Patent Publication Number: US-6336386-B1

Title: Plier device having an adjustable opening

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a plier device, and more particularly to a plier device having an adjustable opening for adjusting to different opening sizes and for operating or actuating the fasteners or the work pieces of different sizes. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,108 to Reiter discloses a typical plier devices comprising a pair of handles pivotally secured together and each having a jaw member extended from one end thereof. The opening size of the handles of the typical plier devices is predetermined and may not be changed for actuating or for operating the objects or the work pieces of different sizes. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional plier devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a plier device includes an adjustable opening for adjusting to different opening sizes and for facilitating the operating or actuating the fasteners or the work pieces of different sizes. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a plier device comprising a first and a second longitudinal elements including a middle portion pivotally secured together with a pivot shaft, and each including a first end having a handle member provided thereon and each including a second end having a jaw member provided thereon, the handle members being movable toward and away from each other, and the jaw members being movable toward and away from each other, and setting means for adjustably setting an opening size between the jaw members of the first and the second longitudinal elements. 
     The setting means includes a ratchet device disposed in the first longitudinal element, a pawl disposed in the second longitudinal element, and means for detachably actuating the pawl to engage with the ratchet device. The setting means includes a follower rotatably secured in the second longitudinal element by a pivot pin and having the pawl provided thereon, and actuating means for selectively forcing the pawl to engage with the ratchet device. 
     The follower includes a lock notch formed therein for rotatably receiving the pivot pin and for rotatably securing the follower in the second longitudinal element. The second longitudinal element includes a channel formed therein for receiving the follower. The actuating means includes a knob slidably engaged on the second longitudinal element, the knob includes an actuator engaged with the follower to force the pawl to engage with the ratchet device. 
     The follower includes a recess formed therein and defined by a first end and a second end thereof, the actuator of the knob is slidably received in the recess of the knob and forced to engage with the first end and the second end of the follower for forcing the pawl toward and away from the ratchet device. 
     A guiding device is further provided for guiding the knob to slide relative to the second longitudinal element and includes at least one groove formed in the second longitudinal element, and at least one guide extended from the knob and slidably received in the groove of the second longitudinal element. 
     A positioning device is further provided for positioning the knob to the second longitudinal element, and includes at least one orifice formed in the second longitudinal element, and a latch extended from the knob and engaged in the orifice of the second longitudinal element. 
    
