Abstract:
A device for manipulating a target that is located in a confined space is provided for the purpose of gripping, forming (with our without dies), deforming/cutting, or turning the target. The device has a pair of handles each coupled to a tong, which are movable to clamp or release the target. A ratchet mechanism couples to a handle to re-vector the handle in order to reduce the operational footprint of the device to accommodate obstacles and operate successfully in confined and limited access spaces. Operation of the apparatus allows the action to be accomplished over a variable number of strokes, with the distance of each stroke, and thus the arc of the handles traversed, varying with each stroke, while still accomplishing the desired action.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates generally to mechanical device, and more specifically, to an apparatus, system, and method for clamping, cutting, forming (crimping), gripping, and/or turning a material in confined and limited-access spaces.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Pliers have existed for centuries as a simple hand tool. Normal pliers can be described as having a set of tongs connected to a set of handles by a pivot pin. As the handles are separated, the tongs spread apart, and vice versa. Generally, the tongs are shorter than the handles so that the principle of leverage can be used to multiply the user-applied force to the force of the tongs operating on a target.  
           [0003]    More advanced pliers use levers around the pivot point to further multiply the force and motion of the handles to the tongs. The tongs can be shaped to either squeeze, form, deform, cut, shear, emboss, or simply hold the target; i.e. perform an intended function. One skilled in the art would know that the handles can be operated by a human or a machine. One skilled in the art would know that handles and tongs can be shaped variously and made from various materials. A normal pliers&#39; tong and handle are formed from the same piece of metal for strength reasons, although there are advanced pliers that use gears, springs, and levers, with or without locking mechanisms, to provide other advantages. Other pliers use a general purpose shank on which specific-purpose heads and dies are mounted, thus forming a tong.  
           [0004]    In operation, the pliers are opened to the point where the tongs can fit around the target, positioned such that the tongs are placed at the desired point around the target, and then closed to perform their intended function. The work is accomplished during the final operation, the stroke wherein the handles are closed and thus the tongs. In normal pliers, this can be called a fixed or single stroke; the tongs go from opened to closed as the user makes a single stroke on the handles to close them.  
           [0005]    In certain real world situations where the operating space is confined (narrow), the pliers cannot be sufficiently opened to fit around the target. In these situations, the pliers are useless and the space must be modified to allow pliers operation, or the target relocated to a more favorable location. Since the principle of leverage is used and in reality the tongs are connected to the handle at the pivot point, there is a fixed ratio between the angle formed by the handles and that formed by the tongs. If levers are used around the pivot point, there is a linear relationship between the angles. One skilled in the art would know that gears, springs or other mechanisms could be used to transfer the force from the handles to the tongs, resulting in some ratio of movement.  
           [0006]    A target is of some width, and the plier&#39;s tongs must be separated to fit around the target&#39;s initial size. Since there is a relationship between the angles, in order to fit the tongs around some target, the handles have to be spread apart some corresponding distance. As the handles spread, their motion follows an arc. In order to operate, this arc, and the path resulting lo from the motion of the handles, generally should be unobstructed. Sometimes, obstructions may be overcome, however, by partially completing the action with one stroke, opening the pliers, and repeating the operation on the other side of the obstacle. However, that may not always be the case.  
           [0007]    Pliers become useless and cannot perform their intended function when these obstructions prevent any of the steps in operation, which include the opening of the pliers, the positioning of the opened pliers, or the complete closing action of the tongs/handles. Conditions can arise and prevent the handles from being spread apart wide enough may be caused by obstructions to the operating arc of the ends of the handle or at some others point of the handle. Moreover, conditions may arise that prevent the positioning of the pliers such that the tongs cannot be placed around the target, perhaps due to a corner or tight space that blocks the handles at the end point or some midpoint. Furthermore, conditions may arise that prevent the closing of the handles and therefore the complete operation of the pliers.  
           [0008]    Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention replaces one or both plier handles with a variable reversing ratchet and its operation, or a ratcheting operation, using a fixed ratchet. Further, the present invention changes the stroke operation of the pliers from a fixed stroke to a variable number of strokes to accomplish the work. Further, by introducing an additional pivot point, the relationship between the tong separation and handle separation changes from a ratio to a non-continuous function. By incorporating a ratchet into the handle, a unique device is formed that provides advantages over a normal pliers without sacrificing performance.  
