Coupon-retaining pipe tapping punches

Claim 2

A substantially cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool which is constructed of steel which is harder than a member to be tapped, has sufficiently low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the metal member; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free-tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said free-tapping end of said tapping portion, said annular surface being positioned between said bore and said outer surface; said tapping portion including at least one substantially radial tapping edge extending along and projecting outwardly from said annular surface; at least one second tapered tapping edge extending along and projecting oUtwardly from said outer tapping surface; said second tapping edge comprising an apex formed by intersecting surfaces; and, said first and second tapping edges intersecting at the outer marginal edge of said annular surface, whereby in a tapping operation said first and second tapping edges will simultaneously commence tapping material from the member to be tapped.

Claim 3

A substantially, cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool which is constructed of steel which is harder than a member to be tapped, has sufficiently low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the metal member; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free-tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said free-tapping end of said tapping portion said annular surface being positioned between said bore and said outer surface; said tapping portion including a plurality of substantially radial tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said annular surface, a plurality of second tapered tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said outer tapping surface; each of said second tapping edges comprising an apex formed by intersecting surfaces; and, each of said radial edges intersecting with a corresponding second tapping edge at the outer marginal edge of said annular surface, whereby in a tapping operation said first and second tapping edges will simultaneously commence tapping material from the member to be tapped.

Claim 4

A substantially, cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool which is constructed of steel which is harder than a member to be tapped, has sufficiently low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the metal member; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free-tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said free-tapping end of said tapping portion said annular surface being positioned between said bore and said outer surface; said tapping portion including a plurality of substantially radial tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said annular surface, a plurality of second tapered tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said outer tapping surface; each of said second tapping edges comprising an apex formed by intersecting surfaces; and, each of said radial edges intersecting with a corresponding second tapping edge at the outer marginal edge of said annular surface, whereby in a tapping operation said first and second tapping edges will simultaneously commence tapping material from the member to be tapped.

Claim 5

The coupon retaining punch of claim 2, wherein said outer surface tapping edges are tapered rearwardly and outwardly from said annular surface of said tool at an angle of about 30* with the longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

The coupon retaining punch of claim 2, wherein said taper of said outer surface tapping edges are in the range of about 15*-40*.

Claim 7

A coupon retaining punch according to claim 2 wherein said radial tapping edges are equally spaced from each other.

Claim 8

A coupon retaining punch according to claim 2 wherein said punch is made of a tool steel having a Rockwell ''''C'''' hardness of about 54 to about 58.

Claim 9

Coupon-retaining, pipe-tapping assembly means for tapping an opening into a metal walled pipe for fluids comprising: a T-fitting adapted to be secured to a metal walled, fluid-containing pipe to be tapped and to a branch line; said T-fitting having a longitudinally extending tubular portion adapted to be secured to the pipe at its inner end, internal screw threads at or near its other, outer end, and a laterally extending tubular portion intermediate said ends of said longitudinally extending tubular portion and being adapted to be connected to a branch line; a substantially cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool portion which is constructed of steel which is harder than the pipe to be tapped, has low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the pipe; said tool having two ends with a tapping portion at one end and external screw threads at or near the other of said ends said threads being adapted to threadably engage said internal screw threads of the T-fitting and to permit, upon rotation, axial advancement of said tool toward said pipe to be tapped and axial retraction therefrom upon reverse rotation; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free-tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said open end of said tapping portion, said annular surface positioNed between said bore and said outer surface and having a substantially uniform width about said entire annular surface; said tapping portion including at least one tapping edge located at said annular surface; at least one tapping edge extending and tapering longitudinally outwardly away from said annular surface and along said outer surface of said tapping portion; and said annular surface being of sufficient width to provide for retention of a coupon in said bore in a tapping operation in which the coupon formed by the metal in said metal member is cylindrically shaped and is disposed substantially entirely within said bore and said coupon is protectively shielded by the wall of said bore, does not have a head portion extending throughout the width of said annular surface, and is free of contacting the wall of the opening made in said metal member by said tapping portion.

