Metal deforming – By three or more coacting relatively movable tools – Concurrently actuated tools
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-25
2001-12-04
Crane, Daniel C. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By three or more coacting relatively movable tools
Concurrently actuated tools
C072S453160, C029S237000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324884
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a manually operable, portable, hydraulically powered, apparatus for crimping fittings to hose assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional refrigeration systems circulate a refrigerant through a closed cooling system. In this circulation process, the refrigerant changes states between a fluid and a gas. Freon has been used as a refrigerant. Freon consists of dichlorofluorocarbons, such as dichlorodifluoromethane. Conventional freon is designated under ANSI Code B79.1-1968 as Freon 12, R-12 or Genetron 12. It has been found that the release of halogen refrigerants into the atmosphere deleteriously affects the ozone layer, which surrounds and protects the earth from ultraviolet solar radiation.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency mandated the use of a refrigerant described as R-134
a
systems or HCF 134 systems to minimize ozone depletion. The R-134 refrigerant system replaces the dichoride in the refrigerant with hydrogen for minimizing the release of halogens into the atmosphere. Although the R-134 refrigerant is less harmful than freon to the environment, the EPA still recommends that the R-134 refrigerant should not be released to the atmosphere. The R-134 refrigerant is typically recycled by a closed system, which is defined as a “refrigerant recycling machine.”
Conventional fittings, adapters or couplers have been used for connecting and disconnecting refrigerant recycling machines to the tubular high or low-sides of air conditioning systems. Conventional hoses, couplers and ports have been used with R-12 refrigerant systems. Recently, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Automotive manufacturers mandated the retrofitting of all the hoses and fitting from the R-12 standards to the R-134
a
standards. This requires performing hose make-up or repair on hose assemblies for R-134
a
systems.
Crimping devices have been used to crimp a fitting onto a hose. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,192,171, 5,353,623, 5,481,893, 5,257,525 describe representative hand held crimping tool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,128 describes a hydraulically powered hand tool for creating a radially outward flare away from the end of the tube. This hand tool has a manually powered hydraulic pump that is used as a repair apparatus for connecting a fluid line to a hose or a different conduit.
There is a need for a versatile hand tool with easily replaceable dies and yoke, which is also hydraulically powered for crimping a fitting to hose assemblies. The present invention provides a sealing and crimping locking device for retrofitting refrigeration systems and preventing leakage of refrigerant from cooling systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a hand-held portable crimping tool for crimping fittings to hose assemblies. The hand-held portable crimping tool is manually operable, has removable snap-in dies, and yoke that is hydraulically powered. Operation of the tool causes the snap-in dies to crimp the fitting, wherein a linear force is transformed into a non-linear force applied by the snap-in dies to the fitting.
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patent: 3823597 (1974-07-01), Hanback
patent: 3848451 (1974-11-01), Allin
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patent: 5257525 (1993-11-01), Clarke
patent: 5335530 (1994-08-01), Homm
patent: 5353623 (1994-10-01), Bobenhausen
patent: 5481893 (1996-01-01), Barjasteh et al.
patent: 5720197 (1998-02-01), Grau
patent: 5782128 (1998-07-01), Barjasteh et al.
patent: 1452970 (1970-08-01), None
Barjesteh Michael
Barjesteh Nader
Crane Daniel C.
Mastercool, Inc.
Mathews, Collins, Shepherd & Gould
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