The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 08, 1992
Filed:
Aug. 16, 1991
George B Rabe, Sparta, NJ (US);
Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation, Clinton, NJ (US);
Abstract
A tube puller tool assembly for extracting tubes from a tubesheet of heat exchangers. The tool assembly includes an actuator cylinder unit attached to a guide cylinder, having a piston rod attached to a tapered mandrel for expanding multiple fingers of a collet member firmly against the tube inner surface. The collet is initially urged into contact with the tapered mandrel surface by a compression spring provided between the piston rod and collet member, except forward movement of the collet relative to the mandel is limited by a retainer ring in the guide cylinder. In use, the tool assembly is first pressurized to place the collet and mandrel members in an extended forward position, then the tool is inserted into a tube to be pulled, with a guide cylinder being abuted against the tubesheet. The tool is then pressurized to retract the piston and mandrel and thereby radially expand the collet fingers firmly into the tube. Increased actuator cylinder pressure results in withdrawal of the tube from the tubesheet. The actuator cylinder is then depressurized, the withdrawn tube is removed from the tool, and the procedure is repeated for each tube being pulled.