US3044169A - Tool for repairing muffler assemblies - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1962 N. BROWN TOOL FOR REPAIRING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES IN MEAN-om LOWELL N BROW BY -/I5 ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 13, 1961 July 17, 1962 N. BROWN 3,044,169

TOOL FOR REPAIRING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES Filed Feb. 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7, f 4%?16. g 2a I? r M 36 38 I 58 W I //v vEA/ToR': LOWELL n/- BRO M 14 6 HTTOR am ss Patented July 17, 1962 fire 3,ti44,169 TOOL FOR REPARING MUFFLER ASSEMBLIES Lowell N. Brown, ()verland, Mo. (9 2-22 Trenton Ave, St. Louis 14, M0.) Filed Feb. 13, 196i, Ser. No. 88,787 1 Claim. (Cl. 30-91) The general object of the present invention is to provide a tool for use particularly in repairing mufiler assemblies of automotive vehicles. Specifically, the present invention contemplates a single tool for attaining the objectives set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 844,376, filed October 5, 1959.

In the application aforesaid, three separate tools are disclosed wherewith the repair of automotive vehicle mufller assemblies may be facilitated and expedited, said tools being mechanically operable in consequence of their operative connection to a pneumatic hammer of the gun type as set forth.

The tool of the present invention is constructed in such fashion, that it is adapted to be employed per se in the attainment of the end results ascribed to the three tools disclosed in my said pending application.

A muffler assembly as contemplated herein includes a mufller proper, an exhaust pipe leading from the vehicle engine to the inlet end of the muffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufiler to atmosphere.

Commonly, such assemblies are suspended immediately below the vehicle chassis by means of appropriate muffler clamps and pipe hangers or brackets. Oustomarily as is well known, these muffler assemblies are repaired by mechanics from below, with th vehicle usually disposed on a hydraulic lift over a pit. Working overhead with chisel and hammer, mechanics encounter great difficulty particularly when the mufiier installation is so to speak in a crowded location. In other words, not only must they find space for the chisel, but also for the hand that holds the chisel. Furthermore, not only must they find space for the hammer itself, but also additional space wherein to swing the hammer in attempting to direct efiective blows against the chisel. Obviously, under conditions such as these, injuries to one or both hands of a mechanic frequently result. Seldom also, is it possible to remove one component of the assembly without at least to some extent damaging the component thereto adjacent. Usually, when chisel and hammer operations prove ineffective, an acetylene torch will be employed to sever the components.

In addition to the hazards involved, the repair of muffler assemblies in accordance with current practices comprise tedious and time-consuming undertakings, so that although it would seem that such operations are comparatively simple, the time required to perform them heretofore has been excessive.

A solution to this problem has been presented in the pending application aforesaid, wherein there is disclosed a set of three novel tools that are mechanically operable, and adapted to overcome the disadvantages referred to above.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro vide a single tool for accomplishing the same results attainable by use of the set of three tools illustrated and described in my said prior application. To this end, the present invention provides a tool that may optionally be employed as a cutofi chisel, an external cutter, or an internal cutter, depending on the particular mufller repair contemplated.

The tool of the invention likewise includes means whereby it may be operatively connected to a conventional pneumatic hammer, as will appear. When so connected, the tool may be directed toward portions of the muflier assembly by the mechanic holding the pneumatic hammer in one hand, so that as should be understood, the personal injury factor would thus be eliminated. Furthermore, the rapidity with which the pneumatic hammer would deliver its blows as compared with manually delivered blows beggars descriptiomso that as should be manifest, the time factor involved in the muflier assembly repair will be greatly reduced.

By means of the present invention, muflier assembly repairs may be made quickly and without danger of personal injury to the mechanic. The present tool is so designed that removal of one defective component of a mufiler assembly may be effected without more than negligible damage to an adjacent component that is to be salvaged.

