Abstract:
A tool for removing universal joints from driveshafts of land vehicles and other devices. The tool includes a pair of retaining blocks with notches for supporting a universal joint in a hydraulic press. The notches are shaped to accommodate driveshafts of different configurations and tabs at the bottom of the notches stop the fall of a driveshaft in the event that such become detached from a universal joint.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to metal working implements having means to assemble or disassemble.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Removing a universal joint from the driveshaft has never been an easy task for a mechanic. Traditional methods called for the application of heat and the business end of a hammer to driveshaft yokes. Often, the yokes were damaged beyond repair. It was also not unusual to permanently damage a universal joint or its bearing cups with blows of a hammer.  
         [0003]     To overcome some of the problems associated with brute force methods for handling universal joints, many mechanics have taken to using hydraulic presses to separate driveshaft yokes from the bearing cups of universal joints. The use of hydraulic presses eliminated dangerous heating and hammering and was found to be relatively quick. However, the misalignment and movement of universal joints in presses often resulted in bent yokes and driveshafts.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In light of the problems associated with the known methods and apparatus for removing universal joints from driveshafts, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a tool that firmly supports a universal joint in a hydraulic press. The tool effectively eliminates misalignments and inadvertent damage to universal joints, bearing cups, yokes and driveshafts.  
         [0005]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a universal joint tool of the type described that can be adjusted to accommodate universal joints, yokes and driveshafts used with all known trucks, tractors, automobiles, airplanes, boats and heavy-duty machinery. The tool can be employed to selectively remove a conventional universal joint from a driveshaft in minutes.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the invention to provide a universal joint tool of the type described that has an uncomplicated construction and requires no additional tools (other than a hydraulic press) to set up and use. No fasteners, cables or adapters are required.  
         [0007]     It is an additional object of the invention to provide a tool of the type described that can be used with a hydraulic press to dismantle front wheel drive assemblies and remove hubs from water pumps. In short, the tool can remove and install: bearings, bushings, gears and myriad other objects that are press-fit upon a carrier.  
         [0008]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a universal joint tool for the purposes described that is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, durable, and dependable in use.  
         [0009]     Briefly, the tool in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring a pair of retaining blocks positioned adjacent one another. Each of the blocks includes a front wall having a “stair step” configuration with a forward wall segment being connected to a rearward wall segment by an intermediate wall segment. A retaining tab extends forwardly from the bottom of the rearward wall segment. A top wall extends rearwardly from the top of the front wall. A bottom wall extends rearwardly from the bottom of the front wall. A pair of side walls extends rearwardly from the opposed ends of the front wall and connects the top wall and the bottom wall together.  
         [0010]     The tool in accordance with this invention also features a pair of semicircular notches in each of the blocks that assist in pressing bearings, gears, and other objects from an axle, shaft or tube.  
         [0011]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a retaining block forming a portion of a universal joint tool in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the retaining block of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the universal joint tool in a first position supporting a universal joint and driveshaft in a hydraulic press with portions of the tool and press being broken away to reveal details thereof.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the universal joint tool supporting the universal joint and driveshaft of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the universal joint tool in a second position supporting an axle in a hydraulic press with portions of the tool and press being broken away to reveal details thereof. 
     
    
       [0018]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     Referring now to the FIGS., a universal joint tool in accordance with the present invention is shown at  10 . Tool  10  includes a pair of retaining blocks  12   a  and  12   b  that are mirror images and are positioned adjacent one another during normal use. Each of blocks  12   a  and  12   b  includes a rectangular front wall  14  with a top wall  16  extending rearwardly from the top of front wall  14  and a bottom wall  18  extending rearwardly from the bottom of front wall  14 . From the opposite ends of front wall  14 , a pair of side walls  20  and  22  extend rearwardly and connect top wall  16  and bottom wall  18  together. Thus, each block  12   a  and  12   b  is configured like a box with an open back.  
