Compound toggle link
AssigneePetersen Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorRalph Petersen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quick release for a conventional plier-type, toggle-locking hand tool comprises a compound toggle link. The new link is pivotably mounted between the movable handle and the conventional toggle member. Four pivot points rather than the usual three form the "power line" of the tool. Locking the tool involves pushing the two internal pivot points inwardly across the power line. Release involves opening the handles which moves the internal pivot points back across the power line. Depending on the dimensions of the actual hand tool, the mechanical advantage of the novel compound link is between 4 to 16.
Claims12
A plier-type, toggle-locking, hand tool comprising:
- a fixed handle with adjusting means at one end and a fixed jaw member at the other end;
- a movable jaw pivotably mounted at a first pivot point on the fixed handle, the movable jaw being adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw to hold a workpiece;
- a movable handle pivotably connected at a second pivot point to the movable jaw, said movable handle cooperating with the fixed handle in opening and closing the jaws;
- a compound link having first and second ends, said compound link pivotably mounted at said first end and by means of a third pivot point to the movable handle, said third pivot point positioned away from said second pivot point;
- a toggle member having third and fourth ends, said toggle member pivotably mounted to the compound link at said third end by means of a fourth pivot point and engaged with said adjusting means of the fixed handle at said fourth end,
- said second end of the compound link extends substantially linearly beyond said fourth pivot point to define an engaging area,
- said fixed handle with said fixed jaw, said movable jaw and movable handle are shiftable from locked to unlocked position and vice versa,
- whereby in said locked position said third and fourth pivot points are in over-center position and prevented from moving closer to said fixed handle since at least a part of said toggle member presses against said engaging area of said second end of said compound link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.