Apparatus for securing a tool in an opening and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10890203-B2
Application number	US-201616099976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2016
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

A locking device (100) is operable to lock a tool (150) in an opening. The locking device includes a base (104) positionable with respect to a lifting member (152) of the tool when a first end of the lifting member is positioned within the opening. The locking device also includes a lift (106) coupled to the base for movement relative to the base. The lift includes an interface portion (110) coupleable to the lifting member such that the lifting member is moveable with the interface portion in an extraction direction of the opening when the lift is moved from a first position to a second position relative to the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A locking device operable to lock a tool in an opening, said locking device comprising:
a base positionable with respect to a lifting member of the tool when a first end of the lifting member is positioned within the opening; and
a lift coupled to said base for movement relative to said base, said lift comprising an interface portion coupleable to the lifting member such that the lifting member is moveable with said interface portion in an extraction direction of the opening when said lift is moved from a first position to a second position relative to said base, wherein the extraction direction extends away from the opening, said base circumscribes said lift.

2. The locking device of claim 1 , wherein said lift is coupled to said base for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the lifting member and translation along the longitudinal axis.

3. The locking device of claim 1 , wherein said base has a generally annular shape, and said lift is positioned in a clearance fit within said base.

4. The locking device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a slot defined in a sidewall of said base and extending therethrough, said slot extends from a first end to a second end; and
a lever coupled to said lift, said lever extends through said slot, said lever is moveable from proximate said first end of said slot to proximate said second end of said slot such that said lift moves from the first position to the second position.

5. The locking device of claim 4 , wherein said slot defines a generally helical shape between said first end and said second end.

6. The locking device of claim 1 , wherein said interface portion is defined by an end surface of said lift, said end surface is normal to a longitudinal axis of the lifting member when said base is positioned with respect to the lifting member.

7. The locking device of claim 1 , wherein said base is slidably positionable with respect to the lifting member such that the lifting member extends generally concentrically within said base and said lift when said lift is in the first position.

8. A system for separating an upper section of a turbine casing from a lower section of the turbine casing, the upper and lower sections cooperate to define a fastener opening extending therebetween, said system comprising:
a lifting member comprising a first end positionable within the fastener opening;
a base positioned with respect to said lifting member when said first end is positioned within the fastener opening, said base positioned on the upper section of the turbine casing; and
a lift coupled to said base for movement relative to said base, said lift comprising an interface portion coupled to said lifting member such that said lifting member is moveable with said interface portion in an extraction direction of the opening when said lift is moved from a first position to a second position relative to said base, said base circumscribes said lift, and wherein the extraction direction extends away from the fastener opening.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said lift is coupled to said base for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said lifting member and translation along said longitudinal axis.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said base has a generally annular shape, and said lift is positioned in a clearance fit within said base.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a slot defined in a sidewall of said base and extending therethrough, said slot extends from a first end to a second end; and
a lever coupled to said lift, said lever extends through said slot, said lever is moveable from proximate said first end of said slot to proximate said second end of said slot such that said lift moves from the first position to the second position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said slot defines a generally helical shape between said first end and said second end.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein said interface portion is defined by an end surface of said lift, said end surface is normal to a longitudinal axis of said lifting member when said base is positioned with respect to said lifting member.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein said base is positioned with respect to said lifting member such that said lifting member extends generally concentrically within said base and said lift when said lift is in the first position.

15. A method of locking a tool in an opening, said method comprising:
positioning a first end of a lifting member of the tool within the opening;
positioning a base of a locking device with respect to the lifting member, wherein a lift is coupled to the base for movement relative to the base, wherein the base circumscribes the lift;
coupling an interface portion of the lift to the lifting member; and
moving the lift from a first position to a second position relative to the base, such the interface portion moves the lifting member in an extraction direction of the opening, wherein the extraction direction extends away from the opening.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said moving the lift from the first position to the second position comprises rotating the lift about a longitudinal axis of the lifting member and translating the lift along the longitudinal axis.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the base has a generally annular shape and a slot is defined in a sidewall of the base and extends therethrough, and wherein the lift is positioned in a clearance fit within the base such that a lever coupled to the lift extends through the slot, said moving the lift from the first position to the second position comprises moving the lever from proximate a first end of the slot to proximate a second end of the slot.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said moving the lever comprises moving the lever in a generally helical motion between the first end and the second end.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said coupling the interface portion of the lift to the lifting member comprises coupling an end surface of the lift to the lifting member.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said positioning the base comprises slidably positioning the base with respect to the lifting member such the lifting member extends generally concentrically within the base and the lift.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Wojciechowski Piotr Hubert
• Perkowski Szymon

Classifications

• F16B2/185

  using levers · CPC title

• F16B13/065 Primary

  fastened by extracting the screw, nail or the like · CPC title

• F16B19/109

  Temporary rivets, e.g. with a spring-loaded pin (special clamping devices for workpieces to be riveted together, e.g. operating through the rivet holes B21J15/42; hand tools for temporarily connecting sheets before or during assembly operations B25B31/005) · CPC title

• F16B13/0858

  with an expansible sleeve or dowel body driven against a tapered or spherical expander plug (F16B13/004 takes precedence) · CPC title