Locknut pliers
AssigneeChannellock, Inc.
InventorBruce Allan Crawford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a hand tool comprising a pair of handles that rotate about a pivot point. The proximal end of the handles may be covered in an electrically insulating material in order to aid in insulating the hands of the user from electrical shock and cushion the grip of the tool. A jaw member of thin cross-section may be affixed to the distal end of the handles or formed in the distal end of the handles. The unique shape of the portion of each jaw member grips the locknut. Each jaw member is designed in such a manner that, when the hand tool's handles are closed, each jaw member independently engages one or more of the locknut protrusions. A method of tightening and loosening locknuts using a hand tool with the distal end of the handles forming a shaped jaw member for gripping the locknut.
Claims9
A hand tool for tightening and loosening locknuts, the hand tool comprising:
- a handle comprising a distal end, and a proximal end;
- a second handle comprising a distal end of the second handle, and a proximal end of the second handle, whereby the proximal end of the first handle and the proximal end of the second handle are used for holding the hand tool and applying a gripping force;
- a pivot point that joins the first handle and the second handle for rotating the first handle and the second handle about the pivot point;
- a shape formed on the distal end of the first handle for gripping the locknut;
- and
- a second shape formed on the distal end of the second handle for firmly gripping and rotating the locknut.
A method of tightening and loosening locknuts using a hand tool comprising a pair of handles, attached at a pivot point with a distal end of each end handle forming a shaped jaw member for gripping a locknut, the method comprising:
- grasping the pair of handles of the hand tool;
- orienting the hand tool so as to make an axis that passes through the pivot point of the hand tool parallel to an axis of rotation of the locknut to tighten or loosen the locknut;
- maneuvering the hand tool so as to place the jaw members around the locknut in order to make the jaw members grip around the circumference of the locknut and engaging any protrusions extending from the periphery of the locknut;
- gripping the pair of handles of the hand tool to firmly hold the locknut in the jaw members;
- rotating the locknut about its axis while maintaining the gripping on the pair of handles of the hand tool;
- and
- repeating the rotating of the locknut in small increments, as necessary due to the crowded confines.
A method of tightening and loosening locknuts used to secure a electrical conduit fitting using a hand tool comprising a pair of handles, attached at a pivot point with a distal end of each end handle forming a shaped jaw member for gripping a locknut, the method comprising:
- grasping the pair of handles of the hand tool;
- orienting the hand tool so as to make an axis that passes through the pivot point of the hand tool parallel to an axis of rotation of the conduit fitting and locknut to tighten or loosen the locknut;
- maneuvering the hand tool so as to place the jaw members around the locknut in order to make the jaw members grip around the circumference of the locknut and engaging any protrusions extending from the periphery of the locknut;
- gripping the pair of handles of the hand tool to firmly hold the locknut in the jaw members;
- rotating the locknut about its axis while maintaining the gripping on the pair of handles of the hand tool;
- and
- repeating the rotating of the locknut in small increments, as necessary due to the normally crowded confines of typical electrical boxes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.