Swage machine hinge systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090708-B1
Application number	US-202017061779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 2, 2020
Priority date	Oct 2, 2020
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Techniques for implementing and/or operating a system that includes a pipe fitting and a swage machine. The swage machine includes a grab plate having a grab tab that matingly interlocks with a grab notch on the pipe fitting to facilitate securing the swage machine to the pipe fitting and a die plate having a die seat that enables a set of die segments to be used to conformally deform the pipe fitting around the tubing of the pipe segment to be loaded in the swage machine. The die plate and the grab plate include a base plate section, a hinge plate secured to the base plate section via a hinge fastener such that the hinge plate directly abuts the base plate section, and a pivotable plate section secured to the hinge plate via a hinge fastener such that the hinge plate directly abuts the pivotable plate section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a pipe fitting configured to be secured to a pipe segment having tubing that defines a pipe bore and a fluid conduit in a tubing annulus; and
a swage machine, wherein the swage machine comprises:
a grab plate having a grab tab configured to matingly interlock with a grab notch on the pipe fitting to facilitate securing the swage machine to the pipe fitting; and
a die plate having a die seat configured to enable a set of die segments to be used to conformally deform a portion of the pipe fitting around the tubing of the pipe segment to be loaded in the swage machine, wherein the die plate and the grab plate comprise:
a base plate section;
a hinge plate secured to the base plate section via a first hinge fastener such that the hinge plate directly abuts the base plate section; and
a pivotable plate section secured to the hinge plate via a second hinge fastener such that the hinge plate directly abuts the pivotable plate section, wherein the pivotable plate section is configured to rotate relative to the base plate section to facilitate transitioning the swage machine between an opened state and a closed state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the swage machine is configured to be deployed at or removed from the pipe fitting while in the opened state; and
the swage machine is configured to conformally deform the portion of the pipe fitting around the tubing of the pipe segment while in the closed state.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the die plate and the grab plate of the swage machine comprise:
an other hinge plate secured to the base plate section of the swage machine via another first hinge fastener such that the other hinge plate directly abuts the base plate section; and
an other pivotable plate section secured to the other hinge plate via another second hinge fastener such that the other hinge plate directly abuts the other pivotable plate section.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the hinge plate of the swage machine is secured to first sides of the base plate section and the pivotable plate section; and
the die plate and the grab plate of the swage machine comprise another hinge plate secured to second sides of the base plate section and the pivotable plate section via the first hinge fastener and the second hinge fastener.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the die plate of the swage machine comprises the base plate section, the hinge plate, and the pivotable plate section; and
the grab plate of the swage machine comprises:
an other base plate section;
an other hinge plate secured to the other base plate section via another first hinge fastener such that the other hinge plate directly abuts the other base plate section; and
an other pivotable plate section secured to the other hinge plate via another second hinge fastener such that the other hinge plate directly abuts the other pivotable plate section, wherein the other pivotable plate section is configured to rotate relative to the other base plate section to facilitate transitioning the swage machine between the opened state and the closed state.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swage machine comprises a support plate and a swaging actuator, wherein the swaging actuator comprises:
an actuator cylinder secured between the die plate and the support plate of the swage machine; and
an actuator piston secured to the grab plate through the die plate of the swage machine.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the base plate section of the swage machine comprises a first hinge plate recess in which a first end of the hinge plate is secured; and
the pivotable plate section of the swage machine comprises a second hinge plate recess in which a second end of the hinge plate is configured to be secured.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the first hinge plate recess in the base plate section is configured to block rotation of the hinge plate relative to the base plate section; and
the second hinge plate recess in the pivotable plate section is configured to limit rotation of the hinge plate to a specific range relative to the pivotable plate section.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the swage machine comprises:
an equipment base secured to the base plate section of the swage machine; and
a base actuator secured between the equipment base and the pivotable plate section of the swage machine, wherein the base actuator is configured to:
extend to facilitate transitioning the swage machine toward the closed state; and
retract to facilitate transitioning the swage machine toward the opened state.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hinge plate of the swage machine is also secured to the base plate section of the swage machine via the second hinge fastener such that the base plate section directly abuts the pivotable plate section.

Assignees

• Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Leger John Paul
• Marietta Dale Brian

Classifications

• B21D39/046 Primary

  Connecting tubes to tube-like fittings · CPC title

• F16L13/141

  by crimping or rolling from the outside · CPC title

• B25B27/10

  inserting fittings into hoses · CPC title

• F16L13/146

  by an axially moveable sleeve · CPC title

• B23P19/02

  for connecting objects by press fit or for detaching same (B23P19/10 takes precedence) · CPC title