Information
-
Patent Grant
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6470774
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Patent Number
6,470,774
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Date Filed
Saturday, September 22, 200123 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, October 29, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Hail, III; Joseph J.
- Thomas; David B.
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 081 302
- 081 486
- 081 416
- 081 421
- 081 422
- 081 424
- 081 427
- 081 341
- 081 342
- 029 229
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International Classifications
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Abstract
An improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings comprised of a two-part symmetrically paired left and right-handled pliers body that is situated together at a predetermined point between its two inner sides and, furthermore, in an upper and lower overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; two implement ends capable of being articulated apart and together by pivoting at the front portion and two hand grips for manual operation disposed at the rear portion; and an elastic component mounted between the two hand grips near their pivotable linkage area to provide a rebound force when the two hand grips are pivoted by squeezing. The two implement ends have a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole respectively formed in them and the two hand grips have a third mounting hole and a fourth mounting hole respectively formed in them near their pivotable linkage area. The two-part pliers body has a jaw at each of its two upper and lower two sides that are overlaid and in a pivotably linked assembly positioning and, furthermore, which respectively share the same pivotal axis. The two jaws have a through-hole disposed that corresponds to the site of the first mounting hole and second mounting hole, respectively, and attached to its front end are tip members capable of being turned up and down for angular adjustment to facilitate C-type snap ring distension or constriction. Positioned at each of the upper and lower two sides of the two jaws in a movable arrangement and, furthermore, respectively along the same axis is a direction control component. Each direction control component has projecting from it a long post and a short post that are respectively inserted into the mounting holes, enabling the tip members at the two sides of the jaws to either distend or constrict in operation and thereby provide inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap ring installation and removal in various spatial operating environments.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to a type of specialized hand tool, specifically an improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings.
2) Description of the Prior Art
There are generally two types of conventional snap ring pliers structures in common usage at present: the fixed type and the reversible type; as indicated in
FIG. 1
, the reversible type is typically comprised of a pliers body
1
that provides for manual handling and the application of a squeezing force; the said pliers body
1
consists of two handles
2
conjoined to form a fulcrum and, furthermore, movably coupled such that the front end is articulated apart in the opposite direction; a pin
4
projects from the left and right front ends of the handles
2
; the said two pins
4
are conjoined to a pair of jaws
5
and a pivot shaft is installed between the said pair of jaws
5
such that when the pins
4
at one end of the handles
2
are evenly positioned, the other end is in a open state and, furthermore, the said pair of jaws
5
has four holes
6
along the front and rear that provide for user selection of handle
2
pin
4
conjoinment mode such that during usage the front and rear end of the pair of jaws
5
can be alternately conjoined to the handles , enabling the handles
2
to distend or constrict at the curved front end or the two holes
6
at the curved end can be conjoined onto the handle
2
pin
4
such that the application of force to the handles
2
is against the other level front end of the pair of jaws
5
, allowing the pair of jaws
5
to constrict when the handles
2
are squeezed and thereby change the direction of articulation for the installation and removal of conventional inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings; however, with this type of structure, due to the limited assembled spacing of mechanical components, accessing the two holes of the C-shaped snap ring at a level angle is often not possible and a pair of jaws
5
of another size and angle specification must be purchased to thereby comply with the various angular arrangements of different C-shaped snap rings and, furthermore, the frequent and repeated changing of the said pair of jaws
5
during utilization is quite inconvenient and the acquisition of so many different sized pairs of jaws
5
is not economical.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, the fixed type C-shaped snap ring pliers consists of two handles
8
crisscrossed to form a pliers body and overlaid jaws
9
capable of opening and closing on the handles
8
; locating pins
10
nested in upper slots
11
are utilized at the front end of the handles
8
and the locating pins
10
are capable of moving through the curved course of the slots
11
such that when force is applied squeeze the handles
8
, the two pincer elements
12
of the jaws
9
are articulated into an opened state and when the two pincer elements
12
and the handles
9
are thus articulated, the locating pins
10
are situated in the lower slots
13
of the jaws
9
; as the said locating pins
10
are moving in a curved path through the upper slots
11
when an applied force
8
is causing the closure of the handles
8
, the downward curved direction of the two pincer elements
12
of the jaws
9
are such that the locating pins
10
in the upper slots
11
angle into the lower slot
6
easily during C-shaped snap ring engagement and the two pincer elements
12
are immediately brought into closure; operationally, frequent slippage and control difficulty are problematic and, furthermore, mechanical component layout often does not allow the level entry of the jaws
9
in a straight line into the C-shaped snap rings; as a result, a new pair of pliers having different specifications must be purchased, which is a shortcoming similar to that of the said reversible type pliers in that this structure is also uneconomical.
