US20110247387A1

US20110247387A1 - Manually operated tool for flaring tubes

Info

Publication number: US20110247387A1
Application number: US13/127,313
Authority: US
Inventors: Nigel A. Buchanan
Original assignee: American Grease Stick Co
Current assignee: American Grease Stick Co
Priority date: 2008-11-04
Filing date: 2009-11-03
Publication date: 2011-10-13
Also published as: TW201026432A; WO2010052454A1; US20110247386A1; GB0820170D0; GB0919265D0; WO2010052456A1; EP2352605A1; EP2352609A1; GB2465007A; TW201029765A; EP2352609B1

Abstract

A flaring apparatus comprising a pipe holder for holding a pipe such as to prevent axial movement of the pipe and a hand-powered actuator including a pivotably mounted lever operable to drive a tool carrier towards the pipe holder.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to pipe flaring apparatus.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Known pipe flaring apparatus typically comprise a pipe holding assembly and an actuator for moving a pipe flaring tool into the end of a pipe held by the pipe holding assembly. A known pipe holding assembly comprises a split die and a mechanism for clamping the die halves of the split die onto a pipe to hold the pipe against axial movement thereof. Known actuators for pipe flaring tools comprise pneumatic and hydraulic actuators for causing axial movement of the pipe flaring tool connected thereto to drive the tool into a pipe held by the pipe holding assembly. It is also known to flare the end of a pipe by driving a suitably shaped punch into the end of a pipe held in a vice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides pipe flaring apparatus comprising a pipe holder for holding a pipe such as to prevent axial movement of said pipe and a hand-powered actuator comprising a pivotably mounted lever operable to drive a tool carrier towards said pipe holder.
The invention also includes pipe flaring apparatus comprising a hand-powered actuator comprising a pivotably mounted lever operable to drive a pipe flaring tool into an end of a pipe.
The invention also includes pipe flaring apparatus comprising a squeeze-action hand powered actuator for generating a drive force applied to a pipe flaring tool for driving said pipe flaring tool into an end of a pipe.
The invention also includes flaring apparatus comprising a tool holder for at least one pipe flaring tool, a pipe holder, a hand powered actuator for generating a force for causing said pipe holder to hold a pipe therein and said tool holder to move to positions at which a pipe flaring tool held by said tool holder engages an end of said pipe, at least one biasing device for biasing said pipe holder to an open position and said tool holder in a direction away from said pipe holder and a user operable control device for allowing movement of said tool holder under an influence of said at least one biasing device to disengage said pipe while preventing opening of said pipe holder.
The invention also includes holding apparatus for holding an elongate element against axial movement, said holding apparatus comprising a support having an internal space for receiving a said elongate element and a plurality of jaws mounted to the support for axial and radial movement relative to the support, wherein axial movement of the jaws into the support causes the jaws to move radially inwardly of the support for engaging and holding a said elongate element received is said space.
The invention also includes a hand powered actuator for applying an axial force to a tool, said hand powered actuator comprising lever arm arranged to cause rotation of a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member engaged with said first rotatable member, said second rotatable member being connected with a device that converts rotation of the second rotatable member into an axial force.
The invention includes a method of method of flaring and end of a pipe, said method comprising driving a pipe flaring tool into an end of a pipe by operation of a trigger to produce a hand powered driving force that drives said pipe flaring tool into said end of said pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be well understood, embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional-type view of a pipe flaring apparatus in a rest condition;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the pipe flaring apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a pipe holder of the pipe flaring apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the pipe flaring apparatus in a pipe holding condition;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the pipe flaring apparatus in a condition in which a pipe flaring tool has been driven into the end of the pipe;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of an actuator of the pipe flaring apparatus illustrating an optional modification to the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 5 in one operating condition of the modification; and

