Patent Abstract:
A tool for installing irrigation barb emitters into irrigation tubing including a cradle handle and a punch handle, the cradle handle and the punch handle being arranged in a parallel relation and connected intermediate their ends at a center point. A cradle which receives irrigation tubing is included. A punch pin allows a user to punch holes in irrigation tubing as desired with a spring loaded body which removes the punch pin when it has been driven into irrigation tubing. A barb holder allows a user to install emitter barbs into irrigation tubing as desired. A barb remover allows removal of barbs from irrigation tubing as desired.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Aspects of this document relate to the field of irrigation tools, and more particularly, to tools for installing irrigation emitter barbs. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many conventional irrigation systems use plastic tubing to distribute water to various locations. In such use, hollow irrigation emitter barbs are mounted as desired. Small diameter flexible tubing can be mounted on the barbs to place the water where desired. 
     Irrigation emitter barbs or emitters are generally symmetrical and are provided with sharp piercing points at either end to penetrate the wall of the tubing. Further, enlarged heads are provided to impede the withdrawal of the barb from the tubing. While irrigation emitter barbs can be installed by hand, the sharp piercing points pose a risk of injury to workers. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of irrigation tools like those disclosed in this document may include a punch handle and a cradle handle where each of the punch handle and cradle handle has a cylindrical shape. The punch handle may be slidably and telescopically received within the cradle handle. The cradle handle may have a cylinder receiving cavity at one end into which the punch handle extends and a crescent jaw having a seat adapted to support irrigation tubing at the other end. The crescent jaw may be mounted on the cradle handle opposite the punch handle. The punch handle may have a cylindrical cavity positioned proximate to the cradle handle where the cylindrical cavity has a closed threaded punch end and an open end adjacent to the cradle handle. A punch pin may extend into the cylindrical cavity and may thereby partially occlude the open end. The punch pin may have a first position extending into the crescent jaw when the punch handle is fully slidably received within the cradle handle. The punch pin may have a second position which does not extend into the crescent jaw when the punch handle is not received fully within the cradle handle. The punch pin may be biased to the second position whereby irrigation tubing held within the crescent jaw is punctured when the punch pin is moved from the second position to the first position. 
     At least one barb holder may be mounted on the punch handle and the at least one barb holder may include a lower cavity, a middle cavity, and an upper cavity concentrically oriented and cylindrically shaped with the upper cavity being of smaller diameter than the middle cavity thereby forming an upper shoulder therebetween. The middle cavity may be a smaller diameter than the lower cavity thereby forming a lower shoulder therebetween. A plurality of resilient flaps may extend inwardly from the periphery of the lower cavity. The upper shoulder within the hollow cylinder may be suitable for acting against an annular disk shoulder on a barb emitter to force a piercing point on the barb emitter to penetrate a periphery of an irrigation tubing when forced thereupon. The plurality of flaps may releasably hold the barb emitter within the barb holder. A barb remover including a lower crescent gap and an upper crescent gap positioned at the distal ends of the crescent jaw may be included where the crescent gaps may be in parallel alignment. The crescent gaps may be adapted to engage shoulder disks of emitter barbs to pry the emitter barbs from irrigation tubing. 
     The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front, side and top perspective view of one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear, side and top perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear, side and top perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in a closed position; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of separated items of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a back view of  FIG. 1  with irrigation emitter barb installed therein; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of irrigation emitter barb; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of  FIG. 1  with irrigation emitter barbs installed therein; and 
         FIG. 11  is a side cross sectional view of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference,  FIGS. 1-11  disclose one embodiment of an irrigation tool  10 . Irrigation tool  10  comprises a punch handle  12  and a cradle handle  14 , both the punch handle  12  and the cradle handle  14  having concentric cylindrical shape. Punch handle  12  and cradle handle  14  are arranged in parallel relation and connected intermediate their ends at roll pin  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, cradle handle  14  has a cylinder receiving cavity  13  at end of handle through which punch handle  12  extends into. 
