US2488484A - Pliers having insulated jaws and handles - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W/LLAM W. Kfm/@ff 'W RNEY Nov. I5, 1949 w.aw. VANDERl cLuTE l PLIERS HAVING INSULATED JAws Aim 'HANDLES Filed May zo, 1944 Nov. 15, 1949` w. w. VANDER cLUTE 2,488,484

PLIERS HAVING NSULATED JAWS AND HANDLES Filed May so, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fig. 7 Fig; 9 Fig. /0

INVENTOR d i I A. WZLLAT RNEYL v WILL//M/W. VANDER-CLINE Patented Nov. 15, 1949 v f e PLIERS HAVING INSULATED JAWS AND HANDLES William W. Vander Clute,y Elisabeth, N. J., as-

signor to Round Root Corporation, Elizabeth,

Y Application May 30, 1944, Serial No. 537,992

(Cl. 81f52) 7 Claims.

My invention relates to tools, more particularly to gripping tools such as pliers and wrenches.- A Y In certain types of work, for example in aircraft4 assembly work where aluminum or other soft metal and materialsare used, elements with easily marred or injured surfaces must be engaged yfirmly to insurevrotation when a turning force is applied without: injury to the element.

In manyl applications the tool must be thoroughly insulated against electrical shock. It is also desirable that such tools be made easily, quickly and cheaply, but be sturdy and effective for their intended applications.V It is also highly desirable to insure a positive grip by a device which can be easily and quickly adjusted to take different size work.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved tool for gripping and rotating elements worked upon.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a tool which reduces to a minimum or substantially eliminates marring or damage to surfaces although insuring a substantially positivev gripping action.

Another object of my invention is-to providel a quickly, easily and cheaply made tool of` they kind described, preferably of laminated sheetv tion itself.,will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying Ydrawing in which Figure 1 is a side View of a device made according to my invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is another plan view with the-device adjusted to take diiierent size work, Figure 4 is an enlarged detail projected into the plane 4 4, of a gripping jaw and a removable insert, Figure 5 is a transverse section taken along the line'5-5 of Figure .4, Figure 6 is a perspective showing detailsof construction of a pivot pin made according tofmy invention, Figures 7 and 8 show modifications of a tool made according to my invention, and Figures 9 to 11 illustrate steps in the preferred method, according to my invention, of making the above described tools.

In Figures l and 2 I show a tool made according to my invention and comprising a pair of handle members 2@ and 2| made of laminated sheet metal material blanked and formed to shape. The element 2li is provided with an apertured portion 2c through which the pivot-pin 22 extends, having a nut 23 to retain the pin in place. The handles are provided with insulating covering elements 24 and 25 made of insulating material such as plastic molded on, or formed and later slipped on as described in greater detail below.

The gripping ends of the handles are provided with a pair of loop-shaped jaws 26 and 2l on which are mounted the replaceable gripping elements 28 and 29, preferably of some soft material such as a soft metal, resilient elements such Y as rubber, synthetic rubber or a plastic resistant to oil, water, gasoline or salt water.

The details of the jaws are shown in Figures 4 and 5. It will be noted that the handle 2l comprises two laminated portions and is provided with a loop having a pair of oppositely disposed sides 2i and 2i, and in the center of which is positionedythe element or central Iweb 30 received within a slot Sil' in the gripping member 29. The member 29 .is provided with a portion received between the oppositely disposed concave surfaces 2l and 2l" of the gripping jaw. If the handle is made of two parts, they may be welded together or each handle may be fabricated as described below. The concave surfaces of the two outer portions 2 I and 2 l of the loop provide a cavity to hold andlock in place the gripping element or lip tip 29. The element 30 serves as an insert stabilizing member and prevents the gripping elements from being forced out of the confining sides of lthe gripping jaws, one end of this element being positioned in the groove 2l of the jaw 2l and the'other end being welded to the handle as shown in Fig. 4.

The pin is shown in greater detail in Figure 6. Itis provided with a head 22 and threaded end 22 for receiving nut 23. Opposite flat sides are"- provided as shown and when mounted on the pliers Aas shown in Figures 2 and 3, the flat sides of the pin are at a 45 angle to the plane of the adjusting circular notches, permitting stress due to lever action being transmitted to the circular notches on both sides of the plane passing through the adjusting slot to provide a non-slipping action desirable particularly when gripping jaws are at or near 90 of the center line of the pliers.

Two methods of fabricating the tool may be used.

A plasticV hand grip may be molded in two parts and then pressedon the end of the hand levers provided with notches tted into the serrations described above to position and retain the grips. and prevent the grips from being forced oi the end of the hand levers. The plastic grips may be welded together and bonded to the steel hand levers by means of liquid plastic. These plastic hand grip members are shaped tofit the palm of the hand. A preferred handle is described below.

In Figure 7 is shown a modification of a tool made according to my invention and comprising two handle members 3| and 32 pivoted at 35 and having insulated handles- 36 and 31:", the gripping jaws 38 and 39 being provided with the resilient gripping pads on inserts im and 4l..

The device shown in Figure 8 allows the tool to be used exactly as a wrench but has the additional advantage of plier lever action.

Handle members B9 andi 6l are pivoted together by means ofv the pivot member 42 having the straight sides at a 45 angleY tov the plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the apertured portion of member 4i). The handles are provided with gripping jaws i3 and 44 at 90 to the handles and are provided with gripping pads d and 46 and the insulating handles- 4T and 48.

The preferredv method of making my invention is illustrated in Figures 9 to 1l, inclusive. In the first` step the pliers are blanked out in onepiece from flat stock as shown in Figure 9, the serrations, spurs and apertures being formedat the time of blanking, the apertures being smaller-l than those in the finished article.

