Patent Abstract:
A method and apparatus for transmitting a force around a corner is provided. The apparatus includes a force transmitter comprising a first and second rounded end, a connecting member connecting the first and second rounded ends having a smaller diameter than the first and second rounded ends. The method for transmitting a force around a corner comprises the steps of urging a force transmitter in one direction, transmitting the force from the force transmitter and a second direction wherein the force transmitter has two rounded ends and a connecting portion having a lesser diameter than either rounded end.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for transmitting a force. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting a compressive force in a tool from one direction to another direction.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Often a force, particularly a compressive force, needs to be transmitted in a different direction than the force is originally provided. For example, a tool, commonly called a nut splitter, is used to facilitate the removal of threaded fasteners such as a nut that has been rendered inoperative by thread damage or corrosion. The damage or corrosion may cause the nut to not be able to be removed from its mating fastener by simply unscrewing the nut. The nut may be removed by grinding or cutting it off with a saw or a torch such as an oxyacetylene torch. However, use of a nut splitter is often desirable where it may cause less damage to the surrounding components than other methods of nut removal.  
           [0003]    The common nut splitter may have a C-shaped frame and a pusher that urges the nut to be pushed against the chisel. The pusher and the chisel are supported by the C-shaped frame. The pusher applies a compressive force to the nut and urges it against the chisel where the nut is split and then removed. Some nut splitters use a forcing screw which may be turned by a wrench to provide the force to the pusher to urge the nut against the chisel. The forcing screw may be located in a handle portion of the nut splitter.  
           [0004]    In some nut splitters, the handle, and thus the forcing screw, may be canted at an angle with respect to the pusher. Locating the handle at an angle with respect to the C-shaped frame can permit the nut splitter to be used in applications where the nut is located in an awkward position, such as in a tight space. Such types of nut splitters require transmitting the compressive force provided by the forcing screw to be transferred at an angle to the pusher. Because the forcing screw and the pusher are at an angle with respect to each other, the force must be transferred from one direction to another direction.  
           [0005]    One technique for transmitting a compressive force from one direction to a second direction in a tool such as a nut splitter is to use two steel balls to transmit the compressive force from a forcing screw to a pusher. The forcing screw and pusher are contained in cylindrical chambers within the handle and frame of the nut splitter, respectively. The chambers are canted with respect to each other. Because the chambers intersect at an angle, a corner protrudes into the space created by the intersection of the chambers. The steel balls contact each other and are located in the space defined by the intersection of the chambers. One ball is seated against the forcing screw the other ball against the pusher. The corner is located between the balls. The force is transmitted from the forcing screw through the balls to the pusher.  
           [0006]    One problem associated with the two ball design is that all the force transmitted from one ball to another ball occurs at a single contact point. The single contact point for providing the transfer of force creates a high compressive stress that may cause permanent deformation of one ball or both balls. The high stress may create a flat spot in the one or both balls. A flat spot can reduce the effectiveness of transmitting force between the balls. Alternatively, the high compressive stress can fracture one or both balls. Fracture of one or both balls may render the tool inoperative.  
           [0007]    While the example described herein discusses transmitting a force in a nut splitter, there are many other application where transmitting a force in one direction to another direction is desired.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that permits a compressive force to be transmitted from one direction to another direction, that can avoid to some extent the occurrence deforming the members that transfer the force or fracturing the force transmitting members.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The foregoing needs are met, to some extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect a method and apparatus is provided where in some embodiments, a compressive force is transmitted from one direction to another direction, and the occurrence deforming the members that transfer the force or fracturing the force transmitting members is avoided to some extent.  
           [0010]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a force transmitter is provided. The force transmitter comprises a first rounded end and a second rounded end. The force transmitter also includes a connecting member connecting the first and second rounded ends with the connecting member having a smaller diameter than either of the first and second rounded ends.  
           [0011]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a force transmitter is provided. The force transmitter comprises a means for receiving a force, a means for transmitting a force, and a means for connecting the receiving means to the transmitting means.  
           [0012]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of transmitting a force from one direction to another direction is provided. A method includes the steps of urging a force transmitter in one direction and transmitting the force from the force transmitter in a second direction. The method includes a force transmitter that has two rounded ends and a connecting portion having a less diameter than either rounded end.  
           [0013]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
           [0014]    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 embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
           [0015]    As such, 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 designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 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.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view illustrating a nut splitter according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the nut splitter illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 illustrating the force transmitter connecting the forcing screw and the pusher.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a side view of a force transmitter according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a force transmitter according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a force transmitter or force transmitting number, for transferring a compressive force from one direction to a second direction, e.g. around a corner. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the force transmitter is used in a nut splitter tool. However, the nut splitter tool application is meant to be exemplary only and is not limiting as the invention could be used in a variety of applications not related to nut splitters.  
         [0023]    An embodiment of the present inventive apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 1. A nut splitter  10  includes a C-shaped body  12  having a handle  14  extending at an angle from the body  12 . The handle  14  includes a forcing screw  16  with a bolt head  18  at the end of the forcing screw  16 . The majority of the forcing screw  16  is located inside the handle  14  in a chamber  20 . The portion of the forcing screw  16  located inside the handle  14  is shown phantom lines in FIG. 1. Also shown in phantom lines is a force transmitter  22  which has one end butting against the forcing screw  16  and the other end butting against a pusher  24 . The pusher  24  also is partially located in a chamber  26  within the nut splitter body  12 . The other end of the pusher  24  is shown urging a nut  28  against a chisel  30  and is located outside the chamber  26 .  
