Torque Tool for Hammer Union Indentations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical joints, such as hammer unions, used in high-pressure applications like the oil and gas industry, suffer from warping and damage due to manual hammering, leading to potential leaks and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A tool with a handle and tool head featuring indentations with a curved rearward wall and varying widths, along with stop surfaces and teeth, designed to apply torque to hammer unions, reducing the need for heavy hammering and minimizing damage to the unions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual hammering is used to tighten hammer unions, then the connection is secured, but the dogs and threads become warped and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual hammering mechanical system with a torque-applying tool system that uses controlled mechanical force through specially shaped indentations. The tool head with curved rearward walls and varying width indentations engages the upsets and applies rotational torque instead of impact forces, substituting the harmful hammering mechanism with a controlled torque application mechanism that secures the union without warping the dogs or threads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the tool head to optimize torque application. The indentations have specific geometric parameters including curved rearward walls and varying widths (mouth width versus mid-section width) that are designed to match the upset geometry. This parameter optimization allows the tool to apply distributed torque evenly across the upset surfaces, preventing localized stress concentrations that would cause warping while still achieving the necessary tightening force for reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If heavy hammers are swung multiple times to tighten unions, then the connection is secured, but worker safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the dangerous manual hammering system with a controlled torque-applying tool that can be operated with significantly less force. The tool head design with its curved rearward walls and varying width indentations enables the application of securing torque through a controlled rotational motion rather than repeated heavy impacts, dramatically reducing the physical danger to workers while achieving the same union tightness reliability.
3Productivity
If traditional hammering methods are used, then unions can be tightened, but the dogs become bent and warped over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the tool head indentations to match the upset geometry. The curved rearward walls and varying width profile (narrower at the mouth, wider at the mid-section) are specifically designed to engage the upset surfaces and distribute applied torque evenly. This parameter optimization enables effective union tightening while maintaining dog shape stability by preventing the localized stress concentrations and impact forces that cause bending and warping in traditional hammering methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A tool, a tool system, and method for applying torque to a hammer union. The tool includes a handle attached to a tool head, and the tool head further includes at least two indentations, the indentations having a curved rearward wall and forming a mouth with a first width and a mid-section with a second width, wherein the mid-section width is greater than the mouth width.