GB2092505A

GB2092505A - Pliers for fastening an exhaust conduit to a vehicle exhaust pipe

Info

Publication number: GB2092505A
Application number: GB8203896A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: NEDERMAN BILL P PH
Current assignee: NEDERMAN BILL P PH
Priority date: 1981-02-10
Filing date: 1982-02-10
Publication date: 1982-08-18
Also published as: IT8220799V0; IT1149604B; DE3204461A1; ES8302849A1; FR2499624B3; SE8100910L; DK54482A; FR2499624A3; IT8219572A0; ES509493A0

Abstract

The pliers (6) is intended to hold the exhaust conduit (4) at the exhaust pipe (1) in order to lead away exhaust gases while the vehicle is moving and whereby the grip of the pliers (6) on the exhaust pipe (1) is releasable by pull means (26) located between an exhaust nozzle and a lever (25) when the vehicle has moved a certain distance. In order to provide a pliers permitting instantaneous manual release in a simple fashion, releasing means (21) is provided to release a clamping handle (15) from a locking position clamping the pliers (6) to the exhaust pipe (1) in order to release the grip of the pliers (6) on the exhaust pipe (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pliers for fastening an exhaust conduit to a vehicle exhaust pipe The present invention relates to pliers for fastening an exhaust conduit to an exhaust pipe on a vehicle.

In previously known pliers for the abovementioned purpose, spring means is used for providing the gripping force. It has been noted that the spring means must be designed and arranged to provide substantial gripping forces, but with increasing gripping forces the more serious the injuries may be if one is caught in the spring-extending lever of the pliers, which can happen when one is trying manually to release the grip of the pliers.

According to the present invention there is provided pliers for fastening the exhaust conduit to a vehicle exhaust pipe, characterized by manually operable releasing means arranged to release a clamping lever of the pliers from a locking position clamping the pliers to the exhaust pipe in order to release the grip of the pliers on the exhaust pipe.

The invention also provides pliers for fastening an exhaust conduit to the end of a vehicle exhaust pipe, comprising a pair of jaws which are pivotally connected together, one of the jaws having a handle fixed thereto and the other jaw having a clamping lever pivotally connected thereto about an axis parallel to that of the pivotal interconnection of the jaws, an arm having one end thereof connected to said handle for pivotal movement and for sliding movement lengthwise of the handle towards and away from a stop which limits the extent of movement of said one end in a direction away from said pivotal interconnection of the jaws, one said arm being pivotally connected to the clamping lever, the arrangement being such that movement of the clamping lever towards the handle moves said other jaw towards said one jaw with an over-centre locking action into a locking position snd a release member operable manually to move the clamping lever out of its position corresponding to the locking position of the jaws.

The invention will be further described below with reference by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a pair of pliers according to the invention in their fastened and released conditions, Figure 2 is a side view showing the pliers connected to an exhaust pipe and arranged on an exhaust nozzle; and Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the pliers in open condition.

Referring to the drawings, the end portion of an exhaust pipe 1 of a vehicle (not shown) is illustrated, which vehicle is intended to move in the direction of arrow A through, for example, a motor vehicle inspection workshop. In the workshop exhaust rails 2 are provided along which nozzles 3 may be displaced in the direction of arrow B. Each nozzle 3 is provided with an exhaust hose 4 with an exhausthose nozzle 5 and pliers 6 for fastening the exhausthose nozzle 5 relative to the exhaust pipe 1 such that the exhaust gases are efficiently sucked away via the exhaust hose 4.

The pliers 6 include a primary part 7 forming one jaw 8 and one handle 9, and a mounting plate 10 by means of which the pliers are mounted on a pipe socket 11. The exhaust hose 4 and the exhaust-hose nozzle 5 are connected to opposite sides of the socket 11.

The other jaw 13 of the pliers is pivotally connected by a pin 12 to the primary part 7 and has the second handle 15 of the pliers pivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin 14. A lever 17 is pivotally connected to the handle 15 by a pin 16 and slides in a groove 18 (see Figure 3) in the handle 9. The handle 9 has at its free end a threaded socket in which an adjusting screw 19 is engaged, the purpose of which is to provide adjustable stop means for the lever 17 for varying the gripping travel of the pliers. A lock-nut 20 holds screw 19 in the selected position of adjustment.

The pliers are so dimensioned that when pressing the handles 9, 15 towards each other, while the pliers are gripping the wall of the exhaust pipe 1, a certain resistance must be overcome until a neutral position for the force is reached, beyond which the handles 9, 15 snap together (in the direction of arrow C) with an over-centre action and remain in this position. The pliers are now sufficiently rigidly attached to the exhaust pipe 1 to ensure that the exhaust-hose nozzle 5 does not accidentally become displaced from its operating position when the vehicle is standing still and the pliers do not release their grip on the exhaust pipe 1 when they are loaded by forces which are normally generated when the vehicle pulls the exhaust hose 4 during its move mentthrough said area.

