Extendable wrench
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorMatthew A. Lownik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe wrench is provided with an extendable handle that fits within a cavity of the head. A lever locks the extended length of the extendable handle along a continuous spectrum between a maximum and a minimum extension of the handle. The lever includes cam surfaces. In an unlocked position, the thickness of the lever between the pivot and a friction plate is less than the thickness between the pivot and the friction plate in the locked position. The friction plate is a composite comprising a top lever plate, a midsection, and a concave surface. The lever plate and concave surface include hard, durable materials, and the midsection is a soft elastic material that redistributes frictional forces across the frictional block. The channel-lock prevents inadvertent overextension and/or accidental removal of the extendable handle.
Claims19
A wrench, comprising:
- a head comprising:
- an aperture;
- a bore at a first end of the head and extending along a longitudinal axis of the wrench;
- a lower jaw coupled to a second end of the head, the lower jaw defining a lower contact region;
- an upper jaw partially extending through the aperture of the head, the upper jaw defining an upper contact region;
- an actuator engaged with the upper jaw such that rotation of the actuator moves the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw;
- an extendable handle received within the bore of the head;
- a lever comprising an end, the end comprising at least two cam surfaces;
- and
- a friction block positioned between the lever and the extendable handle;
- wherein the lever is rotatable about a pivot between a locked position in which the extendable handle is fixed with respect to the head and an unlocked position in which the extendable handle is adjustable with respect to the head;
- wherein the end of the lever engages the friction block in both the locked position and in the unlocked position;
- wherein the head further comprises a rear surface, and wherein the rear surface includes a recess configured to receive the lever when the lever is in the locked position.
A pipe wrench, comprising:
- a head comprising an aperture and a recess;
- a bore at a first end of the head and extending along a longitudinal axis of the pipe wrench;
- a lower jaw coupled to a second end of the head, the lower jaw comprising a plurality of teeth that define a lower contact region;
- an upper jaw partially extending through the aperture of the head, the upper jaw comprising a plurality of teeth that define an upper contact region;
- an actuator engaged with the upper jaw such that rotation of the actuator moves the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw;
- an extendable handle received within the bore of the head;
- and
- a handle length locking mechanism comprising:
- a lever pivotally coupled to the head, the lever comprising a base and a wall at an end;
- and
- a friction element positioned between the lever and the extendable handle, the friction element contacting the lever;
- wherein the lever is rotatable about a pivot between a locked position in which the lever is positioned in the recess and the base faces the extendable handle and an unlocked position in which the base faces the upper jaw and the extendable handle is adjustable with respect to the head.
A pipe wrench, comprising:
- a head comprising an aperture and a recess;
- shoulders positioned on opposing sides of the recess;
- a bore at a first end of the head and extending along a longitudinal axis of the pipe wrench;
- a lower jaw coupled to a second end of the head;
- an upper jaw partially extending through the aperture of the head;
- an actuator engaged with the upper jaw such that rotation of the actuator moves the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw;
- an extendable handle received within the bore of the head;
- a lever;
- and
- a friction block positioned between the lever and the extendable handle;
- wherein the lever is rotatable about a pivot between a locked position in which the lever extends within the recess, between the shoulders and along the longitudinal axis of the pipe wrench and an unlocked position in which the lever extends in a perpendicular orientation to the longitudinal axis of the pipe wrench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.