Patent Publication Number: US-6988433-B2

Title: Power-operated tool holder

Description:
This application claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/411,298, filed Sep. 17, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In some light manufacturing operations, workers are required to perform repetitive tasks using tools of various types. In some cases, when considered individually, such tasks are not particularly difficult to perform. However, experience has proved that over time, workers can be injured by performing these tasks repetitively. Such repetitive motion injuries can include carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful condition which can require surgery to correct. To avoid such injuries, specialized production units have been substituted for hand cutters, pliers and other conventional hand tools. Generally, these production units are of highly specialized design and are expensive. Moreover, without known exception, these units require the purchase and stocking of non-standard tool heads and other components, which are themselves very costly. While large manufacturing operations can justify the expense of these specialized production units, they are often too expensive for small manufacturing operations. 
   In light of the shortcomings of conventional powered hand tool devices and components, improved powered hand tool devices, components, and methods would be welcome in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Some embodiments of the present invention provide a power-operated tool holder adapted to mount a hand tool via a pivot pin, wherein the tool holder comprises a frame having a support adapted to receive the pivot pin; and an actuator coupled to the frame and releasably coupled to the hand tool in a mounted position of the hand tool with respect to the frame, and wherein the actuator is movable to actuate at least part of the hand tool about the pivot pin in the mounted position of the hand tool. 
   In another aspect of the present invention a power-operated tool holder is adapted to actuate a hand tool having a first handle and a second handle, and comprises a frame adapted to support the hand tool in a mounted position of the hand tool in the frame, a first roller positioned to drivably engage the first handle of the hand tool when installed in the mounted position in the frame, a second roller positioned to drivably engage the second handle of the hand tool when installed in the mounted position in the frame, and an actuator coupled to the frame and to the first and second rollers, wherein the first and second rollers actuatable by the actuator to drive the first and second handles of the hand tool, respectively. 
   In some embodiments, a power-operated tool holder adapted to actuate a hand tool having a first handle and a second handle is provided, and comprises a frame to which the hand tool is removably mounted, an actuator coupled to the frame, a first arm drivably coupled to the actuator and movable by the actuator to actuate the first handle of the hand tool, and a second arm drivably coupled to the actuator and movable by the actuator to actuate the second handle of the hand tool, wherein the first and second arms are movable with respect to the hand tool to actuate the hand tool. 
   In yet another aspect of the present invention, a power-operated tool holder adapted to actuate a hand tool is provided, and comprises a frame having a tool support by which the hand tool is releasably mounted to the frame, wherein the tool support has a first mounting location and a second mounting location different than the first mounting location to which a common portion of the hand tool is releasably mounted in different mounting configurations of the hand tool, and wherein the hand tool mounted in different positions with respect to the frame in the different mounting configurations, and an actuator coupled to the frame, wherein the hand tool is driven responsive to actuation of the actuator. 
   Other features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a power-operated tool holder according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the tool holder of  FIG. 1 , shown with portions removed to illustrate the internal working components of the tool holder in a first configuration relative to a hand tool; 
       FIG. 3  is another side view of the tool holder of  FIG. 1 , shown with portions removed to illustrate the internal working components of the tool holder in a second configuration relative to the hand tool; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the tool holder of  FIG. 1 , shown with the hand tool exploded from a tool support; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the hand tool shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , illustrating the original pivot pin of the hand tool being removed and a new extended pivot pin being inserted into an aperture in the hand tool; and 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of another hand tool adapted with a pivot pin. 
   

   Before any features of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of supports set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A power-operated tool holder  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1–4 . The holder  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4  is designed to operate and automate a spring-biased hand tool  14  having dual interconnected handles  18 , wherein the spring-biasing mechanism  22  in the hand tool  14  biases the tool handles  18  apart. The hand tool  14  includes a head portion  26 , wherein movement of the handles  18  results in some movement or action at the head portion  26  to perform a function on an object or assembly (e.g., clipping, crimping, cutting, bending, trimming, splicing, stripping, and the like). In the illustrated construction by way of example only, a crimping tool  14  is secured within and actuated by the holder  10 , whereby movement of the handles  18  results in a crimping action at the head portion  26  of the crimping tool  14 . More specifically, squeezing together the handles  18  results in the crimping action at the head portion  26 . It will be appreciated by those in the art that any spring-biased hand tool  14  having dual, interconnected handles  18  operates under similar principles and can be used in place of the hand tool illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4  to perform the same and/or other functions. As will be described in greater detail below, in other constructions of the present invention, the hand tool  14  is not spring biased. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , the holder  10  is generally comprised of a frame or housing  30  having spaced, parallel side panels  34 , a front panel  36 , a rear panel  38 , a top panel  40 , and a mounting panel  42 . In other constructions of the holder  10 , an open frame (not shown) can be utilized such that at least some of the interior components of the holder  10  can be accessed from outside of the holder  10 . The frame  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4  is only one example of a frame that can be employed to at least partially house the moving components of the holder  10  (described in greater detail below) and to provide structure to which the other components of the holder  10  can be mounted. Accordingly, any other frame shape and size capable of performing these functions can be employed as desired, and need not necessarily employ plates configured as described above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4 . Instead, the frame  30  can be defined by any combination of plates, beams, bars, rods, tubes, and other structural members. 
