Patent Publication Number: US-7210207-B1

Title: Clevis removal and installation tool and method of use

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to specialized tools and more especially to a clevis removal and installation tool and method of use. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Various specialized tools are disclosed by the prior art. The tools are exemplary of the specialized nature of tool design required to correctly address and fit mechanical devices. The tools do not solve the problems encountered in removing and installing devises. By way of example: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,154 issued to Payne et al. on Jan. 4, 2000 discloses a device for use in operating a trailer landing gear drive mechanism. The device can be construed as a form of a socket for use with a reversible drill. While the device may be construed as a specialized socket, there are no other similarities to the present invention, including use. 
   U.S. Pat 2002/0194966A1 issued to Elmore on Dec. 26, 2002 discloses a specialized socket for manually sliding onto a valve adapted for use in a pipe line. The tool is a specialized socket but has no more similarity to the present invention. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,317 issued to Machovsky on Mar. 2, 2004 discloses a multi-purpose plumbing tool comprised of two sockets. The tool is designed for use with plumbing parts and more specifically for working on drain-waste-vent systems. The tool is quite dissimilar to the present invention. 
   The above-referenced prior art is exemplary of the nature of specialized tools and sockets in the arts of mechanical pursuits. Specialized tools typically require exact dimensions, curves, bends, leverages, and the like. Countless sockets exist in the art of tools. Countless sockets of an almost infinite variety are designed and produced in order to address the specific needs of tools 
   While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a clevis removal and installation tool that provides for the advantages of the present invention, therefore, a need exists for a clevis removal and installation tool, especially one capable of removing a clevis which is frozen to either a clevis lock nut, the threaded rod upon which a clevis mounts, or both. What is needed is a socket that properly fits a clevis, for turning the clevis off and onto a typical threaded rod upon which devises are typically mounted. In this respect, the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of clevis removal and installation tool now present in the prior art, the clevis removal and installation tool overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the clevis removal and installation tool, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a clevis removal and installation tool which has all of the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in an improved clevis removal and installation tool which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
   To accomplish this, the clevis removal and installation tool comprises a rectangular parallelepiped socket. The socket is comprised of two spaced apart vertical sides perpendicularly joined by two spaced apart anchor sides. The vertical sides and the anchor sides form a socket and define an interior area therewithin. The vertical sides and anchor sides further comprise interior surfaces. An engagement member is fixed within the socket. The engagement member is perpendicularly anchored to the anchor side midlines of the interior surfaces of the two anchor sides. The engagement member is coplanar to and shorter than the length of the vertical sides of the socket. A closure is disposed at a first end of the socket. The closure has a closure interior surface and a closure exterior surface. An engagement boss has a first end and a second end. The first end of the engagement boss is attached to the closure exterior surface. Attachment of the closure exterior surface to the engagement boss further comprises reinforcement. 
   The second end of the engagement boss comprises a square female opening. The female opening removably receives square drive of a typical tool used for turning the socket. The socket opening of the invention is at an end of the socket opposite the closure. The invention thereby removably fits over and around a clevis. The typical clevis is comprised of clevis arms. Clevis arms fit inside the invention through the socket opening. The interior surfaces and the engagement member removably engage the clevis arms. A typical clevis and lock nut are threadably engaged with a typical threaded rod upon which a clevis mounts. The clevis backside is typically abutted by a lock nut. 
   The invention is manufactured in a variety of sizes to fit a variety of clevis pin sizes. Further, the invention is offered with various sized square female openings for the receipt of square drives of various sized driver tools. Sizes of the female openings of the engagement boss include but are not limited to ¼″, ⅜″, ½″, ¾″, and 1″. The invention is utilized by sliding the invention around a clevis. The engagement member fits between and engages clevis arms of the clevis. The invention is turned in the selected direction by a square drive of an impact wrench, a breaker bar, a ratchet, or other typical driver tool, referred to herein as a driver. An impact wrench is preferably utilized as a driver when the lock nut or clevis is frozen on the threaded rod of a clevis installation. The impact wrench turns the invention clockwise or counter clockwise, as chosen by a user. Typically, a wrench is utilized to engage a lock nut that typically abuts the back side of a clevis. The lock nut typically locks the clevis in position on the threaded rod. 
   Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the clevis removal and installation tool so 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. 
   Numerous objects, features and advantages of the clevis removal and installation tool will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the clevis removal and installation tool when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the clevis removal and installation tool in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the clevis removal and installation tool. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   Objects of the clevis removal and installation tool, along with various novel features that characterize the invention are particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part of this disclosure. For better understanding of the clevis removal and installation tool, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a lateral elevation of the invention removably installed on a clevis, the invention removably fitted with a typical impact wrench. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the invention of  FIG. 2  installed on a clevis, the view taken along the line  3 — 3 . 
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the socket opening of the invention of  FIG. 2 , taken along the line  4 — 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the invention, the end of the engagement boss. 
       FIG. 6  is an end view. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The broken lines showing an exemplary power drive in  FIG. 2  are for illustrative purposes only and form no part of the claimed tool. 
   With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, the preferred embodiment of the clevis removal and installation tool employing the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the clevis removal and installation tool  10  comprises a rectangular parallelepiped socket. The socket is comprised of two spaced apart vertical sides  12  perpendicularly joined by two spaced apart anchor sides  14 . The vertical sides  12  and the anchor sides  14  form a socket and define an interior area therewithin. Interior surfaces  18  are within the area defined by the vertical sides  12  and the anchor sides  14 . An engagement member  16  is fixed within the socket. The engagement member  16  is perpendicularly anchored to the anchor side midlines  15  of the interior surfaces  18  of the two anchor sides  14  ( FIG. 4 ). The engagement member  16  is coplanar to and shorter than the vertical sides  12  of the socket. A closure  22  is disposed at a first end of the socket. The closure  22  has a closure interior surface  24  and a closure exterior surface  26 . An engagement boss  28  has a first end and a second end. The first end is attached to the closure exterior surface  26 . Attachment of the closure exterior surface  26  to the engagement boss  28  further comprises reinforcement  32  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 , the second end of engagement boss  28  comprises a square female opening  30  ( FIG. 5 ). Female opening  30  removably receives square drive  62  of impact wrench  60 . The socket opening  20  of the invention  10  is at an end of the socket opposite closure  22 . The invention  10  thereby fits over and around a clevis  50 . Clevis  50  is comprised of clevis arms  54 . Clevis arms  54  removably fit inside invention  10 . Interior surfaces  18  and engagement member  16  removably engage clevis arms  54 . Typical clevis  50  and lock nut  52  are threadably engaged with typical threaded rod  56 . Clevis backside  58  is abutted by lock nut  52 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the invention  10  is utilized by sliding the invention  10  around clevis  50 . Engagement member  16  fits between and engages clevis arms  54 . The invention  10  is turned in the selected direction by square drive  62  of impact wrench  60 . Impact wrench  60  turns invention  10  either clockwise or counter clockwise, as chosen by a user (not shown). Typically, a wrench (not shown) is utilized to engage lock nut  58 . 
   With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the clevis removal and installation tool, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the 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 invention. 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.