           [0010]    The present invention overcomes obstructing conditions in the real world by changing one or both handles such that the opening and/or closing action is not necessarily accomplished in a single stroke, but in multiple strokes. Further, each stroke does not have to follow the same arc; varying arcs can be used to avoid obstacles.  
           [0011]    A preferred embodiment consists of a handle and shaft, pivot mechanism, ratchet receptacle bar, ratchet mechanism (socket wrench), and two tongs. One tong is connected to the handle, and the other tong is connected to the ratchet receptacle bar. The connected handle, tong, and shaft are joined to the ratchet receptacle bar and other tong at some point along their length by the pivot mechanism. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1. is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the ratcheting handle.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a diagram of the ratcheting handle of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    FIGS.  3 A- 3 C are diagrams of the preferred embodiment of the invention in its closure mode, wherein operation is progressively shown closing the tongs.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4. is an alternative embodiment of the invention, showing an integral ratchet device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 shows a frontal view of the components of a variable stroke pliers  100 . A tong  101 , shaped, in this non-limiting example, for deforming a metal ring by indentation  102 , is attached to a handle  103 . In this non-limiting example, the tong  101  and handle  103  are shown as molded together, but one skilled in the art would know that there are many means of forming these two pieces together. The left tong  104 , with matching indentation  105 , is attached to ratchet receptacle bar  106 . In this non-limiting example the tong  104  and bar  106  are shown as molded together, but one skilled in the art would know that there are many means of forming these two pieces together. One skilled in the art would know that indentations  102  and  105  can be replaced by any type of die.  
         [0018]    Bar  106  has a shank receptacle  107  that allows the shank of a ratchet wrench  200  to be inserted. As shown in FIG. 2, a ratchet wrench  200  is, in this non-limiting example, comprised of handle  201 , ratcheting mechanism  202 , ratchet directional control switch  203 , and a shank  206 . A ratchet gear, spring, and ratcheting pin are encased within the body of the ratchet wrench  200 . One skilled in the art would know that a variety of tools could be used in lieu of a ratchet wrench. One skilled in the art would know that there are various means of attaching handles to shafts, shafts to shanks, tongs to handle, tongs to ratchet receptacle bars, including but not limited to single casting, welding, bolting, glue, riveting and pinning.  
         [0019]    In operation, the ratchet wrench&#39;s shank  206  (FIG. 2) is inserted into a socket. A switch  203  on the top locks the transfer of force in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. When moved in the non-locked direction, the shank  206  remains stationary while the handle  201  rotates. One skilled in the art would know that the ratchet receptacle bar  106  can be temporarily or permanently affixed to the ratchet mechanism. In the case of the temporary connection, the socket wrench  200  can be removed and used for other purposes. One skilled in the art would know that the ratchet receptacle bar  106  (FIG. 1) is essentially linear but can take many different shapes to accomplish the action of transferring the force from the ratchet mechanism&#39;s shank to rotational action of the tong around the pivot point.  
         [0020]    One skilled in the art would know that the shank  206  of the ratchet  200  can be formed to include the ratchet receptacle bar  106  in a single piece. One skilled in the art would know that a tong  104  and ratchet receptacle bar  106  can be formed in one single piece. One skilled in the art would also know then that the tong  104 , ratchet receptacle bar  106 , and the shank  206  can be formed from a single piece.  
         [0021]    One skilled in the art would know that there are many ways to form pieces through casting, deformation, milling, machining, grinding, building up, cutting and any combination of those common processes. One skilled in  1 o the art would know that there are many ways to transfer the force exerted on the ratchet mechanisms&#39; handle to its shaft, including gears, springs, and friction plates. One skilled in the art would know that the ratchet  200  may transfer that force in one direction, or, by means of the switch  203 , afford effort transfer in the other direction as well. One skilled in the art would know that the handles  103 ,  201  can be operated by human or mechanical means.  
         [0022]    In this non-limiting example, the receptacle  107  (FIG. 1) and shank  206  (FIG. 2) are essentially square, but one skilled in the art would know that the opening can be any shape that allows a mating and friction action to transfer the force on the ratchet handle  201  into a rotational force around the shank receptacle  107  and thus to the ratchet receptacle bar  106 . One skilled in the art would know that the projecting shape of a US standard (non-metric) socket wrench shank  206  may be ¼ or ½ inch square, but can be any size or shape, so long as a sufficient mating and friction occurs between the shank  206  and the receptacle opening  107  in the ratchet receptacle bar  106 , such that force on the ratcheting mechanism  200  is transferred to the ratchet receptacle bar.  
