Abstract:
A pipe grooving tool that works with commercially-available power drives. The tool attaches to the power drive using the existing tool assembly on the power drive, and allows a single operator to cut, ream and groove multiple pipe segments, without having to replace tools or otherwise alter the power drive and its tool assembly between grooving different pipe segments.

Description:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to grooving tools, more specifically, a tool that can be used with an existing power drive for creating a groove on a pipe. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Tools for cutting, threading and grooving pipes have been known for considerable time. Common power tools, such as the RIDGID 300 Power Drive, provide an assembly that combines tools for cutting, reaming and threading a pipe. Such tools are typically used by inserting a pipe through a center opening in the power drive and securing it in place by a vice. Actuating the drive causes the pipe to spin. A user then applies the cutting device to cut the pipe to the desired length, and then uses the reamer to remove the inside burrs. A threading die-head may then be used to thread the end of the pipe. 
         [0005]    If a user wishes to groove the pipe, he must remove the entire tool assembly and attach an external grooving tool that is used to create a groove on the pipe. The typical grooving tool is attached to the power drive which causes a grooving axle to rotate. A pipe is then placed over the end of the axle and a groove is created in the pipe. This often results in a situation in which an additional operator has to hold the opposite end of a long piece of pipe as it is being grooved. Should the operator then wish to cut the next section of pipe, the grooving tool has to be removed and the cut/ream/thread assembly reattached, creating a cumbersome process when an operator needs to cut and groove many pieces of pipe. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a grooving tool that works with the original assembly. What is further needed is such a grooving tool that does not require the exchange of tools to cut and then groove a piece of pipe. What is yet further needed is such a grooving tool that is operable by a single operator. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention is a pipe grooving device that works with an existing power drive. Conventional power drives have tool assemblies that include pipe cutters, reamers, and threaders. The device according to the invention works within this type of assembly, making use of the power drive to perform its intended function. 
         [0008]    The grooving device has an attachment assembly that secures the device to the power drive&#39;s tool assembly, possibly replacing an existing tool, and a freewheeling groove shaft that supports the position of a pipe. Once the device is secured to the power drive&#39;s tool assembly and placed in the proper position, a pipe is placed through a center opening in the power drive, over the groove shaft and secured to the power drive by a vice. The power drive and vice are capable of supporting the weight of long pieces of pipe. Actuating the power drive causes the pipe to spin. 
         [0009]    The grooving device also has a wheel housing that contains a groove wheel and an activation rod that is operatable by a user. Operating the activation rod applies pressure to the wheel housing, causing the pipe to be pinched between the groove wheel and groove shaft and creating a groove on the pipe. 
         [0010]    The grooved pipe is then cut or simply removed from the power drive, and the operator may proceed with cutting and grooving the next segment of pipe without having to alter the power drive or its tool assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the device according to the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the device. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the device. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the device attached to a power drive. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the device attached to a power drive, showing a pipe in the power drive. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the device housing. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the device housing. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the wheel housing assembly. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the wheel housing assembly. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the wheel housing assembly. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the wheel housing. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the wheel axle. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the pivot pin. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wheel. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the groove shaft. 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a side view of the groove shaft. 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is a side view of the activation rod. 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the activation rod securing unit. 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the device showing a second embodiment of the wheel housing and device housing. 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  is a side view of the device showing a second embodiment of the wheel housing and device housing. 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the wheel housing. 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the device housing. 
           [0034]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the attachment assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0035]    The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0036]      FIGS. 1, 2, and 3  illustrate a pipe grooving device  100  according to the invention that includes a groove shaft  10 , a wheel housing assembly  20 , an activation rod  40  and an attachment assembly  50 , each contained in a device housing  70 . The device  100  attaches to a power drive D, shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , by attachment assembly  50 . A pipe P is inserted through the power drive D and placed over the groove shaft  10  and secured in the power drive D by a vice V. 