   With continued reference to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , a conventional air cylinder  46  is mounted to the rear panel  38  of the frame  30  such that an air cylinder rod  50  extends into the holder  10  between the side panels  34 . The mounting panel  42  includes a plurality of holes  54  to allow the holder  10  to be mounted to a support surface for steady operation. In other embodiments, the holder  10  can be mounted to a support surface or other structure in other manners, or can rest upon a support surface. For example, any portion of the holder  10  (e.g., front, rear, bottom, top, and/or side(s)) can be welded, brazed, clamped, pinned, bolted, riveted, screwed, nailed or secured to any vertical, horizontal or other surface desired. It should be noted that the side panels  34 , front panel  36 , rear panel  38 , top panel  40 , and mounting panel  42  can be made of any material capable of withstanding the forces generated by operation of the hand tool as will be described in greater detail below. Such materials include without limitation steel, aluminum, iron, and other metals, plastic or composite material, and the like. As indicated above, any other housing shape can be employed for providing a structure to which the air cylinder  46  and pivot arms  86  (described below) can be mounted. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , a hand-operated tool  14  can be removably secured to the holder  10  in a mounted position by a pin and aperture arrangement. An exemplary hand tool  14  that can be mounted in and operated by the tool holder  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , and utilizes a pin  58  (e.g., a pivot pin of the hand tool or another suitable element) to interconnect the two handles  18 . To utilize the hand tool  14  in the tool holder  10 , an extended pivot pin  62  is employed to connect the hand tool  14  to the tool holder  10 . In some embodiments of the present invention, to prepare the hand tool  14  for operation with the holder  10 , the original pin  58  interconnecting the two handles  18  is removed from an aperture  63  in the hand tool  14 . The extended pivot pin  62  can then be inserted in place of the original pin  58  in the aperture  63 . In other embodiments, the hand tool  14  already has an outwardly-extending pivot pin  62 , in which case the pivot pin  62  can be used to mount the hand tool as described herein. 
   In some cases, a hand tool may not be easily mounted in the tool holder  10  by a pin received within an aperture in the hand tool as described above. The hand tool  14 ′ illustrated in  FIG. 6  is an example of such a hand tool. In such cases, the hand tool can be mounted in the tool holder  10  in other manners. By way of example only, the hand tool  14 ′ illustrated in  FIG. 6  can be mounted in the tool holder  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4  via an adapter  64  having a pivot pin  62 ′ connected thereto. The adapter  64  can have a body  67  within which is defined a slot  68  to receive a portion of the hand tool  14 ′, and one or more setscrews  65  positioned to clamp the adapter  64  to the portion of the hand tool  14 ′. It will be appreciated that other adapter shapes and other manners of securing the adapter  64  to the hand tool  14 ′ can be employed, each of which falls within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the adapter  64  can instead or in addition have any other type of aperture therethrough for receiving a leg of the hand tool  14 ′, can take the form of any type of clamp to be secured to a leg or other portion of the hand tool  14 ′, can employ one or more other types of conventional fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, nails, rivets, or pins) to secure a leg or other portion of the hand tool  14 ′ to the adapter  64 , and the like. 
