U.S. patent number 3,921,478 [Application Number 05/537,115] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-25 for tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ygfors Trading AB. Invention is credited to Goran Ygfors.
United States Patent |
3,921,478 |
Ygfors |
November 25, 1975 |
Tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors
Abstract
A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with handles,
between the outer ends of which a spring band of plastic material
is removably attached to keep the handles apart and thereby to keep
the tool open. Each handle is provided with a hole and a guiding
slot for attachment therein of the ends of the spring band, said
ends having a shape corresponding to the shape of said holes and
slots, whereby said guiding slots will force the spring band to be
arc formed in the longitudinal direction between the handles.
Inventors: |
Ygfors; Goran (Vallingby,
SW) |
Assignee: |
Ygfors Trading AB (Jarfalla,
SW)
|
Family
ID: |
20319952 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/537,115 |
Filed: |
December 30, 1974 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 18, 1974 [SW] |
|
|
74006800 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
81/417;
30/261 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B
7/00 (20130101); B25G 1/12 (20130101); A61B
17/3201 (20130101); A61B 17/2812 (20130101); B26B
13/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25G
1/12 (20060101); B26B 13/14 (20060101); B26B
13/00 (20060101); A61B 17/32 (20060101); A61B
17/28 (20060101); B25B 7/00 (20060101); B25G
1/00 (20060101); B25B 007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;81/417 ;30/261,253 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jones, Jr.; James L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Silverman & Cass, Ltd.
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, with shanks
jointed by a pivot, said shanks forming jaws and handle portions,
each of said handle portions carrying a handle, between the outer
ends of which a spring band of a plastic material is removably
arranged and working to keep the tool jaws open, said handles at
their outer ends being provided with a substantially cylindrical
hole parallel to said pivot, and a guiding slot extending from each
of said holes and slots to the outer end surfaces of each
respective handle to receive said spring band, the ends of said
band having the shape of substantially cylindrical beads and having
a part adjacent to the beads with a thickness corresponding to the
widths of said guiding slots, said beads and adjacent parts of the
spring band being inserted in the hole and guiding slots of each
handle, said slots keeping the spring band bent in arc form in the
longitudinal direction thereof between the handles.
2. A tool according to claim 1, in which each of the slots of the
handles on their opposite side walls are provided with a central
ridge or groove in the longitudinal direction of the handle, and in
which said adjacent parts of the spring band are provided with
central grooves or ridges, respectively, on each side and in the
longitudinal direction of the band for removable engagement of said
ridges in said grooves.
3. A tool according to claim 1, in which the middle part of said
spring band at one side thereof is provided with a reinforcing part
of increased thickness, whereby the spring force of the spring band
will have different strength when the band is bent, depending on
whether said reinforcing part is located at the outside or the
inside of the band.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tool, such as a pair of pliers
or scissors; and in particular it relates to a new and improved
spring arrangement between the tool handles.
It is known to use a helical spring located between the tool
handles or a leaf spring located along the handles or a rubber
tube, into the ends of which the handles are inserted. A helical
spring is expensive and requires a complicated arrangement for the
attachment of the spring ends to the tool. Therefore, a helical
spring can not be exchangeable. A leaf spring arranged along the
handles must be strong and have a small action area to open the
tool. A rubber tube is easy to exchange, but the spring force of
the rubber tube will be weak, as the dimensions of the tube must be
adapted to the size of the tool to make the tool easy to
handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a tool, such as a pair of
pliers or scissors, is provided, wherein the disadvantages of the
prior art are overcome. In accordance with the preferred embodiment
of the invention a tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors, is
provided, comprising a spring band of plastic material, said band
being removably arranged between the tool handles. The outer ends
of the handles are each provided with a hole and a guiding slot
extending from said hole and slot on the outer end surface of the
handle. The ends of said spring band have a shape corresponding to
said hole and guiding slot and are removably inserted into said
holes and guiding slots, whereby the guiding slots will force the
band to be arc formed in the longitudinal direction between the
handles. Thus it is possible to provide a handy tool, which, when
uninfluenced, will be open.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and
improved tool, such as a pair of pliers or scissors.
