Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
COLLISION REPAIR PUSH AND PULL ENHANCEMENT METHOD AND
APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to automotive collision repair
technologies and
methods providing damaged material straightening means. Specifically, the
present
invention relates to the methods and apparatus employed to straighten steel
that has been
damaged under the stress of collision where dents, kinks, and other
distortions are
exhibited. The application of the present invention during material
straightening is
appropriate where reduced secondary damage, increased efficiency, and enhanced
safety
are desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art embodiments which require the operator to apply pushing or pulling
forces at the
site of the work in order to straighten kinked, bent, misaligned, or distorted
steel
automotive body and frame components often rely on single vector forces up to
and
occasionally in excess of 60KN provided by a powered pushing or pulling device
connected by chain. In addition to the extreme forces applied in certain
applications, such
hard pushes or pulls often result in secondary damage arising from over-
stressing of
thinner gauge steel common to the construction of modem automobiles. Secondary
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
damage in such scenarios can further be characterized as metal thinning, metal
tearing,
bending along undesired vectors, and distortion of component geometry. The
application
of excessive pushing or pulling forces in such collision repair environments
can
jeopardize operator safety in the event of catastrophic failure of either
components under
work or powered components. Efficiency is compromised in the high incidence of
secondary damage and the inability to sufficiently control the overall impact
of applied
forces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention allows the operator to place a push and pull enhancement
apparatus
in line with pushing or pulling forces for the purposes of straightening
dented, kinked, or
otherwise distorted steel in the course of collision repair. The operation of
the push and
pull enhancement apparatus provides rapid short travel bursts of increased
pushing or
pulling force in order to reduce in-line push or pull force requirements to
well below
device limits and to provide a more gradual and controlled straightening of
material
under work. The gradual and controlled straightening of material by these
means reduces
the likelihood of secondary damage and increases the efficiency and safety of
the
straightening process. The push and pull enhancement allows the operator to
use a
conventional air hammer and bit attachment to provide stroke means to achieve
the rapid
short travel bursts of increased pulling force thereby providing ease of
application and a
method generally free of the deficiencies of the prior art.
2
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a collision repair pulling
enhancement apparatus with engaged air hammer.
Figure 2 is a side view of an air hammer with engaged bit.
Figure 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a pressure chamber adapter.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a pressure chamber adapter.
Figure 5 is a side view of an air hammer and bit with pressure chamber adapter
engaged.
Figure 6 is a side view of an embodiment of a work side connection hook
assembly.
Figure 7 is a side view of an embodiment of a pull side connection hook
assembly.
Figure 8 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a pressure chamber.
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a pressure chamber.
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a pressure chamber
with
engaged work side and pull side connection hooks.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a collision repair
pulling
enhancement apparatus with engaged air hammer.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a collision repair
pushing
enhancement apparatus with engaged air hammer.
3
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In order to better understand the embodiment of the present invention, an
embodiment of the collision repair pull enhancement apparatus will be
described with
reference to FIGURES 1 through 11. An embodiment of an assembled pull
enhancement
apparatus is provided as in FIGURE 1 comprised of an air hammer component 1,
pressure chamber adapter 13, pressure chamber 7, and pull side and work side
connector
hooks 9 and 11. Said air hammer 1 is provided with a bit holder 3 and air
exhaust and
intake ports 15 and 17. Said pressure chamber 7 is provided with an intake
adapter 5 and
with attachment means for pull side and work side connection hooks 9 and 11.
It is
understood that the air hammer 1 is a device which provides pulsating movement
of a bit
along the axis of the hammer shaft and is a conventional tool employed in many
facets of
automotive repair.
A conventional air hammer assembly with engaged bit is illustrated as in
FIGURE 2. Said air hammer 19 is provided with bit holder means 21, and
externally
threaded bit adapter 25. A bit 23, such as a panel cutter bit, is shown to be
engaged by
said assembly. Said assembly is provided such that pulsating movement of the
bit 23
along the axis of the shaft of the air hammer 19 is achieved under operation
of the
assembly.
An embodiment of a pressure chamber adapter is provided as in FIGURE 3. Said
pressure chamber adapter 27 is provided with an externally threaded engagement
end 29
for the purposes of engaging the intake adapter of a pressure chamber such as
that
described in FIGURE 1.
4
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
Another illustration of a pressure chamber adapter is provided in cross-
section as in
FIGURE 4. Said pressure chamber adapter 31 is provided with internally
threaded
engagement end 33 for the purposes of engaging an air hammer assembly with bit
such as
that described in FIGURE 2. Said adapter 31 is further provided with a narrow
chamber
35 for bit travel and wide chamber 39 to accommodate air hammer engagement.
Said
adapter 31 is provided with an externally threaded engagement end 37 for the
purposes of
engaging the intake adapter of a pressure chamber such as that described in
FIGURE 1.
To further illustrate the assembly of components, a conventional air hammer
assembly with bit engaging a pressure chamber adapter is provided as in FIGURE
5. An
air hammer 41 is provided with bit holder 43 to engage bit 45. The assembly of
the air
hammer 41, bit holder 43, and bit 45 are shown to be engaged by a pressure
chamber
adapter 47.
An embodiment of a work side connection hook assembly is provided as in
FIGURE 6. Said hook assembly is provided with a connecting shaft 51 which is
further
provided with a threaded end 55 in order to internally engage a pressure
chamber such as
that described in FIGURE 1. A locking nut 53 is provided in order to prevent
travel
along the thread during movement of the assembly. A hook means 57 is provided
in order
to engage a chain or other connecting means which further engages the material
under
work. Said hook means 57 is connected to said connecting shaft 51 by means of
bolt and
nut combination 59 providing swivel means to position and lock said hook means
57 as
required by the work.
