1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools, such as tools for the removal and installation of tee caps, couplings and the like on underground pipeline systems, and tools for performing other operations, such as surface preparations including cleaning and beveling of the ends of plastic pipe prior to the insertion of a coupling or end cap, on underground pipeline systems. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools in performing operations on underground pipeline systems in which visibility and access to the underground pipeline systems are limited.
2. Description of Related Art
Gas utilities perform several operations on underground pipeline systems including the removal and installation of tee caps, insertion of couplings and pipeline surface preparations. When performed through a traditional bell hole, the performance of these operations generally does not represent a significant problem. For example, when removing and installing tee caps, workers are able to easily determine the cap size, type of cap and other physical attributes of the cap and are able to access the cap with cap-specific tools/accessories or with common adjustable tools. However, performance of these operations through a keyhole is substantially more problematic.
“Keyholing” and “potholing” refers to the excavation of a hole to access or repair utilities. Potholing and keyholing are preferred over other techniques such as digging shovels, backhoes, and the like which often result in damage to the utilities and the corresponding demand for expensive repair and reconstruction. In addition to the increased costs associated with damage repair and increased labor costs associated with digging, such damage may present danger to workers or others in the immediate vicinity of the excavation.
Typically, a keyhole is 12-18 inches in diameter and up to about ten feet in depth and visibility down the keyhole is limited, thereby precluding the use of conventional tools to access the utility. For removal and installation of tee caps, limited visibility makes it very difficult to determine the type of cap, the cap size and whether or not the workers have the proper equipment to handle the cap. In addition, tee cap designs are not standardized. Thus, it is extremely difficult to identify every variation in cap design and size and to have specific tools and accessories for each design and size. Frequently, the type of cap is not even known until it is unearthed. It is, thus, apparent that for a crew truck to be equipped for every possible cap design would require an excessive amount of tools and accessories. Accordingly, a tool for removal and installation of tee caps in keyholes, or even in conventional bell holes, which is able to accommodate a majority, if not all, of the various cap designs and sizes would be highly desirable.
Similar considerations exist in connection with the performance of other operations and procedures on the underground pipeline through keyholes and potholes as well.
Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools on underground pipeline systems.
It is one object of this invention to provide an apparatus for removal and installation of tee caps from underground pipeline systems.
It is one object of this invention to provide an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools on underground pipeline systems where access to the underground pipeline system is by way of keyholes or potholes.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for removal and installation of tee caps from underground pipeline systems that is suitable for use with several designs, sizes and shapes of tee caps.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools on underground pipeline systems through keyholes or potholes which substantially precludes dropping of the tools into the keyhole or pothole during use.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for removal and installation of tee caps from underground pipeline systems which substantially precludes dropping of the tee cap into the keyhole during removal or installation.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools on underground pipeline systems through keyholes or potholes which reduces the amount of time required to perform desired operations and procedures on the underground pipeline system.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for removal and installation of tee caps on underground pipeline systems which reduces the likelihood of damage to the tee caps.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for removal and installation of tee caps on underground pipeline systems which, in addition to conserving space on crew trucks, also reduces the cost to equip the crew trucks.
These and other objects of this invention are addressed by an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools on underground pipeline systems comprising a holder suitable for holding tee caps, fittings and tools, hereinafter referred to as a cap/tool holder having a cylindrical body closed off on a first end by an end wall and having an open second end, which open second end forms a polygonal opening. The end wall forms an end wall opening adapted to lockingly connect to a rotatable shaft. The apparatus further comprises a pliable donut-shaped cap/tool holder insert having a polygonal outer circumference corresponding to the polygonal opening of the cylindrical body. The cap/tool holder insert is sized to fit snugly into the polygonal opening and flush with the second end. The cap/tool holder insert further comprises a plurality of projections or finger-like extensions extending from the inner circumferential surface of the cap/tool holder insert into the centralized space formed by the cap/tool holder insert, which projections or finger-like extensions form an opening substantially corresponding to the shape of the tee cap, fitting, or tool being used. Finally, locking means are provided for securing the cap/tool holder insert within the cylindrical body.
These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:
The invention disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating the use of tools for performing certain operations and procedures on underground pipeline systems including the removal and installation of tee caps and is particularly suitable for use in accessing the underground pipeline systems through keyhole- or pothole-type excavations. In general terms, the apparatus employs a deformable material, referred to herein as a cap/tool holder insert or socket insert, contained within a rigid structural material, referred to herein as a cap/tool holder or socket, to apply the torque and/or compression required to perform the tee cap removal or installation or other desired operation. Torque is applied through a rotating shaft, such as a socket drive. The cap/tool holder geometry insures that the cap/tool holder insert remains stationary in the cap/tool holder while undergoing an applied torque. A locking mechanism retains the cap/tool holder insert in the cap/tool holder and left hand or right hand torque can be applied simply by reversing the orientation of the cap/tool holder insert in the cap/tool holder. The cap/tool holder may be utilized to engage various cap/tool holder inserts and it even may be used by itself to engage or hold tools or components that fit or can be adapted to the cap/tool holder.
As shown in
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of this invention, the locking means comprises a rotatable ring 18 secured around the second end 19 of cylindrical body 11, which ring is rotatable around a longitudinal axis 16 of the cylindrical body. Rotatable ring 18 comprises a lip 20 extending over the second end 19 of cylindrical body 11, which lip forms a polygonal lip opening 28 corresponding to polygonal opening 17. Rotatable ring 18 is rotatable between an open, or non-locking, position in which polygonal lip opening 28 is aligned with polygonal opening 17, as shown in
To prevent inadvertent or unintentional rotation of rotatable ring 18, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, ring 18 comprises an inner wall 24 which forms at least one ring notch 26, 27, 29 adapted to engage a detent 31, 32, 33 disposed within an outer wall of cylindrical body 11 upon rotation of the ring to the locking position.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there may be other locking means for securing cap/tool holder insert 22 within the open second end 19 of cylindrical body 11, and such other locking means are deemed to be within the scope of this invention. By way of example, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of this invention.