FIG. 7 is a view generally corresponding to FIG. 6 showing the modification in a second operating condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a pipe flaring apparatus 10 comprises a hand-powered actuator 12 for driving a pipe flaring tool 14 into an end of a pipe 16 (FIG. 4) that is held in the pipe flaring apparatus by a pipe holder 18. In FIG. 1, the pipe flaring apparatus 10 is shown in a rest condition.
The pipe flaring apparatus 10 comprises a handle 20 having an integral sleeve member 22 that receives an end of a barrel 24. The handle 20 and sleeve 22 may, for example, be a plastics moulding or a metal casting and the barrel may, for example, comprise a metal tube. A portion of the hand-powered actuator 12 is housed in the barrel 24 at a first end of the barrel and the pipe holder 18 is disposed at a second, opposite, end of the barrel. A tool holder 26 for holding a plurality of flaring tools 14 is disposed intermediate the hand-powered actuator 12 and pipe holder 18.
The hand-powered actuator 12 comprises a lever, or trigger, 28 that is pivotally connected to the handle 20 such that it can be moved towards the handle in response to a hand-applied input force. A return member, for example a leaf spring 30, is provided between the handle 20 and trigger 28 for moving the trigger away from the handle and returning the trigger to the rest position shown in FIG. 1.
The hand-powered actuator 12 further comprises a toothed wheel 32 mounted for rotation on the handle 20 and a toothed member 34 that is mounted for rotation in the barrel 24. The toothed wheel 32 projects through a slot in the barrel 24 and engages the teeth of the toothed member 34. As viewed in FIG. 1, movement of the trigger 28 towards the handle 20 causes anti-clockwise rotation of the toothed wheel 32, which causes clockwise rotation of the toothed member 34. The toothed member 34 is pivotably connected with one end of a link arm, or crank, 36. The other end of the crank 36 is pivotably connected with a stepped piston 38 that is mounted for axial sliding movement in the barrel 24. The piston 38 includes a spigot 40 to which the crank 36 is connected and the toothed member 34 includes a cut-out into which the spigot extends.
A spring loaded ratchet member 42 is mounted within the barrel 24 such that it is spring-biased into engagement with the toothed member 34. A release lever 43 is connected to the ratchet member 42 to provide user controlled release of the ratchet member 34. The ratchet member 42 is configured such that the toothed member 34 can rotate clockwise while in engagement with the ratchet member and can only rotate anticlockwise if the ratchet member is released by operation of the release lever 43. The release lever 43 is operable to move the ratchet member 42 to two release positions corresponding to two different radii R₁and R₂of the toothed member 34. When the ratchet member 42 is engaging the teeth on the radius R₁the user can move the release lever 43 to a first release position in which the ratchet member 42 is withdrawn to a position in which it no longer engages those teeth leaving the toothed member 34 free to rotate anti-clockwise until a step 44 formed where the two radii R₁and R₂meet engages in a recess 45 provided in the ratchet member (this engagement is illustrated in FIG. 4). If the user operates the release lever 43 to move the ratchet member 42 to a second release position, the ratchet member is withdrawn to a position in which the ratchet member will not engage the toothed member 34, which is then free to rotate anti-clockwise to positions in which the teeth on the radius R₂are moved past the ratchet member.
A resilient ratchet arm 46 is mounted on the trigger 28 in engagement with the toothed wheel 32. The ratchet arm 46 is configured to engage the toothed wheel 32 and turn it anticlockwise when the trigger 28 is moved towards the handle 20 and to slide over the toothed wheel when the trigger is moved away from the handle and the toothed member 34 is held by the ratchet member 42. When the toothed member 34 is released by the ratchet member 42, the ratchet arm 46 allows the teeth of the toothed wheel 32 to slide past it as the toothed wheel is rotated clockwise by the anticlockwise rotation of the toothed member 34.
Referring to FIG. 2, the stepped piston 38 comprises a larger diameter portion 48 from which the spigot 40 (not visible in FIG. 2) projects and a smaller diameter portion 50 that extends from the larger diameter portion in the opposite direction to the spigot 40 and towards the pipe holder 18. The smaller diameter portion 50 of the piston 38 is a sliding fit in a pusher 52. The pusher 52 comprises a generally cylindrical body provided with an axially extending aperture 54 that extends from the end of the pusher 52 that faces away from the pipe holder 18 and opens into a transverse slot 56 that extends through the end of the pusher that faces the pipe holder. The slot 56 is sized to receive the tool holder 26 and defines a pair of opposed generally D- shaped pusher members 58, 60 that engage a washer 62 (FIG. 1) to apply an axially directed force to jaws of the pipe holder 18. A resilient force transmitting member 63 (FIG. 1) is fitted over the smaller diameter portion 50 of the piston and engages opposed faces of the larger diameter portion 48 of the piston and the pusher 52 to transmit an axially directed pushing force from the piston 38 to the pusher. In the illustrated embodiment, the force transmitting member 63 is a compression spring.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the tool holder 26 is slideably located on two conical projections 64 provided on the free end face 66 of the small diameter portion 50 of the piston 38 so that axial movement of the piston causes the tool holder to move in the axial direction of the pusher 52 (ie perpendicular to the axis of the transverse slot 56). The conical projections 64 taper towards the end face 66 and are configured to be received in a dovetail groove 68 that extends in the lengthways direction of the tool holder 26. The engagement of the conical projections 64 and dovetail groove 68 is such that the tool holder 26 can slide across the end face 66 of the piston 38 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piston.
The tool holder 26 is provided with three spaced apart blind holes 70 for receiving pipe flaring tools, such as the pipe flaring tool 14, to allow the tool holder to carry three tools at a time. Respective threaded holes 72 extend at right angles to the tool receiving holes 70. A grub screw (not shown) or other suitable fastener, can be screwed into a threaded hole 72 to engage in a circumferentially extending groove 74 provided in pipe flaring tool 14 to secure the tool in the associated tool receiving hole. The base of the dovetail groove 68 is provided with respective recesses (not shown) aligned with the axes of the tool receiving holes 70. A spring loaded detent ball 76 is provided in the end face 66 of the piston 38 so that as the tool holder 26 is slid through the transverse slot 56, a user can align a desired pipe flaring tool 14 carried on the tool holder 26 with the axis of the pipe holder 18 and piston 38 by feeling the detent ball 76 click into the respective recess in the dovetail groove 68.
The barrel 24 is provided with opposed rectangular windows 78 (only one being visible in FIG. 2) through which the tool holder 26 can be inserted to engage the dovetail 68 with the conical projections 64. This allows the tool holder 26 to be slid back and forth for aligning the tools it carries with the pipe holding mechanism 18 and piston 38 or removed from the barrel 24 to allow different tools to be fitted in the tool receiving holes 70.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the pipe holder 18 is a sliding fit in the end 80 of the barrel 24. The pipe holder 18 is securable to the barrel 24 by means of screws or other suitable fasteners (not shown) that can be inserted through clearance holes 82 provided in the barrel and screwed into threaded holes 84 provided in the pipe holder. The pipe holder 18 includes an end plate 86 that has a diameter substantially corresponding to that of the barrel 24. The end plate 86 limits insertion of the pipe holder into the barrel 24 to assist in aligning the threaded holes 84 with the clearance holes 82.
The pipe holder 18 includes a carrying frame comprising a plurality of axially extending support plates 88 that are held in circumferentially equi-spaced relationship by three axially spaced carrying discs 90, 92, 94. The carrying disc 90 is integral with the end plate 86 and is provided with an axially extending through hole 93 through which pipes that are to be flared can be inserted into the pipe holder 18. Alternate ones of the support plates 88 support respective jaws 96. In the illustrated embodiment there are six jaws 96, although, this is not to be taken as limiting. Each jaw 96 is supported on two link arms 98, 100 to form a four-bar linkage. As shown in FIG. 3, the link arms 98, 100 comprise respective pairs of link members 102, 104 disposed either side of the respective support plate 88. The link members 102, 104 are connected to the support plates 88 by pivot pins 106 such that the jaws 96 can be moved axially inwardly of the carrying frame towards the end plate 86 by an axial pushing force applied by the washer 62 to respective end faces 108 of the jaws. The configuration of the four bar linkage is such that as the jaws 96 move into the carrying frame they simultaneously move radially inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the pipe holder 18. Thus, as the jaws 96 are moved into the pipe holder 18, they will move radially inwardly to clamp on a pipe, such as the pipe 16, to clamp the pipe within the pipe holder. As shown in FIG. 1, a resilient return member 110 (not shown in FIG. 3) is provided between the carrying disc 90 and the opposed end faces 112 of the jaws 96 for returning the jaws to the open condition shown in the drawing. Although not limited to such, in the illustrated embodiment, the return member 110 comprises a compression coil spring with a disc 114 secured to its end adjacent the jaws 96. The resilient return member 110 is not as stiff as the force transmitting member 63.
While not essential, the support plates 88 and carrying discs 90, 92, 94 may inter-engage by push-fitting and utilise the barrel 24 to maintain engagement between them. This allows the provision of a simple lightweight pipe holder that can be fabricated economically from, for example, pressed steel plates. This construction also allows for a quick and simple if a part becomes damaged. All that is required is that the pipe holder is released from the barrel and then the damaged part(s) can be readily pulled apart and replaced.