In view of the said shortcomings, the inventor of the invention herein conducted extensive research and improvement based on many years of experience with the related products which culminated in providing solutions for the said shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings capable of efficient inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap ring installation and removal applications in various spatial and angular operating environments.
Therefore, improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings of the invention herein is comprised of a two-part symmetrically paired left and right-handled pliers body that is situated together at a predetermined point between its two inner sides and, furthermore, in an upper and lower overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; two implement ends capable of being articulated apart and together by pivoting at the front portion and two hand grips for manual operation disposed at the rear portion; and an elastic component mounted between the two hand grips near their pivotable linkage area to provide a rebound force when the two hand grips are pivoted by squeezing, the innovative features of which include:
The said two implement ends have a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole respectively formed in them; the said two hand grips have a third mounting hole and a fourth mounting hole respectively formed in them near their pivotable linkage area; each said mounting hole is circumferentially situated an equal radius in length way from the center point of the said overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; the said two-part pliers body has a jaw at each of its two upper and lower two sides that are overlaid and in a pivotably linked assembly positioning and, furthermore, which respectively share the same pivotal axis; the said two jaws have a through-hole disposed that corresponds to the site of the said first mounting hole and second mounting hole, respectively, and attached to its front end are tip members capable of being turned up and down for angular adjustment to facilitate C-type snap ring distension or constriction; positioned at each of the upper and lower two sides of the said two jaws in a movable arrangement and, furthermore, respectively along the same axis is a direction control component; each said direction control component has perpendicularly disposed at their two lengthwise ends a long post and a short post that are situated relative to the said first mounting hole and third mounting hole as well as the said second mounting hole and fourth mounting hole, respectively; as such, the said long posts can be optionally inserted beyond the said jaw through-holes and coupled into the said first mounting hole (or the said second mounting hole) or the short posts can be optionally inserted into the said jaw through-holes such that the long posts are coupled into the said third mounting hole (or the said fourth mounting hole), thereby enabling the tip members at the two sides of the said jaws to either distend or constrict at various operating angles.
To enable the examination committee to further understand the objectives, innovative features, and functions of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below are followed by the detailed description of the most preferred embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an isometric drawing of a conventional reversible snap ring pliers.
FIG. 2
is an isometric drawing of a conventional fixed snap ring pliers.
FIG. 3
is an exploded drawing of the most preferred embodiment of the invention herein.
FIG. 4
is an isometric drawing of the most preferred embodiment of the invention herein.
FIG. 5
is an isometric drawing of the invention herein that illustrates the distension of the jaws.
FIG. 6
is an isometric drawing of the invention herein that illustrates the constriction of the jaws.
FIG. 7
is a partial cross-sectional drawing of the most preferred embodiment of the invention herein.
FIG. 8
is an orthographic drawing of the most preferred embodiment of the invention herein (1).
FIG. 9
is an orthographic drawing of the most preferred embodiment of the invention herein (2).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG.
