Multipurpose Pliers

Abstract

A multipurpose plier has pivotally connected operating members with apertures therein for shearing of bolts therebetween. Disposed at one end of the operating members are jaws with crimping, wire cutting, wire stripping, and gripping portions. The other ends of the operating members provide handles for operation thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A number of pliers have suitably configured portions for wire stripping, bolt cutting other functions which permit the user to perform a variety of related tasks in a facile manner while minimizing the cost of the tools required. In many commercial and industrial establishments, such tools are widely employed for various mechanical and electrical assembly operations. As a result, the ease of operation of such tools is most important for maximum productivity.

Although various types of multipurpose pliers are available, generally they are awkward to use. Moreover, it is often necessary to use a relatively large amount of force to accomplish the desired crimping or cutting operation. Two or more functions may be combined without optimum interrelationship of the features so as to make the tool facile in use, and effective pliers combining four or more functions are essentially unavailable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel multipurpose plier which conveniently and easily performs bolt cutting, crimping, wire cutting, wire stripping and gripping operations.

It is also an object to provide such multipurpose plier which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture, which is attractive in appearance, and which is rugged in construction to permit long lived operation.

Another object is to provide such a tool wherein portions utilized for various cutting and gripping operations are located relative to the pivot and along the length of the jaws so as to achieve optimum effectiveness with a relative minimum of manual pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a multipurpose plier assembly comprising a pair of elongated members each having a planar pivot portion intermediate in its length with a pivot aperture therein. Each of the elongated members has a handle portion extending in one direction from the pivot portion to one side of the pivot aperture therein and a jaw portion extending in the opposite direction from the pivot portion to the opposite side of the pivot aperture therein. The elongated members have planar pivot portions disposed in side by side relationship and the pivot apertures are in alignment. A pivot member is seated in the pivot apertures and secures the pivot portions together in surface contact for pivotable sliding movement therebetween. Each of the jaw portions and handle portions respectively of the operating members is disposed on opposite sides of the pivot portion thereof so as to lie on opposite sides thereof. The jaw portions are angularly offset towards each other from their respective pivot portions so as to extend in a common plane. The jaw portions have opposed edges extending in abutting relationship along a portion of their length when the operating members are pivoted into closed position. The opposed edges are configured to provide crimping means; wire cutting means, gripping means and wire stripping means. The crimping means includes at least one curved surface in each edge, proximate the pivot member, forming a pair of aligned surfaces of different curvature which are opposed when the operating members are in the closed position. The wire cutting means includes aligned, bevelled edge surfaces providing abutting knife edges in the closed position of the operating members and the edge surfaces are disposed adjacent the crimping means. The gripping means include toothed edge portions at the end distal to the pivot member and abutting in the closed position of the operating members. The wire-stripping means disposed on the edges adjacent the wire cutting means includes cooperating arcuate recesses in each of the edges positioned equidistantly from the pivot member and forming a sharp edged circular opening when said operating members are in the closed position. The jaw portions are angularly offset towards each other from their respective pivot portions so as to extend in a common plane. The jaw portions have opposed edges extending in abutting relationship along a portion of their length when the operating members are pivoted into closed position. The opposed edges are configured to provide crimping means; wire cutting means, gripping means and wire stripping means. The pivot portions each include a plurality of cutter apertures spaced from said pivot apertures therein, which are aligned when the operating members are pivoted into open position and arcuately misaligned when the operating members are pivoted into closed position whereby shearing action may be effected upon a member seated in the cooperating apertures in the open position of the operating members.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention the oppositely extending handle portions and jaw portions of each of said operating members are each angularly offset toward each other from the plane of the pivot portions thereof so as to extend in a common plane. One of the cooperating pair of cutter apertures is threaded to receive and seat snugly the threaded portion of an associated bolt, most preferably the portions of the operating members include a multiplicity of incrementally sized cutter apertures disposed in an arc extending about said pivot apertures thereof. The incrementally sized cutter apertures may be spaced towards the handle portions, the crimping means may include a plurality of pairs aligned curved surfaces. Similarly the stripping means may include a plurality of pairs of cooperating arcuate recesses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of multipurpose pliers embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the multipurpose pliers of FIG. 1 with the jaws thereof in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to that of FIG. 2 with the jaws in the open position;

FIG. 4 is an edge elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the side opposite that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with the jaws in open position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 5 but to an enlarged scale for illustrating the operating portions in greater detail;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view thereof along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 showing the relationship of the knife edges; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6 showing the construction of the grip and handle portion thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

Turning now in detail to the attached drawings, a multipurpose pliers assembly embodying the present invention is comprised of a pair of elongated operating members generally designated by the numerals 10A, 10B pivotally connected by a pivot member 12. The pivot member 12 is seated in apertures (not shown) in the generally planar pivot portions 14A, 14B which are in overlying, sliding relationship intermediate the length of the operating members 10A, 10B.

