US3158052A

US3158052A - Tensioning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3158052A
Application number: US142868A
Authority: US
Inventors: John L Biach
Original assignee: Biach Industries Inc
Current assignee: Biach Industries Inc
Priority date: 1961-10-04
Filing date: 1961-10-04
Publication date: 1964-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-24

Description

Nov. 24, 1964 J. L. BIACH 3,158,052

TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4. 1961 2 Sheets$heet 1 INVENTOR. Ja/m/ 4. 6/146 BY Kw fi I Nov. 24, 1964 J. L. BIACH 3,153,052

TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .ram/ 1. .dfldi @fim MZ M United States Patent 3,158,952 TENSEENING APPARATUS John L. Biach, Crantord, N.J., assignor to liiach industries, line, Cranford, N .21., a corporation of New Jersey Filed 0st. 4, 19M, Ser. No. 142,868 2 Claims. (Cl. 81-54) This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved apparatus by means of which bolts may be accurately andv uniformly tensioned.

According to one aspect of the invention, the present teachings provide an improved and/or alternative structure to that disclosed in my prior United States Patent No. 2,866,370 of December 30, 1958, and my pending applications on tensioning apparatus, Serial No. 853,554, I

filed November 17, 1959 (now Patent No. 3,015,975), and Serial No. 108,645, filed May 8, l96l.

It is a primary object of the present invention to furnish a compact mechanism which may be employed in a space of limited dimensions and which, moreover, will be relatively light. Accordingly, the apparatus may be eificiently used by a single operator.

A further object is that of designing an apparatus for use with bolts and nuts or different sizes; it being necessary to change only a few minor parts of the assembly to adapt the unit to elements of dilferent dimensions.

Still another object is that of providing a tensioning apparatus which will include a simple layout of mechanism embracing relatively few components each individually rugged and simple in design; those elements being capable of ready grouping to provide a unitary apparatus functioning over long periods of time with freedom from all diiiiculties.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheets of drawings illustrating practical embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the tcnsioning apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken through the base zone along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of a complete assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the unit applied to a bolt and nut of different size than that illustrated in FIG. 4.

Referring primarily to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral it) indicates the body of a housing including a base portion ll. A plate 12 is disposed in line with the upper face of the housing. The plate and housing are formed with outstanding ears provided with aligned apertures. Bolts 13 extend through the latter and mount springs 13' which bear against the bolt heads and housing ears. Accordingly, plate 12 is constantly urged towards the housing. An inlet fitting 14 connects with a passage extending through to the interior of the housing. The latter has projecting from its front face an annular flange 15 within which there is housed the body of a shaft 16. Conveniently, that shaft has attached to its outer end a handle 17.

Referring to FIG. 3 it will be seen that the lower zone of the housing has its side edges recessed as indicated at 18. In this manner, a relatively extended base contact area 19 is present. As a consequence of the recessing as at 18, even with a series of closely spaced bolts 20 and nuts 21 being involved, the apparatus may be readily applied to any one of these without interfering With adjacent assemblies. So applied, the mechanism may be operated to place a selected bolt under tension and because of the relatively large area of contact, no distortion of the parts will occur as the housing exerts reaction pressure against the surface 22 of a part through which bolts Ell extend.

3,158,052 Patented Nov. 24, 1964 Base portion ll mounts the housing lb. It is preferred that this be achieved through having the upper Zone of portion ll include horizontally extending

surfaces

23, 24 and 25 (FIG. 4). The lower edge of body lit bears against surface 24. The parts are coupled against accidental detachment as, for example, by employing bolts 26 (see FIG. 5) for this purpose.

The upper edge of housing lib defines a cylinder. This includes concentrically disposed and spaced walls 27 and.

28 defining between them an upwardly facing cylinderchannel. Wall 28 is conveniently furnished by employing a separate ring unit and welding it in position so that, in effect, it is integral with the housing. Wall 27 is formed with a port 29 to which is coupled the fitting 14 for the purpose of introducing liquid into and allowing it to escape from the cylinder.

Upon the edge surface 23 of base portion 11 there is rotatably supported a socket wrench 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the skirt portion of this wrench extends downwardly to overlap the upper Zone of nut 21. ts bore face will conform to the configuration of the nut. Therefore, when the Wrench is turned the nut will be rotated.

