Patent Application
20190375035
The present application relates to a tool to remove a seal or gasket, and more particularly to a removal and scraper tool to remove flange gaskets between pipes.
Abutting pipe together may be done in different ways depending on the industry and the pressures within the pipe. For small applications with little pressure, fittings may be used as seen with small plumbing applications. In a larger scale where pressures increase and the overall volume transmitted are fairly large, pipes include flanges at the ends which have a number of holes. Abutted pipes are fastened together through the holes and torqued to proper levels. In order to seal the pipes, a flange gasket is located between the pipe ends. Typically the end of each pipe includes a protruding ring adjacent the hollowed center for the flange gasket to seat on. The gasket is sandwiched between these protruding rings. Over time this flange gasket needs to be replaced, due to a leak or due to age for example. Removing and replacing used gaskets from flanged piping systems can pose a number of challenges, including accessibility and difficulty in separating the flanges.
The removal process includes removal of necessary flange fasteners. The flanges are carefully separated or opened using a special spreading tool or wedges. Once spread, the gasket is exposed. The issue that arises is with flange gasket removal is that the wedges and spreading tools can only space or open the pipes so much. Very little space is available to work between the flanges of the pipes. What increases the difficulty is the fact that gaskets are difficult to grasp or reach and pull from such a small gap. Also to reach and remove any residue or old gasket from the flange surfaces. If the old flange gasket is not fully removed, the new flange gasket will not seal properly.
Due to these complications, traditional scrapers are not very effective. Typically common place tools are used to scrape the surface of the flanges. These tools are not specialized for the task. Often they have generally cylindrical shafts with a single flat edge. The thicker the shafts, the less maneuvering there is. Some more intricate scraper tools have been used but they tend to use a blade of a singular width and any hooks or loops are made within the interior of the scraper blade width. Other items used can be pieces of wire or even knives. Whatever tool is used, it should be long enough to prevent the insertion of hands and fingers between the pipes. Which can cause hand injury. Safety concerns have led some to resort to using an aerosol removers and other techniques.
Although strides have been made to provide make the removal of pipe flange gaskets possible, shortcomings remain. It is desired that a tool be provided that minimizes shaft thickness, increases flexibility, and provides for multiple scraping surfaces outside the width of the shaft.
It is an object of the present application to provide a flange gasket scraper tool that includes a handle, and flexible shaft extending from the handle, and one or more scraping elements, and a removal member. The scraping elements are in communication with the shaft and may extend outward from the shaft and be located at a distance away from a central axis. The removal member is curved away from the central shaft. In one embodiment, the scraper body and the removal member are integrally formed together. The scraper body is wider than the shaft and locates the removal member distal from the shaft. The shaft, scraper body, and the removal member are in the same plane.
Ultimately the invention may take many embodiments but features a shaft configured to flex about the long width of the shaft. The scraping elements are configured to extend outward beyond the shaft width to permit access to reach inside the small gap between the pipe ends as the tool is rotated when the pipes are separated. In this way, this tool overcomes the disadvantages inherent in the prior art.
The more important features of the tool have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and to ensure that the present contribution to the art is appreciated. Additional features of the tool will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.
Many objects of the present tool will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the tool in detail, it is to be understood that the assembly is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The tool is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and features for carrying out the various purposes of the present tool. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present tool.
The novel features believed characteristic of the application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the application itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the tool and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the application to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.
Illustrative embodiments of the preferred embodiment are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
In the specification, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of features as the tool is depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the devices, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components, respectively, as the assembly described herein may be oriented in any desired direction.
The tool and method in accordance with the present application overcomes one or more of the above-discussed problems commonly associated with existing scraping tools and techniques. In particular, the tool is configured to easily simplify the removal of a flange gasket from piping. The tool is configured to include a removal member configured to hook the flange gasket and pull it from between the pipe ends. The tool is also configured to having one or more scraping surfaces. These and other unique features of the assembly are discussed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The tool and method will be understood, both as to its structure and operation, from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description. Several embodiments of the assembly may be presented herein. It should be understood that various components, parts, and features of the different embodiments may be combined together and/or interchanged with one another, all of which are within the scope of the present application, even though not all variations and particular embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the mixing and matching of features, elements, and/or functions between various embodiments is expressly contemplated herein so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that the features, elements, and/or functions of one embodiment may be incorporated into another embodiment as appropriate, unless otherwise described.
The tool and method of the present application is illustrated in the associated drawings. The tool includes a handle and a shaft. The shaft has a first end and a second end wherein the first end is coupled to the handle. The shaft is configured to flex about its width. A scraper body is coupled to the second end of the shaft. The scraper body includes at least one scraper blade along a top surface of the scraper body. A removal tool is included and runs parallel to the shaft to form a slot for the passage of the flange gasket. Additional features and functions of the device are illustrated and discussed below.
