US1607154A - Coil-spring-compressing tool - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16 1926.

D. C. FEATHER COIL-SPRING COMPRESSING TOOL `1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.

Nv. 16, 192e.

' D. C. FEATHER COIL SPRING COMPRESSING TOOL Fned Nov. 1. 1924 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 N w Ei Nov. 16 ,1926.

. D. c. FEATHER COIL SPRING COMPRESSING TOOL F'led Nov. 1, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 llnixlvlxlln .l

tial parallelism ends of the coil It follows, therefore, that walls orv other Patented Nov. 16, 1926,

Ubll'llED STATE-S DAVID o. FEATHER,

retrasa 'Peraiirerrics- COLORADO.

oorn-srnrNG-colvrranssrive Toot.

Application inea nvember 1,1924. fsm-mino; 747,351.

This invention rela-testo spring compressingr tools, the present improvements embodying certain yunique structural elements of themselves and as assembled in combination, and the tool as a whole functioning in an improved manner, to overcome certain obstacles i sometimes met with and which other formsof tools do not, provide for, as will 'hereinafter appear'. l

In a prior filed application, Serial No. 708,710, l have disclosed an analogous type of spring compressor which, however, embodies a Lcombined spring compressor and carrier holding tool. In that application I have rather fully stated various uses and conditions, generically and specifically, under which such vtools may be very satisfactorily and economically employed, and yaccordingly, especially in avoidance of unnecessary repetition' herein, reference is made to my aforesaid application, both as to the said varied fields of usefulness, in which the present improvements may. like` wise generally be employed, and also vconcerning the' general utilityof-this class of tools in such relations. Like in my aforesaid application, and for the purposes of simplicity and brevity in disclosure, however, in 'certa-in views of the accompanying drawings,l have only illustrated the application of the present improved tool wit-h particular reference to the vspring controlled poppet valves of the cylinders of automobile engines, or the like, but it is to be emphasized'that this is done 'with-the understand'- ing, of course, that such specific disclosure imposes no limitations lwhatsoever on the general uses of the invention itself.

In' my former construction the spring compressingjaws are actuated in substantowards each other in lcomL pressing a spring, thereby also drawing the spring towards each other, andthus that tool also functions as a carrier holder for the spring contained between the jaws thereof when so compressed. in compressing` a spring the said jaws must be applied thereto in substantially opened-out relation. While such a tool is very eiiicient irl-general usage, it not infrequently happens, however, with certain forms of structures, that obstacles are sometimes met with, inthe nature of y obstructions, which prevent readyaccess to the vsprings with the' Vgripcupped seating washer,

y spring compressed thereby,

these general outlining remarks,

ping jaws of the tool opened-out, so that it becomes desirable, if not actually necessary, to engage 'the spring, or equivalently its towards one end thereof to cause theK compression.'y of the spring in a direction towards its other end, which latter remains seated. As the end engaged is generally located lowermost, al' though not necessarily so, especially where the springisassociated with an automobile engine valve, these particular types of tools are frequently termed and sometimes, perhaps erroneously, as valve-f lifters. Y n

One of the primary objects of my presentv improvementsvhas been to devisesimple, durable and effective means which, as combined with the still. retained important featureofactuating the gripping jaw ends in substantial parallelism relatively to each other, will additionally providev for the proper end engagement of ya coil spring,

when the jaws are closed, for compressing the spring as saidjaws are actuated from f their rel tively closed to opened-out positions. l N A Another' feature of the present improve-l ments is vthe provision of a trigger-likeactuated latching bar for locking thev jaws', Iwhen under the tension of an adjusted positions.

The foree'oino` and other ob'ects features 2O b 3 and advantages of the improvements, howA ever, will be more clearly apparent as incidental to the following disclosure,

therefore, reference will nowbe immediately .had to theaccompanying drawings, illustrating a practical embodiment of the improvements, in which drawings Y` Figure'l is ah'vertical centrallyy longitudinal lsectional vview of the improved tool; Figure 2 is a top plan view and Figure 3 a bottomyplan view `of the tool, with a portion of the operating handles omitted; Figures 4,5 and 6 are detail transverse sectional views, taken respectively along the lines 4-4, 5-5 `and '6-6 of Figure l, and looking Irearwardly in the direction ofthe indicating arrows; Figure? is a side elevavalve spring lifters engaged coil i at any desiredl and with i tional view of the rtool",Av analogous to Figure Y V'l in that it is shown in thenormally closed valve-controlling coil spring', al portion of the engine block being illustrated in vertical section; Figure 8 is an external perspective view of one of the jaws, an angular Figure 9 is an internal perspective View of the other one of the jaws, a straight jaw; and Figure 10 is a view analogous to -F igure 7 in dotted lines, but in full lines showing the jaws opened-out and compressing the coil spring of the engine valve, and in this view the curved handles are Shown in reversed positions Arelatively to the positions of Figure 7. 1

The' handle body structure of the present tool is substantially the same as in my aforesaid application, being adapted in both instances as a common unit for the attachment thereto of the spring compressing jaw elements proper, which latter as an assorted set may be of various forms and are of an ii'ite'rchangeable character.

