Tweezer forceps
OwnerJohn A. Tartagliainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tweezer forceps in which the gripping arms and end section at which they are joined are formed of a single sheet of resilient sheet material, the arms and end section forming an integral spring-element disposed within the plane of the sheet material, such that the arms flex edgewise into and out of gripping engagement at their tips. Finger pieces are provided on the arms for engagement by the user's fingers when squeezing them together. Provision may also be made for aligning the arms against lateral displacement, and a jaw-locking device may be provided.
Claims4
In tweezer forceps comprising a spring element having a pair of elongated arms projecting longitudinally from and integral with an end section by which they are joined, said arms being normally spaced throughout their length from said end section to their free ends and having tips adjacent said free ends which are engageable upon flexing said arms toward each other for gripping an object, the improvement wherein
- said spring-element is formed from a single sheet of resilient relatively thin sheet material of uniform thickness defining a common plane, the minimum width of said arms in the direction of flex being substantially greater than the thickness of the material, said arms being resiliently flexible edgewise toward each other within said plane,
- finger pieces attached intermediate the ends of each of said arms adjacent the outer edge thereof, against which the fingers of the user are pressed in order to flex said arms inwardly to grip an object with the tips of said arms, said finger pieces being of identical configuration so as to be interchangeable on said arms and each having a finger pad with an engagement surface against which the user can press a finger, said finger pad being disposed against said outer edge of said arm and said engagement surface extending transversely of said plane,
- each said finger piece including means for aligning the tips of said arms and for maintaining such alignment throughout their movement, wherein said alignment means comprises a first projection on each of said finger pieces extending from said finger pad toward the other finger piece closely adjacent and parallel to one side of the one said arm on which it is mounted, and a pair of projections spaced longitudinally of said one arm and extending from said finger pad closely adjacent the opposite side of such one arm parallel to said first projection, said first projection being positioned intermediate said pair of projections longitudinally of said arm,
- said projections on each of said finger pieces extending beyond the inner edge of said one arm for guiding engagement with the corresponding side of the other arm,
- said finger pieces being mounted on their respective arms such that said first projection on each is received between said pair of projections on the other, whereby to maintain alignment of said arms within said common plane in all operating
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.