Patent Publication Number: US-2012024116-A1

Title: Adjustable flange wrench

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/026,883, filed Feb. 14, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/290,933, filed Nov. 3, 2008, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In the plumbing, heating and pipe fitting industries, flanges are commonly used to attach pumps, fluid control devices, valves, and other devices to pipes, pipe fittings or related equipment. Flanges having tapered female threads that are attached to the tapered male threads of a pipe by rotating the flange or pipe until the mating threads wedge together to form a leak-proof seal. To ensure such a seal, adequate torque must be applied to the flange when attaching it to the pipe. 
     A flange is often difficult to install with conventional plumbing tools due to the size, shape and weight of the flange, and/or due to the location of a pipe to which the flange must be attached. For example, a cast metal flange typically includes a “shoulder” intended to provide a “gripping” surface for a conventional pipe wrench. However, these shoulders are slightly tapered, which facilitates removal of the flange from the mold during the casting process, but causes the jaws of a conventional pipe wrench to slip from the shoulder during tightening. As such, these shoulders are often useless and potentially dangerous. The outer circumference of large and/or round flanges are also difficult to grip with the jaws of a conventional pipe wrench, due to either the limits of adjustability or inadequate length of the jaws. Finally, tightening a flange to a pipe in tight quarters can be tedious, tiring, time-consuming, and/or potentially dangerous due to limited or inadequate accessibility to a “gripping” surface, and due to the sheer weight of the flange and the tightening tools. 
     Examples of flange wrenches and other tools are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,350,519; 1,425,845; 1,633,819; 1,677,637; 1,681,126; 2,386,254; 2,389,954; 2,402,477; 2,403,264; 2,580,247; 3,209,624; 4,092,882; 4,181,048; 4,327,755; 4,676,126; 5,839,331; 6,622,598; and 7,062,996, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an adjustable flange wrench positioned below a round flange. 
         FIG. 2  is a top-down view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  engaged with an irregularly shaped flange. 
         FIG. 3  is a top-down view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  engaged with another irregularly shaped flange that is smaller than the irregularly shaped flange of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is another exploded view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top-down view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  in a first configuration. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  in the first configuration. 
         FIG. 8  is a top-down view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  in a second configuration. 
         FIG. 9  is a top-down view of the adjustable flange wrench of  FIG. 1  in a third configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-3  show an adjustable flange wrench  10  for attaching and/or removing differently sized/shaped pipe flanges, such as a round flange  12  and irregularly shaped flanges  14  and  16 . The flange wrench  10  includes a first body  18 , a second body  20  rotatably mounted to the first body about a rotational axis A, a plurality of adjustable pins  22  engaged with the first body and extending through the second body, and a hub  24  attached to the first body. Rotation of the second body relative to the first body dynamically adjusts the distance between the pins so that the pins can be inserted through the bolt holes  25  of differently sized and/or shaped flanges. The wrench  10  can then be used to attach the flange to, or detach the flange from a pipe by applying torque to the hub. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first body  18  includes a plurality of channels  26  for receiving a portion of an associated pin  22 , which is mounted in and displaceable along the channel. Each channel includes a pair of ends  28  that define the length of the channel, and thus the overall distance through which a pin can be displaced. Each channel has a predetermined width and depth that is complimentary to the width and depth of a channel-engaging portion  52  of its associated pin. As discussed below, rotation of the second body  20  relative to the first body displaces the pin along its associated channel through a plurality of positions. Each position along the length of the channel may be a different distance from the rotational axis A, such that rotation of the second body relative to the first body changes the distance between the pin and the rotational axis A. Each channel may be linear, such that rotation of the second body relative to the first body displaces the pin in a straight line. 
     The second body  20  is rotatably attached to the first body  18  about a rotational axis A, and includes a plurality of slots  30 . In some embodiments, such as is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the second body may be rotatably attached to the first body with an axis bolt  32  having a bolt head  34 , an unthreaded sleeve  36 , a threaded end  38  and a longitudinal axis that is co-linear with the rotational axis A. The bolt head may fit within a recess  40  in the first body. The unthreaded sleeve may extend through an unthreaded central aperture  42  in the first body until the threaded end protrudes from the opposite side of the first body. The unthreaded sleeve thus may be rotatable within the unthreaded aperture. The threaded end may tightly secure to a threaded aperture  44  in the second body, thereby preventing withdrawal of the second body from the first body. The second body may be rotatable relative to the second body about the rotational axis A formed by the longitudinal axis of the axis bolt, because the unthreaded sleeve of the axis bolt is rotatable within the unthreaded aperture of the first body. In some embodiments, the mechanism for rotatably attaching the second body to the first body may include a washer  46  that fits within a recess  48  in the second body, and is sandwiched between the first and second bodies. In the absence of the pins  22 , the second body would rotate freely relative to the first body, but as discussed below, the pins  22  constrain the degree to which the second body rotates relative to the first body. 
     Each of the plurality of slots  30  spans the width of the second body  20 , and is dimensioned to allow a portion of an associated pin  22  extend therethrough, and to prevent the associated pin from being withdrawn from its associated channel  26 . Each slot has a predetermined width that is complimentary to the width of an extending portion  56  of its associated pin, but is less than the width of the channel-engaging portion  52  of its associated pin. As such, the channel-engaging portion cannot be withdrawn through its associated slot, and is secured by the second body in its associated channel. As discussed below, each slot may be configured so that it overlaps a different position along the length of its associated channel as the second body is rotated relative to the first body  18 . Rotation of the second body relative to the first body thus causes an associated slot and channel to apply a force to their associated pin that displaces the pin toward an end  28  of its associated channel. Each slot may be linear, and may form an angle with its associated channel for any rotational position of the second body relative to the first body. 
     The plurality of pins  22  may include a plurality of differently sized segments for engaging different portions of the first and second bodies  18  and  20 , or for engaging differently dimensioned flange bolt holes. One end of each pin may include a channel-engaging portion  52  having dimensions that are complimentary to the dimensions of its associated channel  26 . For example, the channel-engaging portion may be a cylindrical segment having a diameter and a depth that is slightly less than the width and depth of its associated channel  26 , so that the pin can be mounted in and displaced along the length of the channel. The channel engaging portion may also include a separate washer  54  that fits over the pin and occupies space between the channel engaging segment of the pin and the second body. Each pin may include an extending portion  56  having dimensions that are complimentary to the dimensions of its associated slot  30 . For example, the extending portion may be a cylindrical segment that extends away from the channel engaging portion and that has a diameter that is slightly less that the width of its associated slot. Because the slot is narrower than its associated channel, the extending portion is narrower, or has a smaller diameter, than the channel-engaging portion of the pin. Finally, the end of each pin opposite the channel-engaging end may include a plurality of substantially cylindrical elements  58  dimensioned to engage differently sized flange bolt holes, with each successive element having a smaller diameter than the previous element. As such, each pin may have a stepped appearance, and may be engaged with flanges having a variety of differently sized flange bolt holes. 
     The hub  24  is fixedly attached to the first body  18 , and includes a securing plate  59  and an outwardly extending polygonal portion  60 . The securing plate may be attached to the first body  18  with any suitable attachment mechanism, such as a plurality of bolts  61  for selectively bolt holes  62  in the hub and bolt holes  64  in the first body. The outwardly extending polygonal portion provides a gripping surface for a conventional drive tool, such as die ratchet, pipe wrench, monkey wrench, chain wrench, socket wrench, or any other tool for applying torque. The polygonal portion may be square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other polygonal shape that provides a gripping surface for affixing the drive tool. 
       FIGS. 6-9  show an embodiment of a fully assembled flange wrench  10  with the second body  20  in various rotational positions relative to the first body  18 . As discussed above, each channel  26  includes a pair of ends that define the length of the channel, where one end  66  is furthest from the rotational axis A, the other end  68  is closest to the rotational axis A, and each intermediate position along the length of the channel is a different distance from the rotational axis A. Each pin  20  is mounted in and displaceable along its associated channel and extends through and is displaceable along its associated slot  30 . As discussed below, rotation of the second body relative to the first body displaces each pin along its associated channel and slot, thereby moving each pin relative to the rotational axis A. 
     Each slot  30  is configured to overlap a different position along the length of its associated channel  26  as the second body  20  is rotated relative to the first body  18 , thereby displacing each pin  22  along the length of its associated channel. For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , the channels and slots are configured so that clockwise rotation of the second body relative to the first body causes each slot to overlap its associated channel at positions that are progressively closer to the end  66  of its associated channel. This causes each associated slot and channel to apply a force to their associated pin  22  which displaces the pin toward the end  66  and further from the rotational axis A. After the second body is rotated clockwise to the rotational position shown in  FIG. 6 , where each slot overlaps a position adjacent to end  66  of its associated channel, the pins abut end  66  and prevent the second body from rotating any further in a clockwise direction. At this point, each pin is maximally separated from the rotational axis A, and as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 6 , the second body can only rotate in the counterclockwise direction. Counter-clockwise rotation of the second body  20  relative to the first body  18  causes each slot to overlap its associated channel at positions that are progressively nearer to the end  68  of its associated channel. This causes each associated slot and channel to apply a force to their associated pin which displaces the pin toward the end  68  and closer to the rotational axis A. After the second body is rotated counter-clockwise to the rotational position shown in  FIG. 9 , each slot overlaps a position adjacent to the end  68  of its associated channel, where the pins abut end  68  and prevent the second body from rotating any further in a counter-clockwise direction. At this point, each pin is minimally separated from the rotational axis A, and as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 9 , the second body can only rotate in the clockwise direction. When the second body is in an intermediate rotational position, such as is shown in  FIG. 8 , the second body can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise, thereby displacing the pins toward the ends  66  and  68 , respectively, of their associated channels. The channels and slots may be configured so that the pins move between their maximally separated position ( FIG. 6 ) and minimally separated position ( FIG. 9 ) upon rotation of the second body 90 degrees relative to the first body. 
     The channels  26  and slots  30  can have different shapes and configurations than those shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , so long as they function together to move the pins further from or closer to the rotational axis A upon rotation of the second body  20  relative to the first body  18 . For example, one or more of the channels and/or the slots may be nonlinear. Also, the channels and slots may be configured to move the pins further from or closer to the rotational axis when the second body is rotated in the counter-clockwise and clockwise directions, respectively. 
     The channels  26  and slots  30  may be configured to arrange one or more pairs of pins  22  symmetrically about the rotational axis A for every rotational position of the second body  20  relative to the first body  18 . Flanges generally include one or more pairs of bolt holes, where both bolt holes in each pair of bolt holes are aligned along a single line that intersects the center of the flange, and are equidistant from the center of the flange. For example, the round flange  12  shown in  FIG. 1  includes two pairs of such bolt holes  25 , whereas the irregularly shaped flanges  14  and  16  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  include one such pair of bolt holes. The distance between the bolt holes in each pair of bolt holes depends on the size of the flange. In the manner described below, the channels and slots of wrench  10  thus may be configured so that, for any rotational position of the second body relative to the first body, the flange wrench  10  includes one or more pairs of pins, where both pins in a pair of pins are equidistant from the rotational axis A and are aligned along a line that intersects the rotational axis A. Moreover, the distance between the pins in each pair of pins may be adjusted by rotating the second body relative to the first body, so that the flange wrench can be used with differently sized flanges. 
