US3202022A - Clamping tool - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE 3,202,022

CLAMPING TOOL Filed May 12. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. M/(f/EL fie/v4 #0 1 07mm:

Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed y 12, 1961 INVENTOR Mafia flaw/11m ion/4M6 1% r4 WM Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12, 1961 Fig. 4

IN VEN TOR. Mafia [MN/4N0 1 077mm:

Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4:

Filed May 12, 1961 INVENTOR. Mme 4 fie/m ND dorm/5 6' Try Aug. 24, 1965 M. F. LOTHAIRE CLAMPING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed y 12, 1961 INVENTOR.

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3,202,022 CLAMPING TQOL Michel Fenland Lothaire, Ave. de la Gare,

Kaolac, Senegal Filed May 12, 1961, Ser. No. 109,751 Claims priority,.application France, May 14 19gf0, 827,227; Dec. 9, 1960, 846,497 '7 (Ilairns. (Q1. 81-357.)

My invention relates to hand tools provided with two handles, such as wrenches or pincers of all types for United States Patent C clamping, cutting, twisting and the like purposes, the

opening of which is adjustable and the operation of which provides automatic clamping.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of this kind which has a simple structure and is very convenient to use.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a number of preferred embodiments of my invention. said drawing:

FIGS. 16 are each a plan view of a diiferent embodiment of the tool according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a side-elevational view of the tool of FIG. 6.

There is shown in FIG. 1 a pliers having an elongated body 81 including a first handle 82. A stationary jaw 83 is fixedly secured to body 81 andextends transverse and slightly oblique to the length of body 81 for ease in handling.

A movable jaw 85 carries a tailpiece 86 that is slidable longitudinally in body 81 and has an elongated slot 87 extending longitudinally therethrough. One interior edge of slot 87 is slotted so as to provide a rack 88.

A catch 91 is mounted on a pin 92 for pivotal movement on and relative to a pair of levers 93 on which the ends of pin 92 are pivotally mounted. Catch 91 is selectively engageable with various of the teeth of rack 88.

Levers 93 are pivotally mounted at one end; on a pin 94 within a strap 95 that is fixedly secured to body 81. At the other end of levers 93, a second handle 96 is pivotally mounted on a pin 97 that in turn is fixedly secured to levers 9.3 and that passes through an elongated slot 98 formed in the adjacent end. of handle 96,

Handle 96 carries teeth 101- that are disposedinan arc concentric with pin 97 when pin: 97 is in the outer end of slot 98. Teeth 101 are in mesh with a further arcuate series of teeth 102 fixedly mounted on body 81. Slot 98 is so oriented as to allow movement of teeth 101 away from teeth102, thereby to permit a change in the angular setting of handle 96 so as to give a better grip on both handles.

A leaf spring 103 is secured in handle 96 andbears against pin 97 so as to urge pin 97 in a directionensuringinterengagement of teeth 101 and102.

In operation, the approximate spacing between the jaws S3 and 85 is adjusted by engaging catch 91 with. appropriate teeth of rack 88. Then;'withjaws 83 and 85 in contact with thee member to be clamped, the teeth 101 are disengaged from teeth 102 by pressingon handle 95 against the action of. spring 103. The handle 96 is then given a suitable angular setting relative to handle 82,

so that it is possible to grasp both handles simultaneously with good mechanical advantage. As soon as the pressure on handle 96 is released, the spring 103" forces the teeth 101 and 102 into engagement with each other. The two handles are then urged' togetheriwhereupon the two jaws are urged together by reason of the relationship described above.

FIGUREZ illustrates. a modified form of the invention, with the same reference numerals designating substantially the same parts as in FIGURE 1. The. modification of FIGURE 2 is different from that of FIGURE 1 in that the spring that is associated; with. handle 95 3,202,022 Patented Aug. 24, 1965 is not a leaf spring but rather is a coil spring 105 housed in the slot 98 in handle 96. One end of spring 105 engages pin 97 while the other end of spring 105 engages the end of slot 98 remote from pin 97.

Another difference between the embodiments of FIG- URES 1 and 2 is that the teeth 88a of the rack of FIGURE 2 are formed along the edge of the slot 87 which is disposed nearer the outer edge of handle 82, and this is the opposite arrangement from FIGURE 1. The position of catch 91a is thus reversed from the position in FIGURE 1. Moreover, catch 91a is provided with a coil return spring 107 of which one end engages the catch 91a while the other end engages a notch 108 in lever 93. A control. knob 109, secured to pin 92, is provided for adjustably tensioning the spring 107.

The operation of the tool of FIGURE 2 is otherwise the same as that of the tool of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 3, the movable jaw 2 includes a tailpiece 2a adapted to slide in .a slideway 1a of the stationary jaw .1 rigid during this sliding movement with the main handle 11. The slideway 1a is constituted by the gap between the two flanges 3 which are secured. by rivets 4 to the jaw 1 and by rivets 7 .to a toothed segment 6. In said embodiment, the connection between the two jaws, instead of being obtained as precedingly by an independent lever, is ensured by the section 3 of the main handle 11. A spindle 12 passes through both the lever. 8 and the tail-piece 2a of the jaw 2 inside cylindrical openings of a corresponding diameter and through the flanges 3 inside an. elongated. slot 13 parallel with the general direction of the'tail-piece 2a.

