Utility tools and mounting adaptation for a nut driving tool

• US 8,438,955 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Power Tool Company
• Original Assignee: American Power Tool Company
• Inventors: Wilson, David Jr., Sigmon, Brent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCRUGGS, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/386,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20100269638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 814/67, 814/29, 81/573.6, 81 54- 56, 81/571.1, 81/571.4, 81/573, 811/801, 811/852, 811/778.5, 811/211
• US Class Current: 81/57.36
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/002 for special purposes

Abstract

Adaptations, apparatus and methods are disclosed for associating various utility tools with a nut driving tool. The adaptation of includes a receiver connectable to one side of the nut driving tool adjacent to a socket driver. A utility tool mounting body includes a base portion releasably engageable with the receiver and a station portion on the base portion releasably engageable with the selected utility tool. The utility tool of this invention includes a head having a mounting interface, the station portion releasably engageable with the mounting interface of the utility tool head. In one embodiment, the utility tool is reaction unit for engaging a nut or a fitting body. In other embodiments, utility tools for tube cutting, sawing, and/or bending, and/or grasping of adjacent fitting types or fitting sizes are provided.

Claims

1. An adaptation for mounting and positioning a selected utility tool at one side of a nut driving tool adjacent to a socket driver of the nut driving tool, the nut driving tool of the type including a main drive gear operationally associated with the a socket driver, said adaptation comprising:

a receiver adapted for connection to the one side of the nut driving tool and including an open ended slot structure defining a slideway extending linearly along one side of said receiver;

a utility tool mounting body receivable at said receiver and including a base portion slidably receivable in said slideway of said receiver and a station portion extending from said base portion and releasably engageable with the selected utility tool; and

a latch for securement and release of said base portion at said receiver.

2. The adaptation of claim 1 wherein said slideway has a length sufficient to extend from an area adjacent to the main drive gear to an area adjacent to the socket driver when said receiver is connected to the one side of the nut driving tool .

3. The adaptation of claim 2 wherein said mounting body base portion includes a biasing assembly to accommodate biased movement of said mounting body along said slideway.

4. The adaptation of claim of 2 wherein said station includes a tower, the utility tool slidably receivable at said tower.

5. The adaptation of claim 2 wherein said base portion of said mounting body includes a slide receivable in undercut edges of said slideway.

6. The adaptation of claim 5 wherein said station portion includes a platform having edges which are receivable between said undercut edges to extend said mounting body above said receiver.

7. The adaptation of claim 1 wherein the utility tool is a reaction unit for engaging a fitting body, wherein the nut driving tool is of the type used for driving a nut on the fitting body and thereby changing a nut to body gap to achieve a selected remaining nut to body gap, said adaptation further comprising means at said mounting body and said receiver for measuring and reporting operational parameters relating to the nut to body gap.

8. The adaptation of claim 1 further comprising biasing means at said base portion for biasing said base portion toward disengagement from said receiver.

9. A utility tool maintainable entirely at one side of a nut driving tool adjacent to a socket driver of the nut driving tool, a main drive gear operationally associated with the socket driver, said utility tool comprising:

a receiver adapted for connection to the one side of the nut driving tool and including an open ended slot structure defining a slideway extending linearly along one side of said receiver;

a utility tool head having a mounting interface;

a mounting body including a base portion and a station portion, said base portion slidably receivable in said slideway of said receiver for selected utility tool head positioning at a location relative to said receiver along said slideway and thereby the socket driver when said receiver is connected to the nut driving tool, and said station portion extending from said base portion and releasably engageable with said mounting interface of said utility tool head;

a latch located adjacent to said slot structure of said receiver for securement and release of said base portion at said receiver; and

a biasing assembly associated with said base portion and said latch for biasing said base portion toward disengagement from said receiver along said slideway.

10. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said receiver is integrally located with a nut driving tool cover.

11. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said utility tool head is a reaction unit for engaging a nut or a fitting body.

12. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said biasing assembly includes a pin and biasing spring maintained in said base portion, said pin extending therefrom and engageable at a detent at a closed end of said slot structure, said biasing assembly upon actuation of said latch biasing said mounting body toward engagement with a work unit engaged at the socket driver.

13. The utility tool of claim 11 wherein the nut driving tool is of the type used for driving the nut on the fitting body and thereby changing a nut to body gap to achieve a selected remaining nut to body gap, said utility tool further comprising means for measuring and reporting operational parameters relating to the nut to body gap via electronic contacts located at said base portion of said mounting body provided for communication with electronic contacts located at said receiver.

14. The utility tool of claim 13 wherein said measuring and reporting means includes relatively movable blades at said utility tool head positionable between the nut and the fitting body and movable with movement of the nut by the socket driver.

15. The utility tool of claim 14 further comprising a potentiometer at said tool head responsive to one of said blades for measuring a change to nut to body gap.

16. The utility tool of claim of 14 wherein said blades include surfaces for engagement of different features of a tube connection fitting, said tool head further comprising trigger means for automatic blade relative position retention and release between operations.

17. The utility tool of claim 13 wherein said base portion includes a slide receivable in a said slideway, said electronic contacts located at said base portion maintained at said slide, and said electronic contacts at said receiver maintained at said slideway.

18. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said latch includes a spring biased lever arm mounted adjacent to said slideway and a catch at said lever arm configured to extend into said slideway, said lever arm user operable for securement and release of said base portion.

19. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said head is a tubing cutter.

20. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said head is a tubing bender.

21. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said head is one of a reciprocating saw or a rotary saw.

22. The utility tool of claim 9 wherein said head is adapted for stabilizing at least one of tee fittings, cross fitting, elbow fittings, or valve bodies.