The novel tool of this invention and its uses are illustrated on two sheets of drawings that accompany this specification, and a comprehensive understanding of the features and advantages thereof will be apparent from the detailed description to follow with reference to said drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is what will be termed a top plan view of the tool comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view; on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded side elevational view of a typical pneumatic hammer and a complemental holder FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view illustrating the w front end portion of the barrel member of the hammer, with the shank of the instant tool operatively connected thereto by means of said holder spring, the latter being shown in section;

FIGURE 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of an exemplary standard automobile muffler assembly including a muffier proper, an exhaust pipe leading from the engine to the intake end of the muffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufller to atmosphere, the mufiler clamps and the tail pipe hanger bracket serving to suspend the assembly from the chassis being suggested in broken lines;

FIGURE 10 is a somewhat, diagrammatic side elevational of another exemplary standard automobile mufller assembly including a mufiler proper, an exhaust pipe leading from the engine to the intake end of the muffler, and a tail pipe leading from the outlet end of said mufller to atmosphere, the mufiier clamps and the tail pipe hanger bracket serving to suspend the assembly from the chassis I being suggested in broken lines;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged reproduction, partly in section, of the outlet end portion of the muflier shown in FIGURE 9 and a fragmentary portion of the tail pipe leading therefrom, with the tool of the present invention illustrated as being applied to said tail pipe;

FIGURE 12 is a transverse section taken on the line l212 of FIGURE 11; v 7

FIGURE 13 is a view generally similar to FIGURE 11, illustrating the tool of the present invention applied to a segment of the tail pipe at the beginning of an internal cutting operation;

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 illustrating the completion of said internal cut-ting operation;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged reproduction, partly in section, of the outlet end portion of the muffler shown in FIGURE 9 and a fragmentary portion of the tail pipe leading therefrom, with the tool of the present invention being illustrated as applied to the tubular outlet extension of said mufiier; 1 1

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view illustrating the initial position of the instant tool in the operation of severing said muifier extension from the end portion of the tail pipe that extends thereinto;

FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 16 illustrating an advanced position of the tool during the severing operation; V a I FIGURE 18 is a sectional view illustrating the completion of the severing operation aforesaid;

FIGURE 1-9 is a View similar to FIGURE with the tool of this invention shown applied to the tail pipe of the FIGURE 10 muffier assembly; a

FIGURE 20 is a view similar to FIGURE 19', this view illustrating the tool of my invention in position for initiating the operation of removing the severed tail pipe segment from the tubular extension of the muffler;

FIGURE 21 is a view similar to FIGURE 19 withthe instant tool shown applied to the mufier outlet extension; and

FIGURE 22 is a view illustrating the initial disposition of the instant tool at the beginning of the operation for removing said severed muffler outlet extension segment from the tail pipe.

With attention directedparticularly to FIGURES 1 through 6, the novel configuration of the tool designed to attain the primary objectives of this invention will now be described. Designated as a whole by the numeral 26, the tool includes a cylindrical main body portion 28 that merges at one eud'into an annularflange 30 of increased diameter, and at the opposite end into a chisel portion generally designated. 32. Numeral 34 designates the cylindrical shank of the tool, one end of said shank merging into the flange 30, the opposite end thereof being free as shown. 1

"Ihe chisel portion 32 includes a thin blade section 36 that terminates, at what will be termed its forward or leading end, in a sharp pointed extremity 38. Extending angularly rearwardly and formed in said leading end portion of the blade section 36 is a sharp cutting edge 40. The leading end of the blade section 36 has further 'formed integrally therewith along one side thereof, an angularly projecting fin segment 42 that is provided with a sharp cutting edge 44 at its leading end, said cutting edge extending rearwardly and downwardly from the forward extremity 46 of said fin segment. 7 7

As seen to best advantage in FIGURE 1, the cuttingedges and 44 converge as at '47, whereby toform a V-shaped cutter formation extending from the sharp pointed extremity 38 of the blade section 36, to the forward extremity 46 of the fin segment 42. With respect to said pointed extremities, it will be observed that the extremity 46 is disposed a determined distance rearwardly of the extremity 38.

