Hydraulically operated tube flaring tool

Claim 2

A tube flaring tool comprising a housing having a flaring chamber with end and side openings; a collapsible collet mounted in said chamber and fixed against axial movement relative thereto for receiving a tube extending through said end opening, means for clamping said collet against the tube, means for flaring the tube, said clamping means and said flaring means beinG supported for longitudinal movement in the same direction in said housing from a first position axially inwardly spaced from said collet and from the tube end to a second position whereat said clamping means is in weged clamping engagement with said collet pieces, and said flaring means is in flaring engagement within the end of the clamped tube, and said collet and the tube being insertable into said chamber and withdrawable therefrom when said clamping means and said flaring means is in said first position.

Claim 3

The tool of claim 1 wherein said collet includes an outer collet piece positioned adjacent said side opening and an inner collet piece positioned behind said outer collet piece remote from said side opening, whereby a tube and said outer collet piece are insertable into said chamber and withdrawable therefrom while said inner collet piece remains in said chamber.

Claim 4

The tool of claim 1 wherein said housing has a slideway extending substantially parallel to said side opening, said collet being insertable into said chamber and withdrawable therefrom by sliding on said slideway.

Claim 5

The tool of claim 1 wherein a spring between said housing and said flaring means is operative to move the latter from said second position to said first position; and wherein said flaring means and said clamping means have interengageable surfaces for movement of the latter from said second position to said first position by force thereon exerted by said spring on said flaring means.

Claim 6

A tube flaring tool comprising a housing having a flaring chamber, a collapsible collet mounted in said chamber for gripping a tube received therein and having end portions which taper radially and axially inward, clamping means including a cam ring movable longitudinally of said housing into wedged clamping engagement with said collet end portions for collapsing said collet into gripping engagement with a tube received therein, and flaring means movable longitudinally of said housing in the same direction as said cam ring for flaring the end of a tube gripped by said collet.

Claim 7

A tube flaring tool comprising a housing having a flaring chamber, a collapsible collet mounted in said chamber for gripping a tube received therein and having end portions which taper radially and axially inward, clamping means including a cam ring movable longitudinally of said housing into wedged clamping engagement with said collet end portions for collapsing said collet into gripping engagement with a tube received therein, and flaring means movable longitudinally of said housing in the same direction as said cam ring for flaring the end of a tube gripped by said collet.

Claim 8

A tube flaring tool comprising a housing having tube gripping means including a radially contractable collet fixed against axial movement relative to said housing, and having a fluid pressure operated motor including coaxial flaring and clamping pistons respectively having a flaring head engageable with a tube gripped in said collet to flare the same, and a cam ring engageable with said collet to grip a tube therewithin; said motor having port means through which fluid under pressure may be introduced for extending said pistons in the same direction for radially contracting said collet upon a tube therewithin and for flaring the tube gripped in said collet and through which port means fluid under pressure may be released to permit retraction of said pistons whereby the flared tube may be removed from said collet; and spring means acting on said pistons for retracting the same when fluid under pressure is released from said motor through said port means.

Claim 9

A tube flaring tool comprising a housing having tube gripping means including a radially contractable collet fixed against axial movement relative to said housing, and having a fluid pressure operated motor including coaxial flaring and clamping pistons respectively having a flaring head engageable with a tube gripped in said collet to flare the same, and a cam ring engageable with said collet to grip a tube therewithin; said motor having port means through which fluid under pressure may be introduced for extending said pistons in the same direction for radially contracting said collet upon a tube therewithin and for flaring the tube gripped in said collet and through which port means fluid under pressure may be released to permit retraction of said pistons whereby the flared tube may be removed from said collet; and spring means acting on said pistons for retracting the same when fluid under pressure is released from said motor through said port means.

Claim 10

The tool of claim 6 wherein said spring means comprises a tension spring acting on said flaring piston for retracting the same; and wherein said pistons have interengageable surfaces whereby said tension spring acting through said flaring piston is operative to retract said clamping piston when fluid under pressure is released from said motor through said port means.

Claim 11

The tool of claim 7 wherein said pistons have a lost motion connection therebetween for continued movement of said flaring piston and accompanying separation of said interengageable surfaces after said clamping piston has radially contracted said collet to grip a tube therewithin whereby said flaring piston is effective to flare the gripped tube during such continued movement of said flaring piston.