   Also, in the illustrated construction, the adapter  64  is clamped to the hand tool  14 ′ at a location near a head portion  26 ′ of the hand tool  14 ′. However, in other constructions, the adapter  64  can take any of a number of different forms and can be configured to engage the hand tool  14 ′ in any of a number of different locations. Further, in the illustrated construction of  FIG. 6 , the pivot pin  62  can be removable from the adapter  64 , or the pin  62  can be permanently connected to the adapter  64  (e.g., by being riveted, pressed, welded, or brazed thereto, or being integrally-formed therewith). It should be noted that either of the exemplary hand tools  14  or  14 ′ described above and illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  can be adapted for use with the tool holder  10  of  FIGS. 1–4 , and that both hand tools  14 ,  14 ′ are supported and actuated by the tool holder  10  of the present invention in similar manners. 
   The pivot pin  62  can be mounted to the frame  30  in a number of manners, such as by receiving one end of the pivot pin  62  in a hole, groove, recess, or other aperture in the frame  30 , by receiving opposite ends of the pivot pin  62  in respective holes, grooves, recesses, or other apertures in the frame  30 , by holding the pivot pin  62  with respect to the frame  30  by one or more clasps, latches, clamps, brackets, and the like, by threading either or both ends of the pivot pin  62  into threaded apertures in the frame  30  (in which case the end(s) of the pivot pin  62  are threaded for this purpose), and the like. 
   By way of example only, and as shown in  FIG. 4 , the tool holder  10  of the present invention can have one or more supports  66  connected to any portion of the frame  30  to pivotably receive the pivot pin  62 . The supports  66  can take any form desired, and in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4  are plates. Also, the supports  66  can be integral with or part of any portion of the frame  30  (e.g., the side panels  34  of the frame  30 ), or can be separate elements secured thereto in any manner. For example, the supports  66  in the illustrated embodiment are attached to the side panels  34  of the frame  30  to pivotably receive the pivot pin  62 . In the illustrated construction of  FIG. 4 , the supports  66  are fastened to the side panels  34  using conventional threaded fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws). Alternatively, the supports  66  can be connected to the side panels  34  or other portions of the frame  30  by welding or brazing, by rivets, pins, nails, or other conventional fasteners, by inter-engaging elements on the supports  66  and frame  30 , and the like. 
   The support(s)  66  of the present invention define one or more mounting locations for the pivot pin  62  with respect to the frame  30 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , the supports  66  provide a plurality of mounting locations defined by a first, second, and third pair of grooves  70 ,  74 ,  76  in the supports  66 , respectfully, although fewer or more grooves can exist for fewer or more possible hand tool mounting locations. The plurality of mounting locations defined by the pairs of grooves  70 ,  74 ,  76  allow the hand tool  14  to be placed in the holder  10  in different mounting configurations with respect to the frame  30 . It may be desirable for different hand tools  14  to be configured relative to the housing (and the internal working components of the holder  10 ) in different manners to achieve proper or sufficient action of each hand tool  14 . By way of example only, in the illustrated construction of  FIG. 4 , the pair of grooves  70  can be used when configuring a lengthy tool with respect to the holder  10 , while the pair of grooves  76  can be used when configuring a short tool  14  with respect to the holder  10 . In some embodiments, the pivot pin  62  can be received into any one of the first, second, and third pair of grooves  70 ,  74 ,  76  by locking tabs  78  secured to the supports  66  via conventional fasteners  82 . Alternatively, the pivot pin  62  can be secured to the supports  66  by employing any conventional method and device desired. 
   In some embodiments of the present invention, the support(s)  66  of the tool holder  10  can be secured in two or more positions and/or orientations with respect to the other portions of the tool holder  10 . For example, the supports  66  can be secured to the same location in different rotational positions of the supports  66 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , the supports  66  can be secured to the side panels  34  in at least two different rotational positions of the supports  66  with respect to the side panels  34 . In particular, in the first rotational position (best shown in  FIG. 4 ) two pairs of grooves  70 ,  76  are positioned on a top side of the supports  66 , while a single pair of grooves  74  are positioned on a front side of the supports  66 . In a second rotational position (not shown), the supports  66  are secured to the side panels  34  after being rotated approximately 90 degrees from the positions shown in  FIG. 4 . In this orientation, the single pair of grooves  74  are positioned on a top side of the supports  66 . The ability to secure the supports  66  in different orientations with respect to the tool holder  10  provides additional tool mounting configurations for the tool holder  10  without the need for dedicated supports  66  for different tools. 
   Another manner in which to provide additional tool mounting configurations for the tool holder  10  is to provide two or more locations at which the supports  66  can be secured on the frame  30 . For example, the frame  30  can have multiple apertures or sets of apertures for mounting the supports  66  (and therefore, hand tools  14 ) in different locations on the frame  30 . Multiple support attachment locations can be employed in conjunction with multiple support orientations as described above to provide still more mounting configurations for the tool holder  10 . 
