U.S. patent number 3,756,064 [Application Number 05/237,628] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-04 for hand-operated plier-like tools.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Waldes Kohinoor, Inc.. Invention is credited to Hans Erdmann.
United States Patent |
3,756,064 |
Erdmann |
September 4, 1973 |
HAND-OPERATED PLIER-LIKE TOOLS
Abstract
An improved plier-like tool of the general type disclosed in my
prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,238 but differing therefrom in that the
movable jaw segments are pivotally connected to a reciprocable
slide for swinging movement in a common plane toward and away from
each other, rather than being mounted for sliding movement only.
The slide is adapted to be reciprocated in its slideway by a roller
which is mounted at the working end of a plier arm, i.e. the end
remote from its handle end, which with closing movement of the
plier handles moves in an ascending but substantially flat arcuate
path, during the course of which the roller periphery abuts the
lower end edge of the slide and actuates same in upward direction,
as results in the movable jaw segments being actuated toward one
another. Spring means effects retracting movement of the slide and
corresponding spreading of the movable jaw segments whenever
opening movement of the plier handles is initiated.
Inventors: |
Erdmann; Hans (Maplewood,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
Waldes Kohinoor, Inc. (Long
Island City, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22894516 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/237,628 |
Filed: |
March 24, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
72/409.01;
29/271; 81/349; 29/235; 81/307 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B
27/10 (20130101); B25B 27/205 (20130101); Y10T
29/53913 (20150115); Y10T 29/53657 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B25B
27/14 (20060101); B25B 27/20 (20060101); B21d
009/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;72/410
;29/2H,23H,23HC,23HM,23HT,212R,212D ;81/303,307,308,309,349 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lanham; Charles W.
Assistant Examiner: Keenan; M. J.
Claims
I claim:
1. A plier-like tool for assembling non-resilient retaining rings
in the grooves of shafts, spindles and like carrier members
comprising: a pair of plier arms connected in crossing relation,
corresponding end portions of said arms which extend to one side of
the connection providing tool handles, the end portion of one plier
arm which extends to the other side of the connection terminating
in a leg which extends transversely through the longitudinal center
line of the tool, a ring-deforming assembly movably secured in
dependent relation to said transverse leg, said assembly including
a plate-form member provided with a vertically elongated opening
oversize with respect to the shaft or spindle in whose groove a
ring is to be assembled and with a forwardly-facing vertical
slideway which extends from the lower edge of said plate-form
member in the direction of said opening, three co-planar jaw
segments operatively mounted on the relatively forward side of said
plate-form member, one said jaw segment being stationary and having
a relatively downwardly-facing ring-engaging and a compressing
lower edge extending along a 120.degree. arc of a circle
corresponding to the circle of the outer edge of a retaining ring
when assembled to a shaft and the like passing through said
opening, the other two jaw segments being pivotally connected to a
slide mounted for relatively vertical translatory travel in said
slideway and each having a ring-engaging and compressing upper-edge
portion extending along a 120.degree. arc of said circle, said two
pivotally connected jaw segments being normally spread apart but
being movable in their planes towards one another to positions in
which their arcuate upper-edge portions extend in continuation of
one another, means responsive to closing pressure on the plier
handles for imparting relatively upward translatory travel to the
slide and thereby swinging movement of the movable jaw segments
about their pivotal connections towards one another and to
positions in elevation such that their arcuate upper-edge portions
extend in arcuate continuation with one another and with said
downwardly-facing arcuate edge of the stationary jaw segment
whereby said edge portions combine to define a full 360.degree.
circle corresponding to the outer-edge circle of an assembled ring,
and means operative upon cessation of closing pressure on the plier
handles for effecting retraction of the slide and corresponding
swinging movement of the movable jaw segments to their normally
spread-apart position.
2. A plier-like tool according to claim 1, wherein the means for
imparting swinging movement to the movable jaw segments towards one
another responsive to upward travel of the slide as aforesaid
comprises cam blocks affixed to the plate-form member and having
camming surfaces disposed in the path of travel of inclined
upper-edge portions of the movable jaw segments and which are
disposed relatively outwardly of said upper-edge arcuate
portions.
