Abstract:
A socket for easily connecting and disconnecting a standard camlock fitting, such as those used in flanges on marine vessels, includes four drive lugs, or tangs, for mating with recesses on the camlock. The socket is adapted for connection to a standard ratchet wrench for providing torque to tighten or loosen the camlocks.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention is related to tools for connecting and disconnecting flanges such as those used at a refinery or on a barge. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,904 discloses an improved flange removal tool for facilitating the installation and removal of pipe flanges from a receiving pipe fitting. The flange tool includes a body portion with an upper surface which includes a central opening for receiving an engagement head of a socket wrench. A continuous frame is attached to the body portion by spaced arms such that the continuous frame is suspended in spaced relation from the lower surface of the body portion by a distance which is greater than the thickness of a pipe flange to be rotated. The pipe flange is positioned between the body portion and the frame so that upon rotation of the flange tool, facilitated by engagement of a socket wrench with the central opening, side walls of the spaced arms contact the edges of the pipe flange to urge rotation thereof and threading onto its receiving pipe fitting. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,331 discloses a flange tightening tool for use in securing a flange to a pipe. The tool has a base plate, a tightening hexagonal shoulder, two attachment openings, two quick release disconnect mechanisms and a rotating handle perpendicular to the tightening base plate. The hexagonal shoulder enables the tool to be used with a companion lightweight wrench. The tool can also be used with an open end wrench or an adjustable wrench. A rotatable handle is attached to the hexagonal shoulder such that said handle is perpendicular to the face of a flange that is to be tightened and can be used to hold the tool against the flange. When the quick release disconnect mechanisms are depressed about the pivot pin the quick release disconnect mechanism detracts from the mounting members releasing the mounting member separating the base plate and the flange. The tool prevents over tightening since the flange cannot be tightened past the point where the pipe contacts the base plate. An adapter plate enables the tool to be used with an additional size of flange. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,755 the pipe flange tool for tightening or removing threaded pipe flanges includes a base having at least three engaging pins laterally extending from one side of the base and means for rotationally engaging the base. The engaging pins are positioned on the base such that at least two of the pins cooperate to tighten or remove various threaded pipe flanges as are commonly used for forming circulating pumps to pipes. The tool base may be provided with a bore in the base itself or it may have a laterally extending hub having a bore sized to receive a conventional socket wrench. The base may also be provided with pins having various configurations including cylindrical or frusto-conical. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,048 discloses a flange turning tool adapted for use with flanged pipe couplings, wherein the wrench comprises a head member having a reduced, extending, jaw member which is provided with a cylindrical key pin that extends laterally and outwardly therefrom. The key pin is arranged to be received in any one of a plurality of openings located about the flange member of the pipe coupling. The annular periphery of a thrust flange will engage the shoulder defined by the rear enlarged portion of the head member. The head member has a threaded bore to receive a conventional bar or extension handle. When force is applied to the bar, the flange is locked between the key pin and shoulder and is then either tightened or untightened, depending on the direction of force applied thereto. 
   British Patent GB 2,318,315 relates to a device for securing a threaded flange to the threaded end portion of a pipe. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A socket for easily connecting and disconnecting a standard camlock fitting, such as those used in flanges on marine vessels, includes four drive lugs, or tangs, for mating with recesses on the camlock. The socket is adapted for connection to a standard ratchet wrench for providing torque to tighten or loosen the camlocks. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a side elevation view of a standard camlock flange coupling in initial engagement with a mating flange with the camlocks fully open for receiving a mating flange. 
       FIG. 1B  is a front elevation view of the camlock flange coupling with the camlocks fully open. 
       FIG. 1C  is a depiction of the flange with camlocks in their engaged (tightened) position. 
       FIG. 2A  is a plan view of a prior art wrench used for tightening the camlocks. 
       FIG. 2B  is a side view of the wrench of  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 2C  is a side view of a camlock in alignment with the wrench of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another prior art wrench. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a camlock beginning engagement with a mating flange. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a socket according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6A  is a plan view of the socket of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 6B  is a side view of the socket of  FIG. 6A . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the socket of  FIG. 5  beginning engagement with a camlock. 
