This invention relates to a tool for chamfering an end of a pipe.

The ends of pipes such for example as plastics pipes are often unsatisfactory in that they are rough so that they may contain burrs. These rough edges of the pipes often prevent them being a good fit to other pipes or other devices.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a tool which is able to chamfer an end of a pipe and thus enable the pipe to be a good fit to another pipe or any other suitable and appropriate device.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, there is provided a tool for chamfering an end of a pipe, which tool comprises a hand holdable body portion, a head portion, and a chamfering blade mounted in the head portion, the blade being provided with a notch for receiving the end of the pipe to be chamfered.

The blade may be mounted between a pair of jaw members which form part of the head portion and which receive the end of the pipe to be chamfered.

Preferably, the blade is a fixed blade ^, i desired however the blade may be a replaceable blade. The blade may also be a reversible blade, an interchangeable blade, or an adjustable blade. Different blades may have

differently shaped notches for giving different types of chamfering.

The head portion may include an abutment member for pressing against the side of the pipe being chamfered. The abutment member is preferably a rod member.

The body portion may have a neck part adjacent the head portion and a bulbous end part formed as an extension of the neck part. Such a body portion may be especially convenient to hold. The body portion may have an aperture by which the tool can be hung when it is not in use. The aperture is preferably positioned at an end of the body portion remote from the head portion, although the aperture may be positioned elsewhere if desired. Usually, the body portion and the head portion will be integrally moulded together from a plastics material. Any suitable and appropriate plastics material may be employed.

The blade will usually be a steel blade. Other metals may however be employed providing that they do not blunt too quickly during use.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows somewhat schematically a tool in use for chamfering an end of a pipe;

Figure 2 illustrates how the end of the pipe has been chamfered with the tool shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the tool as shown in Figure 3? Figure 5 is a section on the line Y-Y shown in Figure 4;

Figure β is a section on the line X-X shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7 shows in more detail the construction of a head part of the tool shown in Figure 3 and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternative tool.

Referring to the drawings ,there is shown a tool 2 for chamfering and end 4 of a pipe 6. As can be seen from Figure 1, the tool 2 is moved in an anti¬ clockwise direction towards the user 8. Before the end 4 of the pipe 6 is chamfered, it will be in the form of a general right angle as shown in the bottom right hand part of Figure 2. After the end 4 of the pipe has been chamfered, it will have a chamfered edge 10 as shown in the top right hand corner of Figure 2.

As can best be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the tool 2 comprises a hand holdable body portion 12, a head portion 14, and a chamfering blade 1.6 mounted in the head portion 14. The blade 16 is provided with a notch 18 for receiving the end 4 of the pipe 6 to be chamfered.

The blade 16 is mounted between a pair of jaw members 20, 22 as best seen in Figures 3 and 6.

The head portion 14 is shaped as shown in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7 so that the blade 16 can be removably fitted into the head portion 14, so that the blade 16 can be replaced in the event that it becomes blunt or otherwise worn.

As can best be seen from Figures 3, 4 and 5 the body portion 12 has a neck part 24 adjacent the head part 14, and a bulbous end part 26 formed as an extension of the neck part 24. The body portion 12 has four longitudinally extending ribs 28 which define a cross as shown in Figure 5. Thus each pair of adjacent ribs 28 defines a right angle and eac pair of adjacent ribs 28 has a plurality of quadrant members 30 along its length. The body portion 4 is thus formed of a minimum of material whilst being strong and comfortable to grip.

The body portion 12 has an aperture 3 by which the tool 2 can be hung when it is not in use. Thus the tool 2 can be hung from a hook or a nail (not shown). The aperture 3 is positioned at the end of the body portion 12 remote from the head portion 14 as can be seen from Figures 3 and 4.

The body portion 12 and the head portion 14 are integrally moulded together from a plastics material. The blade 16, which is usually a steel blade, is then

inserted into position between the jaw members 20, 22.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown a perspective view of an alternative tool 2. Tool 2 shown in Figure 8 is similar to the tool 2 shown in Figure 3 and similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

In Figure 8, it will be seen that the head portion 14 is provided with an abutment member in the form of a rod member 34. The rod member 34 is located as shown in apertures 36 in the jaw members 20, 22. As the end of a pipe is being chamfered, the rod member 34 can be pressed against the end of the pipe being chamfered. The chamfering of some pipes will require quite a lot of force and the rod member 34 is effective to act as a guide and also as a wear-resistant part against which the end of the pipe can rub during chamfering without damaging the tool. For this purpose, the rod member 34 is made of a metal such for example as steel. The rod member 34 may • be in the form of a roll pin if desired. As can be seen from a comparison of Figures 3 and 8, the head portion 14 in Figure 8 is of a slightly different design to that shown in Figure 3. In particular, in Figure 8 there is a transversely extending abutment wall 38 which is used to give the -head portion 14 good strength.

In Figure 3 , the jaw members 20, 22 are each reinforced by an abutment member 40.

In the tool 2 shown in Figure 8, the blade 16 is a fixed blade which is fixed in position by moulding the jaw members 20, 22 over the side edges of the blade 16 during moulding of the tool 2.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the body portion 12 and/or the shape of the head portion 14 may be varied. The blades 16 may be of other shapes and the replaceable blade 16 shown in Figures 1 - 7 may be a fixed blade. The body portion 12 and the head portion 14 may be made of a material other than a plastics material so that they may be made, for example, of a metal if desired. Usually, during use of • the tool 2, the outer edge of the end of a pipe will be chamfered whilst at the same time the inner edge is cleaned, for example of cutting swarf. By varying the angle of inclination of the tool 2 to the end of the pipe , the amount of material removed from the outer and/or inner edges of the pipe can be varied. The tool 2 may be produced in different sizes for use with different sizes of pipes.

Usually, only one size of tool will be required for use with a wide range of different pipe ^' sizes.

In addition to its primary purpose of chamfering pipe ends, the tool of the present invention may be used for chamfering other products if desired. Thus, the tool can be used for chamfering edges of sheet material, for example formica sheet material. Generally, the tool may be used for chamfering the edge of any type of material such for example as any metal, any wood or any plastics material. As indicated above, the material may be in sheet or pipe form, or it may be in any other suitable and appropriate shape. Where the material is in pipe form, then the pipes may be such as to be fitted in high or low pressure piping systems. If the blades used in the tool are to be reversible, replaceable or interchangeable, then the blades may be mounted in reversible, replaceable or interchangeable heads.