Copper pipe coupler tool and method of coupling

• US 6,751,838 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carter
• Original Assignee: Carter
• Inventors: Carter, Sam W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, John C.
• Application Number:
  US10/176,823
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 294/64, 292/37, 292/70, 292/71, 292/72, 81/93, 269/97, 269/43, 285/363, 285/81, 285/369, 285/345, 285/18, 285/23, 285/285, 285/365, 285/371, 285/417, 228/212
• US Class Current: 29/464
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/186 Aligning devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/10 inserting fittings into hoses
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/146 by an axially moveable sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53917 Tube with tube

Abstract

The pipe coupler tool has a tool body with first and second ends and a tool body central axis. A first primary bore section is coaxial with the central axis and extends into the tool body from the first end. A second primary bore section is coaxial with the central axis and extends into the tool body from the second end. A secondary bore is coaxial with the central axis, extends axially from the first to the second primary sections and has a secondary bore diameter that is larger than the diameter of the first and second primary bore sections. First and second coupler end walls are provided at each end of the secondary bore section. A slot extending the length of the tool has sections with minimum widths that are slightly less than the diameter of the bore sections to which they are connected.

Claims

1. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes comprising:

a tool body having an outside surface, a first end and a second end;

a tool body central axis passing through the first end and the second end;

a first primary bore section, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends into the tool body from the first end, and has a first primary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as an outside diameter of pipes that are to be coupled;

a second primary bore section, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends into the tool body from the second end, and has a second primary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of pipes that are to be coupled;

a secondary bore, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends axially from the first primary bore section to the second primary bore section, and has a secondary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of pipe couplers with inside coupler bore diameters that are substantially the same diameter as the first primary bore diameter and the second primary bore diameter;

a secondary bore first end wall that is transverse to the tool body central axis, extends radially inward from the secondary bore to the first primary bore section, and forms a first coupler end wall contact surface;

a secondary bore second end wall that is transverse to the tool body central axis, extends radially inward from the secondary bore to the second primary bore section, and forms a second coupler end wall contact surface;

a slot in the tool body extending axially from the first end to the second end and including a first slot portion that extends radially outward from the first primary bore section through the outside surface and having a first slot minimum width that is less than the first primary bore diameter, a second slot portion that extends radially outward from the second primary bore section through the outside surface and having a second slot minimum width that is less than the second primary bore diameter, and a central slot portion that extends radially outward from the secondary bore through the outside surface and having a central slot minimum width that is less than the secondary bore diameter; and

wherein the tool body is made from a material with sufficient resilience to permit pipes that are to be coupled to pass through the first and second slot portions and couplers to pass through the central slot portion in response to manually applied force.

2. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 1, including a flange on the tool body that extends radially outward from the outside surface of the tool body;

radially extending surfaces on the flange for receiving forces to move the tool body along the tool body central axis; and

a flange slot in the flange in radial alignment with the slot in the tool body.

3. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flange on the tool body is adjacent to the second end of the tool body.

4. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tool body is a polymer.

5. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the polymer is acetal.

6. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the distance between the secondary bore first end wall and the secondary bore second end wall exceeds an axial length of pipe couplers that are to be positioned by the copper pipe coupler tool.

7. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the distance between the secondary bore first end wall and the secondary bore second end wall exceeds the axial length of pipe couplers that are to be positioned by not more than 0.25 inches.

8. A copper pipe coupler tool for positioning pipe couplers on adjacent ends of copper pipes comprising:

a tool body having an outside surface, a first end and a second end;

a tool body central axis passing through the first end and the second end;

a first primary bore section, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends into the tool body from the first end, and has a first primary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as an outside diameter of pipes that are to be coupled;

a second primary bore section, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends into the tool body from the second end, and has a second primary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of pipes that are to be coupled;

a secondary bore, that is coaxial with the tool body central axis, extends axially from the first primary bore section to the second primary bore section, and has a secondary bore diameter that is substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of pipe couplers with inside coupler bore diameters that are substantially the same diameter as the first primary bore diameter and the second primary bore diameter;

a secondary bore first end wall that is transverse to the tool body central axis, extends radially inward from the secondary bore to the first primary bore section, and forms a first coupler end wall contact surface;

a secondary bore second end wall that is transverse to the tool body central axis, extends radially inward from the secondary bore to the second primary bore section, and forms a second coupler end wall contact surface;

a flange on the tool body that extends radially outward from the outside surface of the tool body;

radially extending surfaces on the flange for receiving forces to move the tool body along the tool body central axis;

a slot in the tool body extending axially from the first end to the second end and including a first slot portion that extends radially outward from the first primary bore section through the outside surface and having a first slot minimum width that is less than the first primary bore diameter, a second slot portion that extends radially outward from the second primary bore section through the outside surface and having a second slot minimum width that is less than the second primary bore diameter, and a central slot portion that extends radially outward from the secondary bore through the outside surface and having a central slot minimum width that is less than the secondary bore diameter; and

wherein the tool body is made from a material with sufficient resilience to permit pipes that are to be coupled to pass through the first and second slot portions and couplers to pass through the central slot portion in response to manually applied force.

9. A method of coupling two pipes together with a pipe coupler tool comprising:

aligning a pipe coupler, on a first end portion of a first pipe end, with a central slot and a secondary bore in said pipe coupler tool;

forcing the pipe coupler through the central slot portion and into the secondary bore;

forcing the first end portion of the first pipe end into a second primary bore in said pipe coupler tool;

insert a second end portion of a second pipe end into a first primary bore in said pipe coupler tool;

holding the first end portion of the first pipe end, the second end portion of the second pipe end, and the pipe coupler in positions coaxial with a central axis of the second primary bore, of the secondary bore, and of the first primary bore in said pipe coupler tool;

sliding said pipe coupler tool and the pipe coupler along the central axis until the first end portion of the first pipe end and the second end portion of the second pipe end are both encased in the pipe coupler; and

removing the pipe coupler from said pipe coupler tool.