US3482476A - Shielded claw wrench - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 0 3,482,476 SHIELDED CLAW WRENCH Marcello M. Tanksley, 5700 Highland Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63112 Filed Oct. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 675,590 Int. Cl. B25b 13/00; B67b 7/00 US. Cl. 81-3.42 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE bers having a pair of medially disposed openings provided therethrough respectively, for accommodating said ears therein selectively. One of said jaws being affixed in lateral relation with a extensible portion of the plunger shaft, and the other said jaw being afiixed with the plunger sheath. Slide pin means provided in affixed relation with the plunger shaft and in proximity with the inner end of said hand-hold, for manually extending the plunger shaft jaw in respect to the fixed position of the sheath jaw, for complementing the circumference of said cap closure, in a manner whereby the ears thereof will be disposed in slidable releasably secure relation with said claw, as when said ears are co-axially aligned with the openings of the former respectively; thereby said cap closure will be enabled to move simultaneously with the tool, as when wrenched in either direction of rotation, and hand shielding means disposed in adjustable slidable relation with said sheath, and surrounding relation with both said handhold and said slide pin; thereby an operators selective hand when clutching said hand-hold will be enabled to manipulate said slide pin and said tool respectively, within an abnormal atmospheric air condition, as when said condition is created by a steam cloud egressing from the open mouth of said container, or from exposure to the gamma rays emitted by a radium source stored within said container, in a safeguard manner.

This invention relates to a tool for use by laboratory technicians, mechanics, service station attendants, and as well as by others, whereby the tool serves to facilitate the removal of container closures when manipulated at a respective distance therefrom, and more particularly to a tool for threadably removing or securing, from or onto respectively, a certain type closure associated with a container having a relatively fixed position thereby precluding accidental contact by the user with a volatile product stored within the container.

The invention comprising a pair of opposed identically sector shaped clamping jaws thereby defining a claw, having one jaw fixedly secured to the extremity of an elongated handle and the other jaw axially movable therefrom, with the invention residing in the cooperation of the jaws whereby they are adapted to span varying diameters of certain type screw threaded closures having a pair of diametrically opposed lateral ears, releasably engageable with the jaws whereby they may either be removed or secured selectively from or onto respectively, containers having complementary threaded openings, in a manner remotely removed from the container by the use of a users single hand.

The main object of my invention is to provide a shielded claw wrench for safe-guarding a users hand as when removing or securing a closure from or onto respectively, a container serving to store a volatile liquid therein.

A further object of my invention is to provide the means in a shielded claw wrench which may be adapted to either threadably remove or secure, from or onto respectively a certain type threaded closure for a container having a relatively fixed position spaced remotely from the operator by the use of a single hand thereof.

A still further object of my invention is to provide the means associated with a shielded claw wrench, whereby the wrench will have a mechanical advantage to that served by the operators selective hand or hands, either in threading or unthreading a certain type closure, from or onto respectively, a container having a relatively fixed position, whereby the closure when secured in use may be properly sealed with the complementary opening thereof, and conversely easily removed therefrom.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and the operation thereof, as henceforth described and claimed, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and in which: 7

FIGURE 1 is a view in longitudinal section substantially medially therealong.

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation shown in perspective with certain outer portions removed whereby revealing certain inner elements of construction, and further the view exemplifies a specific use for the tool.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have therein disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which I employ an elongated tubular shank or handle 10 having a rectangular cross section and also a substantially elongated slot 18 formed through the top wall thereof, adjacent one end portion therewith, and disposed at the opposite end thereof in depending relation with the lower wall thereof is provided a substantially semi-circular sector element or jaw 11 which is weldingly secured at 12 with the handle 10 in transverse relation therewith, and formed with an intermediate body portion of the jaw 11 and in concentric relation therewith therethrough is provided a recess 13 for the reason of a henceforth described purpose.

Co-axially aligned with the jaw 11 and disposed in opposed relation therewith there is provided an identical jaw 15 that is adapted to be spanned forwardly the fixed jaw 11, as when weldingly secured at 16 with the outer extremity of an extensible end portion of a shaft 14 which is adapted for an inner reciprocal fit with the tubular handle 10. The movable jaw 15 is normally biased to abut the fixed jaw 11 at their respective radially opposed vertical edges by the expansion means served by the helical coil spring 28 which surrounds the inner extensible end portion 25 associated with the shaft 14 in which the extensible end portion 25 has been reduced into circular configuration having a threaded end portion 26 on which is threaded a locking nut 29 which serves to compress the spring 28 against the head washer 27 which is disposed in surrounding relation with the shaft end portion 25 and in abutting relation with the vertical terminal portion at the inner end of the handle whereby providing an adjustable resilient clamping action between the previously described vertical edges of both the jaw member with the jaw member 11 and thereby defining a claw which is actuated remotely from the opposite end of the handle 10 as by the projecting pin 23 which passes slidably through the slot 18 atthe upper portion thereof, and which is threadedly secured at 24 within a transverse portion of the shaft 14 in a manner whereby the pin will be disposed at the inner end of the slot as when the jaw members 11 and 15 are disposed in their resting position.

Serving to surround the spring 28 and extensible from the free end of the saft member 14 there is provided a hollow handhold 30 which is provided with the integral closure 30 at one end thereof, with the opposite end being adapted to be detachably secured with the free end portion of the handle 10 as by the pair of opposed slot headed threaded screws which are accommodated to pass slidably and diametrically the walls of the handhold 30 and threadedly engage the accommodating apertures which transverse a pair of opposed walls associated with the handle 10.

