Long nosed locking pliers with attached lug member

In combination with a locking type plier having opposing jaw members, a first jaw member having a flat first face carried by a fixed handle and a second jaw member having a flat second face carried by a moveable handle. The first face being in a confronting relationship to the second face. A locking mechanism is secured between the fixed and moveable handles. An adjusting device is disposed on the fixed handle for changing a space between the first and second faces when the fixed and moveable handles are moved toward each other to a locked position. A release mechanism is disposed on the moveable handle for unlocking the plier. The improvement comprises a projection disposed on one of the first face and the second face for retaining a structural member against a C-shaped metal stud when the fixed handle and the moveable handle are moved toward each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that for the sake of clarity in understanding the invention, identical components with identical functions have been designated with identical reference numerals throughout the drawing Figures. Reference is now made to FIG. 4 . Illustrated therein is an embodiment of the invention in which a locking type plier, generally designated 10 , has a pair of opposing jaw members 22 , 24 . A first one of the jaw members 22 has a substantially flat first face 26 and is carried by a fixed handle 32 . A second one of the jaw members 24 also has a substantially flat second face 28 and is carried by the movable handle 34 . The flat first face 26 is in a substantially confronting relationship to the flat second face 28 of the second jaw member 24 . Such locking type plier has a locking means 36 that is secured between the fixed handle 32 and the movable handle 34 . There is further an adjusting means 38 that is disposed on the fixed handle 32 for changing the space between the first face 26 of the first jaw member 22 and the second face 28 of the second jaw member 24 when the fixed handle 32 and the movable handle 34 of the locking type plier 10 are pressed toward each other to a locked position. There is further a release mechanism 42 that is at least partially disposed on such movable handle 34 for unlocking such locking type plier. A more thorough description of one such prior art locking plier can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,312. The improvement in such locking plier 10 comprises, in one embodiment of the invention, a projection, lug member 2 , that is disposed on one of such first face 26 of such first jaw member 22 and such second face 28 of the second jaw member 24 . Such lug member 2 can be secured to the jaw members 22 , 24 by means of welding or with an adhesive bond. It is presently preferred that such lug 2 be welded to such jaw member 22 , 24 . Such lug 2 enables the pliers 10 to retain a structural member (not shown) against a C-shaped metal stud (not shown). The C-shaped metal stud has a curved lip which prevents such prior art locking type plier from locking securely against the flat surface of the stud. Having such projection (lug 2 ) on the face of either of the faces 26 , 28 of the jaw members 22 , 24 permits the jaws 22 , 24 to lock without being affected by the curved lip of the C-shaped metal stud. It may be advantageous to modify the plier 10 by removing the tips of the jaw members 22 , 24 at the mark 4 so as to make a stubbier version of the long nose pliers. In an alternate embodiments of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 7 , a sleeve arrangement, generally designated 20 , is designed to slip over the ends of one of the jaw members 22 , 24 . Such sleeve 20 has a lug member 44 disposed closely adjacent the end of the sleeve 20 so that when the sleeve 20 is engaged to either one of the jaw members 22 , 24 the projecting lug member 44 extends outwardly therefrom toward the face of the opposing jaw member. Such sleeve member 20 can be secured to one of the jaw members 22 , 24 of such locking type plier 10 by means of one of a press fit and a threaded connection. Such threaded connection is an allen screw 46 which can be secured to such jaw member by an alien wrench 48 . In the alternate embodiment in which the sleeve 20 is press fit over one of the jaw members 22 , 24 , the sleeve 20 has the distinct shape of the jaw members and fits snugly of the ends of the jaws. Such sleeve still has the lug member 44 to engage the opposing face of the opposing jaw member. It is presently preferred that such sleeve member 20 be secured to such locking type plier 10 by means of such allen screw 46 . While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail above, it should be understood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled in the building art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.