U.S. patent number 3,793,914 [Application Number 05/262,789] was granted by the patent office on 1974-02-26 for vise grip pliers.
Invention is credited to Hosea W. Helms.
United States Patent |
3,793,914 |
Helms |
February 26, 1974 |
VISE GRIP PLIERS
Abstract
Vise grip pliers are provided with an improved quick-action
adjustment for the operating handle fulcrum bar, consisting of a
transversely serrated rack on an inner surface of the jaw handle
member, a mating serrated block pivotally connected to the end of
the fulcrum bar and movable lengthwise of the serrated bar, a
control tab on the outside of the handle member rigidly connected
through the handle member to the serrated block, and a spring
biasing the control tab and the serrated block outwardly, the
latter into position-fixing engagement with the serrated bar,
disengagement for movement lengthwise of the bar being effected by
thumb pressure on the tab and sliding it lengthwise of the handle
to a selected position. A fine adjustment is provided by movably
mounting the rack on the handle member and controlling the movement
of the rack with an eccentric cam.
Inventors: |
Helms; Hosea W. (Maplewood,
MO) |
Family
ID: |
22999049 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/262,789 |
Filed: |
June 14, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
81/378 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B
7/123 (20130101); B25B 7/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25B
7/00 (20060101); B25B 7/18 (20060101); B25B
7/12 (20060101); B26b 007/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;81/363,367-380,145-147
;269/210,215 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jones, Jr.; James L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burgess; F. Travers
Claims
I claim:
1. Pliers comprising a handle member having a fixed jaw, a movable
jaw pivotally attached to the handle member for coaction with the
fixed jaw, an operating handle pivotally connected with the inner
portion of the movable jaw and being movable toward or away from
the handle member, a bar pivotally connected at one end to the
operating handle, an elongated serrated rack on an inside surface
of said handle member and held against substantial movement
longitudinally thereof, a matingly serrated block pivotally secured
to the other end of said bar inwardly of said rack, means holding
said block in releasable engagement with said rack, and means for
manually disengaging said block from said rack and moving said
block longitudinally of said rack and said handle whereby to change
the position of said bar lengthwise of said handle member, said
holding means being resilient and said disengaging means comprising
a finger tab outward of said handle, said handle being formed with
a slot lengthwise of said rack, an element extending through said
slot and rigidly securing said block to said finger tab, said
finger tab being spaced outwardly from said handle and being
movable longitudinally thereof whereby to be selectively movable
toward and along said handle member to oppose said resilient means
and disengage said block from said rack and move said block
longitudinally of said rack to selected positions with respect
thereto.
2. Pliers comprising a handle member having a fixed jaw, a movable
jaw pivotally attached to the handle member for coaction with the
fixed jaw, an operating handle pivotally connected with the inner
portion of the movable jaw and being movable toward or away from
the handle member, a bar pivotally connected at one end to the
operating handle, a serrated rack on an inside surface of said
handle member, a matingly serrated block pivotally secured to the
other end of said bar, means holding said block in releasable
engagement with said rack, and means for manually disengaging said
block from said rack and moving said block longitudinally of said
rack whereby to change the position of said bar lengthwise of said
handle member, said rack being mounted on said handle for limited
movement longitudinally thereof, there being manually actuable
means on said handle for shifting said rack precise distances
lengthwise of said handle.
3. Pliers according to claim 2 wherein said shifting means
comprises a cylindrical portion journaled in said handle member and
an eccentric portion engaging a transverse surface portion of said
rack.
4. Pliers according to claim 3 wherein said shifting means includes
a finger actuable portion positioned outwardly of said handle
member.
5. Pliers according to claim 4 wherein said resilient means
comprises a coil spring surrounding said connecting element and
compressed between the inner surface of said finger tab and the
outer surface of said handle.
6. Pliers according to claim 5 wherein there are a pair of said
connecting elements and springs mounted thereon spaced apart
lengthwise of said block and said finger tab.
7. Pliers according to claim 6 wherein said handle member is of
generally channel cross section with its web outwardly disposed,
said rack being mounted against the inner surface of said channel
web.
8. Pliers according to claim 7 wherein said rack is mounted on said
handle for limited movement longitudinally thereof, there being
manually actuable means on said handle for shifting said rack
precise distances lengthwise of said handle, said shifting means
comprising a transverse surface of said rack and a cam engageable
with said rack transverse surface and rotatably mounted on said
handle member.
9. Pliers according to claim 8 wherein said cam is of circular
shape and is eccentrically journaled on said handle member.
10. Pliers according to claim 9 wherein said cam has an operating
member protruding from said handle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to improved vise grip pliers and consists
particularly in a quick-action adjustment for such pliers.
2. The Prior Art
For adjusting the fulcrum bar, conventional vise grip pliers
utilize a screw extending axially of the handle, with its knurled
head protruding from the end of the handle and a seat on its other
end engageable with the end of the fulcrum bar, adjustment being
effected by turning the screw. If a large adjustment is necessary,
it is accordingly time consuming.