In use, starting from the rest condition shown in FIG. 1, the user slides the tool holder 26 into position to bring a desired tool 14 into alignment with the respective axes of the pipe holder 18 and piston 38. A pipe 16 is then inserted into the pipe holder 18 via the through hole 93. The pipe 16 is pushed into the pipe holder 18 until the user sees the leading end of the pipe is aligned with the washer 62 (this can be seen through the windows 78 and is the position shown in FIG. 4). The user then squeezes the trigger 28 towards the handle 20 to cause anticlockwise rotation of the toothed wheel 32 that, in turn, causes clockwise rotation of the toothed member 34.
As the toothed member 34 rotates, the crank 36 pushes against the spigot 40 causing the piston 38 to move towards the pipe holder 18. As the piston 38 moves towards the piped holder 18, it causes an initial compression of the force transmitting member 63 after which the pushing force of the piston is transmitted to the pusher 52 such that the piston and pusher move substantially together. The pusher 52 pushes the washer 62 against the end faces 108 of the jaws 96 and, since the force transmitting member 63 is stiffer than the return member 110, this causes the jaws to be pushed back into the pipe holder causing them to pivot into engagement with the pipe 16. Engagement of the jaws 96 with the pipe 16 provides a resistance to further movement of the jaws and once this is sufficient to overcome the force transmitting member 63. The pipe flaring apparatus 10 is then in the condition shown in FIG. 4 with the recess 45 in the ratchet member 42 engaging the step 44 at the transition between the teeth on the radius R₁and the teeth on the radius R₂.
With the pipe 16 firmly clamped by the jaws 96, further movement of the piston 38 is relative to the pusher 52 and results in further compression of the force transmitting member 63. As the piston 38 moves relative to the pusher 52, the tool holder 26 is pushed further towards the pipe holder 18 to force the tool 14 into the end of the pipe 16 to produce a flare. At this stage, the pipe flaring apparatus 10 is in the condition shown in FIG. 5.
Once the flare is made (this can be seen through either of the windows 78 and can be felt in the form of increasing resistance to operation of the trigger 28) the user operates the release lever 43 to allow the toothed member 34 freedom to rotate anti-clockwise under the influence of the compression forces stored in the force transmitting member 63. If the user only wishes to make a single flare in the end of the pipe, the release lever 43 is moved to the second release position to allow the toothed member 34 to rotate anticlockwise to the position shown in FIG. 1 in which the ratchet member 42 again confronts the teeth on the radius R₂. If the user wishes to make a second flare in the end of the pipe 16, the release lever 43 is moved to the first release position. This allows the toothed member 34 to be rotated anticlockwise by the force stored in the force transmitting member 63 until the step 44 at the transition between the radius R₁and the radius R₂catches in the recess 45. This puts the pipe flaring apparatus 10 back in the condition shown in FIG. 4. Thus the pipe 16 remains clamped by the jaws 96 of the pipe holder 18, but the tool holder 26 has been retracted sufficiently to be clear of the flared end of the pipe. The user then indexes the tool holder 26 across the pipe flaring apparatus 10 to bring a desired second flaring tool into alignment with the pipe (alternatively the tool holder 26 can be removed from the pipe flaring apparatus and a substitute tool fitted to the tool holder, which is then reinserted in the apparatus). The user then squeezes the trigger 28 as previously described to cause the new tool to be driven into the end of the pipe to form a second flare. Once the second flare is formed, the user can return the pipe flaring apparatus 10 to the rest condition shown in FIG. 1 by simply moving the release lever 43 to its second release position. The forces stored in the force transmitting member 63 and return member 110 will cause the toothed member 34, piston 38, pusher 52 and pipe holder 18 to be returned from their positions shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 1. Once the jaws 96 of the pipe holder have released the pipe 16, the pipe can be removed from the pipe flaring apparatus 10.
