GB2295344A

GB2295344A - Combination spanner

Info

Publication number: GB2295344A
Application number: GB9512622A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Michael Mcdade; Paul Biancheri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-11-25
Filing date: 1995-06-21
Publication date: 1996-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-21
Also published as: GB9423855D0; GB9512622D0; GB2295344B

Abstract

A combination wingbolt wingnut, and shackle spanner comprises a hollow metal handle 1 with a fixed rhomboid metal head 2 for wingbolts and the like, and a slot or slots 3 are provided for shackle pins. A hole may be incorporated in the back of the head to allow the shaft of a long bolt to pass through. The head of the tool 2 may incorporate a metal socket on the back, instead of a fixed handle, to allow the attachment of a standard ratchet handle. <IMAGE>

Description

Combination Wingbolt Wingnut. and Shackle SPanner This invention relates to a combination wingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner, a handtool.

Wingbolts are commonly used, for example in the entertainment lighting industry, to secure items, (for instance, theatre lanterns,) to bars or struts, (such as those found in theatres.) The shaft of the bolt is threaded, enabling it to be screwed tight to grip the bar, and the winged head of the bolt enables this tightening (and loosening) to be done by hand. In practice, however, it is not always possible to tighten these bolts sufficiently by hand alone, and people often employ an implement of some kind as a lever on the head of the bolt. Various implements are used in practice, and they often cause uneven stress on the wings.This often causes fracture of one or both of the wings, which can be dangerous, renders the wingbolt ineffective, and presents the user with the often difficult task of removing the bolt without a safe and secure method of gripping it.

Wingnuts are often used instead of other types of nuts, (such as hexagonal nuts,) in combination xvith a threaded bolt. They are often to be found in the entertainment industry as well as elsewhere, and as with wingbolts, it is sometimes necessary to tighten them more than can be achieved by hand. Specifically in theatres, they are commonly found at the point where a theatre lantern is joined to a hookclamp, (by which the lantern is hung from a lighting bar, and can be secured by means of a wingbolt as described above.) The use of this array enables the lantern to be s\vivelled and then "locked off' in the desired position. Since this locking off is critical in determining the focus of the lamp, it must be done tightly.Another common use ofingnuts is on scaffolding clamps, which clamp two bars together, for a variety of purposes. It is always desirable for safety reasons to tighten these wingnuts more than can be achieved by hand, and the implements that are used can often lead to danger or difficulty as described above.

Shackles are metal rings, (usually U-shaped or similar,) with a removable bar, known as the shackle pin, at one end. The pin is secured in the shackle by means of a threaded screw arrangement, and the assembled shackle used to close a loop of flexible material, such as chain, wire, or span sets, enabling heavy items to be attached by flexible means to lifting apparatus. For safety reasons the shackle pin must be tight, but it must also be able to be undone when lifting is completed. Since the head of a shackle pin is of necessity small, smooth, and with no projections, in order to reduce the risk of snagging on the lifting line, a handtool is often essential to ensure that the pin is tight, and subsequently when loosening is required.

The present invention enables all of these jobs to be done w ith one tool, and with increased safety.

With respect to wingbolts and wingnuts, these can be tightened and loosened with even distribution of force between the two wings of the bolt or nut, reducing the risk of fracture. The closed head of this tool provides that should fracture of the wings indeed occur, the user is protected by the tool from the sharp edges that would result, and the likelihood that loose pieces of the broken bolt or nut would cause injury to a third party by falling free is greatly reduced.

With respect to shackle pins, it provides a simple but effective means of applying extra torque, without the necessity of carrying a separate tool.

Particularly in the entertainment industry, where such jobs are often done off-ground, or in limited space, the safety aspects of the present invention, including its potential for hands-free portability as well as those already mentioned, are particularly useful, and the combination of functions provides the user with the convenience of carrying fewer tools.

According to the present invention there is provided a combination wingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner, comprising, in its normal embodiment, a hollow metal handle xv,ith a fixed rhomboid metal head, and a slot or slots cut to fit the head of a shackle pin. A hole may be provided in the back of the head to allow the shaft of a bolt to pass through, An alternative embodiment of the tool comprises a rhomboid metal head as described above, with a metal socket on the back to allow a ratchet handle, (of the standard type normally found in common "socket sets,") to be attached.

Specific embodiments of the invention \chill now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 represents the tool, face up, with a transverse head; Figure 2 represents the tool, face up, with a longitudinal head; Figure 3 repre'sents the tool, face up, uith a slimmer handle; Figure 4 represents the tool, face doxvn, xvith multiple shackle pin slots in alternative positions.

Figure 5 represents the tool, face down, with a larger drilled hole in the back of the head.

Figure 6 represents the tool, face down, in its ratchet-socket embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, the tool nonnally comprises a hollow metal handle 1 with a fixed rhomboid metal head 2, which is enclosed on all but one face. The head is designed to be placed over the wingbolt or wingnut that is to be tightened or loosened.

A slot or slots 3, (positions and number may vary,) is cut to fit over the head of a shackle pin, for loosening or tightening. Small holes 4, 5, and 6 (positions and numbers may vary,) enable rings to be attached whereby the tool can be hooked on to the belt or slung around the shoulders of the user. A larger hole 7 in the back of the head may be incorporated, as in Figure 5, to allow the shaft of a bolt to pass through where this is necessary for the head to reach a wingnut. Although not essential to the tool's function, a comfortable slip-resistant grip 8 has been added to the handle.

In its ratchet-socket embodiment, the tool comprises a metal rhomboid head 2, with a metal socket 9 on the back, (instead of the handle,) and any other features as described above.

Claims

Claims:

1. A combination wingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner comprising a rhomboid metal head, and a slot cut to fit the head of a shackle pin.

2. A combination wingbolt, xvingnut, and shackle spanner as claimed in Claim 1 with a fixed hollow metal handle.

3. A combination wingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner as claimed in Claim 1 with a metal socket to allow the attachment of a ratchet handle.

4. A combination xvingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner as claimed in Claim 2 with a hole drilled in the back of the head to allow the shaft of a bolt to pass through.

5. A combination wingbolt, wingnut, and shackle spanner as claimed in any preceding claim xvith holes drilled for the attachment of rings.

6. A combination wingbolt, ringnut, and shackle spanner as claimed iri any preceding claim with multiple slots cut to fit the heads of various shackle pins.

7. A combination wingbolt, vingnut, and shackle spanner substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying draxving.