Abstract:
A hydraulic puller device for pulling bearings, gears, wheels and pulleys from objects such as shafts and axles and other machine parts. The hydraulic puller device includes a mobile base assembly, a jaw assembly being mounted to the base assembly and including a plurality of jaw members, a press assembly being mounted to the base assembly for urging against an object to facilitate the removal of a press fitted work piece, and a control assembly being in fluid communication with the base assembly, the jaw assembly and the ram assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to puller devices and more particularly pertains to a new hydraulic puller device for pulling bearings, gears, wheels and pulleys from objects such as shafts and axles and other machine parts. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of puller devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, puller devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     The prior art includes a puller being vertically movably mounted on a transport cart and including a base assembly having at least a pair of puller jaws pivotally mounted thereto. The puller jaws are pivotally moved relative to the base assembly by means of a cam ring which is axially moved with respect to the base assembly by means of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders connected thereto. A hydraulic ram is mounted in the base assembly and has a ram point adapted to engage the end of the shaft upon which the gear is mounted. Another prior art includes a hydraulically powered locking puller device comprising a base assembly about a central axis, a camming assembly circumferentially about the base assembly, and an hydraulic module axially centered within the base assembly. The base assembly has a cylindrical housing wall united to an anchor ring carrying at least two claw members and having an internally threaded cylindrical surface. The camming assembly includes a mooring ring mounted on the housing wall of the base assembly for axial movement therealong and a cam ring axially spaced from a coupler on the mooring ring. The cam ring is in camming relationship to the claw members. The hydraulic module includes a plunger with a replaceable tip, a spring retractor, a carrying ring for hoist movement of the puller, and threads for cooperative threading with the internal threads of the anchor ring to fix the hydraulic module against axial shift, but yet permit easy removal of it for servicing and replacement without disturbing any part of the relationship and elements of the base assembly and camming assembly. A shoulder within the anchor ring provides an abutment against which the hydraulic module is lodged in assembly. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose the present hydraulic puller device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new hydraulic puller device which has many of the advantages of the puller devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hydraulic puller device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art puller devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a mobile base assembly, a jaw assembly being mounted to the base assembly and including a plurality of jaw members, a press assembly being mounted to the base assembly for urging against an object to facilitate the removal of a press fitted work piece, and a control assembly being in fluid communication with the base assembly, the jaw assembly and the ram assembly. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the hydraulic puller device in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention 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. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new hydraulic puller device which has many of the advantages of the puller devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hydraulic puller device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art puller devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new hydraulic puller device for pulling bearings, gears, wheels and pulleys from objects such as shafts and axles and other machine parts. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new hydraulic puller device that prevents the jaws from springing back due to the cage member. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new hydraulic puller device that provides flexibility in a variety of pull strokes up to 48 inches. 
     Also another object of the present invention is to provide a new hydraulic puller device that has adjustable jaw guides to either increase or decrease the spread preference as is necessary. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a new hydraulic puller device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top, front perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom, rear view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, a new hydraulic puller device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the hydraulic puller device  10  generally comprises a mobile base assembly  11 - 26 , a jaw assembly  27 - 77  being mounted to the base assembly  11 - 26  and including a plurality of jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 , a press assembly  78 - 90  being mounted to the base assembly  11 - 26  for urging against an object to facilitate the removal of a press fitted work piece, and a control assembly  91 - 102  being in fluid communication with the base assembly  11 - 26 , the jaw assembly  27 - 77  and the press assembly  78 - 90 . 
     The mobile base assembly  11 - 26  includes a base member  11  being conventionally mounted upon a set of wheels  12  and also includes vertically-extending masts  13 - 14  being spaced apart and being securely supported upon the base member  11  with braces  15 - 16  which are conventionally welded to the masts  14 - 14  and to the base member  11 . 
     The support assembly  17 - 26  includes sleeves  17 - 18  being movably disposed upon and about the masts  13 - 14  and also includes planar support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  being conventionally attached to the sleeves  17 - 18  and extending between the masts  13 - 14 . The support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  include upper and lower support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  being vertically spaced apart. The upper and lower support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  have openings  20 , 22 , 24 , 26  being disposed therethrough. 
     Each jaw member  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  has proximate and distal ends  28 , 29 , 32 , 33 , 36 , 37 , 40 , 41  and has at least a laterally-curved portion  103 - 106 . The proximate ends  28 , 32 , 36 , 40  of the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  are pivotally mounted about vertical axes and conventionally connected to the support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25 . Each of the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  has a longitudinal flange  47 - 50  extending either upwardly or downwardly along at least a portion of an outer edge of each jaw member  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . Each jaw member  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  has an arcuate work-piece engagement member  43 - 46  having a generally claw-like end and being pivotally mounted about a vertical axis and being conventionally attached with a bolt at the distal end  29 , 33 , 37 , 41  thereof for precise engagement to the work piece. The distal end  29 , 33 , 37 , 41  of each jaw member  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  has a longitudinal slot  30 , 34 , 38 , 42  for receiving at least a portion of a respective work-piece engagement member  43 - 46 . The jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  include a first pair of jaw members  27 , 31  with the jaw members  27 , 31  being horizontally opposed to one another. The jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  further include a second pair of jaw members  35 , 39  with the jaw members  35 , 39  thereof being horizontally opposed to one another and being vertically aligned with and spaced apart from the first pair of jaw members  27 , 31 . 