It is another object of this invention to provide a tool, such as a
pair of pliers or scissors, with a spring band of plastic material
which is easily exchangeable, if it should be damaged or broken or
if a band with a weaker or stronger spring force is desired.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the detailed description to follow together with the
accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The drawing and the description disclose a preferred embodiment of
the invention, but it is to be understood, that modifications may
be apparent to those skilled in the art.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are different side elevational views of a tool, a
pair of pliers, constructed in accordance with the present
invention.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are different side elevational views of a spring band
as a part of the pair of pliers according to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 5 shows a section at the line V--V of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the figures there is shown a pair of pliers with
straight shanks, which are jointed by a pivot 1, said shanks
forming plier jaws 2 and 4 respectively and handle portions 3 and 5
respectively on each side of said pivot 1. The shanks 2-5 are
preferably made of steel or some other suitable metal. On each
handle portion 3,5 a handle 6 and 7 respectively is arranged, said
handle 6 and 7 respectively being made of a preferably sufficiently
strong and rigid plastic material, such as glass-fibre-reinforced
plastic. Said handles 6,7 are near their outer ends provided with
substantially cylindrical holes 8,9 which are parallel to the
longitudinal direction of the pivot 1. From each hole 8,9 a guiding
slot 10 and 11 respectively extends, said guiding slot being
directed in the longitudinal direction of the handle and opening on
the outer end surface 12 and 13 respectively of the handle.
A spring band 14 of a preferably elastic plastic material, such as
for example a material which is sold under the trademark Rilsan
Plastic and which is based on ricinium oil, is removably arranged
between the handles 6,7. The band 14 is straight, when
uninfluenced, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and its ends have the
shape of substantially cylindrical beads 15,16, said beads having
substantially the same diameter as the holes 8,9. The parts 17,18
of the band adjacent to the beads have the same thickness as the
widths of the guiding slots. Said parts 17,18 are on their sides
provided with central grooves 19,20 in the longitudinal direction
of the band. On the opposite sides of the guiding slots 10,11 of
the handles there is a central ridge 21,22 extending in the
longitudinal direction of the handles, as is seen in FIG. 5. As the
grooves and ridges are centrally positioned on the band and in the
handles respectively, the band can be inserted with either
longitudinal edge turned upwards in FIGS. 1 and 2.
On the middle of the spring band 14 there is provided a reinforcing
part with inclined ends 23'. Thereby the force of the band 14 to
bring and keep the handles apart till be stronger, when the band is
inserted in such a way, that the reinforcing part 23 is situated on
the inside of the band, as is shown in FIG. 1, than when the band
is inserted with the reinforcing part situated on the outside of
the band. Hereby one band can give a stronger or weaker spring
force to keep the handles apart depending on how the band is
inserted.
As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the beads 15,16 of the spring band 14
are inserted in the holes 8 and 9 respectively of the handles at
the same time as the parts 17,18 of the band are pressed into the
guiding slots 10 and 11 respectively of the handles. The band is
thereby forced by the guiding slots to be bent in arc form with a
smaller radius of curvature near the handle and a substantially
greater radius of curvature for the middle portion of the band. The
spring band is attached to the pliers by the engagement of the
ridges 21,22 in the grooves 19,20 of the band, whereby the band
will be safely attached to the tool and also can be easily inserted
into and removed from the handles when exchanged due to for example
damage or a need for a stronger or weaker band.
Though the tool described hereinbefore is a pair of pliers, the
invention is applicable to scissors or other, similar tools. Said
ridges 21,22 and grooves 19,20 can be dispensed with and the band
ends pressed into the holes and slots may be kept in position by
friction force. Thus, although the invention has been described
with reference to particular preferred embodiments thereof, it will
be understood, that other variations and modifications can be
effected within the scope and spirit of the invention as described
hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *