Device and Method for Broken Extractor Removal

Abstract

A device and method of extracting a broken extractor are provided. The fastener extractor includes a shaft with a pre-formed center hole situated longitudinally and interiorly in the fastener extractor. An extractor removal tool is provided that is pre-formed to engage the pre-formed center hole in the extractor for removing a broken extractor and debri.

Claims

1. A fastener extractor comprising: a shaft defining a longitudinal axis: a shaft member comprised of steel having a head with engagement opening and a distal broach end, said engagement opening being a machined and pre-formed center hole positioned interiorly and longitudinally through a center of the extractor shaft; the pre-formed center hole having a plurality of surfaces further comprised of various shapes depending on application and being a through hole that extends through the distal end of the extractor broach end; and where in said through hole defines a passage adapted to be engaged with an extractor removal tool for removing a broken extractor from a broken fastener; and said shaft being conical or polygonal with a plurality of gripping or biting surfaces arid edges along the longitudinal axis being the broach end utilized to engage a drilled hole in a fastener to be removed; and the head having a plurality of surfaces and ridges exteriorly adapted to be engaged with a wrench or other hand tool to forcibly engage the extractor into a drilled hole in a broken fastener to be removed.

2. An extractor removal tool comprising: a shaft defining a longitudinal axis: a shaft member comprised of low carbon steel or alloy also being magnetized, having a head with a plurality of surfaces and ridges adapted to be engaged with a wrench or other hand tool with the shaft exterior having a machined and pre-formed shape conformed to fill the void of a fastener extractor with a pre-formed center hole; and said head having a center hole pre-formed to engage on the shaft and allow the head to slide freely on the shaft; and the shaft member having a length such that when positioned in a downward most position within the fastener extractor with pre-formed center hole, extends above the head of the extractor when in the seated or stored position; and said shaft member having a head keeper to alleviate the head from sliding off a top of the shaft; and said shaft member having a rotational direction opposite of the fastener extractor.

3. A method of extracting a damaged extractor comprising: the absence of drilling an opening into the hardened steel of a broken extractor; providing a fastener extractor having a shaft defining a longitudinal axis; the shaft member of steel having a head with engagement opening and a distal broach end, with said engagement being a machined and pre-formed center hole positioned interiorly and longitudinally through a center of the extractor shaft, where the pre-formed center hole has a plurality of surfaces further comprised of various shapes depending on application and having a through hole that extends through the distal end of the extractor broach end, where in said through hole defines a passage adapted to be engaged with an extractor removal tool for removing a broken extractor from a broken fastener and, with said shaft being conical or polygonal with a plurality of gripping or biting surfaces and edges along the longitudinal axis being the broach end utilized to engage a drilled hole in a fastener to be removed, and the head having a plurality of surfaces and ridges exteriorly adapted to be engaged with a wrench or other hand tool to forcibly engage the extractor into a drilled hole in a broken fastener to be removed; and providing an extractor removal tool comprising; a shaft defining a longitudinal axis where the shaft member is comprised of low carbon steel or alloy also being magnetized, and having a head with a plurality of surfaces and ridges adapted to be engaged with a wrench or hand tool, with said head being able to slide freely along said shaft exterior, and said shaft member having a machined and pre-formed shape conformed to fill the void of a fastener extractor with a pre-formed center hole, where the shaft member has a length such that when positioned in a downward most position within the fastener extractor with pre-formed center hole, the extractor removal tool head extends above the head of the extractor when in a seated or stored position, and the extractor removal tool has a rotational direction opposite of the fastener extractor, and said shaft curtails the head at the top of the shaft with a thin flat steel head keeper attached to the top of said shaft.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein inserting the extractor removal tool into the broken fastener extractor with pre-formed center hole comprises rotating said extractor removal tool in a opposite direction said fastener extractor was applied to a broken fastener.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the current invention showing the extractor with a pre-formed square center through hole and spiral flutes.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view example of an extractor removal tool that is pre-formed to fit in the center hole of the extractor.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the current invention as a spiral fluted extractor showing the extractor removal tool stored in the extractor with pre-formed center through hole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the current invention, an extractor with a through pre-formed center hole 2 comprised of case hardened or heat treated steel having a pre-formed center hole 4 longitudinally located through the center of the extractor with an opening in the center of the head and the distal end. The fastener extractor with a through pre-formed center hole 2 having a head with a plurality of surfaces and ridges adapted to be engaged with a wrench or other hand tool of the like. The distal end being the tapered, broach end is comprised of various gripping teeth, edges, and surfaces on the exterior of the extractor used to grip a broken fastener. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a square extractor removal tool 6 and components. The extractor removal tool 6 having a longitudinal axis is further defined by having a sliding head 8, a head keeper 10, and a distal end shaft. The sliding head 8 of the square extractor removal tool 6 is formed with a through center hole engagable on the shaft of the extractor removal tool 6 and is able to slide freely on the shaft allowing the sliding head 8 to move closer to a bored component containing a broken fastener and broken extractor for ease in removing the broken extractor. Above the sliding head 8 attached to the shaft of the square extractor removal tool 6 is the head keeper 10 that is pictured as a thin round piece of steel permanently attached to the removal tool shaft in FIGS. 2 and 3, and utilized to stop the extractor removal tool shaft from sliding through the bottom of the sliding head 8. The extractor removal tool 6 seats and engages in the pre-formed center hole 4 of the extractor with through pre-formed center hole 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an extractor removal tool in its stored position 12 within the extractor with through pre-formed center hole 2. The various shaped extractor removal tools can be comprised of hard steel with lower carbon composition and is pre-formed in a manner so that when inserted into an extractor with a pre-formed center hole 2, it fills the void of the pre-formed center hole 4. The hard steel (ex. 4140 steel, alloys or the like there of) comprising the extractor removal tool's 6 shaft, sliding head 8, and head keeper 10 allows for the removal tool to flex rather than break but is rigid enough to grip or bite the interior walls of the extractor while being rotated to remove a broken extractor with a pre-formed center hole 4. The various extractor removal tools can also be magnetized to aide in the extractor and debri removal. The through pre-formed center hole 4 of the extractor, the extractor removal tool's 6 shaft, and through hole of the sliding head 8 can be machined or formed in a plurality of shapes including but not limited to: circle, square, cross, hexagon, octagon, ribbed, threaded, star, etc. Rotating the extractor removal tool 6 in the opposite direction the extractor was applied allows for easy removal of the broken extractor with pre-formed center hole. Once a broken extractor with pre-formed center hole 4 is removed from a broken fastener, the process is repeated using an unbroken extractor with a pre-formed hole 2 to remove the broken fastener.

[0022] Due to the case hardening or heat treating of the steel used to construct extractors, machining of the pre-formed center hole 4 must occur before the hardening process takes place in order to allow for easy and economical machining. It is assumed that one skilled in the art has knowledge of the aforementioned hardening process. While the present invention has been described in both summarized and detailed form, it is understood that the through pre-formed center hole 4, extractor removal tool's 6 shaft, and center hole in the sliding head 8 as seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 can be machined in various shapes (ex. hexagon, octagon, circle, cross, square and able to be ribbed or threaded etc.) and can be integrated into various types and brands of extractors without departing from the spirit of the invention.