B'roa'dly, therefore, the numerals 11-and 12 designate the handle end portions of complementary operating crossed handle members which may lbe suitably shaped longitudinally and transversely, the said handle members being pivoted together intermediately, as at 13, to provide forwardly projected contimiati'onsy or extension arms 14 and 15. In economical and'nore practical manufacture, however, these operating elements vare preferably of channelled formation, for lightness and proper alignment, with the handle portions longitudinally curved, substantially in lthe manner shown, for better gripping vand leverage purposes, the vcross-web of one of said forwardly projected arms being slotted as at 16, Figure 1, for the passage of the other said arm therethrough, and the ends of said arms being formed with angularly shanks or necks 17 and 18 that-are suit-ably headed or terminate in cross-lugs 19 and 2,0, which are adapted for providing sliding connections with the tool jaw elements proper, as will hereinafter appear, although other suitable sliding connections Ycould be provided for. The said handle end portions, and therefore their forwardly projected armsv also, are normally maintained divergently opened-out by any 'suitable resilient means,wl1ieh in the drawings is shown as comprising an 'elongated spring that is lcentrally coiled around the pivot pin 13 and .provides the divergent spring arms 21 and V22 engaging the respective crosswebs of the handles 11 and 12.

its a most convenient means for facilely llocking or latching the 'crossed handle members in desired adjustable positions, while likewise providing for their ready release, il vpreferably employ a .forwardly curved trigger-like-actuated Vratchet bar 23. This l'bar is pivotally mounted vtowards one end, as at 24, ,within the Vchanneled handle 12,

disposed Y th'esaid pivoted end terminating in an angularly disposed linger element or trigger 25 that operates Vthroiug'h a narrow slot 26, inthe cross-web of the handle 12, with the other end of said bar longitudinally operating' through a narrow slot 27 in the crossweb of the opposed handle 11, and the curved forward edge portion or' said bar having' a series of notches or ratchet teeth 28 for coaction with the forward edge face of said slot 27. F or adjustably limiting the opening-out movements of the handle members, I may provide a series ofapertures 29 through the ratchet bar 23 to receive a cotter pin ,30. The teeth 2'8 of the ratchet kbar are normally held out of engagement with the forward edge face ofthe slot 27, the ratchet bar being under ra resilient tension for the rearward retrac'tile swing of its upper end, the upper end being swung fori'vardly, against said resilient tension, by the actuation of the trigger 25 with an upward swing under the pressure of a finger of the user.y rlhis tensioning means is conveniently illustrated by'an elongated spring that is coiled centrally around the axis pin 24 and which 'provides for the spring arm 31, forwardly engaging thev cross-web of the handle 12, and a divergent spring arm 32 bent to engage the lower forward edge face ofthe ratchet bar, as seen from-Figure l. As amatter of fact, other tensioning means vcould be employed or the spring arm 31 could be a continuation of the handleftensioning spring arm 22, although, inthe latter event, it would doubtless be desirable to reduce the diameter of that end, as the trigger spring 31-32 would naturally be a lighter, or weaher spring than the handle tensioning spring 21-22.

At a. short distance rearwardly of their pivotal axis 13, the side webs of the handles 11 and 12 are provided with lpaired apertures adapted for registration with paired apertures 33 and 34, respectively, disposed at the inner ends ofthe spring compressing aw elements proper, which atter will now be fully described, for the detachable pivotal connection of the inner ends of said jaw elements to a complementary one of the said opposed operating handles, as by means of Cotter pins ,35 and 3G or their equivalentv One of these jaw elements 37 may be conveniently referred to as an angular jawrelement, and the other one 38 Vas av straight jaw element, being respectively shown in detail and detached at Figures 8 and 9. Both `are preferably of channelled construction, being respectively formed with the cross-webs 39 andv 40 and the narrow webs or marginally inturned longitudinal flanges 41 and 42, the latter terminating at ltheir inner ends with attachingears or lugs 43 and 44 that are `provided with the paired apertures 33 and v34 before referred to.

sidei lli A Theangulai' jaw element 37 is bent to procompressing tools ,ride an angularly disposed offsetting arm between its'reur straight section and a 'tory Warly pr' jeoted `oilse'fd foot-like jawend 4G that is substantially parallel Awith the' said rear straight section, the cross-web ot said rear straight section, adjaeently oit' the oil'- setting arnr 45 being `provided with a longi-4 tudinal slot 47 and the saidifootdike projected jaw` end '46 having vits Cross-Web provided with a longitudinal slot 48 that opens out through its forward edge `tace.