SUMMARY
The invention provides simple and inexpensive means for effecting
rapid adjustment of the fulcrum bar of vise grip pliers. Such
adjustment is effected in accordance with the invention by the use
of a rack and pawl mechanism in which the pawl is a serrated block
pivotally attached to the end of the fulcrum bar.
The invention also provides a supplementary fine adjustment for the
fulcrum bar, comprising a manually rotatable eccentric cam for
moving the rack along the jaw handle member to take up slack
between adjacent serrations.
It accordingly follows that an object of the invention is to
provide a more rapidly adjustable pliers of the vise grip type.
Another object is to provide vise grip pliers in which the rapidity
of the adjustment is effected by using a rack and pawl adjustment
mechanism. A further object is to provide a fine adjustment means
to supplement the rack and pawl adjustment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially sectionalized, of
pliers embodying the invention in an open position.
FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 but showing the pliers in
closed position.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the handle member on line 3--3
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a
portion of the handle member and fulcrum bar.
FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 5--5 of
FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 but
showing a modified form of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a top view, partially sectionalized, along line 7--7 of
FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The numeral 1 denotes an elongated handle member of channel cross
section formed with a fixed jaw 3 on its forward end. A movable jaw
5 is of generally triangular shape with one end of its rear side
projecting into the hollow interior of the forward end portion of
handle member 1 and pivotally secured therein by pin 9 and the
other end 11 of its rear side projecting into and pivotally
connected by pin 13 to operating handle 15, which is also of
channel cross section.
Rearwardly of pivot pin 13, a bar 16 is pivotally connected at one
end 17 to operating lever 15 by a pin 19 which forms a fulcrum for
operating lever 15. The other end 18 of bar 16 extends into handle
member 1, to which it is secured for movement lengthwise of the
handle member to vary the position of fulcrum pin 19 in accordance
with the thickness of the work to be gripped between jaws 3 and
5.
For selectively positioning end 18 of fulcrum bar 16 lengthwise of
handle member 1, end 18 of the fulcrum bar is pivotally secured by
pin 27 between transversely spaced ears projecting from the bottom
surface of movable block 31, the upper surface of which is formed
with transverse serrations as at 33.
Intermediate the ends of handle member 1, an elongated rack 35
formed with transverse serrations 37 is secured to the inner
surface of handle member web 39 and is positioned therein to
matingly engage serrations 33 of block 31 and thereby secure block
31 against movement longitudinally of handle member 1.
To releasably hold block 31 in engagement with rack 35, the rack
and handle member web 39 are formed with registering longitudinal
slots 41, and a channel section finger tab member 43 located
outwardly of web 39 is rigidly connected to block 31 by a pair of
longitudinally spaced rigid connecting elements in the form of
screws 45 which pass through slots 41. Outwardly of web 39 a spring
seat plate 47 apertured to permit the passage therethrough of
screws 45 is slidably mounted on the outer surface of web 39 and
seats a pair of coil springs 49 which surround screws 45 and the
upper ends of which bear against the inner surface of finger tab 43
thereby biasing the finger tab outwardly and, through screws 45,
similarly biasing block 31 into engagement with rack 35, thus
preventing undesired longitudinal movement of block 31 and with it
fulcrum bar 16 with respect to handle member 1. With this
arrangement, if it is desired to adjust the position of fulcrum bar
16, an adjustment can be readily made by pressing downwardly on
finger tab 43 to compress springs 49 and thereby disengage block 31
from rack 35, and the finger tab can be moved longitudinally of the
handle member to cause coresponding movement of block 31 and with
it of pivot pin 27 and the corresponding end 18 of fulcrum bar 16.
When the desired movement is completed, the finger tab may be
released, permitting springs 49 to return block 31 into full
engagement with rack 35, thereby locking block 31 and fulcrum bar
16 in the desired position.
In the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, rack
35a is longitudinally slidably mounted on the inner surface of web
39a of handle member 1a, and to effect minor adjustments smaller
than the pitch of the individual serrations, a cylindrical member
51 is rotatably journaled in web 39a and has an eccentric cam
portion 53 received in a transversely elongated aperture 54 in rack
35a so that upon rotation of member 51 cam portion 53, through
engagement with either of the transverse surfaces of rack 35a which
define the ends of aperture 54, will cause corresponding
longitudinal movement of rack 35a. To effect such rotation,
cylindrical member 51 is formed with an outwardly projecting
knurled knob 55 and to secure rack 35a against the inner surface of
web 39a the cylindrical member is formed with an enlarged head 57
underlying adjacent portions of the rack. A back-up block 59 is
secured to the inner surface of web 39a in abutting relation with
head 57. At the other end of the rack a portion of the metal of the
web cut out to form slot 41a therein is bent inwardly as at 59a to
form a tab underlying that end of the rack. In operation, a coarse
adjustment of the fulcrum bar may be made by moving block 31 along
rack 35a as described above, after which a fine adjustment to move
movable jaw 5 into close engagement with the work may be made by
rotating eccentric cam portion 53.
The pliers may be modified in various respects as will occur to
those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications
as come within the scope of the appended claims is
contemplated.
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