         [0037]    Activating the power drive D causes the pipe P to rotate about the groove shaft  10 . A user operates the activation rod  40  by, for example, attaching a socket wrench (not shown) to the activation rod  40  and rotating the wrench. As the activation rod  40  rotates it applies pressure to the wheel housing assembly  20 . The wheel housing assembly  20  has a groove wheel  22  that presses against the pipe P as the power drive rotates the pipe P and the user operates the activation rod  40 , pushing the pipe P into a groove recess  16  on the groove shaft  10  creating the groove in the pipe P. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 6-14  illustrate first embodiments of the device housing  70  and wheel housing  20 . The device housing  70  is a solid piece of material that has been formed to support the wheel housing assembly  20 , activation rod  40 , groove shaft  10 , and attachment assembly  50 . The groove shaft  10  is mounted in a bearing assembly  72  that includes one or more bearings and is free to rotate. The wheel housing  20  is pivotably coupled to the device housing  70  by a pivot pin  32  that is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and that is inserted through a through-bore pivot point  74  and through a housing attachment bore  28 . A securing unit  42 , shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 18 , is inserted through a rod insertion bore  76 . The activation rod  40  is adjustably inserted through the securing unit  42  and is in contact with the wheel housing  20  at a location beneath the pivot point  74 . The attachment assembly  50  is fixedly coupled to the device housing  70  at an attachment slot  78 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 11-14  illustrate details of the wheel housing assembly  20 , which includes the groove wheel  22 , an axle  24 , a housing  26  and a housing attachment opening  28 . The axle  24  is secured in the housing  26  through housing openings  27 A,  27 B. The wheel  22  is coupled to the axle  24 . A center portion  22 A of the wheel  22  protrudes outward from the wheel  20 , such that, when the wheel  20  is pressed against the pipe P, the center portion  22 A is forced into the pipe P, thereby forming a groove. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate the groove shaft  10 . The groove shaft  10  has a stepped diameter, including a shaft connection diameters  12  and  12 A, and pipe fitting diameters  14 A,  14 B. The groove recess  16  is formed between pipe fitting diameters  14 A,  14 B. The shaft connection diameters  12  and  12 A are mounted in the bearing assembly  72  in the device housing  70 . The pipe P fits over the pipe fitting diameters  14 A,  14 B, which are sized to allow the removal of the pipe once the groove has been created. As the user operates the device the power drive rotates the pipe P, the center portion of the wheel  22 A presses against the pipe P, pushing the pipe P in the direction of the groove recess  16  and forming the groove in the pipe P. 
         [0041]      FIG. 17  illustrates the activation rod  40 , which is inserted through and secured by the securing unit  42 , shown in  FIG. 18 . A first end  44  of the activation rod  40  is shaped to fit against and apply pressure to the wheel housing  20 , while a second end  46  is shaped to be manipulated by an operator. For example, the second end  46  may be shaped to fit a socket wrench that can then be tightened or loosened by an operator to apply more or less pressure to the wheel housing unit  20  as desired. The securing unit  42  is fixedly attached to the device housing  70  at a rod connection point  79 , shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In one embodiment the activation rod  40  is threaded and the securing unit  42  has a threaded bore  48  through which the activation rod  40  is inserted and adjusted. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 19-23  illustrate second embodiments of the device housing  70  and the wheel housing  20 . Again the device housing  70  is a solid piece of material that has been formed to support the wheel housing assembly  20 , activation rod  40 , groove shaft  10 , and attachment assembly  50 . The groove shaft  10  and bearing assembly  72  are the same as shown in the first embodiment. The wheel housing  20  is pivotably attached to a pivot point  74  by a pivot pin  32 . A securing unit  42  is inserted through an activation rod insertion slot  76 . The activation rod  40  is adjustably inserted through the securing unit  42  and fixedly connected to the top of the wheel housing  20  by a connection rod  71  that is affixed to the upper housing openings  23 . Operating the activation rod pushes or pulls the top of the wheel housing  20 , causing the groove wheel  22  to apply or release pressure against the pipe P depending on the direction of operation. An adjustment stop  47  may be provided to limit how far the user is able to turn the activation rod  40 . 
         [0043]    The wheel housing assembly  20  includes a groove wheel  22 , an axle  24 , a housing  26  and a housing attachment opening  28  and is attached to the device housing  70  as shown in the first embodiment. In this second embodiment, the first end of the activation rod  44  is secured to the wheel housing  20  at a point above the pivot point  74 . Operating the second end  46 , by, for example, turning the wrench, causes the top of the housing to be pulled away from the groove shaft  10  or pushed towards the groove shaft  10 , depending on the direction of the rotation, causing the wheel  22  to press against or pull away from the pipe P. 
         [0044]      FIG. 24  illustrates the attachment assembly  50 , including a housing  52 , a device attachment shaft  54  and a power drive attachment shaft  56 . The housing  52  secures the two shafts  54  and  56 . The device attachment shaft  54  secures the attachment assembly  50  to the device housing  70  at a connection slot  78 , shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The connection slot  78  is wider than the attachment shaft  54  which allows the device  100  to be moved in or out relative to the pipe in order to allow the pipe grooving device  100  to groove pipes of varying size. The power drive attachment shaft  56  pivotably couples the device  100  to the power drive D. 
         [0045]    It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the pipe grooving device may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.