         [0024]    The nut splitter  10  operates as follows: the bolt head  18  is turned by an appropriately sized wrench. The forcing screw  16  travels inward into the handle  14 , due to the interaction of threads  32  located on the forcing screw  16  and threads  34  located inside the handle  14 . The inward movement of the forcing screw  16  urges the force transmitter  22  to urge against the pusher  24 . The pusher  24  pushes the nut  28  against the chisel  30 . As the nut  28  continues to urge against the chisel  30 , at some point the chisel  30  will cause the nut  28  to split. Once the nut  28  is split, the forcing screw  16  can be loosened by turning the bolt head  18  in the opposite direction. Then the pusher  24  will release the nut  28  from the chisel  30  and the nut splitter  10  can be removed from the nut  28 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the nut splitter  10  shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the C-shaped body  12  and the handle  14  and the bolt head  18  are shown.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a top view of the nut splitter  10  shown in FIG. 1. The C-shaped body  12  is shown with the handle  14 , the forcing screw  16  capped with the bolt head  18 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a cutaway cross sectional view of the nut splitter  10 . The forcing screw  16  is shown pressed against one end of the force transmitter  22 . The other end of the force transmitter  22  is butted against the pusher  24 . The forcing screw  16  has an end  36  which in the view shown in FIG. 4 appears to be a V-shaped end. However, it is actually cone shaped with the point of contact between the end  36  and the force transmitter  22  being defined by a ring. The end  38  of the pusher  24  is similar in shape to the end  36  of the forcing screw  16 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the end  38  of the pusher  24  is a cone.  
         [0028]    Other embodiments of the invention may include ends  36  and  38  having shapes other than cones. For example, concave spherical shapes and other shapes may be used.  
         [0029]    The preferred embodiment shown in the FIGS. includes a forcing screw  16  urging a force transmitter  22  against a pusher  24  around a corner  40 . The corner  40  occurs as a result of the chambers  20  and  26  housing the forcing screw  16  and the pusher  24  being at an angle with respect to each other. The corner  40  is positioned between the two ends  42  and  44  of the force transmitter  22 .  
         [0030]    Other embodiments of the invention may include other force generating elements than a forcing screw  16 . For example, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders and pistons could be used. The force transmitter  22  can be used in a variety of applications not related to nut splitters. The invention may be used whenever two members located in angles with respect to each other need to have force transmitted between them. Particularly, in situations where the force must be transmitted around the corner as shown in detail in FIG. 4.  
         [0031]    The force transmitter can be used even when the members are coaxial with each other or in other words, located at 180° with respect to each other.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 is a side view of a force transmitter  22 . A right hand end  42  and a left hand end  44  in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 are symmetrical. Other embodiments of the invention may include non-symmetrical ends. The two ends  42  and  44  comprise a rounded spherical shaped ends connected by connecting member  46 .  
         [0033]    The connecting member  46  has a round cross sectional diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the ends  42  and  44 . The cross sectional diameter of the connecting member  46  is sized such that when placed in its intended application, that the connecting member  46  does not bind against the corner  40 . The sizing of the connecting member  46  is related to the angle which the chambers  20  and  26  intersect. One skilled in the art would know how to appropriately size the connecting member  46  to not cause the connecting member  46  to bind against a corner  40  in the application for which the force transmitter  22  is intended.  
         [0034]    In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the cross section of the connecting member  46  is circular. Other cross sectional shapes may be used. For example, the connecting member  46  may have a square, triangle or other cross-sectional shape.  
         [0035]    The connecting member  46  connects the two ends  42  and  44 . The connecting member  46  provides a larger area for force to be transmitted from one end to the other. Thus, using the connecting member  46  reduces some of the problems caused by a two ball system of transferring force.  
         [0036]    In some embodiments of the present invention, the force transmitter  22  may rotate as the forcing screw  16  rotates against the force transmitter  22 . In other embodiments of the invention frictional forces acting on the force transmitter  22  prevent the force transmitter  22  from rotating when the forcing screw  16  rotates against the force transmitter  22 . In embodiments where some other device than a forcing screw  16  transmits force to the force transmitter  22  the other device not rotate against the force transmitter  22 . The description herein of a rotating member transmitting force to the force transmitter  22  is meant to be exemplary and not limiting.  
         [0037]    As shown in FIGS. 4-6, certain embodiments of the force transmitter  22  include holes  48  and  50  in the ends  42  and  44 . The holes  48  and  50  are an optional feature and may provide ease in manufacturing the force transmitter  22 . The holes  48  and  50  may ease mounting the force transmitter  22  on a lathe or other machine.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the force transmitter  22  illustrating the two ends  42  and  38  the connecting member  46  and an optional hole  50 .  
         [0039]    In some embodiments of the present invention, the force transmitter  22  is made of metal. For example, the force transmitter  22  may be made of tool steel such as 01 tool steel. The force transmitter  22  may be heat treated. For example, the force transmitter  22  may be treated with Rc 58-62 heat treat. Other embodiments of the invention may include case hardening the force transmitter  22 . Some embodiments of the invention may include finishing the force transmitter  22  with an oil coating. Other embodiments may include a polished finish on the force transmitter  22 .  
         [0040]    Although an example of the force transmitter  22  is shown in a nut splitter, it will be appreciated that in other applications the force transmitter can be used. Virtually any similar application where a force needs to be transmitted the invention may be applied.  
         [0041]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0