It will be appreciated that the end regions of the jaws 96 can be shaped so as to form a partial die that would support the exterior of the pipe in the region being flared to assist in the formation of a correctly shaped flare.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show a modification to the ratchet arrangement that controls rotation of the toothed wheel 32. To avoid repetition of description, parts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 that are the same as or similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are identified with the same reference numerals and may not be referred to again.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the toothed wheel 32 is mounted on a plate 120 that is mounted within the barrel and has an end portion that projects through an opening in a wall that at least in part defines the barrel. A pin 122, or other suitable formation, is provided on the plate 120. The ratchet arm 46 comprises a head portion 124 that is configured to inter-engage the toothed wheel 32 and a resilient arm portion 126 that extends between the head portion and a body portion 128 that is secured to the trigger 28. The pin 122 is positioned such that it engages the resilient arm portion 126 adjacent the head portion 124 when the trigger 28 is in the rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The engagement of the pin 122 and resilient arm portion 126 is such as to disengage the head portion 124 from the toothed wheel 32.
In use of the pipe flaring apparatus 10, when the trigger 28 is in the rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the pin 122 engages the resilient arm portion 126 so that the head portion 24 is out of engagement with the toothed wheel 32. When a user starts squeezing the trigger 28 towards the handle 20, the resilient arm portion 126 is moved out of engagement with the pin 122. This allows the resilient arm portion 126 to flex in the general direction of the toothed wheel 32 to bring the head portion 124 into engagement with the toothed wheel. This is the position shown in FIG. 7. Once the head portion 124 is engaged with the toothed wheel 32, further movement of the trigger 28 towards the handle 20 causes anticlockwise rotation of the toothed wheel 32 as previously described. When the trigger 28 is released, it springs back towards the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 under the influence of the leaf spring 30 (FIG. 1). The configuration of the head portion 124 is such that it is able to ride over the teeth of the toothed wheel 32, which remains fixed in position by engagement with the teeth of the toothed member 34 (the toothed member 34 is held by the ratchet member 42). As the trigger 28 approaches the rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the resilient arm portion 126 engages the pin 122 and continued movement of the trigger to the rest position disengages the head portion 124 from the toothed wheel. The trigger 28 can be repeatedly squeezed in this way to clamp a pipe 16 in the pipe holder 18 and drive a flaring tool 14 into the end of the pipe.
When a pipe flaring operation is completed and the trigger 28 has been returned to the rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the toothed member 34 can be returned to the start position shown in FIG. 1, or the second flaring position defined by the engagement of the recess 45 with the step 44 on the ratchet member 42, by moving the ratchet member to one of its release positions. Because the head portion 124 of the ratchet arm 46 is disengaged from the toothed wheel 32, the toothed wheel is able to rotate freely in the clockwise direction as the toothed member 34 is rotated anticlockwise by the compression forces stored in the force transmitting member 63.
It will be appreciated that the pipe holder 18 can be easily removed from the pipe flaring apparatus by simply removing the screws by which it is held in the barrel and sliding it out of the barrel. This allows for pipe holders 18 adapted to clamp different sizes of pipe and/or pipe holders having jaw configurations that form different partial dies to be easily fitted to and removed from the pipe flaring apparatus. The pipe flaring apparatus can, therefore, be readily reconfigured to operate on different sizes of pipe and/or produce different shaped flares.
It will be understood that since the pipe flaring apparatus is hand powered and so does not need a source of hydraulic or pneumatic power, it is highly portable and can readily be used to form flares in the ends of pipes in situ. It is not therefore necessary to prepare pipes in a workshop environment and take them to the location at which they are to be assembled.
It will be appreciated that by providing a pipe holder having a number of circumferentially-spaced jaws that can be moved into clamping engagement with a pipe, it is possible to obtain a better grip than is obtainable with a two-part split die. This is particularly the case if the pipe is not perfectly round. The pipe holder may have any number of jaws, but preferably has at least three so as to make the pipe holder self-centering.
It will be understood that while the hand powered actuator 12 has application to a pipe flaring apparatus as described above, it can be used for other applications in which it desirable to be able to provide a pushing force on a tool or the like.
It will be understood that while the pipe holding assembly has application to a pipe flaring apparatus as described above, it has other applications. For example, a chuck could be formed by installing the assembly shown in FIG. 3 in a cylindrical housing having a region provided with external threading and having a sleeve provided with internal threading mounted on the cylindrical housing such that rotation of the sleeve relative to the housing causes and end region of the sleeve to press against the jaws in the manner of the pusher 52.