Extending in one direction or forwardly from the pivot portions 14A, 14B on opposite sides of the pivot member 12 are jaw portions 16A, 16B which are angular offset towards each other so as to extend in edge aligned relationship over substantially the entire length thereof and in edge abutting relationship over the major portion thereof. Extending in the opposite direction or rearwardly from the pivot portions 14A, 14B on the opposite sides of the pivot member 12 from the respective jaw portions 16A, 16B are the elongated handle portions 18A, 18B which are simularly angularly offset towards each other so that the jaw and handle portions lie in a common plane and the pivot portions 14A, 14B lie in parallel planes but offset to opposite sides of their plane.

The planar pivot portions 14A, 14B have a multiplicity of incrementally sized apertures 20A-28A and 20B-28B respectively, arranged in an arc about, and generally rearwardly of, the pivot member 12. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, cooperating pairs of apertures in the two operating members 10A, 10B are aligned in the open position of the pliers assembly; however, as best seen in FIGS. 7, the cooperating pairs are arcuately offset in the closed position of the pliers assembly, i.e. when the jaw portions 16A, 16B are brought into abutting engagement. In the illustrated embodiment the apertures 20A-28A are threaded (not shown) whereas the apertures 20B-28B are not.

When a bolt or similar member (not shown) is seated in a pair of cooperating apertures 20-28 A, B in the open position of the operating members 10A, 10B, shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 closing of the handle portions 18A, 18B will produce a shearing action on the bolt as the opposed surfaces of the pivot portions 14A, 14B slide in close surface contact to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. By using threaded apertures 20A-28A which closely fit and support a threaded member the threads of the threaded member may be protected from multilation under the high shear stresses developed by the pliers assembly during the cutting operation.

The unthreaded apertures 20B-28B are diametrically sized to receive the bolts which fit the threads of the cooperating apertures 20A-28A and snugly seat them with very little circumferential clearance thereabout. In cutting a threaded member, the operating members 10A, 10B, are moved to the open position and a bolt, stud, or the like is screwed into the appropriately sized threaded aperture 20A-28A with the threaded end thereof then extending into the cooperating unthreaded aperture 20B-28A of the operating member 10B. When the handles 18A, 18B are then moved to the closed position, the desired shearing action is accomplished and the end of the bolt received in the aperture 20B-28B is severed without multilation of the threads of the portion protected in aperture 20A-28A; that portion may then be unthreaded for subsequent use.

Referring now in detail to FIG. 7, the construction and configuration of the jaw portions 16A, 16B may best be seen. Adjacent the pivot portions 14A, 14B, the jaw portions 16A, 16B have formed in their opposed edges cirvilinear, spaced apart edge surfaces providing opposed recesses 30A, 30B for the purpose of crimping solderless type terminals (not shown) to electrical conductors. Such terminals typically comprise a ferrule or barrel section and may also be connected to, or be integral with a tongue or lug portion or other similar barrel or ferrule types are used. The pliers assembly of the present invention may be used with all of these connector types. The conductor (not shown) to be screwed to the connector has a portion of its insulation removed and the bare conductor is then inserted into the ferrule. This assembly is seated in the aperture between the opposed recesses 30A, 30B in the open position of the operating members 10A, 10B; closing of the members 10A, 10B, crimps the connector onto the conductor.

Although the opposed recesses such as 30A, 30B are suitable for relatively small ferrules, for still larger ferrules, the jaw portions 16A, 16B are configured to provide a recess 32 opposed to a projection 34. The difference in the configuration of the opposed surfaces is necessary because of the otherwise disproportinate force that would be necessary with large ferrules. Accordingly, the projection 34 produces a progressive action to accomplish the desired deformation required for crimping. The positioning of the crimping portions closely adjacent the pivot member 12 is particularly important to obtain the maximum mechanical advantage for the crimping operation since that necessarily requires greater force than does wire cutting, wire stripping or gripping operations.

Adjacent the crimping area but more removed from the pivot member 12, the jaw portions 16A, 16B are configured to provide an opposed pair of knife edged surfaces 36A, 36B adopted for wire cutting. The positioning adjacent the crimping area is important because the forces required therefor are somewhat less than the crushing forces required to deform rather large ferrules but more than those required for merely cutting insulation. The opposed edges of the jaw portions 16A, 16B are believed in opposite directions to produce the oblique faces 36A, 36B which are shown most clearly in the sectional view of FIG. 8. The abutting knife edges 38A, 38B are defined by the oblique faces 36A, 36B, thus may cut effectively with clearance therebehind.

Positioned adjacent to, but outwardly from, the wire cutting portion defined by the surfaces 36A, 36B are wire stripping means which require somewhat less force than does the wire cutting portion inasmuch as only the insulation of an insulated wire needs to be severed. The jaw portions 16A, 16B of each operating member 10A, 10B are provided with an opposed cooperating plurality of arcuate recesses 40A, 40B decreasing in size outwardly from the pivot member 12. Extending in one face of the operating members 16A, 16B perpendicular to the edges thereof from each of the recesses 40A, 40B are channels or grooves 42A, 42B having approximately the same width as the associated recesses 40A, 40B. Such channels 42A, 42B are helpful in determing the correct recess for stripping the insulation from a wire of given size and serve to provide the knift edges of the recesses 40A, 40B as well as clearance therebehind. The location of each recess 40A, 40B is again determined by the forces that are required in that the largest recess is positioned most near the pivot member 12 to obtain the maximum mechanical advantage. The edges of the jaw portions 16A, 16B adjacent knife edged recesses 40A, 40B abut so as to hold or restrain a cylindrical section of insulation in the stripping process.