Claim 10

Coupon-retaining, pipe-tapping assembly means for tapping an opening into a metal walled pipe for fluids comprising: a T-fitting adapted to be secured to a metal walled, fluid-containing pipe to be tapped and to a branch line; said T-fitting having a longitudinally extending tubular portion adapted to be secured to the pipe at its inner end, internal screw threads at or near its other, outer end, and a laterally extending tubular portion intermediate said ends of said longitudinally extending tubular portion and being adapted to be connected to a branch line; a substantially cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool portion which is constructed of steel which is harder than the pipe to be tapped, has low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the pipe; said tool having two ends with a tapping portion at one end and external screw threads at or near the other of said ends said threads being adapted to threadably engage said internal screw threads of the T-fitting and to permit, upon rotation, axial advancement of said tool toward said pipe to be tapped and axial retraction therefrom upon reverse rotation; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free-tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said open end of said tapping portion, said annular surface positioNed between said bore and said outer surface and having a substantially uniform width about said entire annular surface; said tapping portion including at least one tapping edge located at said annular surface; at least one tapping edge extending and tapering longitudinally outwardly away from said annular surface and along said outer surface of said tapping portion; and said annular surface being of sufficient width to provide for retention of a coupon in said bore in a tapping operation in which the coupon formed by the metal in said metal member is cylindrically shaped and is disposed substantially entirely within said bore and said coupon is protectively shielded by the wall of said bore, does not have a head portion extending throughout the width of said annular surface, and is free of contacting the wall of the opening made in said metal member by said tapping portion.

Claim 11

The coupon retaining punch of claim 2 wherein said radial edges comprise two opposed edges and said second tapping edges comprise two opposed edges

Claim 12

Coupon-retaining pipe-tapping assembly means for tapping an opening into a metal-walled pipe for fluids comprising: a T-fitting adapted to be secured to a metal walled, fluid-containing pipe to be tapped and to a branch line; said T-fitting having a longitudinally extending tubular portion adapted to be secured to the pipe at its inner end, internal screw threads at or near its other, outer end, and a laterally extending tubular portion intermediate said ends of said longitudinally extending tubular portion and being adapted to be connected to a branch line; a substantially cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool which is constructed of steel which is harder than a member to be tapped, has sufficiently low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the metal member; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said free tapping end of said tapping portion, said annular surface being positioned between said bore and said outer surface; said tapping portion including a plurality of substantially radial tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said annular surface; a plurality of second tapered tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said outer tapping surface; each of said second tapping edges comprising an apex formed by intersecting surfaces; and, each of said radial edges intersecting with a corresponding second tapping edge at the outer marginal edge of said annular surface, whereby in a tapping operation said first and second tapping edges will simultaneously commence tapping material from the member to be tapped.

Claim 13

Coupon-retaining pipe-tapping assembly means for tapping an opening into a metal-walled pipe for fluids comprising: a T-fitting adapted to be secured to a metal walled, fluid-containing pipe to be tapped and to a branch line; said T-fitting having a longitudinally extending tubular portion adapted to be secured to the pipe at its inner end, internal screw threads at or near its other, outer end, and a laterally extending tubular portion intermediate said ends of said longitudinally extending tubular portion and being adapted to be connected to a branch line; a substantially cylindrical, longitudinally extending, coupon-retaining, metal-tapping punch having an elongated tool which is constructed of steel which is harder than a member to be tapped, has sufficiently low torque requirements, consistently retains a coupon, and does not break during the tapping of the metal member; said tool having a tapping portion having an outer tapping surface, and a bore at the free tapping end of said tapping portion for retaining a coupon formed from the metal member during tapping by the tool; an annular tapping surface on said free tapping end of said tapping portion, said annular surface being positioned between said bore and said outer surface; said tapping portion including a plurality of substantially radial tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said annular surface; a plurality of second tapered tapping edges, each of said edges extending along and projecting outwardly from said outer tapping surface; each of said second tapping edges comprising an apex formed by intersecting surfaces; and, each of said radial edges intersecting with a corresponding second tapping edge at the outer marginal edge of said annular surface, whereby in a tapping operation said first and second tapping edges will simultaneously commence tapping material from the member to be tapped.