As hereinbefore noted, the tool 26 isde'signed to be power driven by means of a pneumatically operable hammer ofthe gun type. An exemplary hammer for the purpose appears in FIGURE 7, and is designated as a whole by the reference character H. It includes: ahandle a depending trorn .a cylindrical section b; a flexible line c leading to the hammer from a source of compressed air; a manually operable air pressure control device d; and a barrel 'e projecting from the cylindrical section b. An appropriate-mechanism for automatically reciprocating a piston in the barrel e responsive to manipulations of the control device at is located partially in said barrel and partially in the cylindrical section b. However, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate and describe this piston reciprocating mechanism, nor the air passageways associated therewith. Reference may be had if desired, to United States. Letters Patent No. 2 ,655,- 901 issued to me on October 20, 1953, for a comprehensive disclosure of the means for 'eifecting reciprocal piston movements in the illustrated pneumatic hammer.

It will be understood of course that the pneumatic hammer H and its operating mechanisms form per so no part of the present invention, and that no claim is made herein to this particular hammer. In other words, although the invention contemplates a power-operated tool, other conventional pneumatic hammers than that illustrated may be employed to attain the objectives thereof.

The free end portion 1 of the barrel e has formed externally therein a plurality of annular grooves g. These grooves serve, with the aid of a suitable holder spring, to operatively connect the shank 34 of the tool to said barrel in position to receive intermittent blows directed therea-gainst by the reciprocating piston of the hammer H.

An exemplary holder spring is shown in FIGURE 7 and designated h. By means of the spring h, or aholder spring of similar nature, the tool 26 would be operatively connected to the penumatic hammer in a well understood manner as illustrated in FIGURE 8. There it will be observed that the smaller coils of the holder spring encompass the flange 30 and the contiguous region of the tool main body portion 28, the larger coils of said spring are in engagement with the grooves g, and the free end of the shank 34 projects into the barrel e of the hammer. With the tool 26 connected to the hammer in such fashion, it should be apparent that a mechanic, holding the hammer in one hand, may point the tool in any direction. Furthermore, the mechanic can manipulate the hammer to bring the leading end of the blade section 36 into so to speak, difficult-to-reach areas.

As hereinbefore observed, there are two types of muffler assemblies in general use, and these are somewhat diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10, the

'mufiler proper being designated M.

In the assembly appearing in FIGURE 9, the muffler M is provided on both ends with a hollow boss or tubular extension wherein the adjacent end portion of the therewith associated exhaust and tail pipes respectively are mounted and terminate. Thus, the end portion of the exhaust pipe n, leading from the engine, extends into and terminates within the inlet extension 0 of the muflier, and the end portion of the tail pipe p extends into and terminates within the outlet extension r of said muffler.

In the FIGURE 10 assembly, the mufiier M is provided on both ends with a hollow boss or tubular extension whereon the adjacent end portions of the therewith associated exhaust and tail pipes respectively are mounted and terminate. Thus, the end portion of the exhaust pipe s, leading from the engine, is mounted and terminates on the inlet extension t of the muffler, and the end portion of the tail pipe u is mounted and terminates on the outlet extension v of the muffler M, as illustrated.

Use

Although it is believed that the manner wherein the tool 26 would be employed should be apparent from an inspection of FIGURES 11 through 22, a brief explanation will be given.

Thus, it will first be. assumed that the tail pipe p of the FIGURE 9 assembly had become defective for any of various reasons, and that replacement thereof with a new tail pipe were contemplated without injury to the muffler M. With the tool 26 operatively connected to the hammer H as in FIGURE 8, the mechanic would first direct the point 38 of the blade section 36 against the approximate center of the tail pipe (as suggested by broken lines in FIGURE 12), a short distance beyond the muliler outlet extension r (as shown in FIGURE 11). Thereupon, by directing the cutting edge 40 rightwardly upwardly and manipulating the control device (I, the mechanic would sever the right hand half section (as viewed in FIGURE 12) of the tail pipe p. Thereupon, a similar operation would be repeated with respect to the left hand half section of the pipe by directing the V-shaped cutter formation 47 leftwardly upwardly and manipulating the control device d, thus effecting the severance of the segment w from the balance of said tail pipe p which would now be discarded. Next, the mechanic would enter the point 38 of the tool between the contiguous surfaces of the segment w and the outlet extension r at the free edge of the latter, as illustrated in FIG- URE 13. Thereupon, while manipulating the control device d, he would advance the tool 26 leftwardly from the FIGURE 13 to the FIGURE 14 position thereof. In consequence of this operation, the segment w would be slit longitudinally from end to end, the severance being effected by the convergence 47 of the cutting edges 40 and 44, and the sheared metal being deflected inwardly away from the wall of the outlet extension r by the fin 42. With the segment w thus slit and its original circular wall thus deformed as suggested in FIGURE 14, withdrawal of the tool 26 and removal of said segment from the extension r can be quickly accomplished, followed by the installation of a new tail pipe, as should be manifest.

