder having a spiral slot and wherein said shaft includes a cam pin secured thereto and extending into said slot, and including means for rotating said cam cylinder and restraining it against axial motion.

6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said shaft and connector means together have a length less than the length of said cam cylinder, whereby said connector means is retracted inwardly of the end of said cam cylinder when the shaft is in said retracted position.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein said rotation drive means comprises a rotation cylinder concentric with said shaft and having a longitudinally extending slot, a drive pin secured to the shaft and extending into said slot, and means on the tool for rotating said rotation cylinder and restraining it against axial motion.

8. A retriever tool comprising

an elongated housing,

elongated drive means mounted in said housing,

transport means, and

connector means secured to said transport means for detachably securing a device to be retrieved to said transport means,

said transport means being mounted in said drive means for motion between a retracted position in which said connector means is retracted into overlapping relation with said drive means and an extended position in which said connector means and a portion of said transport means extend from said housing and from said drive means,

said drive means including means for driving said transport means between said positions.

9. The tool of claim 8 wherein said drive means comprises a cam cylinder and cam means interconnecting said cylinder and transport means in driving relation.

10. The tool of claim 8 including second drive means mounted in said housing for rotating said transparent means and connector means.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein said second drive means comprises a rotation drive cylinder having a longitudinal slot, and a drive member interconnecting said rotation drive cylinder and transport means in driving relation.

12. The retriever tool of claim 10 wherein said transport means is mounted within said second drive means, and wherein said transport means is retracted into said second drive means in said retracted position and extends from said second drive means in said extended position.

13. The retriever tool of claim 10 wherein said first mentioned and second drive means and said transport means respectively comprise three mutually concentric cylinders, said transport means being rotatable and axially shiftable relative to said first mentioned drive means and being axially shiftable but rotatably fixed with respect to said second drive means.

14. The retriever tool of claim 10 wherein said transport means comprises a run in/run out shaft, wherein said first mentioned drive means comprises a first drive cylinder concentric with said shaft and having a continuous inclined cam slot formed therein, wherein said second drive means comprises a second drive cylinder concentric with said shaft and having a longitudinal slot, and including a drive member extending from said run in/run out shaft and into the slots of both said drive cylinders.

15. The retriever tool of claim 14 wherein the length of each of said cylinders is substantially the same as the combined length of said shaft and connector, whereby said connector can be retracted into overlapping relation with said cylinders.

16. The retriever tool of claim 8 wherein said drive means comprises a longitudinal drive cylinder extending for at least a major portion of the length of said housing and having a forward end adjacent the forward end of said housing, and wherein said transport means comprises a driven shaft having a length less than the length of said drive cylinder whereby said transport means in retracted position has a forward end thereof positioned inwardly of the forward end of said drive cylinder and inwardly of the forward end of said housing.

17. The retriever tool of claim 8 wherein said drive means comprises a spirally slotted cylinder rotatably mounted in said housing, wherein said transport means comprises a driven shaft mounted within said cylinder and having a length less than the length of said cylinder, and further including a drive pin fixed to said driven shaft and extending into the slot of said cylinder.

18. The retriever tool of claim 8 wherein said connector means comprises a device rotating torque head fixed to the end of said transport means, a threaded connector nipple carried by the torque head for limited longitudinal motion, and means for urging said threaded nipple forwardly, and further including second drive means mounted in said housing for rotating said transport means.

19. A tool for retrieving a device holder from and placing it in a pressurized vessel, said tool comprising

an elongated housing,

first, second and third mutually concentric cylinders in said housing,

said first cylinder comprising a rotational drive cylinder mounted for rotation in said housing,

means on said housing for rotating said rotational drive cylinder,

said second cylinder comprising a longitudinal drive cylinder mounted for rotation in said housing,

means on said housing for rotating said longitudinal drive cylinder,

said third cylinder comprising a transport shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal motion in said housing,

connector means secured to said transport shaft for detachably coupling to the shaft an object to be retrieved or placed,

means for connecting said transport shaft with said rotational drive cylinder for rotating the transport shaft in response to rotation of the rotational drive cylinder, and

means for connecting said transport shaft with said longitudinal drive cylinder for longitudinally driving the transport shaft in response to rotation of the longitudinal drive cylinder.

20. The tool of claim 19 wherein said transport shaft is mounted within said housing for motion between a retracted position wherein said connector means is positioned within said housing and an extended position wherein said connector means and a portion of said transport shaft extend beyond said housing.

21. The tool of claim 19 wherein said transport shaft has a length less than the length of said first and second drive cylinders, and wherein said transport shaft is mounted for motion between an extended position wherein the connector means and a portion of said transport shaft extend beyond said first and second cylinders and beyond said housing and a retracted position wherein said connector means is positioned inwardly of the forward end of said housing and inwardly of the forward ends of said first and second cylinders.

22. The tool of claim 19 wherein said first cylinder has a slot extending longitudinally for substantially the full length thereof and wherein said second cylinder has a continuous spiral cam slot extending for substantially the full length thereof, and including a drive pin secured to said third cylinder and captured in the slots of said first and second cylinders, whereby said transport shaft may be rotated by rotation of said first cylinder and may be axially driven by rotation of said second cylinder.

23. The tool of claim 19 wherein said transport shaft is positioned within said first and second cylinders and has a length less than said first and second cylinders whereby said shaft and said connector means may be completely retracted within said first and second cylinders.

24. A tool for retrieving a device holder from and placing it in a pressurized vessel, said tool comprising

an elongated housing,

first and second mutually concentric cylinders in said housing,

said first cylinder comprising a rotational drive cylinder mounted for rotation in said housing,

means on said housing for rotating said rotational drive cylinder,

said second cylinder comprising a transport shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal motion in said housing.

connecting means secured to said transport shaft for detachably coupling to the shaft an object to be retrieved or placed,

means for connecting said transport shaft with said rotational drive cylinder for rotating the transport shaft in response to rotation of the rotational drive cylinder, and

means for longitudinally driving said transport shaft.

25. The tool of claim 24 wherein said means for connecting said shaft with said rotational drive cylinder comprises a slot formed in one of said cylinders and a drive pin fixed to the other of said cylinders and captured in said slot.

26. A tool for retrieving a device holder from and placing it in a pressurized vessel, said tool comprising

an elongated housing,

first and second mutually concentric cylinders in said housing,

said first cylinder comprising a longitudinal drive cylinder mounted for rotation in said housing,

means on said housing for rotating said longitudinal drive cylinder,

said second cylinder comprising a transport shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal motion in said housing,

connecting means secured to said transport shaft for detachably coupling to the shaft an object to be retrieved or placed,

means for connecting said transport shaft with said longitudinal drive cylinder for longitudinally driving the transport shaft in response to rotation of the longitudinal drive cylinder, and

means for rotating said transport shaft.

27. The tool of claim 26 wherein said means for connecting said shaft with said drive cylinder comprises a slot formed in one of said cylinders and a drive pin fixed to the other of said cylinders and captured in said slot.