US2527496A - Adjusting mechanism for multiple lever tools - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1950 J. w. GEDDES ET AL 2,527,496

ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE LEVER TOOLS Filed Feb. 4, 1947 late'nted Oct. 24,

ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE LEVER TOOLS John W. Gedde's, Boston, and Willis F. Tibbetts, Reading, Mass., assignors to H. K. Porter, Inc., Somerville, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 4, 1947, Serial No. 726,317

1 Claim.

This invention relates to compound-lever tools of which the tool commonly known as a bolt clipper is a well known example, and the object is to provide an improved construction whereby the relative position of the pivotal centers may be adjusted as is necessary, for example, in a bolt clipper or like cutting tool when the edges are resharpened and would thereafter fail to meet unless suitable adjustment were made. The object of the invention is to provide within the existing dimensional limitations a simple, strong, readily manipulated construction and one which will be free from objectionable protrusion, whereby the tool as a whole will be of smooth or streamline exterior contour.

The invention will be well understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is illustrated a tool of the bolt cutter type and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the tool with a portion of the handles broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation, with parts in section, of a portion of Fig. 1 corresponding to what appears in Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of a portion of the tool as seen from the right of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 2 respectively.

Referring to the drawings, there is there shown a compound-lever tool including a pair of jawcarrying levers 6 pivoted between their ends on the cross straps 8, since in the example shown the jaw levers do not cross, and have opposed cutting edges ID. The levers 6 are operated by handle levers l2 pivoted together at M, while the tails of the jaw-carrying levers are pivoted (each through an intermediary element hereinafter more fully described) at the points l6 to the handles in such a way that the pivots l4 and I6 define a toggle which is straightened as the handle levers are brought together to press the jaws together with great force. To permit adjustment the connection of the jaw-carrying levers to the handles is made through adjusting sections" [8 pivoted to the jaw levers at I6 and to the handles at 20 and in operation are rigidly connected with one of the parts (herein the handle) to act as one therewith. Herein the section l8 takes the general form of a channel with its web overlying the outwardly facing edges of the handle and with flanges at either side thereof extending over the upper and lower portions of the jaw and handle levers and receiving the pivots l6 and 20.

justing means is provided for rigidly positioning the section relative to one of the parts, herein the handle, so that in use the pivot to that part, as 20, does not function as such.

The adjusting means herein provided is of known type in that it embodies two oppositely acting screw mechanisms, one tending tothrust the section [8 and lever l2 away from each other around pivot '20 and the other tending to draw them together about such pivot. In tools of the kind under discussion, the strains are great and the dimensions of the parts restricted. Therefore, while the motions involved in a mechanism of this type are simple, an easily operated, efiicient mechanism of adequate strength and of sufiiciently small size and which yet will exhibit the desirable smooth streamlined exterior contour has not yet been devised in a form suitable for practical use. The requirements are met by the present invention which provides an adjusting section [8 having screw mechanisms foradjusting the same which have no projecting parts likely to be fouled on exterior objects when the tool is presented to the work and. providing for the tool as a whole a smooth end portion easily advanced into tight places.

In the construction herein shown the line of the ears formed by the flanges of channel l8 to receive the upper pivot I6 is extended as a smooth convex curve to form at the exterior surface of the section l8 a thickened portion 23 of the web. Part-way down the section at least a portion of the web is inset from the exterior surface of this projection 23 so that the latter presents a rearwardly facing overhanging shoulder 25. Through the portion 23 extends a headless set screw 21 adapted to thrust against the outer edge of the lever I2 at a point near the pivot [6. It is here shown as provided with a hexagon socket 29 to receive a set screw wrench of usual type and, as appears from Fig. 2, it is normally received entirely within the exterior contour of the thickened portion 23 of the web of channel section 18.

The oppositely acting or tensioning screw mechanism embodies a nut in the form of a threaded sleeve 3| freely journalled in the web of channel 18 and having a flange 33, herein of hexagon contour, which overlies that web and is received behind or in the lee of the shoulder 25 which lies closely adjacent thereto. The thickness of this flange and its spacing from shoulder 25 are such only as to permit efiicient application of awrench either of the socket type or of the fixed end-opening type. Cooperating With 3 the threaded bore of the sleeve 31 is a threaded male member 35 pivotally secured to lever l2. The method here shown of securing anchorage of this member to the lever is not in itself new, the member 35 being formed with an eye 31 which is journalled on a cross-pin 39 which passes through the sides of a cored out pad of lever I2.

The arrangement just described for the tension screw mechanism provides an adequate length of thread between the member 35 and the sleeve 3| to give the necessary strength and also the desired range of adjustment at a location inward of the external contour of the section. The end of the threaded member '35 in its outermost position terminates either substantially at or inwardly of the exterior surface of flange 33 and inwardly of the external line of projection 23 extended.

Now, viewing Fig. 1, let us suppose that the edges ID are worn and have to be resharpened. We may then bring the edges together by moving the pivot l6 out. To do so we slack off sleeve 3| and move screw 21 in. Both the screw 21 and the stem 35 move inwardly, viewing Fig. 3, still farther from the exterior surface of the adjusting section.

' The device is simple, may be delicately adjusted by simple tools, yet is such as to provide adequate strength within restricted dimensions.

It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and the present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claim to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent.

We claim:

A tool of the class described comprising a pivoted jaw-carrying lever, a pivoted handle lever and an adjusting section which connects them, the adjusting section having generally the form of a channel with its web overlying the backs of the levers and its flanges overlying their sides, the flanges at their end portions providing cars by which the section is pivotally attached to the levers respectively, the contour of the ears being extended in a smooth convex curve to define an end portion of the exterior surface of the web, the surface then being inset to provide an overhanging, rearwardly presented shoulder, a headless set screw passing through said end portion to thrust on the back of one of the levers and received entirely inwardly of said exterior surface, and a member freely rotatable in the web, said member having a head overlying the external surface thereof under the overhang of said shoulder and an internally threaded stem extending through the web, and a cooperating threaded member swingably associated with said one lever, and the two members having a substantial length of interengaged thread inward of the exterior surface of the section with the first member at least substantially completely enclosing the end of the cooperating member in all relative positions of the two.

JOHN W. GEDDES. WILLIS F. TIBBETTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,348,735 Porter Aug. 3, 1920 2,329,981 Church et a1. Sept. 21, 1943 2,382,307 Geddes et a1 1- Aug. 14, 1945

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