   In some embodiments of the present invention, different supports  66  (e.g., having different shapes and/or different mounting features or elements) are employed to mount different hand tools  14  in the tool holder  10 . These different supports  66  can be mounted with respect to the frame  30  using the same or different apertures or other support mounting features. 
   With continued reference to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the present invention,  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the tool holder  10  with one of the side panels  34  removed to view the internal working components of the tool holder  10 . Generally, the working components include a pair of pivot arms  86  each having an “L” shape. However, in other constructions of the tool holder  10 , the pivot arms  86  can take any other shape (e.g., substantially straight, U or V-shaped, irregularly-shaped, and the like) capable of transmitting force to the tool handles  18  by rotation of the pivot arms  86 . 
   The pivot arms  86  are pivotably connected to the side panels  34  of the frame  30  using pins  90 , pivot posts, lugs, or axles, or in any other suitable manner. Depending at least partially upon the type of frame  30  employed, the pivot arms  86  can be pivotably connected to other locations of the frame  30  as desired, each location positioning the pivot arms  86  with respect to the hand tool  14  in a manner permitting actuation of the hand tool handles by the pivot arms  86  as described in greater detail below. 
   In some embodiments, rollers  98  are provided to contact and drive the hand tool  14  upon actuation of the pivot arms  86 . For example, toward the tool end  94  of each pivot arm  86  in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a roller  98  is rotatably connected to each pivot arm  86 . In some constructions, either or both rollers  98  have an outer circumferential notch  102  for engagement with the hand tool  14 . By way of example only, the rollers  98  in  FIG. 4  each have a V-shaped notch  102 . Alternatively, the rollers  98  can have any other cross-sectional shape at their circumference, including without limitation a flat outer circumference, a U-shaped outer circumference, and the like. 
   Although the tool holder  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4  employs rollers  98  connected to the pivot arms  86  to actuate the hand tool  14 , in other embodiments the hand tool  14  is actuated by camming and/or sliding contact with the pivot arms  86  or by camming and/or sliding contact with cams or slides (not shown) connected to the pivot arms  86 . The pivot arms  86  or cams can press against the hand tool  14  in actuation of the pivot arms  86  and in some cases can have sliding contact with the hand tool  14  as the pivot arms  86  are rotated. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , the pivot arms  86  are connected to the air cylinder  46  at a first end  106  of the pivot arms  86  via an adapter assembly  110 . An adapter bar  114  of the adapter assembly  110  is connected to the end of the air cylinder rod  50 , and has opposing connecting ends  118 . The ends  106  of the pivot arms  86  and the ends  118  of the adapter bar  114  can be connected in any manner permitting relative rotation between the pivot arms  86  and the adapter bar  114 . In the illustrated construction of  FIGS. 2–3  for example, these ends  106 ,  118  are connected via links  122 , wherein the links  122  are pivotably connected to the first and second connecting ends  106 ,  118  of the adapter bar  114 . 
   As a result of the interconnection of the moving components of the tool holder  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4 , linear motion of the air cylinder rod  50  results in horizontal and vertical motion of the rollers  98 , wherein the motion of each roller  98  traces an arc relative to the side panels  34  of the tool holder  10 . More specifically, extension of the air cylinder rod  50  causes the rollers  98  to move apart from one another, while retraction of the air cylinder rod  50  causes the rollers  98  to move toward one another. However, in other constructions of the tool holder  10 , movement of the rollers  98  in the tool holder  10  need not necessarily be arc-shaped. Depending at least partially upon the manner in which the pivot arms  86  (or alternative handle-actuating elements) move and are connected in the tool holder  10 , the rollers  98  can move in purely linear paths, in purely arcuate paths, in a combination of linear and arcuate paths, in irregular paths, and the like. 
   In alternative constructions to that shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pivot arms  86  can be directly connected to the adapter bar  114  for actuation by the air cylinder  46 . In such cases, the pivot arms  86  can still pivot with respect to the adapter bar  114  via lost-motion pivotable connections between the pivot arms  86  and the adapter bar  114  (e.g., pivot pins of the pivot arms  86  received within elongated apertures in the adapter bar  114 , or vice-versa, or other conventional pivotable lost-motion connections). In other alternative constructions, the pivot arms  86  can be directly pivotably connected to the air cylinder rod  50  in any suitable manner (whether by lost-motion connections or otherwise). In still other alternative constructions, the links  122  are directly pivotably connected to the air cylinder rod  50  in any suitable manner (whether by lost-motion connections or otherwise). 