3. A plier-like tool according to claim 1, wherein said mean for
imparting upward translatory travel to the slide responsive to
movement of the plier handles in closing direction includes a
roller mounted at the end of the foreshortened portion of the
companion plier arm opposite its said handle end, said roller being
bodily movable along an ascending arc with closing of the plier
handles, during the course of which the peripheral surface of said
roller engages the lower-end edge of the slide and actuates the
same in upward direction.
4. A plier-like tool according to claim 1, wherein the end portion
of the companion plier arm which extends beyond said pivotal
connection has short length as compared to that of the
corresponding end portion of said one companion plier arm, said
short-length end portion mounting a roller which, with closing of
the plier handles, moves bodily in a gradually ascending but
relatively flat arcuate path, during the course of which its
peripheral surface engages the lower end edge of the slide as
effects upward movement of said slide at a rate which decreases as
the plier handles approach one another, thereby making possible an
increase in the pressure which the jaw-segment edges are capable of
exerting without correspondingly increasing the force required to
close said plier handles.
5. A plier-like tool according to claim 1, wherein the means for
imparting swinging movement to the movable jaw segments towards one
another responsive to relatively upward travel of the slide as
aforesaid includes rollers mounted in the path of travel of
inclined upper-edge surfaces of the movable jaw segments and which
are disposed relatively outwardly of said upper-edge arcuate
portions thereon.
Description
INTRODUCTION
This invention relates generally to improvements in hand-operated
plier-like tools for assembling, non-resilient shoulder-forming
retaining rings in grooves provided for their reception in carrier
members, i.e. shafts, spindles, etc., and more particularly to an
improved (simplified, easy-to-operate) plier-like tool of the type
disclosed and claimed in my U. S. Pat. No. 3,276,238 dated Oct. 4,
1966 for assembling non-resilient, shoulder-forming rings according
to U. S. Pat. to Conner No. 2,888,852 dated June 2, 1959, which
patents, the inventions thereof, and the invention of the present
application are commonly owned.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention contemplates and provides a plier-like
assembly tool for assembling non-resilient shoulder-forming rings
on shafts, spindles, etc. by contracting them in circumferential
grooves provided therein for their reception, which is
substantially easier to operate than a plier-like assembly tool
according to my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,238 and thus can be
operated with one hand instead of two hands, all other factors
being equal.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a
plier-type tool for assembling non-resilient shoulder-forming rings
in grooves provided therefor in shafts, spindles, etc., which is
characterized by its capacity to impart radial-inward contracting
pressure on the ring outer periphery of a magnitude insuring
against the ring turning in its groove after assembly therein.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a
plier-form tool characterized as aforesaid and wherein the jaw
assembly is interchangeable so as to adapt the tool for use with
rings of different sizes.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a plier-form
shoulder providing retaining ring assembly tool which is
substantially less expensive to manufacture than the tool of my
aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,238.
Still another object of the invention is that of providing a
plier-form shoulder-providing retaining ring assembly tool of a
design such that it operates with a minimum of friction and at the
same time requires less accuracy in dimensioning of the parts and
surfaces thereof than the tool of my afore-mentioned U.S. Pat. No.
3,276,238.
The above and other objects and features of merit of the improved
plier-form tool of the invention will appear from the following
description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawing
illustrative thereof, wherein
FIGS. 1 and 2 are front views in elevation (handles only partly
shown) of a plier-form assembly tool according to the invention, of
which FIG. 1 shows the tool with its handles spread and the
ring-contracting jaws in their open or inactive positions, and FIG.
2 shows the tool with said handles closed and the ring
contracting-jaws in their correspondingly closed or
"pressure-apply" positions;
FIG. 3 is a rear view in elevation of the tool of the invention
with handles and ring-contracting jaws as in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 and 5 are sections taken along lines 4--4 and 5--5,
respectively; and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the FIG. 2 view.
