EP1357816B1 - Combined tools for countersinking and inserting pins - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a combined tool for countersinking or inserting pins is essentially shaped like a pliers, comprising a handle and a lever articulated about a pin, the ends of the handles, respectively of the lever, opposite to the ends forming hand grips, bearing a body for receiving the object portion provided with the pin to be countersunk or inserted and an end portion adapted to actuate a pin-punch or a pin-pusher located in a housing of said body. The combined tool is particularly designed to countersink or insert a pin connecting two successive links of a bracelet.

Description

The present invention relates to a combined tool for driving and introducing pins, including pins connecting articulated objects to each other, in particular links of a bracelet and especially a watch band.

Currently there are bracelets made of several links, metal or plastic, articulated to each other by pins, including watchbands. It is therefore a problem when it is necessary to adapt the length of this kind of bracelet. Indeed, to shorten or lengthen such a bracelet must be removed or add one or more links, which requires the removal or addition of at least one pin. The operation of removing or adding a pin is a delicate operation that requires a particular material, the bracelet to be maintained during these operations.

The device described in DE-A-41 25 506 attempts to provide a solution to this problem. This solution is not satisfactory because, to chase a pin, it is necessary to rotate a pusher, while maintaining the bracelet in a specific position. In addition, this device is suitable only for a single pin diameter, then being necessary to have a special device for each pin diameter.

CH-A-689 993 discloses a device for the fitting and repair of bracelets. This device is relatively complete to allow the execution of different operations on bracelets link, but it is difficult to use, requiring time for both the withdrawal of a pin. Indeed, with this device, it is necessary to place the bracelet between two shoulders, the pin being then pushed by a screw means operated by hand.

A first object of the invention is to provide an improved tool over known tools and devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple tool, cheap to manufacture, easy to use, which allows to quickly adjust a link bracelet to the desired length.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple tool, to quickly remove and put a pin connecting two consecutive links of a bracelet, without having to turn any key, screw, bolt or button.

These different purposes are achieved by a combined tool, having the features mentioned in claim 1.

Alternative embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

• la figure 1 représente schématiquement un outil selon l'invention selon une forme d'exécution préférentielle,
• les figures 1a et 1b représentent respectivement une vue de face selon la flèche A et une vue de dessus selon la flèche B, de l'outil représenté à la figure 1,
• la figure 2 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe d'un organe prévu pour chasser les goupilles pour l'outil représenté la figure 1,
• la figure 3 représente schématiquement un organe prévu pour introduire les goupilles pour l'outil représenté à la figure 1,
• les figures 4a, b, c et d représentent des cales pour l'outil représenté à la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood, its advantages and features will appear more clearly on reading the description of an embodiment given by way of example, of a combined tool for driving and introducing pins according to the invention, with reference to the appended drawing including the figures where:

• FIG. 1 schematically represents a tool according to the invention according to a preferred embodiment,
• FIGS. 1a and 1b respectively represent a front view along arrow A and a view from above according to arrow B, of the tool represented in FIG.
• FIG. 2 schematically represents a sectional view of a member provided for driving the pins for the tool represented in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 diagrammatically represents a member provided for introducing the pins for the tool represented in FIG.
• Figures 4a, b, c and d represent shims for the tool shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1, 1a and 1b, a combined tool for driving and introducing pins, for example those connecting two successive links of a bracelet, comprises, in the embodiment shown, a body 1, having a shape inscribed essentially in a parallelepiped and having an angular U-shaped housing, bounded by the faces 7 ', 23 and 7, intended to receive the two successive links of a bracelet to disassemble or assemble by means of a pin. The body 1 is adjacent to a handle 2, forming a first handle, and is fixed thereto, in the embodiment shown, by its end opposite to that provided with the U-shaped housing.

The handle 2, which in this embodiment is of circular section, has, at a location close to the body 1, a slot 29 for receiving a lever 3 in the shape of an elongated S, forming a second handle 5 of rectangular section and articulated, relative to the handle 2, by an axis or a pin 6, the handle 2 and the lever 3 then forming the two handles 2 and 5 of a clamp. It is clear that other shapes than those described above can be envisaged for both handles, for example by inverting the circular and rectangular sections or by having two handles of rectangular section.

