A tool for inserting and extracting an electronic component respectively into and from a circuit board, comprising:
- a bracket having an inverted U shape, the sides constituting bracket legs which support the tool upon a circuit board, and the part connecting said bracket legs constituting the top of said bracket;
- a first block, possessing a top surface, and being slideably mounted between said bracket legs, adjustable in the vertical direction, and adapted for attachment to a shaft for positioning said block vertically;
- side plates having upper and lower ends, each side plate being attached at its upper end to said first block between said first block and said bracket legs, and terminating at its lower end in a plurality of spaced tines pointing away from the adjacent bracket leg and toward the opposing side plate, each of said side plates having at least one indentation in the side facing the adjacent bracket leg, creating a corresponding protrusion in said side plate below said first block;
- a second block, slideably mounted between said side plates below said first block and movable in the vertical direction, said second block having protruding shoulders with a width sufficient to meet said side plates in the areas above said protrusions in said side plates;
- a first shaft, having upper and lower portions and a hollow bore, said first shaft being moveably and vertically mounted in the top of said bracket, the lower portion of said first shaft being adapted for mating with said first block, the combination of said first shaft and said first block permitting vertical adjustment of said first block relative to said bracket;
- a second shaft having upper and lower ends, said second shaft extending though said hollow bore of said first shaft and being biased upward relative to said first shaft, and attached at its lower end to said second block and at its upper end to a plunger knob;
- said tool thus being constituted such that movement of said first shaft raises and lowers said first and second blocks and said associated side plates, depression of said plunger knob depresses said second shaft, which causes said second block to be depressed relative to said first block so that the shoulders of said second block contact said protrusions in said side plates, forcing said side plates and said bracket legs to spread, and the release of a depressed plunger knob causes said second block to retract and said side plates and bracket legs to return to their original positions;
- said tool being operative to insert an electrical component into a circuit board by first grasping said electrical component between said side plates, and then releasing said component while simultaneously pushing it into place as said second block is forced down in response to depression of said second shaft;
- said tool being operative to extract an electronic component from a circuit board by grasping said electronic component between said side plates and raising said first block, said side plates, and said component in response to movement of said first shaft.