Assuming now that the exhaust pipe n of the FIGURE 9 assembly had become defective, and it were desirable to replace it while at the same time salvaging the mufiler M and the tail pipe p, the same operations described above would be undertaken at the inlet end of said muffler adjacent the inlet extension 0, as will be understood.

It will next be assumed that the mufiier M of the FIGURE 9 assembly had become defective, and that replacement thereof were desirable without damage to the exhaust pipe n or the tail pipe p. Accordingly, the extensions 0 and r would be severed from the body of the mufiler M in the same manner as described with respect to the tail pipe. The operation with respect to the extension r is demonstrated in FIGURE 15, it being understood that the extension 0 would be treated in like fashion.

After severance of the extensions 0 and r had been completed, the mufller M would be discarded. Thereupon, the cut off segment of the extension r that remained on the end of the tail pipe p would be removed therefrom. Thus, the mechanic would first direct the tool 26 as shown in FIGURE 16, and thereupon, while manipulating the control device a, advance said tool rightwardly as viewed in FIGURES 17 and 18. In consequence of these operations as should be understood Without further explanation, the segment r would be slit longitudinally from end to end, thus facilitating the removal thereof from the tail pipe. The operations demonstrated in FIGURES 16 through 18 would of course be performed in a reversed direction with respect to the cut off segment of the extension 0.

In light of the foregoing description and particularly in view of the drawings, it is believed that a comprehensive understanding will be had of the manner wherein the power driven tool 26 may be employed with respect to the type of mufiler assemblies exemplified in FIG- URE 9.

With respect to a muffler assembly of the type illustrated in FIGURE 10, it will be first assumed that the tail pipe u thereof had become defective and should be replaced, while at the same time it were desirable to salvage the mufiler M and the exhaust pipe s.

The manner wherein such an operation would be accomplished is demonstrated in FIGURES 19 and 20.

It is believed that in contemplation of the explanations hereinbefore presented and from an inspection of these views, it should be manifest how the segment x, after having been severed from the tail pipe u, may be quickly removed from the mufller outlet extension v by means of the novel tool of this invention. Furthermore, it should likewise be manifest that a defective exhaust pipe s would similarly be treated at the muffler intake extension t.

Assuming now with respect to an assembly of the type illustrated in FIGURE 10, that the mufiler M thereof had become defective and should be replaced, the operations illustrated in FIGURES 21 and 22 relatively to the outlet extension v and tail pipe u are believed adequate for a complete understanding of the manner wherein this would be accomplished. It will of course be understood that similar operations are performed at the opposite end of the mufiier M with respect to the inlet extension t and exhaust pipe s. v

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that the novel tool of the present invention attains its objectives in a highly efficient manner. Because it is adapted for operative connection to a pneumatic hammer, the various severing and slitting operations require but a small fraction of the time ordinarily spent in performing them manually with for example, a chisel and a hammer. Furthermore, these operations may be performed by a mechanic without danger of personal injury, inasmuch as it is only necessary for him to use one hand, and that hand is remote from the work-performing end of the tool.

What I claim is:

In a pneumatic hammer operated tool for eflecting severing and slitting operations of the character described in repairing mufiier assemblies of automotive vehicles: a cylindrical main body portion merging at one end into a chisel portion; said chisel portion comprising:

a thin blade section;

a sharp point constituting the forward extremity of the blade section;

a first sharp cutting edge extending from said point angularly rearwardly in the blade section;

a fin segment projecting angularly upwardly from one side of the blade section, the forward extremity of the fin segment being disposed rearwardly of the aforesaid extremity of the blade section;

and a second sharp cutting edge extending rearwardly downwardly from said forward extremity of the fin segment, the convergence of said first and second cutting edges forming a V-shaped cutter formation extending from the sharp point extremity of the blade section to the forward extremity of said fin segment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vonhoti et a1. Nov. 22, 1960

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