Proceeding now to a detailed description of the plier-form tool of
the present invenion, it is explained that said tool, with the
exceptions to be noted hereinafter, corresponds generally to that
disclosed in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,238. That is to
say, it comprises a pair of crossed lever arms 10,12 pivotally
connected intermediate their ends by a rivet 14. The respective
lever arm portions extending to one side of the pivotal connection
are formed as handles 16, 18, which may be separately fashioned and
secured to the lever arms as by welding.
The portion of the lever arm 10 which extends to the other side of
the rivet 14 has elongate L-formation, the longer leg 20 thereof
being offset slightly from the longitudinal center line of the tool
and terminating in a shorter leg 22 which extends at a substantial
right angle therefrom and traverses said center line.
According to the present invention, a jaw assembly designated 24 is
removably secured as by screws 26a, 26b to the shorter transversely
extending leg of the L-formation so as to depend relatively
downwardly therefrom. Said jaw assembly comprises a generally
rectangular, fixed-position back plate 28 having a vertically
elongated, i.e. elliptical, workpiece opening 30 provided therein
of a size enabling the tool to be "threaded" or passed over a shaft
or spindle in whose groove a retaining ring is to be permanently
compressed. A stationary jaw segment generally designated 32 is
secured (as by screws 32a, 32b) flush against the relatively front
face of the back plate 28, said stationary jaw segment having an
arcuate ring-engaging and compressing edge 34 extending along an
approximate 120.degree. arc of a circle of radius corresponding to
that of the outer edge circle of a fully compressed ring, which
edge projects relatively downwardly into said back-plate opening
30.
Said back plate 28 also mounts or has integrally formed therewith
two fixed-position cam blocks 36, 38 having camming surfaces 36a,
38a symmetrically disposed to and at diverging angles of 30.degree.
to the vertical center line of the back plate 38 and its
shaft-receiving through-opening 30.
The aforementioned jaw assembly also includes left- and right-hand
jaw segments generally designated 40, 42 which are pivotally
connected as by pivot pins 44, 46 for turning or swinging movement
toward and away from each other in their common plane, to a slide
48 mounted for relatively vertical translatory movement in a
slideway 50 provided therefor in the front side of the
aforementioned back plate 28.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, said movable jaw segments are formed with
arcuate ring-edge engaging portions 52, 54 each extending along a
120.degree. arc of a circle or radius corresponding to that of the
outer-edge circle of a fully compressed ring, said arcuate edge
portions being formed in adjacent upper-edge portions of the jaw
segments 40, 42. Thus, when the movable jaw segments 40, 42 are
brought together, said arcuate edges will extend in continuation of
one another and together subtend a 240.degree. arc of a circle
having radius as aforesaid.
The outer upper-edge corners of said movable jaw segments 40, 42
are cut away to provide inclined edges 56, 58 extending at a
supplemental angle to the aforementioned camming surfaces 36a, 38a
of the fixed-position cam blocks 36, 38, with which said inclined
edge portions are relatively vertically aligned.
From the foregoing, it will be understood that, responsive to the
slide member 48 being actuated (translated) relatively upwardly,
the jaw segments which are normally spread as in FIG. 1 are cammed
relatively inwardly or towards each other by the camming surfaces
36a, 38a of the fixed cam blocks 36, 38. By design, the upward
translatory movement of the slide member 48 is such as to swing the
pivoted jaw segments 40, 42 relatively towards each other to a
position in which their relatively inner vertical side edges
coincide with the longitudinal center line of the tool, such also
resulting in their arcuate edge portions 52, 54 and the arcuate
edge portion 34 of the fixed jaw segment 32 combining to define a
360.degree. circle whose radius corresponds to that of the circle
of the outer edge of a ring to be compressed when said ring is in
fact compressed in assembly.
