Portable hand held power tool with interchangable head
Portable, hand held, battery operated, hydraulic tools are provided with a tool frame and one or more interchangeable working heads. When the working head is connected with the tool frame, a piston actuated by a hydraulic system within the tool frame applies force to the working head to perform a task. A coupling mechanism holds the working head to the tool frame. The coupling mechanism allows the working head to be removed from the tool frame and another working head to be joined to the tool frame. The coupling mechanism can hold the working head at a fixed rotational angle with respect to the tool frame. The coupling mechanism can also allow the working head to rotate with respect to the tool frame.
1. Is amended as follows:
A hydraulic tool comprising:
a tool frame comprising a tool connecting portion; and
a tool head comprising a head connecting portion,
wherein engagement of the tool connecting portion with the head connecting portion removably connects the tool head with the tool frame, and
wherein the tool connecting portion comprises:
a cylinder;
a rotatable collar around the cylinder, wherein the collar comprises a plurality of slots on an inner surface of the collar angled with respect to an axis of rotation of the collar; and
one or more pins extending through a side of the cylinder, wherein the pins each comprise an extension extending from a surface of the pin, wherein the extensions slidably engage respective ones of the slots of the collar, wherein a rotation of the collar in a first direction causes the pins to move into an interior of the cylinder and a rotation in a second direction causes the pins to move out from the interior of the cylinder, and
wherein the head connecting portion comprises:
a shaft disposed at the proximal end of the tool head and sized to fit into the cylinder; and
one or more engagement surfaces on the outer surface of the shaft,
wherein when the pins are moved into the interior of the cylinder the pins engage with the one or more engagement surfaces,
further comprising a torsion spring connected with the collar and adapted to bias the collar in the first direction or the second direction,
wherein the one or more engagement surfaces comprises a plurality of holes on the outer surface of the shaft positioned to correspond to respective ones of the pins when the tool connecting portion with the head connecting portion are engaged.
2. The tool of claim 1 , further comprising a ridge along one of an inner surface of the cylinder and the outer surface of the shaft and a keyway along another of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the cylinder, and wherein engagement of the ridge and the keyway fixes an angular orientation of the shaft relative to the cylinder.
3. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the collar further comprises a detent mechanism to hold the collar in a locked configuration in the first direction, wherein, in the lock configuration, the pins are engaged with the one or more engagement surfaces.
4. The tool of claim 3 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises an over center engagement of the slots with the pins wherein rotation of the collar in the first direction presses the pins inward past a maximal point of insertion.
5. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the collar further comprises one or more biasing springs engaged with respective ones of the pins.