With a view to effecting this rotation, it is preferred to have an annular series of teeth 31 in the upper edge of the wrench. These teeth conveniently engage with the teeth of a gear 32 afiixed to the inner end of shaft 16. A suitable bearing structure such as 33 may be interposed between the shaft and the surface of the opening defined by flange 15. It will be apparent that as shaft 16 is rotated by handle 17, gear 32 will turn. This will cause rotation of the socket wrench 3t and the nut engaged thereby. A load transmitting assembly forms a part of the apparatus and includes a unit comprising downwardly extending boss 34. The latter has its lower end recessed and threaded as at 35 so as to engage with the threads of bolt 29. The upper end of the unit is defined by a head 36 which is of sufficiently large diameter to overlap the upper end of the cylinder. Parts of the load transmitting assembly are disposed within .the cylinder. Those conveniently include a single annular body 3'7 having its inner and outer edges formed with grooves each receiving suitable packing material 38. This will sealingly wipe against the adjacent faces of

Walls

27 and 26. The assembly also includes the plate 12 resting upon the upper face of body 37 engaged by the underface of head 36.

Where an annular series of bolts and nuts mounted thereon are involved in a seal to be established, then several tensioning mechanisms will be employed. They will, for example, be spaced around the c'u'cumference defined by the bolt series to the extent of or 45. Thereupon they will be caused to function and tension the bolts to which they are connected. Under these circumstances, rings 37 will extend beyond the groove defining the cylinder housing. While under condition of tension, the nuts mounted by those bolts will be tightened. Thereafter, the mechanisms will be deenergized, which will cause the piston elements to be returned to initial positions under the action of springs 13'. Then the units are removed from the bolts to which they are attached. Following this, they will be shifted to cooperate with bolts disposed in positions intermediate the bolts to which they were previously applied. After tensioning the then current bolts, the nuts mounted thereon are tightened. This'operation will be repeated until the entire series of bolts and nuts applied thereto have been tensioned. Such procedure will be feasible in the case of closely spaced bolts by virtue of recessing as indicated at 18 in FIG. 3.

As a consequence of following this technique, it is apparent that an even tensioning of all bolts will occur and, with a. proper tightening of the nuts mounted thereby,

an effective seal of equal tension-value throughout an entire circumference will be established. Similar seals will be provided by corresponding procedure in the case of rectangular, row, or other configurations defining a bolt series. Obviously, a single bolt may also be properly tensioned and secured. If circular and indented or castelated nuts are employed, the contour of the socket wrench may be correspondingly modified.

Now considering the operation involved in one bolt of the series, it will be understood, according to the illustrated embodiment, that annular surfaces are defined by two members (for example the end flanges of conduits). Those members are provided with openings and the latter are brought to positions adjacent each other. A gasket structure of suitable material may be interposed between the members, in which case it will also have openings aligning with the member openings. The bolts will be extended through the members and nuts will be mounted by those bolts. Expedients such as lock washers will not ordinarily be resorted to.

A nut as in FIG. 4 will be ensleeved over the end of a bolt and the nut mounted thereby. The base portion of the housing will bear against the surface 22 of the adjacent member. As previously brought out, the area 19 of bearing contact will be adequate to assure against an indenting or other injury to the parts.

Accordingly, the base portion 11 of the housing will, in effect, encircle the nut 21. The latter will have an adequate area ofits faces in bearing contact with the faces of socket Wrench 30. The outer end of the bolt 20 will be enclosed within the boss 34 with the threads of the latter engaging the bolt threads. If the nut has not been previously shifted to thrust against surface 22, then the socket wrench may be turned to assure this result. Liquid under pressure will no he introduced through port 29. This will cause the ring assembly to rise within the groove. Accordingly, the overlapping head portion 36 of the load transmitting assembly will be elevated. With such elevation, bolt 20 will be placed under tension and elongated to some extent.

It will be understood, in this connection, that the reaction forces are transmitted through the housing to surface 22. Thereupon, by means of the socket wrench or its equivalent, the nut 21which will have been elevated from surface 22 as a consequence of the tensioning-will again be rotated around the bolt to a point Where its underface firmly thrusts against the surface 22. Thereupon, the pressure within the cylinder is relieved by permitting the liquid to escape through port 29 and to return the piston parts to their initial positions. As will be understood, by rotating the load transmitting assembly, head 36 and boss 34 may be detached from the bolt.

