BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cleaning the interior and exterior ends of tubes, such as copper piping, is a common problem because the tubes may be dirty or greasy or have foreign residue on the inside and/or outside. The dirt, grease or foreign residue must be removed in preparation for subsequent tasks such as soldering, attaching fittings and the like.

Another problem is that when the tubes are cut with cutting tools, the interior ends of the tubes have burrs or rough edges. The problem is prevalent in the plumbing industry where copper tubing is cut by the plumber using a cutting tool and the interior ends of the copper tubing are rough and have burrs which must be removed (which in some cases in mandated by law) before fittings can be applied to the copper tubes and solder applied to connect the fittings with the ends of the copper tubes.

A number of inventions have been developed over the years to deal with these problems. Many are cumbersome or inefficient or cannot be used in confined spaces. To date, there has not been any all-in-one tube end preparation tool that is easy to operate, efficient in cleaning the interior and exterior ends of the copper tubes, reliable, and capable of being used in confined areas.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention is directed to a tube end preparation tool comprising: (a) a crank; (b) a socket which is associated with the crank and has a tube exterior cleaning member disposed in the interior of the socket; and (c) a brush which is associated with the crank and is suitable for cleaning the interior of a tube. The tool can include a handle associated with the crank.

The tube exterior cleaning member can be a plurality of inwardly protruding wires.

The surfaces of the wires can be scored or coated with abrasive material to increase

the cleaning action and life of the wires. The plurality of wires can be mounted on a substrate which fits in the interior of the socket. The substrate can be a flexible woven fabric, plastic, rubber or metal. The substrate can have a memory so that when the wires become bent over with use, the substrate will erect the wire.

The brush can comprise bristles mounted on a spine. The socket and the brush can cooperate with at least one ratchet mechanism which can enable the socket and the brush to be moved in one direction only when the crank is moved in a reciprocating manner.

The handle can be a pair of rotational handles, one mounted on each side of the body of the crank, at a location removed from the socket and brush. The socket can contain in the interior thereof a spiral surface (shim) which can hold the protruding wires and substrate of the tube cleaner perpendicular or at an angle to the axis of the socket.

The tool can include a cap with a tube guiding hole therein which can be fitted over the open exterior of the socket. The socket and the brush can be aligned or not aligned with one another on the opposite sides of the body of the crank.

The socket can have in the interior thereof a protruding chamfer surface for center- ing the tube and cleaning the interior of the end of a tube. As an alternative to the wire cloth, the socket can include in the interior thereof at least one brush which can be rotated by a gear combination which is activated by manipulating the crank handle.

The closed end of the socket can have a ratchet gear thereon, and the ratchet gear can fit within an opening in the crank, which opening can have ratchet teeth which cooperate with the ratchet gear.

The tool can include a brush holder for mounting the brush on the ratchet. The brush holder can have a ratchet gear which fits within an opening on the crank. The handle can be rotationally mounted on a rod which is connected to the crank. The socket and the brush can have a common ratchet gear.

The socket can include in the interior thereof at least one brush without gears and cleaning action on the exterior of a tube end can be obtained by rotating the crank, which rotates the socket.

The surface of the chamfer protrusion can be textured. The tool can include a chamfered protruding surface in the central area of a base for the one or more brushes. The spiral shim in the socket can have a stop for holding the protruding wires and substrate (wire cloth) in position. The cap can also have a spiral shim and a stop on the interior thereof to correspond with the spiral shim in the socket.

The tool can include a detachable stub-out cap which can be used to clean solidified spackle, plaster and mud from pipe stub-outs in wallboard wall constructions. The stub-out cap can have a roughened opening and a roughened bore for placing over the stub-out and removing the hardened plaster.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention, but which should not be construed as restricting the spirit or scope of the invention in any way: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the tube end preparation tool, according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the crank portion of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the crank of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 4 is an elevation view of the crank of the tube end preparation tool Figure 5 is an end view of the crank of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 6 is an elevation view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 7 is a side view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 9 is a section view A-A of the socket illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an elevation view of the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 11 is a side view of'the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 12 is a plan view of the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 13 is a section view A-A of the brush holder illustrated in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is an elevation view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 15 is a side view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 16 is a plan view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 17 is an isometric view of the tube-guide cap of the preparation tool.

Figure 18 is a section view of a third embodiment of an aligned socket and brush of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 19 is an isometric view of an internal spiral shim of a socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 20 is an isometric view of the opposite side of the socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 21 is a section view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool with angled card cloth and spiral shim.

Figure 22 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the tube end preparation tool with one handle.

Figure 23 is an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of the invention comprising a three brush header for insertion in a socket of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 24 is an isometric view of a socket into which the three brush header of Figure 23 fits.

Figure 25 is an isometric view of an embodiment of three brush header without the gears.

Figure 26 is an isometric view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool fitted with a detachable stub out cleaning cap.

Figure 27 is a plan view of the stub out cleaning cap.

