The present invention relates to an apparatus for flaring or countersinking pipes, and, more specifically, pipes for making pipe fittings.

There are available a lot of fittings which are mainly used for hydraulic systems, which practically comprise a bush and a fitting body which, by means of conical surfaces, clamp therebetween the end portion, having a 37° tapering, of a pipe length.

It is very important that the pipe be flared with a great accuracy, since, if the flared portion has an excessively short length, then the overall sealing surface of the fitting is not properly exploited and the wall of the pipe can be crushed because of an insufficient clamping surface: in this case the fittings would not provide the required safety against possible leakages and breakages at the flared portion.

If the flared portion has an excessive length, on the other hand, this flared portion can hinder a proper engagement of the threads of the clamping nut, so as to undesireably lock this clamping nut as the pipe fitting is assembled.

In order to provide a proper coupling, the flared portion of the pipe must be perpendicular and concentric with respect to the pipe and bush, without machining errors.

At present, a great difficulty is encountered in making an accurate flaring of a pipe, since the machining accuracy substantially depends on the operator skillness.

Moreover, a flaring operation on a pipe requires a comparatively long time and is accordingly very expensive from the labour standpoint.

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an apparatus for flaring pipes and, more specifically, fitting pipes, which allows to obtain, by very quick and simple operations, an accurate flaring so as to provide the pipe fitting with very good fitting characteristics.

Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a pipe flaring apparatus which allows different diameter pipes to be easily flared by simply modifying the clamps locking the pipe and which, moreover, is very reliable in operation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a pipe flaring apparatus which can be easily constructed starting from easily available elements and materials and which, moreover, is very competititve from a mere economic standpoint.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an apparatus for flaring pipes, and, more specifically, fitting pipes, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a body including a bottom jaw, to which there is articulated a top jaw, said jaws providing seats for respectively receiving a bottom clamp element and a top clamp element, for locking a pipe, at the inner end portions of said clamp elements there being provided an abutment element for axially abutting said pipe, said body, as it is aligned with said clamp elements, supporting a flaring cone element adapted to flare the end portion of said pipe in cooperation with a flaring seat provided by said clamp elements.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of an apparatus for flaring pipes and, more specifically, fitting pipes, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention, with the top jaw thereof in an opened position and with the clamp elements thereof being omitted;
• Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to the present invention in an open position thereof;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the clamp elements included in the apparatus according to the present invention, said clamp elements being respectively seen in the direction of the outer face and in the direction of the inner portion of said clamp elements;
• Figure 4 is a further perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention, with the clamp elements included herein;
• Figure 5 illustrates a step for applying and locating a pipe to be flared;
• Figure 6 illustrates the subject apparatus with the top jaw thereof arranged above the bottom jaw thereof;
• Figure 7 illustrates the apparatus with the jaws in a clamped relationship;
• Figure 8 illustrates the apparatus after the completion of the flaring of a pipe;
• Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the mutual positions of the pipe to be flared and a flaring cone element;
• Figure 10 is a further cross-sectional view illustrating the apparatus during the pipe flaring operation;
  and
• Figure 11 illustrates a fitting, using the pipe flared by means of the apparatus according to the invention.

With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, the apparatus for flaring fitting pipes according to the present invention, comprises a body, generally indicated at the reference number 1, which, at the front portion thereof, includes a bottom jaw 2 to which there is articulated a top jaw 3.

The jaws 2 and 3 are each provided with a frustum of cone shaped seat, indicated respectively at 4 and 5, said seats having their major bases inwardly turned.

In the seats 4 and 5 there are respectively engaged a bottom clamp element 8 and a top clamp element 9, which have an outer frustum of cone shape, mating with the shape of the seats 4 and 5.

As is shown, the clamp elements 8 and 9 are each provided with a radially extending lug 10, provided for engaging in a corresponding hole 11 formed in the two seats 4 and 5.

Through the front portion of the jaws 2 and 3 there are provided throughgoing holes, indicated at 12, for engaging therein locking screws for locking said clamp elements, which engage with the lugs 10.

The clamp elements 8 and 9 are moreover provided with a cylindric inner surface 15, which has the configuration of the pipe 19 and is advantageously provided with a roughened surface so as to firmly restrain the pipe to be flared.

At the inner end portion, i.e. the major base end portion, the surface 15 is coupled to a flared portion 16, which corresponds to the flaring to be made on the pipe, as it will become more apparent hereinafter.

The body 1, at the surface thereof facing the clamp element region, is provided with an annular tooth member 17, engaging in an annular seat portion 18, formed on the top jaw, so as to operate as a restraining element for preventing any axial disengagement

Moreover, at the inner end portion of the clamp elements, the body 1 supports an abutment element 20, operating as a locating element, for a proper abutment of the pipe 18 which will be introduced into the inside of the cylindric surfaces 15 of the clamp elements.

After having applied the pipe to be flared, as is shown in Figure 5, the top jaw is closed, said top jaw being provided with a projection 26 including a slanted surface 27; more specifically, said top projection 26 overlies a bottom projection 28 formed on the bottom jaw and having a squared configuration.

The body 1 is provided with a locking vice element, indicated at the reference number 30, including a coupling surface 31 having a shape mating the projections 26 and 28 thereby, as it is radially moved toward the closed jaws, it will provide a clamping force, owing to the coupling with the slanted surface 27; thus, a firm and accurate closure will be obtained.

The locking vice element 30 is driven by a hydraulic piston, indicated at the reference number 32, which can be driven by a manual lever 33 coupled to said body or, if desired, by means of other driven systems.

On said body there is moreover provided a diverting assembly which, upon having locked the vice element, will drive the flaring cone element 40, which can slide inside the body 1 and which is adapted to engage inside the pipe 19, so as to flare the pipe, in cooperation with the flaring seats, as is clearly shown in Figures 9 and 10.

As the flaring cone element is caused to advance, it will in turn cause the pipe abutment element to be withdrawn, so as to cause it to engage with the properly arranged end portion of the pipe, to flare it by engaging it against the flaring seats provided by the clamp elements.

After having completed the flaring operation, the above disclosed operations will be carried out in the reverse order, so as to unlock the jaws and open said jaws in order to remove the properly flared pipe.

From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

In particular, the fact is to be pointed out that an apparatus has been provided which allows the clamp element to be located in a very quick and accurate way, since these clamp elements comprise a respective lug which will properly arranged and lock said clamp elements within the seats formed by the jaws.

Moreover, the provided mechanical means allow the jaws to be firmly restrained in their proper positions, even under the mechanical stress occurring during the flaring operation; moreover, since the jaws are always perfectly clamped, the outer surface of the pipe can be perfectly flared.

The disclosed apparatus comprises hydraulic driving means with a manual driving possibility of the locking vice element and the flaring cone element; however there operations can be also performed automatically or by driving means of different types.

While the invention has been disclosed with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the disclosed embodiment is susceptible to several modifications and variations all of which will come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.