Piping system drain down tool

Abstract

A piping system drain down tool allows for a controlled draining of any pipe or piping system in a safe, efficient and professional manner. Current methods for draining piping systems is messy, time-consuming and uncontrolled. The piping system drain down tool includes a boring shaft that can turn to penetrate a pipe clamped into the tool. A seal prevents water from leaking and directs draining water out through the tool and through a valve and a hose connector, where a hose can be connected to direct flow of the draining water. The tool can also be used to create a water supply tap at any location within a water system.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A plumbing tool comprising:
 an upper clamp body and a lower clamp body hingedly attached to the upper clamp body, inner surfaces of the clamp bodies defining a pipe clamp surface region, the tool comprising a pipe seal that extends outwardly from the inner surface of the upper clamp body;   a main valve body coupled to the upper clamp body, the main valve body defining a first passageway that extends through the pipe seal and into the pipe clamp surface region and a second passageway that extends transverse to the first passageway; and   a boring shaft movably disposed within the first passageway, the boring shaft being operable to press against a pipe disposed inside the pipe clamp surface region.   
     
     
         11 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the pipe clamp surface region forms a generally round shape having an inside diameter that is about the same as an outside diameter of the pipe. 
     
     
         12 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the inner surface of the lower clamp body is continuously curved from a first end surface of the lower clamp body to a second end surface of the lower clamp body. 
     
     
         13 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the upper clamp body comprises a third end surface that engages the first end surface and a fourth end surface that engages the second end surface when the upper clamp body is closed against the lower clamp body. 
     
     
         14 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the inner surface of the lower clamp body is smooth and free of any projections. 
     
     
         15 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the boring shaft comprises a stop ring extending from an outer surface thereof, the stop ring being configured to engage the main valve body to limit the distance the boring shaft can extend into the main valve body. 
     
     
         16 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the boring shaft has a cutting edge configured to create a cylindrical hole in the pipe. 
     
     
         17 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the boring shaft comprises a helical cutting edge extending from an outer surface of the boring shaft. 
     
     
         18 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the passageways are in communication with one another, the second passageway extending perpendicular to the first passageway. 
     
     
         19 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the main valve body comprises a first portion that includes the first passageway and a second portion that includes the second passageway, wherein a hose connector is coupled to the second portion, the hose connector comprising a threaded outer surface and defining a third passageway that is in communication with the second passageway. 
     
     
         20 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a shaft seal and a shaft seal nut sealing the boring shaft to the main valve body, the shaft seal nut being coupled directly to the main valve body. 
     
     
         21 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the upper and lower clamp bodies each comprise spaced apart flanges that define an aperture therebetween, one of the flanges of the upper clamp body being disposed in the aperture of the lower clamp body and one of the flanges of the lower clamp body being disposed in the aperture of the upper clamp body. 
     
     
         22 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising first and second threaded securing swivel rods swiveling from the upper clamp body and connecting into a channel formed in the lower clamp body to secure the upper clamp body closed against the lower clamp body. 
     
     
         23 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 22 , wherein a first swivel pin extends through the first threaded securing swivel rod and a second swivel pin extends through the second threaded securing swivel rod, the first and second swivel pins extending through the upper clamp body such that the first and second threaded securing swivel rods are pivotable about the first and second swivel pins. 
     
     
         24 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 22 , wherein:
 the boring shaft defines a longitudinal axis; and   the first and second threaded securing swivel rods each extend parallel to the longitudinal axis when the upper clamp body is closed against the lower clamp body.   
     
     
         25 . A plumbing tool as recited in  claim 22 , wherein:
 the boring shaft defines a longitudinal axis; and   the channels each extend parallel to the longitudinal axis when the upper clamp body is closed against the lower clamp body.   
     
     
         26 . A system comprising:
 a pipe; and   a plumbing tool comprising:
 an upper clamp body and a lower clamp body hingedly attached to the upper clamp body, inner surfaces of the clamp bodies defining a pipe clamp surface region having a generally round shape, the pipe being disposed within the pipe clamp surface region, the pipe clamp surface region having an inside diameter that is about the same as an outside diameter of the pipe, the tool comprising a pipe seal that extends outwardly from the inner surface of the upper clamp body, 
 a main valve body coupled to the upper clamp body, the main valve body defining a first passageway that extends through the pipe clamp surface region and the pipe seal and a second passageway that extends transverse to the first passageway, and 
 a boring shaft movably disposed within the first passageway, the boring shaft being configured to create a cylindrical hole in the pipe. 
   
     
     
         27 . A system as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the main valve body comprises a first portion that includes the first passageway and a second portion that includes the second passageway, wherein the system further comprises a hose connector coupled to the second portion, the hose connector defining a third passageway that is in communication with the second passageway. 
     
     
         28 . A system as recited in  claim 27 , further comprising a hose having a threaded inner surface that engages a threaded outer surface of the hose connector. 
     
     
         29 . A plumbing tool comprising:
 an upper clamp body and a lower clamp body hingedly attached to the upper clamp body, concave inner surfaces of the clamp bodies defining a pipe clamp surface region, the inner surface of the upper clamp body having a continuous radius of curvature that is equal to that of the inner surface of the lower clamp body such that the inner surfaces form a pathway having a circular cross section when the upper clamp body is closed against the lower clamp body, the tool comprising a pipe seal that extends outwardly from the inner surface of the upper clamp body;   a main valve body coupled directly to the upper clamp body, the main valve body defining a first passageway that extends through the pipe seal and into the pipe clamp surface region and a second passageway that extends transverse to the first passageway; and   a boring shaft movably disposed within the first passageway, the boring shaft comprising a helical cutting edge extending from an outer surface of the boring shaft, the boring shaft being configured to create a cylindrical hole in a pipe positioned within the pipe clamp surface region.