   One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that still other manners of driving the pivot arms  86  via the air cylinder  46  are possible and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Also, in other embodiments, each pivot arm  86  is rotatably driven by dedicated air cylinders  46  or other actuators connected to the pivot arms  86  via one or more linkages or by direct connection to the pivot arms  86 . 
   With reference again to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , it may be desirable in some embodiments to limit the travel of the moving components of the tool holder  10 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment as best shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , opposing screws  126  are threaded into the rear panel  38  of the frame  30  to provide stops against the adapter bar  114  upon retraction of the air cylinder rod  50 . The setscrews  126  can be adjusted within the rear panel  38  such that the rollers  98  are only allowed to move an allotted distance to actuate the tool  14 . These stops can also prevent the rollers  98  from over-stressing the tool  14  upon retraction of the air cylinder rod  50 . 
   In other constructions, the stops can be defined by other elements performing the same function to limit the motion of the adapter bar  114 , other elements of the adapter assembly  110 , and/or the pivot arms  86 . For example, threaded fasteners can be received within apertures in any other part of the frame  30  and can be extended into one or more paths of the rollers  98 , pivot arms  86 , links  122 , and adapter bar  114  in order to limit travel of the moving components of the tool holder  10 . As another example, one or more blocks, pins, or other elements can be permanently or releasably mounted to the frame  30  in different locations in the path(s) of the rollers  98 , pivot arms  86 , links  122 , and adapter bar  114 . In such cases, the frame  30  can be provided with multiple apertures or other mounting features at which to mount such stops (thereby defining an adjustable range of motion of the moving components). Still other manners of stopping one or more of the moving elements of the tool holder  10  are possible and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   The air cylinder  46  employed in the illustrated construction of  FIGS. 1–3  is connected to a source of pressurized air  128  for operation. Alternatively, any pressurized gas can be used instead of air. The air cylinder  46  is conventional in design such that it includes the necessary circuit paths to allow the air cylinder rod  50  to extend and retract. Furthermore, the air cylinder  46  can be actuated in any conventional manner, such as by a user-operable button, switch, pedal, or other control, by an electrical controller, and the like. By way of example only, the air cylinder  46  in the illustrated construction of  FIGS. 1–3  is connected to a conventional foot-operated switch  130  to control operation of the air cylinder  46 . For example, triggering the switch  130  can result in retraction of the air cylinder rod  50  and squeezing of the tool handles  18 . Alternatively, triggering the switch  130  can result in extension of the cylinder rod  50  and opening of the tool handles  18 . 
   It will be appreciated that other actuators (other than an air cylinder  46 ) can be employed to drive the pivot arms  86  as described herein. For example, the air cylinder  46  can be replaced by a hydraulic cylinder (connected to a source of fluid under pressure or a hydraulic pump), a magnetic rail, a motor, and the like. In those cases where the actuator generates rotational driving force, such force can be transmitted to actuate the pivot arms  86  in a number of different manners. For example, an electric motor having a rotating drive shaft can have a worm gear connected to the drive shaft and rotatable to drive one or more gears driving the pivot arms  86  (e.g., meshing with gears on the pivot arms pins  90 , meshing with teeth on a peripheral arcuate portion of the pivot arms  86 , and the like), can drive two carriages via right-hand and left-hand threaded portions of the work gear (which carriages can drivably engage the handles  18  when the carriages are moved along the worm gear), can drive one or more sprockets connected to the pivot arms  86  via chains, can drive one or more drums or pulleys connected to the pivot arms by belts, can drive a conventional crank-rocker linkage connected to the pivot arms  86 , and the like. 
   In other constructions of the present invention, one or more electromagnetic solenoids can be used in place of the air cylinder  46  to cause movement of the pivot arms  86 . Alternatively, one or more electromagnets can be mounted on the frame  30  or on the pivot arms  86  (or other moving components) for attracting and/or repelling one or more other magnets or electro-magnets on the pivot arms  86  (or other moving components) or the frame  30 , respectively, to drive the pivot arms  86 . 