     The jaw support assembly  51 - 77  includes a support frame  51  being movably disposed about and along the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . The support frame  51  includes upper and lower elongate guide support members  52 , 57  and jaw guide members  62 , 69  being horizontally adjustable relative to the upper and lower elongate guide support members  52 , 57  to adjust the horizontal positioning of the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 , and the jaw guide members  62 , 69  are conventionally fastened to the upper and lower elongate guide support members  52 , 57  and are engagable to the longitudinal flanges  47 - 50  for moving the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  inwardly and outwardly relative to one another. Each upper and lower elongate guide support member  52 , 57  has opposed ends  53 - 54 , 58 - 59  with slots  55 - 56 , 60 - 61  being disposed therein. Each jaw guide member  62 , 69  has a vertically-disposed elongate main portion  63 , 70  and a plurality of cross portions  64 - 66 , 71 - 73  extending generally perpendicular to the elongate main portion  63 , 70  and being spaced apart from one another and also having lengths which are shorter than the elongate main portion  63 , 70 . The cross portions  64 - 66 , 71 - 73  of each jaw guide member  62 , 69  include an upper, middle and lower cross portions  64 - 66 , 71 - 73 . Each upper cross portion  64 , 71  is adjustably and conventionally fastened with bolts in a respective one of the slots  55 , 56  of the upper elongate guide support member  52 . Each lower cross portion  66 , 73  is adjustably and conventionally fastened with bolts in a respective one of the slots  60 , 61  of the lower elongate guide support member  57 . Each middle cross portion  65 , 72  is disposed between a respective pair of vertically-aligned the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . Each upper cross portion  64 , 71  has a slot  67 - 68  being disposed in a bottom thereof with the longitudinal flanges  47 - 48  of the first pair of jaw members  27 , 31  being received in the slots  67 - 68  of the upper cross portions  64 , 71 . Each middle cross portion  65 , 72  has a slot  74 , 75  being disposed in a bottom thereof with the longitudinal flanges  49 , 50  of the second pair of jaw members  35 , 39  being received in the slots  74 , 75  of the middle cross portions  65 , 72 . 
     The press assembly  78 - 90  includes a housing  78  having walls and an opening disposed through one of the walls  81  with the housing  78  being disposed between the masts  13 - 14 , and also includes brackets  85 - 90  being conventionally attached and welded to the housing  78  and being securely and conventionally connected with bolts to the support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25 , and further includes a press connector  83  being movably disposed in the housing  78  and through the opening of the housing  78 . The press assembly  78 - 90  also includes press adapters  84  being interchangeably and conventionally connected to the press connector  83  for urging against the object to facilitate removal of the press fitted work piece. The brackets  85 - 90  includes upper, middle and lower brackets  85 - 90  being conventionally attached and welded to the housing  78  and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the housing  78 . 
     The control assembly  91 - 102  includes a first hydraulic cylinder  91  being conventionally mounted to the housing  78  and being engaged to the press connector  83  for actuating the press connector  83  and the press adapters  84 , and also includes second hydraulic cylinders  92 - 95  being conventionally connected to the support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  and to the support frame  51  via brackets  76 - 77  with fasteners such as bolts for actuating and moving the support frame  51  which engages and moves the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 , and further includes vertically extending third hydraulic cylinders  96 - 97  being securely and conventionally mounted with bracket members upon the base member  11  proximate to the masts  13 - 14  for raising and lowering the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 , and also includes a control unit  98  being conventionally mounted to the support assembly  17 - 26  and being in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinders  91 - 97  via hoses  101  and having valves  99  for controlling hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders  91 - 97 , and further includes a hydraulic pump  100  being in fluid communication with the control unit  98  also via hoses  101  for actuating the hydraulic cylinders  91 - 97 . The third hydraulic cylinders  96 - 97  are securely and conventionally attached to the support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  and extend through the openings  20 , 22 , 24 , 26  of the support members  19 , 21 , 23 , 25  for raising and lowering the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . Further, the hydraulic assembly  91 - 102  includes a control switch  102  being in communication with the control unit  98  with wires conventionally interconnecting the control unit  98  to the control switch  102  for operating and controlling the hydraulic cylinders  91 - 97 . 
     In use, the hydraulic puller device  10  is positioned adjacent to the object and adjacent to the press fitted work piece to be removed from the object. With the control switch  102 , either the user actuates the third cylinders  96 - 97  with hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump  100  to raise and lower the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  to horizontally position the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  relative to the press fitted work piece, or if the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  are already positioned correctly, the user actuates the second hydraulic cylinders  92 - 95  with hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump  100  to either spread the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  apart with the jaw guide members  62 , 69  engaging the longitudinal flanges  47 - 50  so that the work-piece engagement members  43 - 46  can engage about the press fitted work piece or bring together the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  with the jaw guide members  62 , 69  engaging the longitudinal flanges  47 - 50  to effectively engage the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  about the press fitted work piece. The jaw guide members  62 , 69  are able to move the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  inwardly or outwardly relative to the horizontally-opposed jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  because of the laterally-curved portions  103 - 106  of the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . Once the work-piece engagement members  43 - 46  are securely engaged about the press fitted work piece, the user again uses the control switch  102  to direct hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump  100  to the first hydraulic cylinder  91  which urges the press connector  83  and the selected press adapter  84  against the object. As the press adapter  84  pushes on the object, the press fitted work piece is removed from the object because the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39  remain engaged about the press fitted work piece and the press adapter  84  pushes on the object and moves relative to the jaw members  27 , 31 , 35 , 39 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the hydraulic puller device. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.