         [0020]     Front wall  14  has a “stair step” configuration that provides a rectangular recess  24  at one end of each of blocks  12   a  and  12   b . Here, front wall  14  includes a forward wall segment  14   a  and a rearward wall segment  14   b  connected together by an intermediate wall segment  14   c . Wall segments  14   a  and  14   b  are positioned in parallel planes with wall segment  14   b  being rearwardly offset. Wall segment  14   c  is in a plane oriented at right angles to those containing wall segments  14   a  and  14   b  and connects the inner ends of wall segments  14   a  and  14   b.    
         [0021]     At the bottom of recess  24 , a retaining tab  26  that is rectangular in outline projects forwardly from wall segment  14   b . Tab  26  has a length equal to that of wall segment  14   b  and a width equal to that of wall segment  14   c  and is joined to both. For convenience in constructing blocks  12   a  and  12   b , tab  26  is integrally formed with bottom wall  18 .  
         [0022]     Top wall  16  and bottom wall  18  are respectively provided with notches  28  and  30  along their rearward edges. Notches  28  and  30  are semicircular in outline and are vertically aligned so as to snugly accommodate portions of an axle  32  as will be described below. The radius of curvature of notches  28  and  30  can be varied to accommodate axles of different diameters.  
         [0023]     Walls  14 - 22  are constructed from metal plates of even thickness. Walls  14 - 22  can be joined together by any suitable method including welding and casting as an integral whole. Regardless, walls  14 - 22  should have a thickness sufficient to bear expected loads provided by a hydraulic press  34  including a fixed base  36  and an extensible ram  38 . Preferably, ram  38  carries a cylindrical foot  40  adapted to press against, and selectively receive therein, any one of the bearing cups  42  and  44  of a universal joint  46  supported by tool  10 .  
         [0024]     Use of tool  10  to remove universal joint  46  from a driveshaft  48  is straightforward. First, as shown in  FIGS. 34 , blocks  12   a  and  12   b  are positioned on base  36  of hydraulic press  34  with front walls  14  facing one another. Next, driveshaft connector yoke  50  is positioned atop blocks  12   a  and  12   b  with driveshaft connector yoke stem  52  extending between wall segments  14   a  and relatively wide driveshaft  48  extending into notches  24  between wall segments  14   b . Foot  40  of press  34  is, then, lowered onto driveshaft yoke  54 , pushing yoke  54  downwardly and freeing a first pair of bearing cups  42  of universal joint  46  from yoke  54 . With cups  42  free, yoke  54  is pulled away from driveshaft  48 . Finally, driveshaft  48  is rotated 90° and foot  40  is engaged with driveshaft connector yoke  50  to push yoke  50  downwardly and free a second pair of bearing cups  44  of universal joint  46  from yoke  50 . The entire process of detaching universal joint  46  from driveshaft  48  is performed easily and in complete safety with retaining tabs  26  serving to stop the downward motion of driveshaft  48  in the event that it becomes unexpectedly detached from yoke  50 . Should it be desired that a new universal joint be installed upon driveshaft  48 , the steps outlined for detachment need only be reversed.  
         [0025]     Tool  10  can be used to remove a bearing  56  from a wheel axle  32 . To accomplish this, blocks  12   a  and  12   b  are positioned upon base  36  of press  34  with the open rear sides of blocks  12   a  and  12   b  facing one another. Then, bearing  56  is positioned within blocks  12   a  and  12   b  and atop side walls  18  so that axle  32  extends upwardly from blocks  12   a  and  12   b  and wheel support  58  extends downwardly from blocks  12   a  and  12   b  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Finally, ram  38  of hydraulic press  34  is lowered onto the top of axle  32  to push axle  32  downwardly and slide tight-fitting bearing  56  therefrom. Notches  28  and  30  permit blocks  12   a  and  12   b  to be positioned as closely as possible to one another and to provide optimum support for bearing  56 . The process requires only a few minutes to complete.  
         [0026]     If the dimensions of wheel support  58  permit, bearing  56  can be positioned atop walls  16  with blocks  12   a  and  12   b  being positioned as shown in  FIG. 5 . This alternate positioning can better accommodate the dimensions of some hydraulic presses  34 . Additionally, walls  18  serve as a stop to the downward movement of wheel axle  32  when bearing  56  becomes detached therefrom.  
         [0027]     While the invention has been described with a high degree of particularity, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.