Claims

1: Pipe flaring apparatus comprising:

a pipe holder for holding a pipe such as to prevent axial movement of said pipe; and

a hand-powered actuator comprising a pivotably mounted lever operable to drive a tool carrier towards said pipe holder, a first toothed rotatable member mounted for rotation in response to movement of said lever and a second toothed rotatable member that is rotatable in a first direction in response to rotation of said first toothed rotatable member for causing translational movement of said tool carrier towards said pipe holder,

wherein said first toothed rotatable member comprises an arcuate portion provided with teeth, said second toothed rotatable member comprises at least one arcuate portion provided with teeth, said first toothed rotatable member arcuate portion has a radius and said at least one arcuate portion of said second toothed rotatable member has a radius greater than said radius of said first toothed rotatable member.

2-3. (canceled)

4. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein rotation of said second toothed rotatable member in said first direction causes a closing force to be applied to said pipe holder.

5. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising a rotation preventing device for selectively preventing rotation of said second toothed rotatable member in a second direction that is opposite to said first direction, said second toothed rotatable member being provided with a stop and said rotation preventing device being selectively engagable with said stop to stop rotation of said second toothed rotatable member in said second direction at a position in which said closing force is applied to said pipe holder and said tool carrier is spaced from said pipe holder to permit tool changing.

6. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein rotation of said second rotatable member is transmitted to said tool carrier by a crank arm pivotably connected with said second toothed rotatable member and a piston, said piston being operable to apply a force to said tool carrier to cause said translational movement in response to rotational movement of said second toothed rotatable member transmitted by said crank arm.

7. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein operation of said lever provides a closing force for closing said pipe holder and a driving force for driving said tool carrier towards said pipe holder, said closing force and said driving force being directed substantially in line with a longitudinal axis of said pipe holder.

8. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pipe holder comprises a support having an internal space for receiving said pipe and a plurality of jaws mounted to said support for axial and radial movement relative to said support, wherein axial movement of said jaws away from said tool carrier causes said jaws to move radially inwardly of said support for engaging and holding said pipe.

10. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein each jaw is a plate member.

11. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein each said jaw comprises an end region shaped to define a partial pipe flaring die.

12. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support comprises a plurality of interengaging plates that form a support frame for said plurality of jaws.

13. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a biasing device for biasing said tool carrier away from said pipe holder.

14. Hand held pipe flaring apparatus comprising:

a hand powered trigger-action actuator for generating a drive force applied to a pipe flaring tool for driving said pipe flaring tool into an end of a pipe; and

a fixed handle,

wherein said trigger-action actuator comprises:

a trigger squeezable towards said handle to generate said drive force, said trigger and handle being arranged to permit one handed operation of said trigger-action actuator;

meshing toothed members for converting movement of said trigger towards said handle into a drive torque; and

a torque converting mechanism for converting said drive torque into said drive force and applying said drive force to said pipe flaring tool, said drive force acting to cause translational movement of said pipe flaring tool that drives said pipe flaring tool into said end of said pipe.

15-16. (canceled)

17. Hand held pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 14, comprising a pipe clamp for clamping said pipe to prevent axial movement thereof, said torque converting mechanism applying said drive force to said pipe clamp to cause clamping of said pipe.

18. Pipe flaring apparatus comprising:

a tool holder for at least one pipe flaring tool, a pipe holder,

a hand powered actuator for generating a force for causing said pipe holder to hold a pipe therein and said tool holder to move to positions at which a pipe flaring tool held by said tool holder engages an end of said pipe,

at least one biasing device for biasing said pipe holder to an open position and said tool holder in a direction away from said pipe holder and

a user operable control device for allowing movement of said tool holder under an influence of said at least one biasing device to disengage said pipe while preventing opening of said pipe holder.

19. A method of flaring an end of a pipe by operation of a pipe flaring apparatus that comprises a pipe holder that is biased to an open position, a pipe flaring tool that is biased away from said pipe holder, a trigger and a stop, said method comprising:

operating said trigger to close said pipe holder onto an end region of a pipe and produce a hand powered driving force acting in an axial direction of said pipe that drives said pipe flaring tool into said end of said pipe; and

operating said stop to permit said pipe flaring tool to be biased away from said pipe holder to permit tool changing while preventing opening of said pipe holder.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, comprising pulling said trigger towards a handle grip to produce said driving force.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising gripping said handle grip and trigger in one hand to operate said trigger.

22-23. (canceled)

24. Pipe flaring apparatus comprising:

a hand-powered actuator comprising a pivotably mounted lever operable to drive a tool carrier towards said pipe holder,

wherein said pipe holder comprises a support having a longitudinal axis and defining an internal space for receiving said pipe and a plurality of jaws mounted to said support for axial and radial movement relative to said support, and

wherein movement of said jaws away from said tool carrier causes said jaws to move radially inwardly of said support for engaging and holding said pipe.

25. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein each jaw is connected to said support by two spaced apart links to define a four bar linkage.

26. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein each jaw is a plate member.

27. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein each said jaw comprises an end region shaped to define a partial pipe flaring die.

28. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said support comprises a plurality of interengaging plates that form a support frame for said plurality of jaws.

29. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, comprising a biasing device for biasing said tool carrier away from said pipe holder.

30. Pipe flaring apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein operation of said lever provides a closing force for closing said pipe holder and a driving force for driving said tool carrier towards said pipe holder, said closing force and said driving force being directed substantially in line with said longitudinal axis of said support.