     Cradle handle  14  includes circular finger holds  52  and  56  extending perpendicular thereto and laterally therefrom. In addition, punch handle  12  includes a circular palm push  58  mounted opposite cradle handle  14 . 
     Mounted on cradle handle  14  opposite punch handle  12  is a crescent jaw  22  adapted to receive and support a conduit or pipe  68  to be punched. Crescent  22  is formed of a generally channel-shaped configuration thereby defining a semi-circular seat  72  for supporting conduit or pipe  68  to be punched. As best seen in  FIG. 3 , a user drives a punch pin  42  into conduit or pipe  68  by applying downward pressure on punch handle  12  with the user&#39;s palm pushing downward on push handle  58  while using finger holds  52  and/or  56  of cradle handle  14  to maintain a hold on tool  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 11 , punch pin  42  is mounted at the end of punch handle  12  opposite palm push  58 . That end includes a hollow first cylindrical cavity  44  having a closed threaded punch end  46  at the upper end of cylinder  44 . At the open, lower end of cylinder  44 , punch pin  42  extends inwardly therefrom to partially occlude the lower, open end of cylinder  44 . 
     Cylinder receiving cavity  13  in cradle handle  14  telescopically receives punch handle  12 . Cylinder receiving cavity  13  includes a hollow cylinder  49  at the lower end of cylinder receiving cavity  13  to sizably engage the exterior section of first cylindrical cavity  44 . Punch handle  12  in combination with a slit  48  in punch handle  12  and roll pin  45  mounted on cradle handle  14  prevents complete separation of punch handle  12  and cradle handle  14 . 
     Punch handle  12  has a punch holder body  36  extending downward therefrom. A spring  51  is wrapped concentrically around punch holder body  36  which rests against shoulder  34  of punch holder  12  and against shoulder  56  of cradle handle  14 . Spring  51  resiliently urges punch handle  12  away from cradle handle  14 , thereby keeping second hollow cylinder  44  at a maximum extension from cylinder  49  in cradle handle  14 . Punch pin  42  having a sharp tip  59  extends downwardly from punch holder  36  to extend through a second cylinder  49  in cradle handle  14  to a point beyond first hollow cylinder  56  but within crescent  22  when spring  51  is at its full permitted compression. In the maximum extension configuration, sharp tip  59  of punch pin  42  is completely contained within hollow cylinder  49 . 
     To use, conduit or pipe  68  is placed into crescent  22  and punch pin  42  is placed into hollow cylinder  44 . Punch pin  42  is positioned on top of conduit or pipe  68 . A user employs finger holds  52  or  56  of crescent handle  14  and palm push  58  of punch handle  12  to squeeze handles  12  and  14  together thereby pushing punch pin  42  downwardly. Punch pin  42  of second hollow cylinder  44  first engages the periphery of irrigation tubing  68 . As handles  12  and  14  are squeezed together it forces cylinder  44  to retract downwardly with spring  51  compressing. Sharp point  58  of punch pin  42  then extends beyond second hollow cylinder  49  and engages the periphery of irrigation tubing  68  and with additional force, punches a hole therethrough. 
     After a hole is punched, punch pin  42  is withdrawn. As punch  42  moves away, crescent  22  secures the periphery of irrigation tubing  68  and prevents movement of said tubing. Spring  51  forces punch pin  42  of second hollow cylinder  44  upward whereby punch pin  42  is forced from said periphery of irrigation tubing  68 . In various embodiments, the forced release of punch pin  42  from irrigation tubing  68  may prevent said sharp point  58  from hanging up on said tubing. 
     Mounted on punch handle  12  is a barb holder  30 . Barb holder  30  is positioned on the top end of punch handle  12  centered on palm push  58  oriented opposite to cradle handle  14 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 11 , in particular embodiments, barb holder  30  can be threaded into punch handle  12  which comprises a lower cavity  32 , a middle cavity  33  and an upper cavity  34  concentrically oriented with respect to one another. All cavities  32 ,  33 , and  34  are cylindrically shaped with upper cavity  34  being of larger diameter and threaded than middle cavity  33  which, in turn is of larger diameter than lower cavity  32  thus forming shoulders  35  and  37  therebetween. Extending inwardly in upper cavity  34  is a threaded barb holder  30  with flaps  35 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 8 , five flaps  35  are symmetrically orientated about the periphery of inner ring  31 . Each flap  35  is preferably, a resilient rubber or plastic material. Outer ring  30  has male threads for installation into upper cavity  34 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the five flaps used herein are exemplary in nature and that other flaps and flap types may be utilized in other embodiments. 
     An emitter barb  38  shown in embodiment  FIG. 9  generally comprises a hollow cylinder  40  having two enlarged heads  39  having a larger diameter than cylinder  40  at either end thereof. Each enlarged head  39  includes a sharp piercing point  4  which allows barbs  38  to pierce the periphery of irrigation tubing  68 . Once enlarged head  39  extends completely into irrigation tubing  68  its larger diameter impedes its withdrawal from irrigation tubing  68 . 
     Further, emitter barb  38  includes an annular shoulder disk  43 . Shoulder disk  43  in cooperation with enlarged heads  39  hold the wall of irrigation tubing  68  therebetween when emitter barb  38  is properly inserted therein. As is well known in the art, emitter barb  38  may vary in configuration and both emitter barb  38  and irrigation tubing  68  are manufactured of plastics. 
     Cooperatively upper cavity  34  is sized and threaded to reasonably engage threaded barb holder  30 . Emitter barb  38  can be pushed thru flaps  35  of barb holder into lower cavity  32  of punch handle  12  which is large enough to accommodate shoulder disk  43 . To use, enlarged head  39  of emitter barb  38  is inserted into and engaged by upper cavity  34  and barb holder  30  while shoulder disk  43  engages shoulder  35  of barb holder  30 . When fully inserted, the second shoulder disk  43  of barb emitter  38  is engaged by flaps  35  which act to reasonably retain barb emitter  38  therewithin. In various embodiments, this aspect may allow insertion and retention of emitter barb  38  within barb holder  30  before insertion into irrigation tubing. 
     Irrigation tubing  68  is laid on the ground or held while a user grasps tool  10  to push barb  38  which is placed into barb holder  30  into punched hole in irrigation tubing  68 , and with additional force, is inserted therethrough. Shoulder  35  in cooperation with barb holder  30  forces piercing point  41  through the periphery of irrigation tubing  68  while lower shoulder disk  43  prevents insertion beyond the appropriate point. The periphery of the irrigation tubing  68  is thereby captured between enlarged head  39  and lower shoulder disk  43 . 
     After insertion, barb holder  30  of tool  10  is withdrawn. As barb holder  30  moves away, flaps  35  release shoulder disks  43  as upper enlarged head  39  releases from upper cavity  34  and barb emitter  38  is left properly inserted within irrigation tubing  68 . As seen, the resiliency of flaps  35  holding shoulders  43  therein may be less than the force required to withdraw lower enlarged head from irrigation tubing  68  in particular embodiments. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 1-11 , in various embodiments, barb remover includes a lower crescent gap  24  and an upper crescent gap  27  positioned at the distal ends of main body crescent  22 . Crescents  24  and  27  are positioned on the front of crescent  22  and in parallel alignment with one another centered on tool  10 . 
     To use, main body  40  of emitter barb  38  is inserted into either crescent gap  24  and  27  with shoulder disk  43  of barb  38  placed on the outside thereof. While rotating tool  10  in a backwardly motion, barb emitter  38  is pried out of irrigation tubing  68 . This aspect of particular embodiments may allow removal of emitter barb  38  from said tubing  68 . 
     In places where the description above refers to particular embodiments of irrigation tools, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these embodiments may be applied to other irrigation tool embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8