In 'the applied use ofthe tool, the .angular jauj element 37 may loe saidr to be a stationa member', as its foot-likev jan' end 46 is adapted to be iinmovablyseated upon a fixed part 'ofthe engine'body, or its equivalent, normally supl'iorting that end ot a Coil springs seating Washer which is to be engaged, for the elevatory compression oi. theG spring, bythe then movable straight jaw elements )aw end.

The Cross-Web` of the' )avv end 49 ofthe straight jaiveleinent 38 is providedwvith a longitudinal slot 50 that opens out through its forward edge i'aee, and vthis* slot l5() vis adapted'for alignment with the slot 48 of the angular jan', although the slot 50' is shown larger than the slot 48. y Y

s this straigl tjjaw end 49 is adapted to seat the seating cupped ivasher for the end of the` coil spring to be elevatedly cornpressed v(seeligs. `7 and l0) the cross-Web thereofrnay he'provided with a lug or stop 51, iinniediatelybehind the slot 50, for e-ngagging' the lperiphery of the Washer at the rear 'and with the side-Webs 'or flanges 42 engaging the saine at the sides.` However, thelug 5l could he dispensed With andthe said flanges 42 be so shaped'as'to provide for the proper reeeptionof said washer.

niniediatelyat the rearotsaid lug 5.1,' or rearwardly of the slot 50,V theeross-web 'of the straight jaw elementiisprovided with an enlarged aperture or rectangular Vslot l'52,

adapted for the `tree passage therethrough of the'oi'lsetting larni 45 of the angular jaw element, and which enlarged aperture" 52 i'nergeslinto'a longi tudinal slot that is adapted gor veoinpleinentary association with the slot 47 of the cross-web vof Vthe rear section of theangular jaiv eleinentf D Y Before finally describing the tool in assembly, and its manner of operation', Will first briely indicate the additional elements shown at Figures 7 and lOyillnstrating lthe use of the tool in association with engine valve springs. In these vieivs, V55 designates aportion Vot a cylinder bloelrn'iountin'g 'a poppet valve,r the stem 56 oi'yivhioh surrounded bythe valve Controlling' eoil spring 57.y housed ina chamber 5S Vthat,'trequently.

has a depending Wall projeetion '59, orHother analogous ohstrnetiomjwhleh prevents access to the spring With the fai'ferage valve spring cupped washerGO, loosely encompassingthe;

valvestem, andfthis washerin turn seats upon a' retaining 'cross-pin 51 extending tl'n'ough the free end of thevalve'stein, the said tree end ot the valve stein beingenf gagged by a eaux-actuated push-rod (flithat generally operates*throughV a boss 63 torn'iedY on the bottom of the housing ehaniber 58, and all oit which is fully understood In the 'assembly of thegjaiv elements with the handle unit structure vof the tool, the offsetting arm 45 of the angular-jaw elementV 37, which I eomniercially designate as an S-jaiv or a Z-javv, operates through the en'- larged aperture :32 of the straight jaivelenient 88, theeross-,Web of the oot-lileijaw end 46 Vbeing proximately opposed to the Cross-Web ot the javv end 49, in normally closed relation under the'roontrolling VVresili-l ent tensionv of the spring 271-22 and associatedparts, and the side-Webs or flanges 42 the handle ll of the arin 15, as by'ineans of the ears-43 and the Cotter pin.35, andlike- Wise the rear endv of theV straight jaw elenjient is.pivotallyoonneeted tov the handle l2 of the arni'V 14,*as by ineens ofthe-'ears 44 and the Cotter pin 36. ln Figure'10,.hoivever,