3
and
FIG. 4
, the improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings of the invention herein is comprised of a two-part plier body
20
, two jaws
30
, two direction control components
40
, and a locating shaft
50
, of which:
The said plier body
20
consists of a symmetric pair of left and a right curved handles with an inward facing fulcrum contour
21
projecting horizontally from each of its two sides, each said fulcrum contour
21
has a pivot hole
211
as well as upper and lower extending axially centered sleeves
22
that determine their overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; two implement ends
23
capable of being articulated apart and together by pivoting are formed at the front portion of the assembly positioning and two hand grips
42
for manual operation are disposed at the rear portion of the assembly positioning; an elastic component
25
is mounted between the said two hand grips
24
near their pivotable linkage area to provide a rebound force when the two hand grips
24
are pivoted by squeezing; a first mounting hole
231
and a second mounting hole
232
are respectively formed in the said two implement ends
23
; a third mounting hole
241
and a fourth mounting hole
242
are respectively formed in the said two hand grips
24
near their pivotable linkage area; the said mounting holes
231
,
232
,
241
, and
242
are all circumferentially situated an equal radius in length way from the center point of the said overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning defined by the axially centered sleeves
22
.
The said two jaws
30
are figured planar bodies having a round hole
31
in their centers that are situated at the end of the pivotable linkage positioning in alignment with the said axially centered sleeves
22
, a through-hole
32
is disposed that corresponds to the site of the said first mounting hole
231
and second mounting hole
232
, respectively, and a fastening tab
33
projects from the front ends; each said fastening tab
33
consists of a movably installed tip member
34
capable of being turned up and down for angular adjustment to facilitate C-type snap ring c distension or constriction.
The said direction control components
40
are oval planar bodies having a round hole
41
in their centers that are respectively positioned in a movable arrangement against the upper and lower sides of the round holes
31
of the said two jaws
30
; perpendicularly disposed at each of their two lengthwise ends is a long post
42
and a short post
43
, the positional separation of which corresponds to the distance between the said first mounting hole
231
and third mounting hole
241
as well as the distance between the said second mounting hole
232
and fourth mounting hole
242
; the lengths of the said long posts
42
are sufficient to enable insertion beyond the said jaw
30
through-holes
32
and coupling into the said first mounting hole
231
or the second mounting hole
232
and, alternatively, when the direction control components
40
are rotated to the other side, coupling into the third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
of the opposite hand grip
24
; the lengths of the short posts
43
are only sufficient to enable insertion into the said jaw
30
through-holes
32
or maintain free clearance above the third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
of the opposite hand grip
24
when the long posts
42
are coupled into the said first mounting hole
231
or the second mounting hole
232
; to enable the easy rotational operation of the direction control components
40
, a pinch section
44
extends upward from each of its opposing width-wise ends to facilitate more convenient finger manipulation.
The said locating shaft
50
is colinearly inserted into the said axially centered sleeves
22
and movably positions both direction control components
40
at the two sides of the said axially centered sleeves
22
; a stop section
51
is disposed at its top end and an elastic component
52
is sleeved onto its lower extent, thereby providing for an axially oriented tensile force of pincer pressure when the said components are assembled.
The said assembly results in the improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings of the invention herein and, as indicated in
FIG. 4
, is capable of efficient inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap ring installation and removal applications in various spatial and angular operating environments.
When the user wants to utilize the two tip members
34
for distension, as indicated in
FIG. 5
, pressure is first applied or released in an axial orientation to achieve pivoting around the said locating shaft
50
, while the direction control components
40
at the upper and lower two sides are manipulated to axially disengage them for rotation in the opposite direction such that the lengths of the said long posts
42
can be inserted beyond the said jaw
30
through-holes
32
and coupled into the said first mounting hole
231
and second mounting hole
232
, respectively; at the same time, the lesser lengths of the said short posts
43
are only capable of maintaining free clearance above the third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
; as such, the said jaws
30
and the implement ends
23
are configured into a unified structural entity having a relationship of interconnected leverage such that when the two hand grips
24
are squeezed, the two implement ends
23
at their opposite extremities open outward, naturally causing the two tip members
34
fastened to the said implement ends
23
to simultaneously proceed outward to execute the distension operation.