Referring now to the Figures wherein like reference characters identify corresponding or similar elements in form and function throughout the several views. The following Figures describe the tool of the present application and its associated features. With reference now to the Figures, an embodiment of a flange scraper gasket scraper tool is herein described. It should be noted that the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
Referring now to
Handle 103 is configured to provide a user a place to grip and position scraper body 107 and removal member 108. Handle 103 is configured to include any one of a number of grips, grooves, curves, and textures to increase comfort and control of the tool in general. Handle 103 may be made from any known material and is configured to support shaft 105. Shaft 105 includes a first end 109 and a second end 111. First end 109 is coupled to handle 103. The second end 111 is adjacent to scraper body 107 and removal member 108. As seen in the figures, shaft 105 includes a narrowed section that is generally rectangular in shape, such that it has a thickness and a width. The thickness is smaller than the width. The drastic difference in the width compared to the thickness allows shaft 105 to flex about its width as seen in arrows 113 of
Handle 103 also includes an eyelet 104 located on an end opposite that of shaft 105. Eyelet 104 is configured to permit a user to pass an object between itself and a bottom surface of handle 103 to enable tool 101 to be secured to a person or object. For example, a lanyard may pass there through to secure the tool 101 to a user. Any object may pass through eyelet 104 as long as it is sized accordingly.
Scraper body 107 is formed at the tip of shaft 105 along an edge 119. As seen in
It is understood that the material composition of scraper blade 117 may be the same or dissimilar to that of body 107. Additionally, the material composition of body 107 may be similar to or dissimilar from that of shaft 105. Whereas shaft 105 is designed and shaped to permit flexure to some extent, body 107 and blade 117 are configured to resist flexure. The flexure of shaft 105 can help with the prevention of marring of the pipe flange gasket surfaces. It is understood that blade 117 could be a coating or inlaid material across body 107 or within portions of body 107. Body 107 may include one or more blades along other edges and surfaces as desired. Such blades are similar in form and function to blade 117.
As seen most clearly in
Referring now also to
Handle 203 is configured to provide a user a place to grip and position scraper body 207 and removal member 208. Handle 203 is configured to include any one of a number of grips, grooves, curves, and textures to increase comfort and control of the tool in general. Handle 203 may be made from any known material and is configured to support shaft 205. Shaft 205 includes a first end 209 and a second end 211. First end 209 is coupled to handle 203. The second end 211 is adjacent to scraper body 207 and removal member 208. As seen in the figures, shaft 205 includes a narrowed section that is generally rectangular in shape, such that it has a thickness and a width. The thickness is smaller than the width. The drastic difference in the width compared to the thickness allows shaft 205 to flex about its width as seen in arrows 213 of
Handle 203 also includes an eyelet 204 located on an end opposite that of shaft 205. Eyelet 204 is configured to permit a user to pass an object between itself and a bottom surface of handle 203 to enable tool 201 to be secured to a person or object. For example, a lanyard may pass there through to secure the tool 201 to a user. Any object may pass through eyelet 204 as long as it is sized accordingly.
Scraper body 207 is formed at the tip of shaft 205 along an edge 219. As seen in
It is understood that the material composition of scraper blade 217 may be the same or dissimilar to that of body 207. Additionally, the material composition of body 207 may be similar to or dissimilar from that of shaft 205. Whereas shaft 205 is designed and shaped to permit flexure to some extent, body 207 and blade 217 are configured to resist flexure. The flexure of shaft 205 can help with the prevention of marring of the pipe flange gasket surfaces. It is understood that blade 217 could be a coating or inlaid material across body 207 or within portions of body 207. Body 207 may include one or more blades along other edges and surfaces as desired. Such blades are similar in form and function to blade 217.
As seen most clearly in
Referring now also to
Referring now also to
Handle 303 is configured to provide a user a place to grip and position scraper body 307 and removal member 308. Handle 303 is configured to include any one of a number of grips, grooves, curves, and textures to increase comfort and control of the tool in general. Handle 303 may be made from any known material and is configured to support shaft 305. Shaft 305 includes a first end 309 and a second end 311. First end 309 is coupled to handle 303. The second end 311 is adjacent to scraper body 307 and removal member 308. As seen in the figures, shaft 305 includes a narrowed section that is generally rectangular in shape, such that it has a thickness and a width. The thickness is smaller than the width. The drastic difference in the width compared to the thickness allows shaft 305 to flex about its width as seen in arrows 313 of
Handle 303 also includes an eyelet 304 located on an end opposite that of shaft 305. Eyelet 304 is configured to permit a user to pass an object between itself and a bottom surface of handle 303 to enable tool 301 to be secured to a person or object. For example, a lanyard may pass there through to secure the tool 301 to a user. Any object may pass through eyelet 304 as long as it is sized accordingly.
Scraper body 107 is formed in a generally rectangular shape as seen in
It is understood that the material composition of scraper blade 317 may be the same or dissimilar to that of body 307. Additionally, the material composition of body 307 may be similar to or dissimilar from that of shaft 305. Whereas shaft 105 is designed and shaped to permit flexure to some extent, body 307 and blade 317 are configured to resist flexure. The flexure of shaft 305 can help with the prevention of marring of the pipe flange gasket surfaces. It is understood that blade 317 could be a coating or inlaid material across body 307 or within portions of body 307. Body 307 may include one or more blades along other edges and surfaces as desired. Such blades are similar in form and function to blade 317.
Removal member 308 extends below a bottom surface 310 of body 307 such that it extends downward toward handle 303 below surface 310. Member 208 may include a blade portion along its lowest surface and/or along its front surface which is aligned with surface 312. By being aligned with front surface 312, member 308 is actually located outside the width of handle 303.
As seen most clearly in
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the application may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description. It is apparent that an application with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. Although the present application is shown in a limited number of forms, it is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