An embodiment of a pull side connection hook is provided as in FIGURE 7. Said
hook assembly is provided with a connecting shaft 61 which is further provided
with lock
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
geometry 67 in order to internally engage a pressure chamber such as that
described in
FIGURE 1. Said lock geometry 67 is provided in order to prevent displacement
of said
hook assembly relative to said pressure chamber in the direction of the pull.
A hook
means 63 is provided in order to engage a chain or other connecting means
which further
engages a pull device. Said hook means 63 is connected to said connecting
shaft 61 by
means of bolt and nut combination 65 providing swivel means to position and
lock said
hook means 63 as required by the vector of the pull.
An embodiment of a pressure chamber is provided as in FIGURE 8. The body of
the pressure chamber 69 is provided with a work side inlet 71 and a pull side
inlet 73 in
order to engage work side and pull side connection hook assemblies such as
those
described in FIGURES 6 and 7 respectively. Said pressure chamber 69 is
provided with
an intake adapter 75 in order to engage a pressure chamber adapter such as
that described
in FIGURES 3 and 4.
Another illustration of a pressure chamber is provided in cross-section as in
FIGURE 9. Said pressure chamber 77 is provided with word side inlet 89 and
pull side
inlet 79 in order to engage work side and pull side connection hook assemblies
such as
those described in FIGURES 6 and 7 respectively. Internal lock geometry 81 is
provided
to engage the lock geometry of a pull side connection hook assembly such as
that
described in FIGURE 7. A piston head 83 is provided with a threaded centre 85
in order
to engage a work side connection hook assembly such as that described in
FIGURE 6.
An intake means is provided by an intake adapter 93 equipped with internal
thread 91 in
order to engage a pressure chamber adapter such as that described in FIGURES 3
and 4.
Said pressure chamber 77 is further provided with an exhaust port 87 in order
to relieve
6
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
pressure within the chamber as required by the work. The engagement of said
work side
connection assembly with said piston head 83 is understood to form a piston
assembly
providing movement of this assembly within the defined geometry of the
pressure
chamber 77 along the axis of its length as provided by a load introduced at
the intake.
An embodiment of a pressure chamber with engaged work side and pull side
connection hook assemblies is provided as in FIGURE 10. Said pressure chamber
95 is
shown engaging a pull side connection hook assembly equipped with pull side
hook
means 97, pull side swivel and lock means 101, and pull side connection shaft
103. Said
pressure chamber 95 is further shown engaging a work side connection hook
assembly
equipped with work side hook means 111, work side swivel and lock means 113,
and
work side connector shaft 115. Said work side connection hook assembly is
engaged with
a piston head 99 at piston thread 107 and is locked in position by locking nut
105. An
exhaust port 109 is provided to relieve pressure within the chamber as
required by the
work. It is understood that the engaged work side connection hook assembly and
piston
head 99 form a piston assembly capable of displacement along an axis parallel
to the
length of said pressure chamber 95.
An embodiment of a collision repair pulling enhancement apparatus with engaged
air hammer is provided as in FIGURE 11. A conventional air hammer 117 is
provided
with a bit holder 119 and engaged bit 129. The assembly of the air hammer 117,
bit
holder 119, and bit 129 are shown to engage pressure chamber adapter 137 which
further
engages a pressure chamber 121 at its intake. Said pressure chamber 121
further engages
a pull side connector shaft 123 with attached pull side hook 125 and work side
connector
shaft 135 with attached work side hook 133. Said work side connector shaft 135
engages
7
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
piston head 127 forming a piston assembly capable of motion within the
pressure
chamber 121 along an axis parallel to the length of said pressure chamber 121.
The
operation of said air hammer 117 provides rapid outward and inward movement of
said
bit 129 along its length axis thereby displacing a medium within said pressure
chamber
121. The displacement of the medium within the pressure chamber 121 further
displaces
said piston assembly thereby causing pulsating motion of said work side hook
assembly
along its length axis. It is understood that the displaced medium within the
pressure
chamber 121 may be either gas or liquid and that the chamber is hermetically
sealed
during operation. An exhaust port 131 is provided to relieve pressure within
the chamber
as required by the work.
Another embodiment of a collision repair pushing enhancement apparatus with
engaged air hammer is provided as in FIGURE 12. A conventional air hammer 139
is
provided with a bit holder 141 and engaged bit 151. The assembly of the air
hammer 139,
bit holder 141, and bit 151 are shown to engage pressure chamber adapter 157
which
further engages a pressure chamber 143 at its intake. Said pressure chamber
143 further
engages a push side connector shaft 145 with push work surface 147. Said push
side
connector shaft 145 engages piston head 149 forming a piston assembly capable
of
motion within the pressure chamber 143 along an axis parallel to the length of
said
pressure chamber 143. The operation of said air hammer 139 provides rapid
outward and
inward movement of said bit 151 along its length axis thereby displacing a
medium
within said pressure chamber 143. The displacement of the medium within the
pressure
chamber 143 further displaces said piston assembly thereby causing pulsating
motion of
said push side connector shaft 145 along its length axis. Said pulsating
motion causes
8
CA 02755272 2011-10-13
said push work surface 147 to exert pushing force at its abutment with the
work as
required. An exhaust port 131 is provided to relieve pressure within the
chamber as
required by the work. A threaded engagement means 155 is provided for the
attachment
of anchor side components as required by the work. It is understood that the
displaced
medium within the pressure chamber 143 may be either gas or liquid and that
the
chamber is hermetically sealed during operation. It is further understood that
the
operation of the pushing enhancement apparatus is significantly similar to
that of the
pulling enhancement apparatus described and that a single pushing and pulling
enhancement apparatus may be derived by providing intake means and drive
engagement
means to either side of said piston head 149 within said pressure chamber 143.
9