Most outwardly from the pivot member 12, the abutting edges of the jaw portions 16A, 16B are provided with a multiplicity of transversely extending teeth 44A, 44B adapted for gripping operations. The position of the teeth 44A, 44B at the end distal the pivot member 12 is again chosen because relatively lesser force is required for the gripping operation. Although the abutting faces of the gripping portions are toothed, the edges abut in the closed position and extend in a plane defined by the edges of the teeth 44A, 44B. Thus, when the operating members 10A, 10B are in the closed position, the relationship of the planes thereof is generally parallel.

Referring now to FIG. 9, this cross-sectional view illustrates the construction of the handle portions 18A, 18B which include synthetic plastic closed end tubular members 50A, 50B which are preferably heat shrunk onto the ends of the operating members, 10A, 10B to provide a comfortable handle portion and insulating characteristics to protect the user. Other techniques for providing such coatings may be employed such as dipping in molten synthetic resin, resin solvent solutions, etc.

The pliers in accordance with the invention utilize the physical law of statics and particularly of levers that the "force in" forces required for operation of the pliers, have been minimized by positioning the various portions of the jaws and the bolt cutters so that the output lever arm i.e. the distance between the pivot and the point where the crimping, cutting, stripping or gripping is accomplished, varies as an inverse function of the force required for that particular operation.

Thus, it can be seen from the foregoing detailed specification and appended drawings the present invention provides a novel multipurpose pliers which may be conveniently and easily operated because of the positioning of the operational portions thereof either about the pivot member thereof or forward of that pivot member for maximum ease of operation and utilization of force applied. The multipurpose pliers is facile in operation, attractive in appearance, relatively simple and economical to manufacture and rugged in construction to provide long lived operation.

Claims

Have thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Multipurpose pliers comprising:

a. a pair of elongated members each having a planar pivot portion intermediate its length with a pivot aperture therein, a handle portion extending in one direction from said pivot portion and to one side of said pivot aperture therein and a jaw portion extending in the opposite direction from said pivot portion to the opposite side of said pivot aperture therein, said elongated members having their planar pivot portions disposed in side by side sliding relationship and with said apertures thereof in alignment, said handle portions extending in said one direction from said pivot portion to provide substantial spacing therebetween throughout substantially the entire length thereof in the closed position of said pliers; and

b. a pivot member seated in said pivot apertures and securing said pivot portions in surface contact for pivotable sliding movement therebetween, said jaw portions and handle portions respectively of said operating members being disposed on opposite sides of said pivot portion so as to lie on opposite sides thereof and said jaw portions being angularly offset towards each other from their respective pivot portions so as to extend in a common plane, said jaw portion having opposed edges extending in abutting relationship along a portion of their length when said operating members are pivoted into closed position, said opposed edges being configured to provide crimping means, wire cutting means, gripping means and wire stripping means, said crimping means being adjacent said pivot member and including at least one curved surface in each edge proximate said pivot member and forming a pair of aligned surfaces of different curvature which are opposed when said operating members are in said closed position; said wire cutting means including aligned, bevelled edge surfaces providing abutting knife edges in said closed position of said operating members, said edge surfaces being disposed outwardly from and adjacent said crimping means; said wire-stripping means being disposed on said edges outwardly from and adjacent said wire cutting means and including cooperating arcuate recesses in each of said edge positioned equidistantly from said pivot member and forming a sharp edge circular opening when said operating members are in said closed position; said gripping means including toothed edge portions at the end of the jaw portions distal to said pivot member and abutting in said closed position of said operating members; said pivot portions each including a plurality of cutter spaced from said pivot apertures therein, said cutter apertures being aligned when said operating members are pivoted into open position and arcuately misaligned when said operating members are pivoted into closed position whereby shearing action may be effected upon a member seating in the cooperating apertures in said open position of said operating members.

2. The pliers of claim 1 wherein said oppositely extending handle portions and jaw portions of each of said operating members are each angularly offset toward each other from the plane of the pivot portion thereof so as to extend in a common plane.

3. The pliers of claim 1 wherein one of the cooperating pair of cutter apertures is threaded to receive and seat snugly the threaded portion of an associated bolt.

4. The pliers of claim 1 wherein said pivot portions of said operating members include a multiplicity of incrementally sized cutter apertures disposed in an arc extending about said pivot apertures thereof spaced towards said handle portions.

5. The pliers of claim 1 wherein said crimping means includes a plurality of pairs of aligned curved surfaces.

6. The pliers of claim 1 wherein said stripping means includes a plurality of pairs of cooperating arcuate recesses.