Figure 28 is a section view of the stub out cleaning cap taken along A-A of Figure 27.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a first embodiment of the tube end preparation tool, according to the invention. As seen in Figure 1, the first embodiment of the tube end preparation tool 2 is constructed of an elongated crank 4 which at the larger end on opposite sides carries a female socket 6, which contains a card cloth 8, and at the opposite side, a male brush 10.

The opposite smaller end of the crank 4, on opposite sides, carries a pair of crank handles 12 and 16, which are rotationally mounted on a shaft 14. The card cloth 8 in the interior of female socket 6 comprises a large number of radially inwardly protruding wires arranged in parallel or random rows on a flexible substrate. The substrate can be woven fabric, plastic or metal. The card cloth 8 envelops the interior of the socket 6. While not visible in Figure 1, the socket 6 and the brush 10, at their respective junctions with the crank 4, are mounted on ratchets which enable the socket 6 and the brush 10 to be rotated in one desired direction only by

grasping either of the crank handles 12 and 16, and moving the crank 4 in a reciprocating manner. The pair of handles 12 and 16 permit the user to grip either side of the tool 2.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the crank portion of the tube end preparation tool.

As seen in Figure 2, the crank 4 has at one larger end a socket opening 18 and at the opposite smaller end a rotation shaft opening 22. Ratchet teeth 20 on the interior of opening 18 impinge on a ratchet gear (not shown, but see Figures 6,7 and 8) and enable the crank 4 to move the socket 6 or brush 10 in one desired direction by moving the crank back and forth.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the crank of the tube end preparation tool. As seen in Figure 3, the crank 4 has at one larger end thereof a circular socket and brush receiving opening 18, with inwardly protruding ratchet teeth 20 and at the opposite smaller end a circular opening 22 for accommodating the rotation shaft 14 of the pair of handles 12 and 16.

Figure 4 is an elevation view of the crank 4 of the tube end preparation tool with socket opening 18, and brush ratchet teeth 20 and shaft opening 22. For completeness, Figure 5 is an end view of the crank 4 of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 6 is an elevation view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool. As seen in Figure 6, the female socket 6 is constructed so that it has ratchet gears 24 at the base, and in the interior thereof a mounting pin receptacle 28 and a spiral shim 26, which deploys the card cloth 8 (not shown) at an angle. It has been unexpectedly discovered that if the card cloth 8 is deployed at an angle around the interior of the socket 6, better cleaning action on the exterior of the tube to be cleaned is achieved.

This is probably due to the fact that by angling the card cloth 8, blanks between the rows of inwardly perpendicular or angled protruding wires are not aligned around the interior of the socket 6. Figure 6 also illustrates the upwardly protruding tube chamfer 54 which assists in aligning the end of the tube, but also removing burrs and the like from the end of the tube.

Figure 7 is a side view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 8 is a plan view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 9 is a section view A-A of the socket of Figure 8. As seen in Figure 8 in particular, the female socket

6 is constructed so that it has at its base end a series of ratchet gears 24, which are angled in one direction. When the ratchet gears 24 are set in the interior of the socket opening 18 (see Figures 2 and 3), they cooperate with ratchet teeth 20 and provide a unidirectional ratcheting action, when the crank 4 is moved reciprocally by the user. The socket 6 has an internal stop 27 which secures the card cloth and prevents it from moving.

Figure 10 is an elevation view of the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool.

As seen in Figure 10, the brush holder 30 carries at its top end ratchet gears 32 and mounting pin 34. The brush 10 (see Figure 1) is not shown in Figure 10.

However, the brush is held in the opening at the bottom of holder 30. The pin 34 fits within receptacle 28 of socket 6 (see Figures 6 to 9). The ratchet gear 32, in cooperation with ratchet teeth 20 of crank 4 enables the brush 10 to be rotated in a required direction by manipulating the crank 4 in a reciprocating manner.

Figure 11 is a side view of the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 12 is a plan view of the brush holder of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 13 is a section view A-A of the brush holder of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is an elevation view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 15 is a side view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 16 is a plan view of the tube-guide cap of the tube end preparation tool.

Figure 17 is an isometric view of the tube-guide cap of the preparation tool. As seen in these figures, the tube-guide cap 36 is equipped with an internal spiral shim 38 which enables the cap 36 to hold the card cloth 8 at an angle which cooperates with the spiral shim 26 in the socket 6 (see Figure 6). The cap 36 also has a stop 37 which secures the card cloth 8 and prevents it from rotating. The tube-guide cap can be screwed over or snapped on the opening of the socket 6 as seen in Figure 19.

The tube-guide cap 36 has an opening 39 in the end (see Figures 16 and 17). This opening 39 serves to guide the end of the tube into the interior of the socket 6 and onto the chamfer protrusion 54.

