Locknut tightening construction
AssigneeChannellock, Inc.
InventorBruce Crawford
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims11
In combination:
- (i) a hand tool for tightening and locking locknuts, the hand tool comprising:
- a first member having a proximate end comprising a first handle and a distal end comprising a first jaw;
- a second member having a proximate end comprising a second handle and a distal end comprising a second jaw;
- a pivot member comprising means for operably connecting said first and second members disposed between the handles and the jaws so that the jaws pivot with movement of the handles;
- said first jaw being more distally disposed than the second jaw;
- said first jaw comprising a first notch, and said second jaw comprising a second notch, said first notch being more elongate than the second notch, said first notch comprising adjacent surfaces for engaging a first locknut protrusion, and said second notch comprising adjacent surfaces for engaging a second locknut protrusion;
- wherein with the handles closed on the locknut the jaws pivotably engage the respective protrusions;
- and
- (ii) a locknut being formed with first and second angularly disposed walls;
- wherein said first notch adjacent surfaces frictionally engaging said locknut first angularly disposed walls and said second notch adjacent surfaces frictionally engaging said locknut second angularly disposed walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.