    
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a plier device in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an actuating knob of the plier device; 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating the operation of the plier device; and 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial cross sectional views illustrating the operation of the plier device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a plier device in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of longitudinal elements  30 ,  31  disposed in the usual criss-cross relation and including a middle portion pivotally or rotatably secured together with a pivot shaft  34 , and each including a handle member  300  formed and provided on one end thereof and each including a jaw member  302  formed and provided on the other end thereof. A spring  35  includes a middle portion having a ring  351  provided therein and engaged on the pivot shaft  34  for securing the spring  35  to the plier device. The spring  35  is engaged with the handle members  300  of the longitudinal elements  30 ,  31  for biasing the handle members  300  away from each other and thus for biasing the jaw members  302  toward each other. A pair of shoes  33  each includes a pair of slots  38  formed therein or each includes a flap  40  formed therein for defining or forming the slots  38  therein. An axle  41  is provided in each of the shoes  33  and extends through the slots  38  of the shoes  33 . The jaw members  302  of the longitudinal elements  30 ,  31  each includes a free end having a pair of flaps  303  formed therein and engaged into the slots  38  of the shoes  33  respectively. The flaps  303  of the jaw members  302  each includes a lock notch  50  formed therein for receiving the axle  41  of the shoes  33  and for pivotally or rotatably securing the shoes  33  to the free ends of the jaw members  302  respectively. 
     The jaw member  302  of the longitudinal element  31  includes a ratchet device  32  received and engaged therein and having a number of ratchet teeth  90  formed thereon. The ratchet teeth  90  are preferably facing toward the middle portion or the handle member  300  of the other longitudinal element  30 . The handle member  300  of the other longitudinal element  30  includes a channel  60  formed therein, particularly formed in the middle and outer peripheral portion thereof, and includes one or both sides each having a groove  61  and one or more orifices  62 ,  63  formed therein, and each includes a pin  64  provided and extended in the channel  60  thereof. An actuating knob  36  includes a U-shaped cross section having an actuator  70  extended from a middle plate  360  thereof, and having a pair of side plates  361  extended or dependent from the middle plate  360  thereof. The side plates  361  both or each includes a guide  71  and a latch  72  extended inward of the knob  36  and slidably received in the groove(s)  61  and engaged in the respective orifice(s)  62 ,  63  of the handle member  300  of the longitudinal element  30 . 
     A follower  37  is slidably and/or rotatably and/or pivotally received in the channel  60  of the handle member  300  of the longitudinal element  30  and includes a lock notch  82  formed therein for receiving the pin  64  and for rotatably or pivotally secured in the channel  60  of the handle member  300  of the longitudinal element  30 . The lock notch  82  has a circular inner portion for rotatably receiving the pin  64  and for rotatably securing the follower  37  in the channel  60  of the handle member  300  of the longitudinal element  30 . The follower  37  includes a pawl  81  provided on one end  87  thereof for engaging with the ratchet teeth  90  of the ratchet device  32  when the follower  37  is forced to rotate about the pivot pin  64 . The follower  37  includes a recess  80  formed in the outer portion thereof and facing outward of the handle members  300  and defined or formed between the ends  87 ,  88  thereof (FIGS. 5,  6 ). The follower  37  may further include a depression  83  formed therein, and the handle member  300  may include a stop engaged with the depression  83  of the follower  37  for limiting the follower  37  to rotate relative to the handle member  300  and for preventing the follower  37  from being disengaged from the handle member  300 . 
     In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3-6, the actuator  70  of the knob  36  is received in the recess  80  of the follower  37  and may be forced to engage with either of the ends  87 ,  88  of the follower  37  by moving the knob  36  forward and rearward along the handle portion  300  of the longitudinal element  30 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when the jaw members  302  or the handle members  300  are moved away from each other to the required opening size, the front or the first end  87  of the follower  37  is forced toward the ratchet device  32  to force and to engage the pawl  81  with the teeth  90  of the ratchet device  32 , such that the opening size of the jaw members  302  or of the handle members  300  may be set and determined. When the plier device is used for operating the fasteners or the like of a relatively smaller size and when the jaw members  302  or the handle members  300  are not required to be moved far away from each other, the adjustment of the opening size of the plier device to the relatively smaller size may facilitate the operation of the plier device. 
     When it is required to change the opening size of the jaw members  302  or the handle members  300 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the knob  36  is moved away from the ratchet device  32 , and the actuator  70  may be forced and pushed against the rear end or the other end  88  of the follower  37  to rotate the follower  37  and to disengage the pawl  81  from the ratchet device  32 . When the pawl  81  is disengaged from the ratchet device  32 , the jaw members  302  or the handle members  300  may be freely moved toward each other or moved away from each other to the required opening size. When the jaw members  302  or the handle members  300  are moved relative to each other to the required opening size, the front or the first end  87  of the follower  37  may then be forced toward the ratchet device  32  to force the pawl  81  to engage with the teeth  90  of the ratchet device  32  again, such that the opening size of the jaw members  302  or of the handle members  300  may be adjusted and determined. The latch  72  of the knob  36  may be engaged with either of the orifice(s)  62 ,  63  of the handle member  300  of the longitudinal element  30  for positioning the knob  36  to the handle member  300  at the required position. 
     Accordingly, the plier device in accordance with the present invention includes an adjustable opening for adjusting to different opening sizes and for facilitating the operating or actuating the fasteners or the work pieces of different sizes. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.