To assist in such rotation and as shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of the head is conveniently formed with notches 40. These may receive the fingers of the operator or else a tool manipulated by him to rotate the piston as a unit. It will, of course, be understood that a similar procedure will have been followed in coupling the load transmitting assembly with the bolt. The apparatus may now be elevated clear of a given bolt and nut assembly and again applied to a bolt which now should be tensioned.

As is apparent in a comparison of the dimensions present in FIG. 4 in contrast with those in FIG. 5, the latter figure illustrates a bolt 26 of larger diameter than bolt 28 and a nut 21' also of larger area. However, the body portion If of the housing and the ring assembly 37 are the same size. All that has been necessary to adapt the apparatus to the larger bolt and nut assembly was for the operator to detach base portion 11 through loosening bolts 26 and then removing it together with socket wrench 30. These parts include the load transmitting assembly and boss. A new load transmitting assembly involving a socket and threaded boss 41 will be substituted for the removed parts. it will again have a head portion 42 corresponding to head 36. The socket wrench 43 will be of less height. The wrench will also be telescopically disposed with reference to the housing. The base portion 44 of the housing may be of a different configuration than portion 11 so that proper support of the parts is assured in the manner previously described. In the examples given in FIGS. 4 and 5, bolts of 1% diameter as against 2% diameter are involved together with corresponding sizes of nuts. It is apparent that the apparatus as in FIG. 5 will function as previously described in connection with the structure of FIG. 4.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A bolt tensioning apparatus including in combination a housing having an upper face formed with an annular channel and a fluid conducting port communicating therewith, a load transmitting assembly comprising a ring within said channel, a head overlying said ring and an interiorly threaded boss fixed with respect to said head and extending downwardly into said housing, said housing and boss being free of parts obstructing the complete withdrawal of the boss under manual elevation of the head of said load transmitting assembly, said head being rotatable with respect to said housing whereby to permit coupling and uncoupling of the boss threads with the threads of a bolt to be tensioned. said ring being projectable from said channel under the action of fluid pressure and thrusting throughout the entire area of its upper face against the underside of said head to elevate said assembly, a nut-engaging wrench mounted for movement within the lower end of said housing, and removable means for normally retaining said nut-engaging wrench in position within said housing and said wrench being withdrawable from the housing upon said retaining means being detached therefrom.

2. A bolt tensioning apparatus including in combination a housing, a load transmitting assembly comprising a head overlying said housing, a threaded boss fixed with respect to said head and extending downwardly into said housing, said housing and boss being free of parts obstructing the complete and ready withdrawal of the boss under manual elevation of the head of said load transmitting assembly, said head and boss being rotatable as a unit with respect to said housing whereby to permit coupling and uncoupling of the boss threads with the threads of a bolt to be tensioned, a fluid pressure cylinder and a piston for mining parts of said housing and load transmitting assembly and acting against said head to project the latter and the boss, a nut-engaging wrench mounted for movement within the lower end of said housing, and removable means for normally retaining said nut-engaging Wrench in position within said housing and said wrench being withdrawable from the housing upon said retaining means being detached therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS De Mart June 19, 1962

Claims

1. A BOLT TENSIONING APPARATUS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A HOUSING HAVING AN UPPER FACE FORMED WITH AN ANNULAR CHANNEL AND A FLUID CONDUCTING PORT COMMUNICATING THEREWITH, A LOAD TRANSMITTING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A RING WITHIN SAID CHANNEL, A HEAD OVERLYING SAID RING AND AN INTERIORLY THREADED BOSS FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID HEAD AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING AND BOSS BEING FREE OF PARTS OBSTRUCTING THE COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF THE BOSS UNDER MANUAL ELEVATION OF THE HEAD OF SAID LOAD TRANSMITTING ASSEMBLY, SAID HEAD BEING ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING WHEREBY TO PERMIT COUPLING AND UNCOUPLING OF THE BOSS THREADS WITH THE THREADS OF A BOLT TO BE TENSIONED, SAID RING BEING PROJECTABLE FROM SAID CHANNEL UNDER THE ACTION OF FLUID PRESSURE AND THRUSTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE AREA OF ITS UPPER FACE AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID HEAD TO ELEVATE SAID ASSEMBLY, A NUT-ENGAGING WRENCH MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT WITHIN THE LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING, AND REMOVABLE MEANS FOR NORMALLY RETAINING SAID NUT-ENGAGING WRENCH IN POSITION WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND SAID WRENCH BEING WITHDRAWABLE FROM THE HOUSING UPON SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING DETACHED THEREFROM.