Serving to safeguard a users hand, as when manipulating the claw wrench for either removing or securing a certain type screw threaded closure having a pair of opposed lateral ears, from or onto respectively, a container from which a dangerous vapor may be emitted there is for this purpose provided a hand shield 19 which constitutes a conoid shell having an integral collar 20 provided with the apex thereof that is adapted to be detachably secured to the handle 10 by the slot headed threaded screw 21 which is accommodated slidably to pass transversely through the collar 20 and to be threadedly secured at 22 with the handle 10, whereby the fixed positioning of the hand shield 19 provides a means for encompassing the users hand.

In the operation and use of my device for which purpose I have selected the radiator 33 as may be associated with an automotive vehicle not shown, and which radiator may be under pressure by the boiling action of fluid stored therein, it therefore being obvious to remove the closure 34 having diametrically opposed lateral ears 35 constitutes a condition whereby serious injury can be inflicted on the attendant servicing the radiator, as when removing the closure therefrom in a manner adjacent thereto, however this past practice can now be avoided by the use of my device, as when the attendant grasps the shielded claw wrench within a selective hand by the means of the hand hold and inwardly the shield 19 and by applying a pushing force on the pin 23 he is therefore enabled to span the jaws 11, and 15 outwardly the extremities of the cars whereby releasing his thumb from the pin 23 will automatically spring the converging movement of the jaws 11, and 15 on the opposed peripheral sectors of the closure 34 and simultaneously over-ride the adjacent ears 35, and by a slight twist applied on the remote end of the handle 10 generally in a counter-clockwise direction the closure 34 can be instantly lifted from the radiator 33, in releasably secured relation therewith, and conversely the heated closure 34 can be reassembled onto the service opening of the radiator 33 by a reverse rotatable action applied on the handle 10, and further to remove the tool from the closure 34, the previously described spanning operation relative to the jaws 11, and 15 is repeated.

It is believed that the advantages and use of my invention will be clearly apparent from the aforegoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A radiator closure cap wrench requiring but a single selective hand of an operator for the use and operation thereof, comprising in combination, a pair of companion jaw members defining therewith a claw when disposed in opposed relation, each said jaw provided with an arcuately shaped face gripping portion interposing vertical side portions, and in transverse relation with an upwardly converging top portion, an elongated tubular shank defining a handle provided with a rectangular cross section having one wall secured laterally to the apex of one said jaw at the forward terminal portion thereof, said jaw having its radius of curvature extending forwardly therefrom, an elongated shaft defining a plunger having a greater length then said handle, said plunger adapted for slidable and guided movement inwardly of said handle, said plunger having its forward extensible terminal portion secured laterally with the apex of the other said jaw whereby said jaw is adapted to move axially from the fixed jaw, a tubular hand-hold having a circular cross section provided with one open end, said end having a terminal portion adapted to be detachably secured on the inner terminal end portion of said handle and in surrounding relation with the opposite extensible end of said plunger, a push pin projecting laterally from the said plunger and adapted to ride slidably within a longitudinal slot formed through said handle, said slot extending forwardly of said hand-hold, said push pin adapted to effect the opening of said claw for spanning a circular closure, when urged forwardly in the said longitudinal slot, means for latching said claw onto the diametrically opposed ears of a radiator cap closure spaced radially thereabout for remotely wrenching said closure from or onto respectively, the service opening of a radiator, means cooperating with the first said means for resiliently securing said closure within said claw, and means for vapor shielding the manipulating hand of an operator when lifting said closure from the opening of an overheated liquid container.

2. As claimed in claim 1; wherein the means for latching said claw onto the diametrically opposed lateral ears of a radiator cap closure, said ears being equally spaced radially therewith; comprises a pair of rectangular slots, each being formed in a respective jaw member therethrough, and in concentric alignment therewith, whereby each slot will be adapted to over-ride slidably an adjacent said ear, as when said jaws are retracted on the peripheral radial and opposed sectors of said closure.

3. As claimed in claim 1; wherein the means cooperating with the first said means for resiliently securing said closure within said claw; comprises a helical coil spring disposed in surrounding relation with the inner intermediate extensible end portion of said plunger, said intermediate end portion being circular in cross section and having a threaded terminal end portion adapted to threadably secure thereon a locking nut; said spring having one end thereof disposed in abutting relation with the inner face of a washer, disposed slidably on said circular portion of said plunger having its opposite face in abutting relation with the transverse terminal portion of said handle, said spring being slidably secured in adjustable relation therewith, as by the forward threading of said locking nut into abutting relation with the opposite end of said spring whereby articulating said jaw members by the medium of said plunger, as when said push force is released from said push pin.

4. As claimed in claim 1; wherein the means for vapor shielding the manipulating hand of an operator when lifting said closure from the opening of an over-heated liquid container, comprises a conoid shell adapted to circumpose an operators hand, as when disposed in clutching relation with the hand-hold of said tool, said shell having an integral collar at the apex thereof, said collar being adapted to be detachably secured in sur- 5 rounding relation with said handle forwardly of the longitudinal slot thereof, and in spaced eircumposed relation about said push pin as when manually extended therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,451,042 4/1923 Johnson 294-34 2,625,848 1/1953 Davies et al. 81-345 2,694,330 11/1954 Davies et a1. 81345 6 3,261,242 7/1966 Peters. 3,342,090 9/1967 Martin 81-3.42 X

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner 5 ROSCOE V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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