US3395724A - Piercing valve - Google Patents

Description

W. J. HAMEL PIERCING VALVE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 INVENTOR MILL/AM JJ-IAMEL ATTOR EY 3,395,724 PIERCHNG VALVE Wiliiam J. Hamel, St. Albans, W. Va., assignor to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,012 2 Claims. (Cl. 137318) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A piercing valve is described in this application which constitutes an improvement on the so-called vise grip. Two relatively thick body portions are attached to the jaws of a wrench such as that described in US. Patent 2,514,130. Each body portion contains oppositely situated transverse grooves so as to define an enclosure for a tubing when the jaws are in grip position. The upper body portion is provided with a housing having a hollow vertical section and a lateral passageway. Furthermore, it also contains a solid vertical member extending through the hollow section, which solid member has a lower needle-like construction and an upper end which is pivot-ally connected to a depressible handle adapted to axially depress the solid member so that the needle-like end pierces the tubing.

This invention relates to valves and particularly to a piercing valve. It is more particularly related to a specially constructed piericng valve which can be employed for the withdrawal of fluids from containers or alternatively for charging vessels and containers with fluids. The specially constructed valve described herein will hereafter he referred to as a piercing value.

In the refrigeration and air conditioning field it is frequently necessary to repair the hermetically sealed units of the refrigerator or air conditioning system. However, before such repairs can be made, the fluid (refrigerant) must be evacuated from the hermetically sealed unit. Since most refrigerants vaporize at atmospheric conditions, it is extremely difficult to evacuate these units without losing the refrigerant or without the inconvenience, and sometimes even danger, which may result from their loss or vaporization. After these units have been repaired, they must of course, be filled again with the same or different refrigerant. Therefore, it can be appreciated that it is extremely desirable to be able to withdraw or fill such hermetically sealed units with fluids or refrigerants without the attendant losses and dangers.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a specially constructed valve which can be employed for the withdrawal of fluids from containers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a specially constructed valve which can be employed for filling vessels and containers from an outside source.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a specially constructed valve for the withdrawal of fluids (refrigerants) from hermetically sealed units of refrigerators and air conditioning units.

It is another specific object of this invention to provide a specially constructed valve which can be employed for filling such hermetically sealed units with fluids from an outside source.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly sectional, of the piercing valve illustrating the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is also a side view, partly sectional, of the piercing valve of this invention in an open position;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the flat surface attached 3,395,724 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 to the upper jaw of the pliers as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the flat surface which is attached to the lower jaw of the pliers as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a locking wrench or pliers of the general construction shown and described in US. 2,280,005 and US. 2,514,130 which comprises preferably a pair of pipe wrench- like jaws 1 and 2 transversely pivoted together at 3 and with one of the plier-like handles 4 extending rigidly from jaw 1, while the other handle 5 is transversely pivoted at its inner end as at 6 to a rearward extension 7 of the other jaw 2.

Both handles '4 and 5 are preferably of more or less hollow channel or U-shape in cross section arranged in confronting relation as indicated, and a coiled tension spring 8 hooked at one end as at 9 through an opening near the center of the fixed handle 4 and at its other end or forward end to a small aperturcd lug 10 on jaw 2 tends to resiliently pull the jaws open.

Within the confronting hollow handles is a lever 11 cooperating with handle 5 to form a pair of toggle levers. Lever 11 normally extends at an angle between handles 4 and 5 with its opposite ends positioned respectively within the channels of the two handles and with its forward end transversely pivoted as at 12 to handle 5 and its opposite or outer end transversely pivoted to the inner end of an adjusting screw 13 longitudinally screwed into the outer end of handle 4 which is made tubular for a distance adjacent the end.

The pivotal connection of toggle lever 11 to the screw is as shown in FIGURE 1 of US. 2,514,130. It comprises a hole longitudinally in the inner end of the screw 13 and revolvably fitting therein a pin 14 having an enlarged head or block 15 at the end against which the end of the Screw bears. This head is of a size and form to fit within the channel of the handle so as to be slideable therealong and in contact with the underside of the channel as at 18 as the screw is turned.

The head 15 of the pin 14 is flattened at opposite sides and is transversely pivoted to the end of the lever as by a pin 16, the end of the lever being shown bifurcated at 17 to straddle opposite flat sides of the head 15, or the head may be bifurcated and the end of the lever solid if desired.

The toggle lever 11 is provided with a foot 19 at an intermediate point in its length which is directed into the channel of the lower handle 5 to rest upon a releasing lever 20 which is preferably of sheet metal of generally U-shaped cross section to easily fit within the handle and is kept in place by a transversely extending pin 21 secured to the sidewalls of handle 5 and working freely in a slot 22 in the sidewalls 23 of the releasing lever. The lever extends forward of this pin a relatively short distance So that its forward end 24 pivots or fulcrums against the foot 19 when the outer or rearward end 25 of the releasing lever is lifted or pulled toward handle 4. When engaging an object between the jaws 1 and 2, the grip may be instantly released at any time by pressing down the releasing lever 20.

laws 1 and 2 are each rigidly attached to a flat surface, preferably a relatively thick body portion such as blocks 27 and 29. The lower surface of upper block 27 and the upper surface of lower block 29 each contain a semi-circular transverse recessed section or groove 31 with lateral enlargements 33 which is adapted to receive a resilient circular member 35. The recessed sections 31 are situated so that, when blocks 27 and 29 are pressed toward one another by the gripping action of the plier-like handles, they define an enclosure for a tubular member as will be hereafter apparent from further description of this invention.