it will be noted that the awl elements are positioned the saine as heretofore describedV but ,that-1 the handle -unit 'structure isi i'eversed', being-necessary sonietiine'stoavoid obstructionsoutside of the aotual-zoneot the Coil springb'ein, compressed, 'so rthat in thisy reversed pos'itioln*4 the neel; andi cross-lug sliding- 'Connection 174-19', of the` arinl5, lmade-j with the angular jaw element 37.,"andl the -neek andfeross-li'ig 'slidingfeonn'eotion l8-f20fisfniade with thefstra'ight jaw eie- "nienty 38, through the respective,` slots 47 and V53, or in' a manner justo-the reverse of that described With Vreference:toFigures 1. and 7. In all of the rforegoing, I: have Ydeseribed the variouselements and the assembly there?v lor' as they are actuallyshown o1 Vtlior ,lra\v-f ings, but vin seine respects edalentvreonstruetions vand ployed, Without depart vthe invention.'I- "1 1 i f'Exeepting for the reversal 'of the vhandle 'connections 4rnight Qbe eni- Y g fro-in vthev gist y of Ypin and hence kence willbe had conjointly to Figures 7 and 10, the former showing the tool as initially applied for compressing a coil spring, and the latter showing the same, in full lines, with saidk spring compressed and with the parts locked or. latched against the tension of said spring. f

As seen from Figure 7, or the sectional view at Figure l, the jaw end 4G normally extends inv slightly spaced juxtaposition along the far side or off side face of the.

jaw end a9,v the'handles ll-l2 and their forward crossed arms being then opened-out and it will be particularly noted that both said jaw ends Vare disposed on thesame side of a transverse longitudinal. plane extending "approximately through the central Zone or axis pin'lS of the tool, the jaw ends being underhung or undershot, as it were, with relation to the rearA section of the angular' jaw element 37, thereby providing: for substantial space over the jaw ends, relatively to the rear section of the angular jaw Velement, to afford proper clearance space around any obstructions, such as indicated at 59.

In Vsuch position, the forked or .slotted jaw ends are inserted into association with the coil spring 57, to be compressed, the spaced or fo-rking-like branches of the jaw ends, formed as by the slots 48-50, straddling the valve stem 56, with the webs of the end 46 encompassing the boss 63 and with the webs of the jaw end 49 encompassing'and snugly seating the cupped Washer 60, supporting that end of the coil spring, in which positions the cross-web of the relatively straight jaw end is disposed on one side of the retaining pin 6l and the crossweb of the angular jaw end is disposed on the other side thereof.V l It follows, therefore, upon exerting a gripping pressure upon the handles Ill-l2 to move the same towards each other, that. the pivotal connections at 35-36 and the slidingv interlockv connectionsy at 19-#20, respectively, and functioning as swinging fulcrums, will likewiseV be moved towards each other complementally, actuating the rear portions of the jaw elements towards each other, in maintained substantial paralleL ism, Vwhile actuating the jaw endsAG-LQ away from each other, also in substantial parallelism, whereby the coil spring 57 is compressed and the cupped washer 60 moved away from the retaining pin 61, permitting of theready withdrawal of said retaining the. facileremoval of the valve. l

During the closing in movements of the handles 11--12, and when the spring 57 hasv been sufficiently compressed orwhile it isV being compressed, pressure. is exerted on the trigger projection 25 by means of a finger of the user, or the thumb if the handles are disposed in reversed position as at Fig. 10, to swing the otherI end of the ratchet bar 23 towards the forward edge face of the slot 27, see F ig. l for clearer illustration, whereupon an vappropriate notch` 28 engages over the said forwardv edge face of the slot 27, and the jaws and other part-s are held locked or latched1 against the tension of the spring 57 compressed thereby, until the ratchetr bar is retracted. The upper end of the ratchet bar 23 being normally held away from the forward edge face of the slot 27, under tension Vof the spring end 32, it will be 'obvious that the release of the ratchet bar will beimmediately accomplished upon a further Slight Vsqueezing together of the handles ll-l2, which is done after the retaining pin 6l has been withdrawn from the valve stem 56, when the jaw ends are permitted to move towards each other, for relieving, the compression of tlie'spring 57 and the removal ofthe tool. f

In assembling the valve and the retaining pin 6l, the same operations are performed by the tool, 'and the tool jaw ends are always normally held in approximately closed position, for ready insertion into association with a coil spring to be compressed, by virtue of the handle tensioning spring arms 21-22, as hereinbefore referred to.