       FIG. 8  is a close-up view of the engagement mechanism of the socket of  FIG. 5  with the camlock. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a standard camlock flange coupling  10 , well known to those skilled in the art is shown. The coupling  10  may be affixed to a pipe manifold side or to the end of a connection hose. For ease of illustration, flange coupling  10  is shown as being fixedly attached, such as by welding  12 , to coupling pipe  10   a . Couplings  10  are also available in studded and slip-on types. Coupling  10  also comprises a plurality of camlocks  13  also well known by those skilled in the art. Each camlock  13  comprises a plurality of turning slots  13   a  (shown more clearly in  FIG. 1B  and in  FIG. 4 ) and a ratchet lock pawl  13   b  and are threaded onto cam bolt pins  13   c . It will be appreciated that ratchet pawl  13   b  is shown in its locked position and includes an inclined face  13   b   1  to facilitate an unlocking movement when engaged by a wrench. The coupling  10  also includes an o-ring  14  for sealing the mating flange surfaces. When it is desired to attach a pipe  11  having a flange  11   a  to the coupling  10 , the camlocks  13  are positioned in their fully open position as shown in  FIG. 1B . When the surface of flange  11   a  comes into close proximity with the face of coupling pipe  10   a , such as at  10   b , the camlocks  13  may be tightened by hand onto their threaded bolt pin  13   c  (by depressing pawl  13   b ) and, after hand tightening, are subsequently tightened by a wrench such as wrench  20  shown in  FIG. 2 . As the wrench is applied over the bolt head, the spring-loaded pawl  13   b  will be pushed back to a non-ratchet position when the wrench tang  21  engages one of the turning slots  13   a . The camlock  13  is locked by rotation in the clockwise direction. When the wrench  20  is removed, the pawl  13   b  will automatically engage a ratchet wheel fixed to the stationary cam bolt thereby locking the cam in place.  FIG. 2  shows a wrench  20  which is well known to those skilled in the art. The wrench  20  includes a tang  21  for mating with the tang turning slot  13   a  for further tightening. It will be noticed that the wrench  20  includes only one such tang  21  thereby limiting the possible mating positions with the turning slot  13   a . The pawl  13   b , grease fittings  13   d  and cam bolt pins  13   e  are well known in the art. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , another prior art wrench is shown having turning tangs (or lugs)  30   a  and  30   b . This wrench provides a more positive turning action but is still limited by the mating positions available. 
     FIG. 4  shows a camlock  13  partially tightened onto a mating pipe flange  11   a . Note that, since no wrench is attached over the camlock  13 , the ratchet pawl  13   b  is fully extended, thereby locking the cam  13  in place. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5  a socket  50  according to the present invention includes a plurality of lugs or turning tangs  50   a – 50   d  evenly spaced around the periphery of the socket  50  and includes the usual ratchet drive fitting  50   e . A ratchet wrench  52  is shown engaged with the socket  50  in the usual manner with the engagement head  52   a  of ratchet wrench  52  protruding into the ratchet drive fitting  50   e  of socket  50 . 
   Refer now to  FIGS. 6A and 6B  which show plan and side views, respectively, of the socket  50  having an overall depth  50   h . As the shoulder  50   f  of socket  50  engages the ramp  13   b   1  of pawl  13   b , the pawl is pushed outwardly, as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 2C , thereby allowing the cam  13  to be turned, i.e., tightened or loosened. The dimension  50   g  and inner diameter of shoulder  50   f  are selected such that when the socket  50  is fully seated over a camlock  13 , the ratchet lock pawl  13   b  will be completely depressed into camlock  13  by the shoulder  50   f  of socket  50  thereby disengaging the ratchet wheel of the stationary cam bolt and allowing rotation of the cam  13 . 
     FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a socket  50  in accordance with the invention shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , partially seated on a camlock  13 . A ratchet wrench  52  is shown in place for tightening of the camlock  13 . It will be appreciated that, since pawl  13   b  is not fully depressed by shoulder  50   f  of socket  50 , the cam  13  is not free to turn. 
     FIG. 8  shows a close-up view of a lug or tang  52   a–d  in mating engagement in a cam turning slot  13   a . In this position, the pawl  13   b  is completely pushed outwardly by the shoulder  50   f , therefore the cam  13  is free to turn.