The lever 3 has, at the end of its portion 4 opposite that forming the handle 5, a portion 30 adapted by actuation of the clamp to bear on one end of a member 26 or 27, the details of construction, the operation and the utility are described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The body 1 further comprises a hollow passage or a cylindrical housing 25 whose axis is located parallel to the plane of operation of the two handles 2 and 5 of the clamp and parallel to the plane of the face 23 of the U-shaped housing. housing 25 is intended to receive a pin punch 26 as described in Figure 2 or a pin pusher 27 as described in Figure 3.

As seen in Figure 1a, the body 1 has a front face 9, rectangular in the embodiment shown, comprising a groove 8 at its upper part and through the side 7 of the U-shaped housing. The groove 8 is aligned with the axis of the housing 25 mentioned above.

In addition, the body 1, as shown here, comprises on its face opposite to the face 9, a support element 24, arranged parallel to the axis of the housing 25, intended to cooperate with said portion 30 to grip by pinching a pin partially driven out of its housing.

Figure 2 shows schematically a section of a pin punch 26 provided for the combined tool described above. This pin punch comprises a hollow cylinder 10 whose outer diameter is just below that of housing 25, so as to be introduced. An end 13 of the cylinder 10 is preferably of conical shape, so as to be placed as close as possible to the pin to be driven, so as to limit the buckling of the needle 12. The cylinder 10 comprises over its entire length, a axial drilling in which slides a rod 11, provided at its end with a needle 12. A spring 14, placed between the end of the cylinder 10 opposite the end 13 and a head 28 of the rod 11 disposed at the end opposite to that provided with the needle 12, maintains the rod 11, respectively the tip of the needle 12 recessed relative to the tip of the conical end 13 of the pin flange 26.

There are several pin punches 26 as described above, each having a needle 12 of a given diameter, designed to drive a pin of a given diameter.

Figure 3 schematically shows a pin driver 27 provided for the combined tool described above. This pin-driver comprises a cylindrical body 15, whose diameter is just smaller than that of the housing 25, one end of said cylindrical body having a head 31 intended to bear against a spring 16, the other end having a flat part intended to come squeeze the pin to place.

FIGS. 4a and 4b show two views of a shim 20, provided for parallel links, and intended to be arranged in the U-shaped housing in order to adapt the shape and dimensions of the latter to the shape and dimensions of the bracelet. As can be seen in FIG. 4a, the wedge 20 has the shape of an inverted U, whose upper face of the upper portion 32 has a groove 18, the two wings 19 being slightly inclined towards the inside of the U, so as to be able to pinch the shim 20 on the body 1.

Figures 4c and 4d show shims 21 and 22 respectively provided for trapezoid links and links having a curved portion.

Other forms of wedges can be envisaged according to the shape of the links to work. It will preferably have several shims of different thicknesses, provided for links of different dimensions.

Preferably the body 1 will be made of a relatively soft material, for example plastic, so as not to scratch the objects deposited on him, including the links of a bracelet.

In order to drive out a pin connecting two links of a bracelet, the first choice is the pin punch 26 provided with the needle 12 whose diameter is adapted to that of the pin to be driven and is introduced into the housing 25, so that its conical end 13 protrudes into the U-shaped housing of the body 1. The action of the spring 14 tends to separate the two handles 2 and 5, the needle 12 being for the moment entirely set back relatively at the tip of the conical end 13. Then the wedge 20, 21 or 22 adapted to the shape and dimensions of the links in the U-shaped housing of the body 1 is placed and then the portion of the bracelet comprising the pin to be driven into said housing, all this so that the needle 12, the pin to drive, the groove 18 of the wedge and the groove 8 of the body 1 are aligned. Then tightening the two handles 2 and 5 of the clamp, the needle 12 is pushed out of the cylinder 10 by the rod 11 and comes to drive the pin which faces out of its housing, said pin being then guided along the grooves 18 and 8 aligned. By loosening the clamp, the needle 12 withdraws inside the cylinder 10 under the action of the spring 14, it then becomes possible to remove the bracelet having two links still connected by a pin partially extracted. This can be completely extracted, either by pinching it between two fingers, or by keeping it between the head 30 and the support piece 24 and by tightening the two handles 2 and 5 of the clamp.