According to a further important feature of the invention, the
slide 48 is translated (actuated) in jaw-segment-closing direction
by bodily movement of a roller 60 throughout the uppermost flat or
horizontal arc of a circle struck from the center about which the
plier arms close and open, i.e. the pin or rivet 14. More
particularly, the end of the plier arm 12 disposed to the side of
said pivot 14 opposite its handle end is relatively short as
compared to the corresponding end of the other plier arm, and it
mounts at its extreme end a roller 60 having diameter such that its
peripheral surface always contacts the bottom-end straight edge of
the slide 48. Thus, closing of the plier arms will impart bodily
movement to the roller 60 in a slightly ascending arcuate path to
its position shown in FIG. 2 in which it has actuated the slide 48
to its uppermost position. However, because movement of the roller
is along a substantially flat or horizontal arcuate path as stated
above, the rate of movement of the slide becomes slower the more
the plier handles are closed. Such is a feature of practical
advantage because the pressure required to compress or contract a
ring increases with closing of the jaws. Thus, the slower movement
of the roller as described makes possible a substantial increase in
the pressure which the jaws exert on a ring then being subjected to
radial inward compression, without at the same time increasing the
force required for closing the handles.
The invention also provides simple, positive means for effecting
retraction of the slide member 48 and corresponding separation of
the jaw segments with opening of the handles. By reference to FIGS.
3-5 inclusive in particular, it will be seen that such means
comprises a double-ended spring 66 whose middle-length portion is
coiled about a screw 68 affixed to and projecting rearwardly from
the back plate 28. The opposite ends of the spring 66 are formed as
open hooks 70a, 70b shown to be hookably engaged about the heads of
cap screws 72, 74, whose threaded shank-ends 62, 64, after passing
through slots 72a, 74a provided therefor in the back-plate 28
symmetrically to the sides of said screw 68, are threaded into the
movable jaw segments 40, 42. In order to insure in so far as
possible the free movement of the shanks of the screws 72, 74 along
the length of the slots 72a, 74a, flanged spacer sleeves 76, 78 are
provided therefor in said slots 72a, 74a. Thus, the movable jaw
segments 40 and 42 are held in their plane by the screws 72, 74
which are permitted free up and down movement in the slots 72a, 74a
of the back plate 28.
Referring now to FIG. 6, such illustrates a slightly modified
construction using simple rollers 36r, 38r for the cam blocks 36,
38 and their camming surfaces 36a, 38a, of the prior described
invention form. By proper positioning thereof on the back plate 28,
said rollers will function to actuate the jaw members 40, 42
relatively towards one another about their respective pivot pins
44, 46, responsive to the slide 48 being translated relatively
upwardly as previously described.
Normally, the double-ended spring 66, acting through its open-hook
ends and the cap screws 72, 74, tends to bias the movable jaw
segments 40, 42 to their spread-apart position, the slide to its
correspondingly lowermost position, and the plier handles to their
fully spread position, all as indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawing.
Since this bias increases with closing of the plier handles one on
the other, it is a feature of the invention that, upon opening or
spreading movement of the handles being initiated, the energy
stored in said spring 66 is immediately released, thus effecting
what might be termed automatic opening or spreading movement of the
plier handles to respective positions in which the tool is ready to
perform the next ring-assembling operation if and when called upon
to do so.
From the above, it will be appreciated that a plier-form tool
according to my presently disclosed invention reduces to a marked
degree the substantial friction forces which interfered with the
simple, easy operation of a tool according to my U.S. Pat. No.
3,276,238. More particularly, by using pivoting jaws instead of
sliding jaws, by mounting said pivoting jaws on a balanced slide
which moves with very little friction, and by imparting movement to
the slide throughout its working stroke by means of a roller, the
objectionable high friction forces characterizing the operation of
an earlier plier-like tool according to my aforesaid patent are
largely overcome.
Yet another feature of advantage characterizing the plier-like tool
according to my present application stems from the fact that,
whereas the sliding jaws employed in the prior tool require a slide
fit having very close tolerances in order to avoid jamming,
pivoting jaws carried by a slide member do not require machining to
such close tolerances and are more certain in their operation and
therefore less expensive to incorporate in a tool of the type under
consideration than the sliding jaws of the prior art.
It is to be understood that all matter contained in the above
description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *