Patent Publication Number: US-9415487-B2

Title: Tool system for hammer union

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. Nos. 61/868,400 filed Aug. 21, 2013 and 61/926,053 filed on Jan. 10, 2014, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to tools for applying torque to various types of connections or fixtures, including hammer union type connections. 
     Throughout many industries, particularly the oil and gas industry, there are mechanical joints or unions for connecting pipe sections which are generally referred to as “hammer unions.” Hammer unions are initially positioned by hand and then, in order to force the final connection so there is no leak in the connection, these unions have what may be described as “upsets” or “dogs” around their surface so that workers may hammer them tightly closed to avoid leakage of high pressure fluids (e.g., up to 15,000 psi) running through the union. 
     As would be expected over time, since such unions are hammered opened and closed by manually striking the dogs with large hammers, these dogs around the outer rim of the union become warped and bent in the process. More particularly, because the hammer unions are being pounded closed or opened, the threads which engage the pipe between the union and the pipe may become warped or damaged in certain spots, which could compromise the seal the union is intended to form. Due to the high pressure environment, such leakage is very undesirable and may compromise safety. It is known that users may swing a heavy hammer multiple times in order to hit the dogs in tightening and/or loosening the hammer unions. For example, a worker may swing a hammer hundreds of times a day which may cause a serious impact to the unions, not to mention impact or injuries to the worker performing the operation. A safer, more consistent, and less damaging method of tightening and loosening hammer unions would be a significant improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the hammer union tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the hammer union tool. 
         FIG. 3  is a top planar view of the  FIG. 2  embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  is a top planar view of a third hammer union tool embodiment. 
         FIG. 4B  is a top planar view of a fourth hammer union tool embodiment. 
         FIGS. 5A to 5C  are perspective views of a fifth hammer union tool embodiment. 
         FIGS. 6A to 6C  are perspective views of a sixth hammer union tool embodiment. 
         FIGS. 7A to 7E  are perspective views of a seventh hammer union tool embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the hammer union tool of the present invention. In the  FIG. 1  embodiment, the hammer union tool  1  generally comprises a handle  2  with a fork section  3 , which in turn connects to base section  16  of tool head  15 . This embodiment of tool head  15  further includes an open throat section  30  and a series of indentations  27  formed in the tool head&#39;s interior circumference. These indentations  27  have a curved rearward wall  28  which includes a radius of curvature of “R.” In certain embodiments, the radius of curvature may be between about 0.5 inches and about 2.5 inches, but may be outside this range in other embodiments. Each side of the indentations terminates in a tooth member  18  or  25 . Several of the tooth members in  FIG. 1  are “dual-sided” tooth members  18  in that they separate two adjacent indentations  27  and each side of a tooth member  18  is designed to be the contact surface for a hammer union (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). The tooth members  25  on each side of throat section  30  are “single sided” tooth members since they taper to a single point and possess only one surface for contacting a hammer union. Further features of indentations  27  seen in  FIG. 1  include a width D 1  at the mid-section of the indentations and a width D 2  at the mouth of the indentations (i.e., the closest distance between two adjacent tooth members  18 ). In these embodiments, the mid-section width is greater than the mouth width. In some embodiments, the multiple curved indentation tool head will be described as having a “clover-leaf” pattern. 
     The  FIG. 1  embodiment illustrates five indentations  27  in tool head  15 , but other embodiments could have more or fewer than five indentations; e.g., one, two, three, four, six, or more indentations (see  FIG. 4A  showing two indentations,  FIG. 6C  showing four indentations, or  FIG. 5C  showing six indentations).  FIG. 1  further shows the base section  16  of tool head  15  having two slogging plates  11  attached thereto. In many embodiments, but not necessarily all, the indentations will be spaced (indentation center point  29  to indentation center point  29  in  FIG. 3 ) at about 60° arcs or about 120° arcs. For example,  FIG. 3  illustrates adjacent indentation center points  29  spaced 60° apart, while  FIG. 4A  is an example of indentation center points being 120° apart. In many embodiments, the center of the open throat  30  will have a similar spacing from adjacent indentations  27 , i.e., a 60° arc in the case of five indentations or a 120° arc in case of two indentations. 
     Other embodiments such as suggested in  FIG. 2  may include additional features. The  FIG. 2  embodiment illustrates stop surfaces  32  extending at least partially over one face of the indentations  27 . In this embodiment, the stop surfaces  32  are thin sections of metal covering the lower face (“lower” in the position shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the tool head  15 . It may be envisioned how stop surfaces  32  allow the user to position the open or “top” side of the indentations  27  over a hammer union, but will prevent the hammer union from passing through the bottom side of the indentations. Thus, stop surfaces  32  assist in rapid and secure positioning of the tool  1  on the hammer union. 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates how this embodiment will include an adjustable, telescoping handle section  2 . Telescoping insert  6  will side into handle extension  7  and be fixed into position by a pin engaging pin apertures  8 A and  8 B. Handle extension  7  may be secured to tool head base section  16  by a similar pinning method. In the  FIG. 2  embodiment, the end of telescoping insert  6  includes the hammer section  5 , which can be used in conjunction with slogging plates  11 . Slogging plates  11  provide a striking surface if the hammer section  5  or a similar tool is used to moderately tap the hammer union tool in order to transmit a modest shock load to the hammer union joint. 
     The tool head can be virtually any size, but in many embodiments, the tool head is designed (sized) to engage a standard hammer union typically designated as 1″, 2″, 3″, 4″, 5″, or 6″. In these examples, the radius from a center of the tool head to the rear wall  28  of the indentations  27 , depending on tool size, is between about 2 and 10 inches.  FIG. 3  illustrates the tool head engaging the conventional hammer union  95 , which has three upsets  96  (the upsets also sometimes referred to as “pegs,” “dogs,” or other similar terms).  FIG. 3  suggests how the enlarged indentations  27  would be capable of fitting around the upsets  96  even in instances where the upsets have been significantly deformed through previous heavy use (e.g., where the upsets have been struck repeatedly with heavy hammers). In particular,  FIG. 3  suggests how teeth  18  will tend to engage hammer union  95  at each shoulder portion  97  associated with an upset  96 , thereby applying a uniform torque load on each upset of the hammer union  95 . 
     As suggested above,  FIG. 4A  illustrates an embodiment of tool head  15  having only two indentations  27  for engaging the hammer union upsets  96 . In  FIG. 4A , the indentations have the curved rearward wall  28  described in reference to  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the embodiment of  FIG. 4B  illustrates an embodiment of tool head  15  where the indentations  27  have straight rear walls  28 . However, the indentations  27  become progressively wider as they extend in the direction running from the center of the tool head toward the outer circumference of the tool head. Thus, as with previously described indentations  27 , those of  FIG. 4B  are narrow at the mouth of the indentation and wider at the mid-section width of the indentation. In  FIG. 4B , the indentations have the greatest width at the rear wall  28 . 
       FIGS. 5A to 5C  illustrate another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment includes a hammer union tool with a ratcheting mechanism. The tool head  15  comprises two hinged sections (or partial ring segments)  35 A and  35 B, which are joined at hinge  40  and can transition between an open ring configuration and a closed ring configuration where locking latch  41  secures together the sections  35 A and  35 B. In  FIGS. 5A and 5B , locking latch  41  is a simple pin on section  35 A engaging a pin aperture on section  35 B. Positioned within the hinged sections  35 A and  35 B are two partial ring shaped insert pieces  36 A and  36 B seen in  FIG. 5B . Both insert pieces  36 A and  36 B will include a series of ratchet notches  38  positioned around their outer perimeter. Indentations  37  for engaging hammer union upsets will be formed on the inner perimeter of insert pieces  36 A and  36 B. The ratchet notches  38  interact with the ratchet tongue  39  positioned within hinged section  35 A. Although not explicitly shown, a spring or other biasing means will bias ratchet tongue  39  outward (as shown in  FIG. 5B ), but allows ratchet tongue  39  to deflect into the body of hinged section  35 A. It may be envisioned how ratchet tongue  39  will deflect inward when the insert pieces rotate clockwise (i.e., letting the ratchet notches  38  pass). However, when the insert pieces rotate counter-clockwise, the ratchet tongue  39  will engage a ratchet notch  38  and prevent rotation of the insert pieces  36 , thereby allowing the wrench to apply torque in that angular direction. 
     It can be seen that the insert pieces  36 A and  36 B in  FIG. 5B  have generally square indentations  37 . One alternative design is seen in the insert pieces  36 A and  36 B illustrated in  FIG. 5C . These  FIG. 5C  insert pieces  36 A and  36 B have curved indentations  37  with the characteristics described in reference to  FIG. 1  above. Although the embodiments in  FIGS. 5A to 5C  illustrate six indentations in the tool head, other embodiments could certainly encompass fewer than six indentations (e.g. three indentations) or in specialized embodiments, potentially more than six indentations. 
       FIGS. 6A to 6C  illustrate a still further embodiment. In  FIGS. 6A to 6C , the tool head  15  generally comprises an arc of only about 180° and provides a much more open throat area  30 . The illustrated embodiments include four indentations  27  which will engage two upsets  96  on the hammer union  95  as suggested in  FIG. 6B . Again, alternative designs could have fewer (or possibly more) indentations  27 . While  FIG. 6A  shows a tool with square indentations  27 ,  FIG. 6C  shows the indentations with curved rear walls as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 7A to 7D  illustrate one further embodiment in which tool head  15  takes on a significantly different configuration from previous embodiments. The tool head  15  is formed of an arcuate body section  44  which leaves an open face section  45 . Additionally, an aperture  47  is formed through the rear surface of arcuate body section  44 . In the  FIG. 7A  embodiment, the arcuate body section has an arc length alpha of about 120°. Similarly, the tool head includes two lug members  46  position on each end of the body section, i.e., the lug members  46  are spaced about 120° apart. As will be apparent from  FIGS. 7B and 7C , the 120° spacing of lug members  46  allows them to engage the hammer union upsets  96  (or shoulders  97  at the base of upsets  96 ) of hammer union  95 .  FIGS. 7B and 7C  also illustrate how rear aperture  47  allows the hammer union upset  96  to readily extend at least partially into or through arcuate body section  44  to the extent needed for the tool head to be easily placed on the hammer union  95 .  FIGS. 7D and 7E  suggest how this design may be modified such that arcuate body section  44  has an arc length beta of about 240° and includes two rear apertures  47  and three lug members  46 . As is clear from  FIG. 7E , this allows the tool head to engage all three upsets  96  on the hammer union  95 . 
     The terms used in the specification will generally have the meaning ascribed to them by persons skilled in the art, unless otherwise stated. The term “about” will typically mean a numerical value which is approximate and whose small variation would not significantly affect the practice of the disclosed embodiments. Where a numerical limitation is used, unless indicated otherwise by the context, “about” means the numerical value can vary by ±10%, or in certain embodiments ±5%, or even possibly as much as ±20%. Although the foregoing invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize many obvious modifications and variations. All such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the following claims.