CAM-ACTION SLEEVE PULLER

1 . A tool for use in extracting a cylindrical sleeve from a bore in a body, the tool comprising:

a) a sleeve engagement part that has ends for radially overlapping a far end edge of a sleeve in a bore on opposite semi-circumferences of the sleeve and a center from which a rod extends perpendicularly, b) a reaction part that is disposed perpendicular to the rod, that has ends for radially overlapping a margin surface of the body surrounding the bore on opposite semi-circumferences of the margin surface, and that has a central clearance hole through which the rod passes, c) a screw thread that threads the rod to a through-hole in a shaft that is perpendicular to the rod, and d) an actuator part that can turn on the shaft about an axis of the shaft and that comprises a bearing surface that extends along a cam profile relative to the axis of the shaft and that when placed to bear against the reaction part with the reaction part bearing against the margin surface of the body and with the ends of the sleeve engagement part engaging the far end edge of the sleeve, transmits a force via the rod that is coupled to the sleeve engagement part to cause the sleeve engagement part to pull the sleeve toward the reaction part as the actuator part is being turned in one sense about the axis of the shaft.

2 . A tool as set forth in claim 1 in which the sleeve engagement part comprises a bar that lies on a diameter of the bore and that has sleeve engagement pieces that are pivotally mounted on the bar at opposite diametrical ends of the bar for swinging motion about respective axes that lie on respective chords of the bore and that are constrained to swing within a range extending from a position of radial alignment with the bar toward a segment of the length of the rod that is between the bar and the reaction part.

3 . A tool as set forth in claim 2 in which the sleeve engagement pieces comprise contoured undercuts for locating a distal end of each sleeve engagement piece to a segment of an end edge of the sleeve and an adjoining portion of an inside wall of the sleeve.

4 . A tool as set forth in claim 2 in which the pivotal mounting of each sleeve engagement piece to the bar comprises a clevis joint and fastener that allow each sleeve engagement piece to be disassembled from the bar and replaced by a different sleeve engagement piece.

5 . A tool as set forth in claim 2 in which the position of radial alignment of each sleeve engagement piece with the bar is defined by abutment of a face of the respective sleeve engagement piece with a face at an end of the bar.

6 . A tool as set forth in claim 1 in which the rod is rigidly affixed to the sleeve engagement part.

7 . A tool as set forth in claim 1 in which the reaction part comprises a bar that lies on a diameter of the bore and dowels that extend from ends of the bar parallel to the rod for locating the bar in holes in the margin surface of the body.

8 . A tool as set forth in claim 1 in which the actuator part comprises an assembly of two circular parts of equal diameter disposed mutually parallel on opposite diametrical sides of the rod with their centers lying on a common axis and with the two circular parts being pivotally mounted on the shaft such that the axis of the shaft is eccentrically parallel with the common axis of the two circular parts.

9 . A tool as set forth in claim 8 in which the actuator part assembly further comprises a spacer part that is disposed between the two circular parts at a location spaced circumferentially from the shaft and that has one or more receptacles into which an end of a handle can be inserted to enable the handle to turn the actuator part about the axis of the shaft.

10 . A tool a) that is used for extracting a cylindrical sleeve from a bore in a body, b) that has a sleeve engagement part having ends for radially overlapping a far end edge of the sleeve on opposite semi-circumferences of the sleeve and a center from which a rod extends perpendicularly to a mechanism for transmitting a force through the rod to the sleeve engagement part to cause the sleeve engagement part to pull the sleeve toward the mechanism when the mechanism is actuated to extract the sleeve, and c) that has a bar containing the center of the sleeve engagement part and clevis joints pivotally mounting end pieces containing the ends of the sleeve engagement part on the bar for swinging motion about respective axes that lie on respective chords of the bore and that are constrained to swing within a range extending from a position of radial alignment with the bar toward a segment of the length of the rod that is between the bar and the mechanism, each clevis joint allowing each end piece to be disassembled from the bar and replaced by a different end piece.

11 . A tool as set forth in claim 10 in which the end pieces comprise contoured undercuts for locating a distal end of each end piece to a segment of an end edge of the sleeve and an adjoining portion of an inside wall of the sleeve.

12 . A tool as set forth in claim 10 in which the position of radial alignment of each end piece with the bar is defined by abutment of a face of the respective end piece with a face at an end of the bar.

13 . A method of extracting a cylindrical sleeve from a bore in a body, the method comprising:

passing a sleeve engagement part of a tool through a sleeve with end pieces of the sleeve engagement part that are mounted on ends of a central bar for swinging about respective axes swung to clear the sleeve, and when the sleeve engagement part has passed far enough the sleeve for the end pieces to clear a far end edge of the sleeve, allowing the force of gravity to swing the end pieces against respective stops to respective positions that radially overlap the far end edge of the sleeve, and actuating a mechanism that is coupled to the sleeve engagement part to pull the sleeve engagement part to a position that places the end pieces against the far end edge of the sleeve and then continuing to actuate the mechanism to further pull the sleeve engagement part and begin extracting the sleeve.

14 . A method as set forth in claim 13 in which the step of allowing the force of gravity to swing the end pieces against respective stops to respective positions that radially overlap the far end edge of the sleeve comprises allowing the force of gravity to swing the end pieces against respective ends of the central bar that define the respective stops.

15 . A method as set forth in claim 13 in which the step of actuating a mechanism that is coupled to the sleeve engagement part to pull the sleeve engagement part to a position that places the end pieces against the far end edge of the sleeve and then continuing to actuate the mechanism to further pull the sleeve engagement part and begin extracting the sleeve comprises turning a cam against a reaction part that has ends radially overlapping and bearing against a margin surface of a body surrounding the bore on opposite semi-circumferences of the margin surface to pull the sleeve engagement part via a rod that is coupled to the cam and extends through the sleeve to the sleeve engagement part.