The bl'anked out portion is then placed in forming dies and oiset as shown in. Figure 10; the portion which provides the loop being formed with a concave surface and a notchl for receiving the partition extending across the loop inthe. finished tool. The two portions of the handle member are then folded toward each other with the partition or tongue 3U placed within the loop prior to closing the two parts of the handle upon each other, the tongue being gripped between the notch 38 at the end ofthe loop and the two sides of the loop as shown in Figure 11. At this stage thev iinal curves or offsets are provided in the tool. The parts are then welded-1 at the points indicated by spot welding. The adjustment aperturesare then perforated to final diameter, afterl which thetool'. is polishedl and plated to prevent rust. The two halves may then be assembled together in pivoted relationship with the nut and' bolt extending through the apertures.

In` the preferred embodiment of my invention,` the handles 205 and 2l are provided with a. plus rality of notches or serrations. and. 25:' and with catch-burrs orv spurs. to retain. in place the handle members 24 and 25". These handle covers may be formed from various kinds of. fiele. ible material, such as thin synthetic rubber or plastic tubingA and having a cross. section conforming with the section of the steel, handles'. The steel handles may be dipped in a solventand the plastic tube forced, on, the handle, stretching the tube toI give it a tight fit. The serrations. act as cups, retaining a solvent which hardens and locks the covers to the handles. The spurs act as additional means for retaining the tubes or covering of the handles and preventing slipping. The tubes project a short distance beyond the end of the steel handle and a molded end cap. such as 24 or 25, may be inserted into the end of the plastic tube after it has been dipped in the solventV which; welds or fuses the cap to the plastic tube, making a rigid nish for the tube. This end cap may be of contrasting color with respect to the. tube for identification purposes and for appearance. The plastic tubular cover is forced on the steel handle and positions itself with respect tothe offsets of the steel handle and as the offsets are at different angles to each other the plastic tube follows these different angles and results in a finished tool in which diierent angles form a natural block which prevents the hand from sliding forward off the handle portion of each handle member, and also acts. for better gripping by the hand.

While I have indicated the preferred embodiments of my invention of which I am aware' and have also. indicated only one specific application for which my invention may be employed, itl will be apparent that my invention is by no means limited to the exact ii'orms illustrated or the use indicated, but that many variations may be made in the particular structure used andthe purpose for which it is employed without departing from the scope of my invention asset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim asnew is:

l. A tool for gripping and rotating a work piece and having a pair of pivoted elements, each of' said elementsincluding at one end a loopand a central web extending across said loop; a gripping, element received within said loop and providedV with a4 slot,. said web. being locatedY in said. loop the ends of said web being in contact with saidv loop and securedl at one end tor saidf loop.

2. A tool for gripping androtating; a worlc piece and having a pair of pivoted elements: providing at. one, end oppositely disposed jaws, each. ot said jaws comprising a loop, a centrally' positioned partition extending; across. said l'oop, and having its: ends in: contact with said loop and secured; at onef endv to said loop. the; oppositely disposed surfaces of saidz loop being concave; and: a yieldablegripping element received within said' loopA and provided with a.v slot receiving said partition, said` gripping element beingl retained by said loop' under pressure by the.` sides of said: loop.

3.` A toolv for gripping a work piece and having a. pair4 of pivoted elements, each of said eiements comprising a plurality' of sheetV metalf formed elements. one endl ot the. sheet metal elements being formed to provide a loop, a centralV webl within said: loop.. and having.v itsendsin con tact with. said loop and secured at; one end tol said loop and; a resilient gripping element' re-Y ceivedf within said. loi-1p.l and; provided with a slot receiving said web, saidi gripping. element being retained. within said. loopt under. pressure from.1 the. sidesz of. said loopz..

4. A4 tool for: engaging material.' toghe gripped and. held against relative rotatiom said` material having smooth or' irregular surfaces, said tool including a` pair of relatively'pivotablemembers each provided with a gripping jawl oppositely disposed tothe gripping jaw of the other' member, eachi jaw comprising a loop having oppositely disposed concave. sidesy and` a. partition extending.

'Macross said loop and. having its. ends; in contact with said loop and secured at one end to said loop and a yieldable insert having a gripping surface and mounted within said loop and provided with a slot receiving said partition.

5. A tool for gripping and rotating a work piece and having a pair of pivoted elements, each element having at portions and at one end being provided with a jaw, each of said jaws comprising a loop oiset with respect to the flat portions of the element, and a central web extending across said loop having its ends in contact with said loop and secured at one end to said loop,k and a gripping element received within said loop and provided with a slot receiving said web.

6. A tool for engaging material to be gripped and held against relative rotation, said material having smooth or irregular surfaces, said tool including a pair of relatively pivotable members each provided with a handle portion and a gripping jaw oppositely disposed to the gripping jaw of the other element, each jaw comprising a loop having oppositely disposed concave sides and a web extending across said loop and having its end in contact with said loop and secured at one end to said loop, and a yieldable insert having a gripping surface and mounted within each loop and provided with a slot receiving said web, said yieldable insert being maintained in said loop under pressure, said gripping jaws being mounted at a 90 angle to said handle portion.

7. A tool for gripping a Work piece and having a pair of pivoted members, each member being formed from fiat stock, each member including REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 94,920 Smith Sept. 14, 1869 590,710 Sheppard Sept. 28, 1897 699,803 Monehan et al May 13, 1902 826,153 De Groff July 17, 1906 1,041,978 Diefendorf Oct. 22, 1912 1,763,527 Jones June 10, 1930 1,800,447 Foreschl Apr. 14, 1931 1,867,505 Graner July 12, 1932 1,916,605 Chobert July 4, 1933 2,055,854 Stibbe Sept. 29, 1936 2,082,699 Keppinger June 1, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 86,891 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1921

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