FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to a tool. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a tool for supporting and displacing at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area.

BACKGROUND

Mechanical equipment such as compressors, pumps, turbines, piston-cylinder assemblies, gear assemblies and the like are most critical and capital intensive equipment used in production plants such as gas transmission pipelines, petrochemical plants, refineries, food-products producing plants, and the like. A sudden breakdown of such mechanical equipment may result in stoppage of production in production plants, leading to huge capital losses. Therefore, such mechanical equipment periodically needs overhauling activities and maintenance activities to prevent a sudden breakdown.

Overhauling activities and maintenance activities includes routine or preventive maintenance, diagnostic testing and the like that requires the mechanical equipment housed inside an enclosure or a component disposed inside a housing to be removed from a confined or inaccessible area. For example, a piston - piston rod assembly in its inoperative configuration is required to be supported and displaced out of a cylinder of a piston-cylinder assembly for conducting inspection, routine or preventive maintenance thereof. However, supporting and displacing at least one component of the mechanical equipment in a confined or inaccessible area is a time-consuming, tedious and difficult task as the component of the mechanical equipment needs to be slowly removed so as to prevent damage to other components of the mechanical equipment. Also, the component needs to be supported as soon as the component is being disassembled from the assembly of the mechanical equipment so as to prevent structural damage to the component.

Conventionally, heavy machine lifting tools such as cranes, like an Electrical Overhead Travelling (EOT), are installed and used for supporting and displacing the components in an inoperative configuration. However, movement of the Electrical Overhead Travelling (EOT) cranes is restricted because of the production plant pipelines and other equipment that are installed nearby. Typically, the pipelines may be an inlet pipeline or an outlet pipeline connected to the mechanical equipment or any other pipelines connecting any equipment with other equipment. These pipelines cause obstruction for easy movement of the Electrical Overhead Travelling (EOT) cranes near the mechanical equipment, thereby increasing the overhauling and maintenance time. Further, the task of supporting and displacing the components of mechanical equipment, by using the Electrical Overhead Travelling (EOT) crane, requires skilled labor and it is labor intensive.

Also, the raising or lowering of the components by the Electrical Overhead Travelling (EOT) cranes during dis-assembly from the mechanical equipment may cause structural damage such as bending of the component or damage to other components of the mechanical equipment installed nearby or production plant pipelines and the like.

Accordingly, there is a need for a tool that reduces or overcomes the above drawbacks. OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that supports and displaces at least one component from the housing of mechanical equipment for facilitating removing or dis-assembling of the at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool for supporting and displacing at least one component that can be used for supporting and displacing components of different size and configuration with a few modifications.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that enables easy movement of the at least one component towards and away from the mechanical equipment.

Also, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that supports and enables horizontal, vertical and axial adjustment of at least one component during dis-assembling or after dis-assembly from the mechanical equipment without causing any damage to the component.

Additionally, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that requires less set-up time for supporting and displacing the at least one component in an inoperative configuration. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that safely supports and displaces at least one component without causing damage to other components of the mechanical equipment or nearby equipment or production plant pipelines in nearby vicinity.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that can be easily operated for supporting and displacing at least one component for facilitating removing the component in a confined or an inaccessible area without any obstructions.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool that requires less labor for supporting and displacing at least one component in an inoperative configuration.

Also, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a cost-effective tool for supporting and displacing at least one component in an inoperative configuration out of the mechanical equipment.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tool for supporting and displacing at least one component and a tool that is reliable.

SUMMARY

A tool for supporting and displacing at least one component to and from a housing is disclosed. The tool includes at least one guiding element, a wheeled trolley, at least one carriage and an adjustment means. The wheeled trolley is disposed on the guiding element and moves on the guiding element. At least one carriage disposed on and connected to the wheeled trolley, moves along with the wheeled trolley. The carriage receives at least one component for facilitating support and displacement of the component in the inoperative configuration out of the housing. The adjustment means is disposed on the wheeled trolley for facilitating horizontal, vertical and axial adjustment of the carriage with respect to the wheeled trolley for maintaining alignment between the component and the housing.

In one embodiment, the tool further includes at least one additional support for supporting at least a portion of the at least one component.

The guiding element can be a flat surface.

Alternatively, the guiding element can be a pair of rails.

In one embodiment, the wheeled trolley is manually moved on the guiding element.

In another embodiment, the tool includes a motorized means to displace the wheeled trolley on the guiding element.

In one embodiment, the carriage is interchangeable with another carriage for facilitating receiving, supporting and displacing a variety of components.

Alternatively, the carriage surface is profiled to contour receive the component.