Another spindle 15 passes, on the one hand, through the lever '8, as provided by a cylindrical port of a corresponding diameter and, on the other hand, through the flanges 3. and the jaw 1, as provided by a slideway 16, the direction of which is perpendicular to the slot 13.

To the lever 11 is secured through the spindle 18 a pinion 19. meshing with the toothed segment 6. The shape of said segment is defined in a manner such that when the jaws. slide with reference to each other and the relative position of said jaws is modified, the pinion 19 revolves round its axis 18, while remaining permanently in mesh with. the teeth of the arcuate segment 6.

To .the spindle 18 is pivotally secured a lever 21 extending so as to form a handle 22 which is, in its turn, pivotally secured by. a spindle 23 to the second handle 24 of the tool, one end of which forms a catch 25 meshing with thetoothed pinion 1.9. The whole structure is such that when the .two handles 11 and24are urged towards each other, the catch 25 is locked with reference to the teeth of the pinion 19, so that said pinion running over the. tooth segment 6. produces a movementof the two jaws 1 and.2 towards each. other. i

InFIGS. 4.and 5, the connection between the two jaws is constituted, as inFIGS. 1. and 3, by a lever independnet of, themain handle. f

InFIG. 4 which illustrates shearing .pincers the stationary jaw 31, rigid with the main handle, is provided again. with a. tail-piece. 32 relative which. may slide the movable jaw 33, said tail-piece being held between. the

'fianges 34.01: said jaw 33. The main handle 35 carries the toothed segment. 36. The lever 38 which connects the two jaws isnot, in this embodiment, rigidwith. the

other. handle and it is pivotally secured through a spindle 5 a cylindrical hole in the lever 38 and through a slot 49 extending in the flanges 34 perpendicularly to the direction of the slot 47.

'In this case again, when the two handles 35 and 43 of the tool are urged together, the auxiliary handle 42 of the lever 41 engages the inner surface of the handle 43 of the tool and the teeth on the extension of the handle 43 engage and are locked in the intervals between the teeth on the pinion 40 which runs over the toothed segment 36 and ensures through the agency of the lever 38 movement of the two jaws 3i and 33 of the tool towards each other.

In FIG. there is illustrated another embodiment of a tool according to my invention as forming a wrench provided with a first jaw 52 secured by rivets 53 between two flanges 54 and a second jaw 55 provided with a tailpiece 56 slidingly mounted between the flanges 54 in a direction transverse and slightly oblique, in this example, with reference to the direction of the clamping surfaces of the jaws 52 and 55.

The connection between the two jaws is ensured by a lever 5d. The latter is connected with the jaw 52 through the agency of a link 61, of which one end is pivotally secured through a spindle 62. to the flange S4- rigid with the jaw 52;, while its other end is secured to an end of the lever 58 by means of a spindle 63.

The lever 58 is connected with the tail-piece 56 of the jaw 55 through a spindle 65 housed also in a slideway 65 extending across the flanges 54 in the direction of sliding of said tail-piece.

The two flanges 54- are provided with an extension 63 forming one of the handles of the tool. The toothed segment 69 is rigid with the handle 6% and with the two flanges 54 between which it is secured through the rivets '71.

The toothed control member instead of being constituted by a pinion of a generally cylindrical shape constantly meshing with the segment 6?, is formed, in the present case, by a few teeth (two in the example illustrated), said teeth 73 being cut in the end of the second handle 74 of the tool, which handle is pivotally secured to the lever 58 by means of a spindle '75.

The arrangement is such that when the two tool handles are spaced to .a maximum extent, the teeth 73 of the handle '74 disengage the teeth on the segment 69, rigid with the other handle, so that it is possible to adjust, as required, the extent of opening of the wrench. When said extent of opening is obtained, the two handles 74 and 68 of the tool are moved towards each other, which has for its result to set the teeth 73 ot the handle 74 into engagement with the teeth of the segment 69 and, as the movement continues, this provides a pivotal movement of the lever 58 and a corresponding closing of the tool jaws.

It is possible to replace the connecting link 61 between the lever 58 and the jaw 52, for instance, by a slider rigid with the flanges 54, wherein an axle may be housed, such as the axle 63 of the lever 58.