Upper block 27 is integrally attached to a housing 37 having a laterally extending upper section 39. A depressible handle 41 is pivotally attached to the laterally extending section of the housing through a pivot pin 43. The handle 41 is of the same general construction as handles 4 and 5, i.e., a generally hollow channel or U-shape in cross section.

A hollow vertical section 45 extends partially through housing 37. A passageway 47 extends laterally from the hollow vertical section through a connecting means 49 which is preferably integrally attached to the side of the housing as shown in FIGURE 1 and is adapted to be connected through a tubing 51 to a pump or a receiving vessel not shown in the drawings.

Extending through the hollow vertical section 45 is a solid vertical section 51 with sharply pointed lower end 53 which is adapted to pierce a tubing or a relatively thin pipe. The upper end 55 of the solid vertical section 45 is in contact with the inner walls of depressible handle 41 and is adapted to be raised or lowered by raising or depressing this handle. The solid vertical section 51 is raised or lowered by a transverse pin which is passed through the solid vertical section and extend into a pair or apertures 57 in the depressible handle. Sealing means 59 such as for example a resilient O-ring encircles the solid vertical section 51 and provides an effective seal after the tubing has been punctured.

The operation of the wrench or plier is essentially as described in the aforementioned US. 2,514,130. The screw 13 may be longitudinally moved by turning its head 13 to adjust the position of the jaws so that the blocks 27 and 29 are in contact with one another and assume the position shown in FIGURE 1. The tubing to be pierced is gripped between blocks 27 and 29 by pressing the plierlike handles toward one another so that toggle lever 11 straighten out through a line drawn through the centers of pins 6, 12 and 16 to thereby develop a strong grip.

With the tubing (which is connected to a fluid-containing vessel) gripped in position, depressible handle 41 is lowered and pressed down until the tubing is pierced by the sharp needle-like point 53. The depressible handle is then raised and the fluid is withdrawn through the passageways 45 and 47 which communicate with a vacuum pump or any other suitable device for withdrawing the fluid.

When the job is completed, the locked toggle grip may be easily released by either pressing downward or pulling upward on the outer end 25 of releasing lever 20 which upon being rocked either way will forcibly move handle slightly outward from foot 19 to carry the center of pin 12 back over the center line of the toggle lever 11 so that the toggle will collapse under the effect of spring 8 as well as from the pressure of the work tending to spread the jaws, and the wrench will at once open. The tubing may then be crimped at a point downstream of the puncture point to seal off the vessel.

The procedure for filling vessels is essentially the same as described above. However tubing 51 in this case is connected to an ordinary charge pump or fluid source and the flow of fluid is merely reversed.

The depressible handle in both cases (evacuating or filling) can be manually operated to control the rate of flow of fluid charge or discharge. This aspect provides a convenient tool for regulating the flow rate of the fluid withdrawn from or charged to a vessel.

Although the invention has heretofore been described with a certain degree of particularity and conciseness, it is understood that several alternatives and modifications may occur to one skilled in the art in the light of the present disclosure. These alternatives and modifications are within the purview and scope of this invention. For example, the plier-like construction can be substituted with any means which could provide the cooperative action between the metal surfaces so that the upper block can be mounted on the lower block and thereby define the enclosure for the tubing. These blocks may be held together by a C-clamp or any other suitable device. It can be appreciated however, that the special construction shown in the present drawings define a more practical and convenient tool for the intended purpose. Furthermore, blocks 27 and 29 can be metallic, plastic or wooden material with sutficient strength to withstand the pressure created by the gripping action of the pliers. These blocks may have difierent construction from those shown in the present drawings so long as they provide an enclosure for a tubular member when they are pressed together.

What is claimed is:

1. A piercing valve comprising, in combination, a lower relatively thick body portion having a fiat surface with a transverse groove; an upper relatively thick body portion having a flat surface with a transverse groove opposite the groove in said lower flat surface so as to define an enclosure therewith when said upper body portion is mounted on said lower body portion; means for maintaining said two body portions in contact with one another; a housing fixedly attached to said upper body portion, said housing having a hollow vertical section partially extending therethrough, a connection means integrally attached thereto at one side and a lateral passageway communicating at one end with said hollow vertical section and extending through said connection means at the other end; a depressible handle pivotally attached to said housing; a solid vertical member extending through said vertical hollow section, said solid vertical member having a lower needle-like end and an upper end pivotally connected to said depressible handle and adapted to be' axially biased by said depressible handle.

2. A piercing valve comprising, in combination, a Wrench which comprises a handle provided with a stationary jaw, movable jaw adapted for coaction with said stationary jaw, a toggle comprising a channel-shaper handle lever pivotally engaged at one end with said movable jaw and a toggle link pivotally engaged at one end in the channel of said handle lever intermediate its ends and at its other end with said handle; a relatively thick first body portion attached to said movable jaw, said first body portion having a flat surface with a transverse groove; a relatively thick second body portion attached to said statinoary jaw, said second body portion having a flat surface and a transverse groove opposite the groove in the flat surface of said first body portion so as to define an enclosure when said two flat surfaces are in contact with one another; a housing fixedly attached to said first body portion, said housing having a hollow vertical section partially extending therethrough, a connection means integrally attached thereto at one side and a lateral passageway communicating at one end with said hollow vertical section and extending through said connection means at the other end; a depressible handle pivotally attached to said housing; a solid vertical member extending through said vertical hollow section, said solid vertical member having a lower needle-like end and an upper end pivotally connected to said depressible handle and adapted to be axially biased by said depressible handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,514,130 7/1950 Jones "81-370 3,198,206 8/1965 OBrien 137318 X FOREIGN PATENTS 318,688 7/ 1902 France.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner. D. R. MATTHEWS, Assistant Examiner.

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