To introduce a pin in order to fix two consecutive links of a bracelet, the first push pin 27 in the housing 25, the action of the spring 16 tending to separate the two handles 2 and 5. Then place the bracelet portion comprising the two links to be joined by a pin, the introduction of the latter in its housing between the two links being just initiated, so that the pin projecting is directed towards the pin push 27, then in tightening the two handles 2 and 5 of the clamp, it just press the end of the pin-driver 27 against the projecting end of the pin, pushing it in its housing between the two links of the bracelet.

The combined tool has been described above according to a preferred embodiment, it is understood that other forms or alternative embodiments may be envisaged. Similarly, the combined tool as described can be used to drive or remove a pin connecting two successive parts of any object, this object can be a bracelet consisting of links connected by pins, this bracelet can in particular be a Many other uses of such a combined tool are also conceivable, for example the assembly or disassembly of roller chains.

Claims (10)

1. A combined tool for retrieving and for inserting pins, including a body (1) exhibiting a housing (7, 23, 7') which has the shape of a U and which is designed for receiving a portion of the object from which a pin is to be retrieved or into which a pin is to be inserted, characterised in that it includes additionally a handle (2) and a lever (3) pivotally connected via an axis (6) to thus form pliers including a first hand grip (2) and a second hand grip (5), said body being fixed to the part of the handle (2) extending from said first hand grip, said body comprising a cylindrical housing (25) having a longitudinal axis in a plane running parallel to the plane of actuation of said hand grips of the pliers and in a plane running parallel to a face (23) of the bottom of said U-shaped housing, said cylindrical housing being capable of receiving a removable portion of said tool, which can either be designed as a component part (26) for retrieving a pin or as a component part (27) for inserting a pin, and said component parts (26 ; 27), when placed in said housing (25) being actuated by a component part (4) of the lever (3) extending from said second hand grip (5).
2. A combined tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the body (1) fixed to the part of the handle extending from the first hand grip (2) comprises an abutment component part (24), whereas the component part (4) of the lever (3) extending from the second hand grip (5) includes an end portion (30), said abutment component part and said end portion being capable of moving towards each other when said hand grips are drawn together, thus enabling the gripping of an object and, in particular, of a pin.
3. A combined tool according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the removable part of the tool, which is designed as a component part (26) for retrieving a pin, includes a cylinder (10) comprising a longitudinal bore, a rod (11) which carries a needle (12) extending therefrom and which is capable of sliding in said bore, a spring means (14) provided for withdrawing the rod, respectively the needle, inside said longitudinal bore, said spring means being further capable - when said component part for retrieving a pin is installed in the cylindrical housing (25) of the body (3) - of urging the two hand grips (2, 5) into their spaced apart position.
4. A combined tool according to claim 3, characterised in that the end (13) of the removable tool portion designed as a component part (26) for retrieving a pin, which end protrudes into the U-shaped housing of the body (1), has a conical shape.
5. A combined tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes several removable tool portions designed as component parts for retrieving a pin, each one of said removable portions being provided with a needle (12) of a diameter adapted to that of the pin to be retrieved.
6. A combined tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the removable tool portion designed as a component part (27) for inserting a pin includes a cylinder (15) and a spring means (16) abutting against a head (31) provided at one end of said cylinder, the spring means being capable - when said component part for inserting a pin is installed in the cylindrical housing (25) of the body (1) - of keeping the two hand grips (2, 5) in a spaced apart position.
7. A combined tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further includes a plurality of securing devices (20, 21, 22) of various shapes and dimensions, designed for being placed in the U-shaped housing to adapt the shape and the dimensions of the object from which a pin is to be retrieved or into which a pin is to be inserted, to those of the U-shaped housing.
8. A combined tool according to claim 7, characterised in that the upper face of the portion (7) of the body (1) forming a leg of the U-shaped housing which is at the opposite of the leg provided with the cylindrical housing, as well as the upper face of a central portion (32) of the securing devices (20, 21, 22) have a groove (8, 18) aligned with the needle (12).
9. Use of a combined tool according to one of the preceding claims for inserting or for retrieving a pin holding together two successive component parts of an object, respectively two successive links of a bracelet and, in particular, of a bracelet of a wristwatch.
10. A combined tool according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the body (1) is made of a material of a hardness, which is lesser than that of the constituent material of said object, respectively of the bracelet.

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