The pliers 6 may be released by pressing down (arrow D) with the thumb the forward part of a manual releasing means 21 which is pivotally connected by a pin 22 to the handle 15 and thereby moves the forward part 23 of the lever 17 in the direction of arrow D, causing the handle 15 to move in the opposite direction (arrow E) so that the pliers 6 are released from the exhaust pipe 1.

The illustrated construction enables the required gripping effect to be obtained on exhaust pipes 1 having various wall thickness, and in Figure 1 the pliers are shown in a position firmly gripping the wall of the exhaust pipe. In orderto maintain the good gripping effect but still ensure that the pliers 6 and thus, the exhaust hose 4 with associated parts, are automatically released when the vehicle leaves the area which is equipped with the exhaust device 2, the primary part 7 of the pliers has pivotally connected thereto by a pin 24 a trigger-like grip releasing means 25. This grip releasing means 25 has on one side of the link point 24 a pulling means 26, which extends inside the exhaust hose 4 to the nozzle 3 and has a length such as to prevent the exhaust hose 4 from being unduly extended.In other words, the pulling means 26 (a wire or other suitable means) is as long as or shorter than the exhaust hose 4. The pulling means 26 also has a length such as to permit movement of the vehicle without risk of causing the pliers 6 to loosen until the vehicle has reached a position at which the pliers 6 are to be released. As the vehicle moves towards this position, the pulling means 26 is extended more and more and when it reaches said position, the releasing means 25 is caused to pivot in the direction of arrows F and G, which in turn causes the releasing means 25 to move the lever 17 in the direction of arrow H and thereby the handle 15 in the direction of arrow E. The handle 15 in turn pivots the jaw 13 in the direction of arrow K, whereby the distance between the jaws 8, 13 increases and the grip of the pliers 6 on the exhaust pipe 1 is immediately loosened. The various parts of the pliers 6 are thus moved into the positions shown in broken lines in Figure 1, and the pliers are kept open by the spring 27 connected between points 28 and 29 on jaw 13 and releasing means 25 respectively.

The exhaust conduit may be of a type other than an exhaust hose and it may comprise an exhaust hose or other tubular element connected to a reel device instead of a nozzle on an exhaust rail. The pulling means may also be of a different type to that illustrated and may be placed inside or completely or partially outside the exhaust conduit. The construction of the pliers 6 may also vary, e.g. the lever 17 may have a stop portion 30 for bringing the hand releasing means 21 to its starting position.

Claims

1. Pliers for fastening the exhaust conduit to a vehicle exhaust pipe, characterized by manually operable releasing means arranged to release a clamping lever of the pliers from a locking position clamping the pliers to the exhaust pipe in order to release the grip of the pliers on the exhaust pipe.

2. Pliers according to claim 1, wherein the releasing means cooperates with an adjusting device for setting the gap between the jaws of the pliers.

3. Pliers according to claim 2, wherein said adjusting device comprises adjusting means mounted on a clamping handle of the pliers.

4. Pliers according to any one of the preceding claims wherein spring means is arranged to bias the jaws of the pliers into an open position.

5. Pliers according to claim 4, wherein the spring means cooperates with a lever forming part of a means for releasing the grip of the pliers.

6. Pliers for fastening an exhaust conduit to the end of a vehicle exhaust pipe, comprising a pair of jaws which are pivotally connected together, one of the jaws having a handle fixed thereto and the other jaw having a clamping lever pivotally connected thereto about an axis parallel to that of the pivotal interconnection of the jaws, an arm having one end thereof connected to said handle for pivotal movement and for sliding movement lengthwise of the handle towards and away from a stop which limits the extent of movement of said one end in a direction away from said pivotal interconnection of the jaws, one said arm being pivotally connected to the clamping lever, the arrangement being such that movement of the clamping lever towards the handle moves said other jaw towards said one jaw with an over-centre locking action into a locking position and a release member operable manually to move the clamping lever out of its position corresponding to the locking position of the jaws.

7. Pliers as claimed in claim 6, wherein the position of said stop is adjustable lengthwise of the handle.

8. Pliers as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the release member acts on said arm so as to release the over-centre locking action.

9. Pliers as claimed in claim 8, wherein the release member comprises a lever member pivotally connected at one end to the clamping lever and having its other end arranged for engagement with an extension of said arm beyond the pivotal connection of the arm to the clamping lever.

10. Pliers as claimed in any one of claims 6to 9 wherein spring means is provided urging the jaws into an open position.

11. Pliers as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10, further comprising a second release lever which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said handle and which has one end arranged to engage said arm at a location between said one end of the arm and the pivotal connection of the arm to the clamping lever, whereby said one end of the release lever is operable to move the arm to release the over-centre locking action.

12. Pliers as claimed in claim 11 in conjunction with claim 10, wherein said spring means comprises a tension spring connected between said otherjaw.