In one embodiment, the adjustment means is mechanically operated or hydraulically operated or pneumatically operated.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the at least one component that the tool supports and displaces relative to a housing is a piston and the housing is a cylinder of a piston-cylinder assembly. In one embodiment, at least one additional support is provided for supporting at least a portion of a piston rod of a piston supported and displaced by the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The tool for supporting and displacing at least one component in an inoperative configuration for moving the component from a confined and inaccessible area is disclosed, the tool of the present disclosure will now be explained in relation to the non-limiting accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of a tool in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the tool is supporting a piston sub-assembly in an inoperative configuration out of a cylinder of a pistonr cylinder assembly;

FIGURE 2 illustrates another perspective view of the tool of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a perspective view depicting the tool of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a side view of the tool of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 illustrates a perspective view depicting a base frame and a piston rod stay of the tool of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a perspective view depicting a closer view of the piston rod stay of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 illustrates a perspective view depicting a wheeled trolley with a plurality of jacks and a plurality of locating sleeves of the tool of FIGURE 1; and FIGURE 8 illustrates a perspective view depicting a carriage of the tool of FIGURE 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A tool for supporting and displacing at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area is disclosed. The tool in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The description hereinafter, of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

The tool of the present disclosure provides support and displaces the at least one component towards or away from the mechanical equipment particularly a confined or an inaccessible area of the mechanical equipment. The tool for supporting and displacing at least one component may be used for supporting and displacing at least one component of different size and configuration with a few modifications. The at least one component may be a payload. Further, the tool as disclosed in the present disclosure supports the at least one component in an inoperative configuration for easy movement of the at least one component towards and away from the mechanical equipment. The tool, as disclosed, supports and enables horizontal, vertical and axial adjustment of the at least one component in an inoperative configuration during dis-assembling from the mechanical equipment without causing any damage to the at least one component. The tool safely supports and displaces the at least one component in an inoperative configuration without causing damage to other elements of mechanical equipment or nearby equipment or production plant pipelines in its vicinity. The tool can be easily operated for supporting and displacing the at least one component in an inoperative configuration in a confined or an inaccessible area.

The tool supports and displaces the at least one component in an inoperative configuration for facilitating removing of the at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area. The tool includes at least one guiding element, a wheeled trolley, at least one carriage and an adjustment means. In one embodiment, the guiding element, the wheeled trolley, the at least one carriage and the adjustment means are detachably connected to each other. The at least one component can be a heavy machinery, a tool and the like. In accordance with one embodiment and as illustrated in Figure 1 to Figure 8, the tool 100 is used for supporting and displacing a piston assembly 102 in inoperative configuration for moving the piston assembly 102 out of the cylinder 104. Although, the tool 100 as illustrated is used for handling a piston assembly, particularly, for supporting and displacing a piston assembly in an inoperative configuration out of a piston-cylinder assembly, however, the tool 100 of the present disclosure is not limited to supporting and displacing the piston assembly in an inoperative configuration out of the cylinder, and may be used for handling other component(s).

The piston assembly includes a piston 106 and a piston rod 108. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure and as illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4, the tool 100 includes at least one guiding element 110, a wheeled trolley 120, a carriage 130, a first adjustment means 140 and at least one piston rod stay 150.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guiding element 110 is a flat surface. In accordance with another embodiment the guiding element 110 is a pair of rails. Typically, the pair of rails is disposed on a flat surface. Alternatively, the pair of rails is disposed on a base frame 112. The base frame 112 is rigidly mounted on the ground and is adapted to take load of the entire tool 100 in both operative and non-operative configurations. Typically, the base frame 112 is fabricated by using channels or angles of variable sizes, according to various site or production plant conditions. More specifically, width of the base frame 112 is determined by diameter of the piston 106 to be installed, length of the base frame 112 is determined by total length of the piston 106 and piston rod 108 and height of base frame 112 is determined by the site or production plant conditions. In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, the guiding element 110 is disposed on the ground.

In one embodiment and as shown in Figure 1 to Figure 4, the wheeled trolley 120 is disposed on the guiding element 110, which is a pair of rails and is adapted to move on the guiding element 110. In one embodiment, the wheeled trolley 120 is manually moved on the guiding element 110. In another embodiment, the wheeled trolley 120 is automatically moved on the guiding element 110. The movement of the wheeled trolley 120 on the guiding element 110 is restricted by a rod 114 mounted either on the base frame 112 or on the ground thereby allowing the movement of the wheeled trolley 120 in a predetermined space frame. Typically, the wheeled trolley 120 has at least a pair of bearings or wheels 122 for facilitating the movement of the wheeled trolley 120 on the guiding element 110. At least a portion of wheels 122 of the wheeled trolley 120 are complementary mating with at least a portion of the guiding element 110 to facilitate guided movement of the wheeled trolley 120 on the guiding element 110. The size of the wheeled trolley 120 is determined by the size of the base frame 112 and the weight of the piston 106 and the piston rod 108. Typically, the wheeled trolley 120 is fabricated from a plate of thickness ranging from 16 milli-meter (mm) to 30 milli-meter (mm).

The carriage 130 is disposed on and connected to the wheeled trolley 120 and adapted to be moved along with the wheeled trolley 120. In one embodiment, the carriage 130 is interchangeable with another carriage for facilitating receiving, supporting and displacing another object. Accordingly, the tool 100 for supporting and displacing at least one component can be used for supporting and displacing components of different size and configuration with a few modifications, particularly, by replacing a carriage 130 corresponding to a first component with another carriage corresponding to another component so that the tool is ready to be used for supporting and displacing a variety of components having different shape, size and configuration. Typically, the carriage 130 has at least one protrusion 132 disposed on the operating bottom of the carriage 130 and is adapted to be inserted in at least one cavity 124 (as shown in Figure 7 & 8) disposed on the operating top of the wheeled trolley 120. In one embodiment, the at least one cavity 124 is a hole configured within the wheeled trolley 120. In another embodiment and as shown in Figure 7, the at least one cavity 124 is a sleeve connected to the wheeled trolley 120.

In one embodiment, the carriage 130 has flat shaped surface to receive the at least one component. In another embodiment, the carriage 130 surface is profiled to contour receive the at least one component. The carriage 130 is adapted to receive and support at least a portion of the piston 106 and longitudinal moves the piston 106 either on the base frame 112 or the ground thereby enabling movement of the piston 106 towards and away from the cylinder 104. The size of the carriage 130 is determined by the diameter of the piston 106 and the wheeled trolley 120. Typically, the carriage 130 is fabricated from plates and pipes. More specifically, the carriage 130 is made up of semicircular pipes connected to the plates.

The at least one adjustment means 140 is disposed in between the wheeled trolley 120 and the carriage 130 for facilitating horizontal, vertical and axial adjustment of the carriage 130 with respect to the wheeled trolley 120. In one embodiment and as shown in Figure 7, the adjustment means 140 vertically raises and lowers the carriagf 130 for facilitating adjustment of height of the carriage 130 such that the piston assembly 106 remains in line with respect to the cylinder 104 as the piston assembly 106 is being dis-assembled or disassembled from the cylinder 104. Typically as shown in Figure 7, the adjustment means 140 is a jacking arrangement that includes 6 to 8 jacks disposed on the wheeled trolley 120. In one embodiment, the adjustment means 140 is mechanically operated. In another embodiment, the adjustment means 140 is hydraulically operated. In still another embodiment, the adjustment means 140 is pneumatically operated.

At least one piston rod stay 150 supports a piston rod 108 of the piston assembly 102 in inoperative extended position out of the cylinder 104, thereby preventing structural damage like bending. In accordance with one embodiment, the piston rod stay 150 is connected to the base frame 112. In accordance with another embodiment, the piston rod stay 150 is mounted on the ground. Typically, the piston rod stay 150 is detachably attached to the base frame 112 or the ground. Alternatively, the piston rod stay 150 is movable on the base frame 112 or the ground. In one embodiment, the piston rod stay 150 may be removed and kept aside if the piston rod 108 is within the cylinder 104. The size of the piston rod stay 150 is determined by the diameter of the piston rod 108. Typically, the piston rod stay 150 is fabricated from plates and angles. Typically, as shown in Figures 1 to 6, the piston rod stay 150 has a curved plate 152 and further includes a teflon pad 154 (as shown in Figure 7) disposed on the operating top of the curved plate 152. In one embodiment, the operating bottom of the curved plate 152 of the piston rod stay 150 has a second height adjustment means like a stud 156 (as shown in Figures 5 & 6) for facilitating vertical adjustment of the piston rod stay 150.

The method for supporting the piston assembly 102 in an inoperative configuration out of the cylinder 104 is by moving the wheeled trolley 120 on the guiding element 110 towards the cylinder 104, placing the piston 106 of the piston assembly 102 on the carriage 130 mounted on the wheeled trolley 120, adjusting the vertical height between the carriage 130 and the wheeled trolley 120 as desired, moving the wheeled trolley 120 on the guiding element 110 away from the cylinder 104, placing the piston rod stay 150 to support the piston rod 108 of the piston assembly 102 and adjusting the vertical height as desired.

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

The tool for supporting and displacing at least one component, for moving the at least one component within a confined or an inaccessible area, in accordance with the present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including but not limited to the realization of:

• a tool that supports and displaces at least one component for facilitating removing or dis-assembling of the at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area from a mechanical equipment;

• a tool for supporting and displacing at least one component that can be used for supporting and displacing components of different size and configuration with a few modifications;

• a tool that enables easy movement of the at least one component towards and away from the mechanical equipment;

• a tool that supports and enables horizontal, vertical and axial adjustment of the at least one component during dis-assembling or after disassembly from the mechanical equipment without causing any damage to the at least one component ;

• a tool that requires less set-up time for supporting and displacing the at least one component in an inoperative configuration;

• a tool that safely supports and displaces the at least one component without causing damage to other components of mechanical equipment or nearby equipment or production plant pipelines in nearby vicinity;

• a tool that can be easily operated for supporting and displacing the at least one component for facilitating removing the at least one component in a confined or an inaccessible area without any obstructions; • a tool that requires less labor for supporting and displacing the at least one component in an inoperative configuration;

• a cost-effective tool for supporting and displacing at least one component in an inoperative configuration out of the mechanical equipment; and

• a reliable tool for supporting and displacing the at least one component.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression "at least" or "at least one" suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.