Of course, the control system including a pinion and a rack may be replaced, in certain cases, by a welding system such as that illustrated in FIGS. 6 and '7, which may be considered as equivalent to a connection through toothed members;

In FIGS. 6 and 7, I have retained the same reference numbers as for FIG. 3 since the structure is similar, in that the lever connecting the two jaws in the present case is, as in the case of FIG. 3, constituted by a section 8 of the main handle 11. In the stationary jaw 1 may slide the tail-piece 2a of the movable jaw 2. The second handle 24 is pivotally secured to the lever 21 through the pivot 23, while the lever 21 is pivotally secured to the jaw 1 by a spindle 20. In this latter embodiment, when the handles 11 and 24 of the'tool are urged towards each other, the catch 25 on the handle 24 is wedged against the section of the jaws coaxial with the spindle 20, when a zit 'tractional stress is exerted on the links forming the lever 21, while the lever 8 ensures the movement of the two jaws 1 and 2 towards each other. It is an easy matter to adjust the extent of opening of the jaws 1 and 2 by means of a pivoting movement of the lever 21 with reference to the jaw 1 round the axis 20.

My invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described and illustrated, which are given by way of mere exemplifications, and various modifications may be brought thereto by anyone skilled in the art without unduly widening thereby the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clamping tool comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted for sliding movement in relation to said fixed jaw, a main handle integral with said fixed jaw, an intermediate lever, a strap rigid with said main handle, a pin connected to said intermediate lever and disposed perpendicular to the relative movement of the jaws within said strap to pivotally couple said lever to the main handle, a slideway within said movable jaw parallel to the relative movement of the jaws, a catch means guided in said slideway and connected with said intermediate lever to pivotally couple the latter to the movable jaw, a series of teeth mounted on said main handle, a secondary handle, and a toothed sector integral with said secondary handle and pivotally mounted on said intermediate lever and engageable with said series of teeth, said toothed sector being movable by said secondary handle.

2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said toothed sector has a pivot pin disposed in an oblong housing of said secondary handle so that the toothed sector may be disengaged from said series of teeth by opening the said handles the maximum distance from each other.

3. A tool according to claim 2 in which said slideway .contains a toothed rack, and in which said catch means is pivotally mounted on said intermediate lever and is engageable and disengageable with one of the teeth of said toothed rack so that the initial distance between said two jaws may be adjusted.

4. A clamping tool comprising in combination a fixed jaw comprising a principal handle, a movable jaw, a lever pivotally connected to the fixed jaw by means of a tooth in a slideway and to the movable jaw by an axle in a slideway, and a secondary handle mounted for rotation on an end of said lever and carrying a toothed sector engaging with teeth on the principal handle.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 4, in which said toothed sector is mounted for sliding movement without turning in a slot of the secondary handle so as to be adapted to be disengaged from said teeth of the principal handle and is normally maintained in coupled position with said teeth by spring means.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 4, in which a pawl is mounted on said axis of said lever and engageably and disengageably cooperates with a rack on the tail of the movable jaw thereby to permit adjustable initial spacing of the jaws.

7. A clamping tool comprising a pair of members having portions movable toward and away from each other, a lever having a first pivotal connection with one said member and a second pivotal connection with the other said member, said pivotal connections being spaced apart, said second pivotal connection passing through said one member, and handle means for swinging said one member and said lever relative to each other in a direction to move said portions toward each other, said handle means being swingable relative to said one member and bearing against said one member to urge said portion of said one member toward said portion of said other member upon Swinging of said handle, said handle means being swingable relative to said one member about an axis spaced from said one member, and teeth on said handle means disposed in an arc centric with said axis and in mesh with teeth on said one member to urge said portion of said one member toward said portion of said other member upon swinging movement of said handle means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Dean 81-137 X Burgess 81-134 X Roberts 81-130 X Daniels 81-136 X Rollins 81-131 X Wolfe 81-356 Kroke 81-358 X Gardner 81-362 Hazel 81-360 X 10/20 Weatherly 81-356 Franklin 81-359 X 9/53 Aden 81-356 FOREIGN PATENTS France. Germany. Great Britain. Great Britain. Sweden. Switzerland.

Claims (1)

1. A CALMPING TOOL COMPRISING A FIXED JAW AND A MOVABLE JAW MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO SAID FIXED JAW, A MAIN HANDLE INTEGRAL WITH SAID FIXED JAW, AN INTERMEDIATE LEVER, A STRAP RIGID WITH SAID MAIN HANDLE, A PIN CONNECTED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER AND DISPOSED PREPENDICULAR TO THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE JAWS WITHIN SAID STRAP TO PIVOTALLY COUPLE SAID LEVER TO THE MAIN HANDLE, A SLIDWAY WITHIN SAID MOVABLE JAW PARALLEL TO THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE JAWS, A CATCH MEANS GUIDED IN SAID SLIDWAY AND CONNECTED WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER TO PIVOTALLY COUPLE THE LATTER TO THE MOVABLE JAW, A SERIES OF TEETH MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN HANDLE, A SECONDARY HANDLE, AND A TOOTHED SECTOR INTEGRAL WITH SAID SECONDARY HANDLE AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID INTERMEDATE LEVER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SERIES OF TEETH, SAID TOOTHED SECTOR BEING MOVABLY BY SAID SECONDARY HANDLE.

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