Although I have thus fully set forth the improvements from various angles, the objects, advantages and functioning of which will be clearly apparent it is believed, it will nevertheless be understood ythat I do not wish to unnecessarily restrict the invention to all of the details exactly asdisclosed, ex-

cepting as they may come within the terms of Y the ensuing claims, or equivalent elements or combinations thereof, or as fairly interpreted in the light of the specification if re uisite. Y Y Y hat I do claim, as new and patentable,

'1. A coil spring compressingi tool, em-

bodying a pair of handles operating to-` `vjectingfits jaw end immediately along the` offside face .of the other jaw; end, in proxi-V mately closed relation forwardly ofY said handles, resilient means for automatically holding said jaw lends normally in said proximately closed relation, and means so iso p connecting said-jaw elements to said handles as to causesaidjaw ends to open and .close concurrently with the lrespective closing and openingihmovements of said handles. v y w 2. A coil spring compressing tool, embodying a 'pair vof handles operating towards and away from each other, a relatively straight jaw element, movable in applied use, terminating forwardly in a jaw end adapted' for elevatory compression association with the lower end of said coil spring, an angular jaw element, held stationary in applied use, embodying an offsetting arm, extending through an aperture of saidprelatively straight movable jawl ele ment, for normally projecting its jaw end immediately along the offside face of the other jaw end, in. proXimately closed relation forwardly of said handles, resilient means for automatically holding said jaw j.

ends normally in said proXiinatelyv closed relation, and means so connecting said jaw elements to said handles Yas to cause `said jaw` ends to open and close concurrently with the respective closing and opening movements of said handles.

3. A coil springv compressing tool, embodying a pair of pivotally connected crossed handle elements, a'pair of jaw ele# ments terminating in suitablyformed com plement-ary jaw ends, one of said jaw elements having kan offsetting arm, extending towards and beyond said other jaw element, for normally projecting its aw end immediately along the offside face of the other jaw end, in proximately closed relation forwardly of said handle elements, resilient means for autoniaticallyrholding said jaw ends normally in said proximately closed relation, and paired complemental means connecting said jaw elements to said handle elements forwardly and rearwardly of their pivotal connect-ion, one of said paired complemental means providing for sliding connections and the other said paired comple-v mental means providing for pivotal connections.

4. A coil spring compressingtool,l embodying a pair of pivotally connected crossed handles, a pair of jawV elements terminating in suitably formed complementary jaw ends, one of said jaw elements having an osetting arm, extending through an aperture of the other jaw ele- Vment, for'normally projecting its jaw end immediately along the offside face of the other jaw end, in proximately closed relation forwardly of said handles, resilient means for automatically holding said jaw ends normally in said proximately closed relation, and paired complemental means connecting said jaw elements to said handles forwardly and rearwardly of their pivotal connection, one of said paired complemental means providing sliding' connections andthe other 'said paired complemental means providing yfor pivotal connections,A y

5. A coil spring 4compressing tool, embodying a pair of pivotally mounted handles, a pair of jaw elements operativelyv connected thereto `and terminating at their forward ends insuitablyformed and disposed 1 .complementary jaw ends, ajlatching i bar pivotally kconnected at one end to oneof l said handles and at itsother end projected yinto associationpwith the second, handle,the said latching bar having a forward edgeA vratchetface, adapted to adjust-ably engage co-acting means provided forwardly 'thereof by said second handle, and resilient means for automatically maintaining said f ratchet face,A during both closing and open- ,ing movements of said handles, normally out of latchingv engagement with said coacting means provided for by said second handle. l Y

6. A coil spring compressing tool, embodying apair Vof pivotally mounted handles of channel-bar formation, a pair of jaw elements operatively connected thereto and Vterminating at their forward ends in suitably formed and disposed coinplemen-i "tary'jaw ends, the cross-webs of said channel-barhandles being formed with an opposed pair of narrow longitudinal slots, a latching bar pivotally connected towards one end 'to one of said handles and provided vatthat end with a trigger-finger operating through the adjacent one ofsaid slots, the swinging end of said latching bar being projected' for longitudinal operation through'the opposed slot of the second handle,and the said latching har having a for. ward edge ratchet face adapted to adjustably engage the forward edge face portion of the slot of said second handle, and resilient means, in engagement with said latching bar, tensioned to automatically maintain the swinging end of said latching bar rearwardly in its slot, during both closingl and opening. movements of said handles, withpsaid ratchet face thus normally held disengaged from said forward edge faceportion thereof.

, 7. A coil spring compressing tool, em.-

resilientv means inengagement with said bar A and tensioned toautomatically maintainthe swinging end thereof rearwardly in said;y

slot, during both closing and opening move'- mentS ot' said handles, with saidf ratchet face normally disengaged fromv the forward edge portion ot' said slot, a pair of jaw elements terminating in snitably formed Complementary jaw ende, one ot' Said jaw elements having an offsetting armj` extending through an apertnreof thevother jaw element, for normally projecting its jaw end m immediately along the oli'side face of the other jaw endf in proximately closed relation, resilient means for automatically holding said jaw ends normallyin said proximatelfy closed relation,. and suitable paired means connecting said jaw elements to Said handles forwardly and rearwardly of the pivotal connection between the latter;

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

DAVID C. FEATHER.

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