Conversely, when the user wants to utilize the two tip members
34
for constriction, as indicated in
FIG. 6
, pressure is first applied or released in an axial orientation to achieve pivoting around the said locating shaft
50
, while the direction control components
40
at the upper and lower two sides are manipulated to axially disengage them for rotation in the opposite direction such that the lengths of the said long posts
42
can be withdrawn from the said jaw
30
through-holes
32
and shifted into the said third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
in the said other hand grip
24
, respectively; at the same time, the said short posts
43
originally in a state of maintained free clearance above the third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
are turned around and inserted into the said jaw
30
through-holes
32
; as such, the implement ends
23
are separated from the said jaws
30
, the direction control components
40
and the implement ends
23
are conjoined, and the long posts
42
at the other end of the direction control, and the direction control components
40
are coupled into the third mounting hole
241
and the fourth mounting hole
242
of the hand grip
24
to configure them into a unified structural entity having a relationship of interconnected leverage such that when the two hand grips
24
are squeezed, the two implement ends
23
at their opposite extremities close, naturally causing the two tip members
34
fastened to the said jaws
30
proceed inward simultaneously to execute the constriction operation.
When the user faces a C-shaped snap ring operation involving limited space above and below or to the left or right, it is only necessary to effect an angular adjustment by turning the two tip members
34
of the said jaw
30
an appropriate number of degrees, which easily enables access for both inner and outer diameter snap ring installation or removal without requiring the replacement of parts or using another pair of pliers to complete the operation; therefore, since the invention herein is of an original structural arrangement capable of overcoming the problems of the prior art, the pliers of the present invention is certain to become of widespread worldwide demand due to its enhanced performance and utility.
Claims
- 1. An improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings comprised of a two-part symmetrically paired left and right-handled pliers body that is situated together at a predetermined point between its two inner sides and, furthermore, in an upper and lower overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; two implement ends capable of being articulated apart and together by pivoting at the front portion and two hand grips for manual operation are disposed at the rear portion; and an elastic component mounted between the said two hand grips near their pivotable linkage area to provide a rebound force when the said two hand grips are pivoted by squeezing, the innovative features of which include:the said two implement ends have a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole respectively formed in them; the said two hand grips have a third mounting hole and a fourth mounting hole respectively formed in them near their pivotable linkage area; each said mounting hole is circumferentially situated an equal radius in length way from the center point of the said overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; the said two-part pliers body has a jaw at each of its two upper and lower two sides that are overlaid and in a pivotably linked assembly positioning and, furthermore, which respectively share the same pivotal axis; the said two jaws have a through-hole disposed that corresponds to the site of the said first mounting hole and the said second mounting hole, respectively, and attached to its front end are tip members capable of being turned up and down for angular adjustment to facilitate C-type snap ring distension or constriction; positioned at each of the upper and lower two sides of the said two jaws in a movable arrangement and, furthermore, respectively along the same axis is a direction control component; each said direction control component has perpendicularly disposed at their two lengthwise ends a long post and a short post that are situated relative to the said first mounting hole and the said third mounting hole as well as the said second mounting hole and the said fourth mounting hole, respectively; as such, the said long posts can be optionally inserted beyond the said jaw through-holes and coupled into the said first mounting hole (or the said second mounting hole) or the said short posts can be optionally inserted into the said jaw through-holes such that the said long posts are coupled into the said third mounting hole (or the said fourth mounting hole), enabling the said two implement ends at the two sides of the said jaws to either distend or constrict in operation and thereby provide inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap ring installation and removal in various spatial operating environments.
- 2. As mentioned in claim 1 of the improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings of the invention herein, the said pliers body consists of a symmetric pair of left and a right curved handles with an inward facing fulcrum contour projecting horizontally from each of its two sides, each said fulcrum contour has a pivot hole as well as upper and lower extending axially centered sleeves that determine their overlaid and pivotably linked assembly positioning; the said two jaws having a round hole in their centers that are situated at the end of the pivotable linkage positioning in alignment with the said axially centered sleeves; the said two direction control components each have a round hole in their centers and a locating shaft is colinearly inserted through both sides into the said axially centered sleeves; and, furthermore, movably disposed on the said locating shaft is the said elastic component that provides an axially oriented tensile force of pincer pressure.
- 3. As mentioned in claim 1 of the improved structure pliers for inner and outer diameter C-shaped snap rings of the invention herein, the said direction control components have a pinch section extending upward from each of its opposing width-wise ends to facilitate more convenient finger manipulation.
US Referenced Citations (7)