         [0023]    Pivot pin  110  connects handle  103  to bar  106 . One skilled in the art would know that there are many means to accomplish a pivot mechanism, including but not limited to pin, rivet, nut and bolt, levers and stays, and cams and stays.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3A shows the variable stroke pliers open and ready for action. The tongs  101 ,  104  are open by a distance indicated as  111  on either side of a target  300 . Note that the position of the ratchet wrench switch  203  is set to lock so as to transfer the clockwise force on the ratchet wrench handle  201  to the shank  206  and on to the ratchet receptacle bar  106 . In this non-limiting example, the other handle  103  is held in essentially the same position, and the ratchet wrench  200  is pushed to the left. Because of pivot pin  110 , this action spins the ratchet receptacle bar  106  in a clockwise direction, and thus the tong  104  to the right, toward the other tong  101 . FIG. 3B shows the location of the handles and tongs after a partial stroke.  
         [0025]    At some point, the operator may cease the force to the left and reverse force to push the ratchet handle  201  to the right. Because of the ratcheting action previously described, the tongs  101 ,  104  remain stationary and the device assumes the position indicated in FIG. 3A, but with the tongs  101 ,  104  closer together. Thus, repetitions of this action will eventually close the tongs  101 ,  104  completely. The amount of each closure stroke can vary, as can the amount of closure desired.  
         [0026]    At some point, the operator may wish to remove the pliers  100  from the target  300 , shown in operation in FIG. 3C. Reversing switch  203  and pushing the handles apart will cause the tongs  101 ,  104  to separate. At some point the operator may cease pushing the ratchet wrench handle  201  (and or other handle  103 ) and reverse force on the handle(s), pushing at least the ratchet wrench handle  201  to the left. Because of the ratcheting action previously described, the shank  206  (not shown in this perspective; positioned into bore  107 ) (and thus all attached components bar  106  and tong  104 ) remains stationary. A non-limiting example of the location of the handle  201  is shown in FIG. 3C; the two handles  103  and  201  are shown close together, but the tongs  101 ,  104  have separated. The operator resumes moving the handle  201  of the ratchet wrench  200  to the right, and the action just described repeats.  
         [0027]    In FIGS. 1, 3A,  3 B and  3 C, the handles  103 ,  201  are shown as not crossing, however, one skilled in the art would know that the handles  103 ,  201  may cross over one another if vertically designed to do so without interfering with each others&#39; path.  
         [0028]    As an alternative to using a separate ratchet (socket) wrench, one skilled in the art would know that there are many ways to form an integral ratchet device  111 , such as that shown in non-limiting FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the ratchet wrench has been replaced by a ratcheting handle  112  (which replaces wrench handle  201 ) with pawl  113  to engage the gear teeth  114  formed integral (in this non-limiting example) to a revised ratchet receptacle bar  115  (gear teeth instead of a square bore, in this non-limiting example). Sliding the pawl  113  forward engages it into the teeth  114  and locks the handle in place. Sliding the pawl  113  back from teeth  114  disengages it from the teeth  114 , thus allowing the handle  112  to pivot left or right around pin  116  to the desired position.  
         [0029]    One skilled in the art would know that while the invention is particularly well suited for operation in confined spaces (FIG. 3A), it is also suitable for use in normal circumstances.  
         [0030]    The invention, in one embodiment, shown in a non-limiting example with tongs shaped for deforming rings, is shown in FIG. 1. Another embodiment merely replaces the solid handle ( 103 ) with another ratchet receptacle bar and ratchet mechanism. In this embodiment, both ratchets may be used to effect the tongs at oblique angles to the handles&#39; positions.  
         [0031]    One skilled in the art would know that a ratchet receptacle bar  106  can replace either or both handles and (with a ratcheting mechanism) the same end result would be achieved. One skilled in the art would know that a ratcheting mechanism can be a breaker bar, T-handle, or socket wrench. A breaker bar can be described as a handle attached to a shank at a right angle. A T-handle is a handle attached to a shaft at a right angle, usually in the middle of the handle, with a shank attached to the end of the shaft in line with the shaft.