     The embodiment of the flange wrench  10  shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  8  and  9  includes two such pairs of adjustable pins  22  for use with variously sized flanges having one or more pairs of bolt holes. Specifically, the flange wrench  10  includes a first pair of pins comprised of pins  70 , and a second pair of pins comprised of pins  72 . The channels  26  and slots  30  may be configured such that for every rotational position of the second body  20  relative to the first body  18 , both pins in a pair of pins are equidistant from the rotational axis A, and are aligned along a line that intersects the rotational axis. 
     For example, when the second body  20  is rotated to the rotational position shown in  FIG. 6 , pins  70  are maximally separated and equidistant from rotational axis A, and are aligned along a first line  74 , whereas pins  72  are maximally separated and equidistant from rotational axis A, and are aligned along a second line  76 . Pins  70  and  72  may all be equidistant and maximally separated from one another, such that pins  70  and  72  define the corners of a square, and lines  74  and  76  are orthogonal to one another. When the pins are maximally separated as shown in  FIG. 6 , they can be engaged with the bolt holes of relatively large round or irregularly shaped flanges, such as bolt holes  25  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     When the second body  20  is rotated to an intermediate position between the positions shown in  FIGS. 6 and 9 , such as the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 8 , pins  70  are equidistant from rotational axis A and are aligned along a line, such as a third line  78 , whereas pins  72  are equidistant from rotational axis A and are aligned along another line, such as a fourth line  80 . Pins  70  and  72  again may all be equidistant from one another, such that the pins define the corners of a square, and lines  78  and  80  are orthogonal to one another. If the channels  26  on the second body are not oriented radially from the rotational axis, then when the second body is in an intermediate rotational position, the line along which pins  70  are aligned, such as the third line  78 , is offset from the first line  74 , and the line along which pins  72  are aligned, such as the fourth line  80 , is offset from the second line  76 . When the pins are in an intermediate position, such as the one shown in  FIG. 8 , they can be engaged with the bolt holes of intermediately sized round or irregularly shaped flanges. 
     When the second body  20  is rotated to the rotational position shown in  FIG. 9 , pins  70  are minimally separated and equidistant from rotational axis A, and are aligned along a fifth line  82 , whereas pins  72  are minimally separated and equidistant from rotational axis A, and are aligned along a sixth line  84 . Pins  70  and  72  also may all be equidistant and minimally separated from one another, such that pins  70  and  72  define the corners of a square, and lines  82  and  84  are orthogonal to one another. If the channels  26  on the second body are not oriented radially from the rotational axis, then the fifth line  82  is offset from the first line  74  and the third line  78 , and the sixth line  84  is offset from the second line  76  and the fourth line  80 . When the pins are minimally separated as shown in  FIG. 9 , they can be engaged with the bolt holes of relatively small round or irregularly shaped flanges. 
     The flange wrench  10  may be configured to have adjustable pins  22  that can engage any sized flange, although in a preferred embodiment, the pins may dynamically adjust to engage bolt holes separated by distances between 2¾″ and 7″. 
     During operation, two or more pins  22  are engaged with the bolt holes of a flange, thereby fixing the relative distance between those pins and preventing the second body  20  from rotating appreciably relative to the first body  18 . When torque is applied to the hub  22  with a drive tool, the channels  26  and slots  30  urge the pin towards an end of a channel as described above, thereby causing the pin to apply a force to the inner surface of the flanges bolt holes. This applied force creates friction between the pins and the bolt holes, and reduces the likelihood that the flange wrench  10  will disengage from the flange. When torque is no longer applied to the hub, the flange wrench relaxes, and the pins can be easily disengaged from the bolt holes. 
     The various components of the flange wrench disclosed herein may be any suitable material and may be any size and shape consistent with their functions. For example, the components may be made of stainless steel, steel, aluminum, plastics, or any other material having the desired traits of ease in manufacturing, strength, corrosion resistance, etc. The specific embodiments of a flange wrench as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identified elements in the specification or the claims are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate a required or limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise specifically indicated. The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various features, elements, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. No single feature, function, element or property of the disclosed embodiments is essential. The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations which are regarded as novel and non-obvious. Other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the disclosure.