Figure 18 is a section view of an aligned socket and brush on opposite sides of the tube end preparation tool. As seen in Figure 18, the female socket 6 carries on the interior circumference thereof a card cloth 50, with substrate 51, which can be formed of a flexible fabric, plastic, rubber or metal. The wires of the card cloth 50 protrude radially inwardly and serve the purpose of cleaning the exterior of a tube to

be cleaned, when the tube end is inserted into the interior of the socket 48. The interior of the socket 48 also has a tube chamfer 54 to grip the end of the tube and/or clean burrs which may or may not have a textured surface from the interior of the end of the tube. Cutting blades may be substituted on the tube chamfer 54 for the deburring surface. The cap 36 (see Figures 14 through 17) is screw-fitted to or is snapped on the free end of the socket 6 and by opening 39 provides a tube guide into the interior of the socket 6. Also to be seen in Figure 18 is the single set of ratchet gears 24, the brush holder 30 and the brush 10. The brush 10 has a brush spine 58 which carries the bristles.

The surfaces of the wires 49 can be roughened or coated with a hard abrasive, such. as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 5,996, 194 to increase the cleaning action of the wires 49. The substrate 51 can be formed of a material which has a memory, such as polyvinylchloride plastic or rubber, so that the wires 49 return to an erect position after being bent over from use.

Figure 19 is an isometric view of an internal spiral shim of a socket of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 19 is useful for illustrating the spiral shim 26 on the interior of the socket 6. The spiral shim 26 holds the card cloth (not shown) at an angle which, as explained previously, has unexpectedly been found to provide superior cleaning action to the exterior surface of a tube that is guided into the interior of the socket 6. Figure 19 also illustrates stop 27 which prevents the card cloth from moving in the socket 6.

Figure 20 is an isometric view of the opposite side of the socket of the tube end preparation tool. Figure 21 is a section view of the socket 48 of the tube end preparation tool with angled card cloth 50 and spiral shim 26. As seen in Figure 21, the card cloth 8 is mounted around the circumference of the interior of the socket 6 at an angle, as dictated by the spiral shim 26. Figure 20 also illustrates chamfered protrusion 54, which may have either a smooth or rough or abrasive surface. The latter assists gripping and cleaning action.

Figure 22 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the tube end preparation tool with one handle. As seen in Figure 22, the alternative embodiment of the tube end preparation tool comprises a crank body 42, a female socket 40 for cleaning the exterior end of a tube, and a male brush 44 for cleaning the interior end of a tube.

The socket 40 and brush 44 are not in alignment, which may be helpful in certain

situations. The tube end preparation tool illustrated in Figure 22 has only one handle 46, which in certain instances may be desirable. While not visible in Figure 22, one or both of the socket 40 and the brush 44 are mounted on the same or separate ratchet gear mechanisms, as explained previously, to enable the socket 40 and the brush 44 to be rotated in one direction only, by the user manipulating the crank 42 and handle 46 in a reciprocating manner.

Figure 23 is an isometric view of a further embodiment of the invention comprising a three brush header for insertion in a female socket of the tube end preparation tool. As seen in Figure 23, the triple brush combination 64 can be mounted in the interior of a socket to provide a cleaning action upon the exterior surface of a tube that is inserted into the socket. Figure 23 illustrates a tube chamfer 54 and a master gear 60 which, when rotated by the crank (not shown), meshes with the respective gears 66 at the base of each of the trio of brushes 64 and rotates the brushes accordingly. The trio of brushes 64 may be desirable in some instances for special cleaning, in place of a card cloth. It will be understood that any number of brushes can be used, not necessarily three brushes. It is understood that the cross-section of the socket does not have to be circular. It can be triangular or some other shape that accommodates the brushes.

Figure 24 is an isometric view of a socket into which the three brush header of Figure 23 or Figure 25 fits. As seen in Figure 24, the socket 70 is similar in construction to the socket 6 of Figure 19 except there is no internal spiral shim 26 or tube chamfer 54. Thus the three brush combination 64 can fit neatly in the socket 70. Keys or some other securing device can be used to stabilize the brush header combination 64 in the socket 70.

Figure 25 is an isometric view of an embodiment of three brush header 74 without rotational gears. With this embodiment, the three brushes 72 are stationary within the socket 70 and exterior tube cleaning action is obtained by rotating the socket 70 (see Figure 24). The rotational gear-free brush header 74 has a central protruding guide 76 which maintains the tube end in the centre of the brush header 74. The guide 76 can have a textured surface which cleans the interior of the end of tube.

Figure 26 is an isometric view of the socket of the tube end preparation tool fitted with a detachable stub out cleaning cap. Figure 27 is a plan view of the stub out

cleaning cap. Figure 28 is a section view of the stub out cleaning cap taken along A-A of Figure 27.

As seen in Figure 26, the stub out cap 74 fits over the free end of the socket 6. Stub outs are protruding pipes that are formed by a plumber when piping is installed in a wall prior to the wall being finished with wallboard and plaster. The plaster tends to drip onto the exterior of the stub out and after hardening, is difficult to clean away. If appropriate, the cap 74 can be screwed onto the free end of the socket 6.

The stub out cap 74 has a knurled or roughened surface 76 which can be used to clean hardened mud and plaster from the exterior of the stub out. The cap 74 also has a cogged inner bore 78 which assists in cleaning away the hardened plaster from the exterior of the stub out.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.