   In the alternative embodiments described above, it should be noted that the actuators need not necessarily be mounted in the location of the air cylinder  46  shown in the figures. Instead, the actuator can be mounted on any part of the frame  30  and can be oriented in any direction with respect to the pivot arms  86  in order to facilitate driving connections thereto. Also, one or more mechanical stops such as that employed in the illustrated construction of  FIGS. 2–3  or those described above, a conventional torque-limiting circuit, voltage adjustment circuit, or a motion controller connected to and electrically controlling the motion of the actuator can be used to limit travel of the moving components of the tool holder  10 , if desired. It should also be noted that the pivot arms  86  in the various embodiments described herein can be driven at any location desired. Although the pivot arms  86  in the illustrated exemplary embodiment are driven at ends  106  of the pivot arms  86  as described above, any of the driving elements or mechanisms described herein can apply force to the pivot arms  86  at a variety of different positions along the pivot arms  86 , including at or along the tool end  94  of the pivot arms  86 , the connecting ends  106  of the pivot arms  86  or anywhere therebetween. 
   If desired, a spring-biasing mechanism can be used with any of the handle-actuating assemblies described herein to provide a biasing force against the action of the handle-actuating assemblies. For example, one or more extension, compression, or torsion springs can be directly or indirectly coupled to the pivot arms  86  or pivot arm pins  60  and to the frame  30  to exert a biasing force against motion of the pivot arms  86  toward one another. Such biasing force can also or instead be provided by controlling the actuator to open the pivot arms  86  as desired. 
   To secure a hand tool  14  within the tool holder  10  illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , the hand tool  14  is oriented and guided (e.g., by a user) into the tool holder  10  such that the handles  18  of the tool  14  are within the tool holder  10  and the pivot pin  62  is inserted within one of the pairs of grooves  70 ,  74 , or  76  or other pivot pin apertures in the supports  66 . As a result, the handles  18  of the hand tool  14  are substantially in the same plane as the circumferential notches  102  (if employed) of the rollers  98  such that the rollers  98  are allowed to roll along the handles  18  via the circumferential notch  102  of each roller  98 . In other embodiments, the handles  18  are otherwise positioned to be acted upon by the rollers  98 , cams, slides, or other elements coupled to the pivot arms  86  when the pivot arms  86  are rotated. Once the pivot pin  62  is located in one of the pairs of grooves  70 ,  74 , or  76  or other pivot pin apertures provided, the pivot pin  62  can be secured to the supports  66  via the locking tabs  78 . To remove a hand tool  14  from the tool holder  10 , the reverse of the above procedure is performed. This procedure allows for a quick and relatively easy changeover between tools  14 , if so desired. 
   In operation, the actuator  46  is actuated to drive the adapter bar  114  and links  122  (if employed), thereby rotating the pivot arms  86  about their pins  90 . This rotation causes the pivot arms  86  to press against the handles of the hand tool  14  (either directly or via the rollers  98  as shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment), thereby actuating the hand tool  14 . The actuator  46  can then be actuated to drive the adapter bar  114  and links  122  in a reverse direction, thereby rotating the pivot arms  86  about their pins  90  in an opposite direction. This rotation causes the pivot arms  86  to exert less force upon the handles of the hand tool  14 , thereby de-actuating the hand tool  14 . 
   Since the hand tool  14  illustrated in  FIGS. 1–5  is secured to the tool holder  10  via the pivot pin  62 , little to no movement of a workpiece results when the workpiece is placed between the jaws of the head portion  26  of the hand tool  14 . This same operational feature exists for many other hand tools that can be mounted within the tool holder  10  of the present invention. Also, the pivot arms  86  and rollers  98 , cams, slides, or other handle-engaging elements (if employed) can self-align and self-adjust to the contours of the handles  18  upon engaging and rolling along the handles  18  of the hand tool  14 . Accordingly, a higher degree of workpiece and tool control is possible based upon the pivotal movement of the tool  14  about the pivot pin  62 . This stands in contrast to other powered tool holders that are typically arranged to clamp one tool handle while actuating another, thereby generating significant undesirable tool head movement during operation. 
   The constructions described above and illustrated in the figures are presented by way of example only and are not intended as a limitation upon the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
   For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, the pivot arms  86  can be connected to the handles  18  of the hand tool  14  in order to both open and close the handles  18 . By way of example only, either or both pivot arms  86  can have two or more rollers, cams, fingers, or other elements between which a handle  18  of the hand tool  14  is received, thereby enabling the holder  10  of the present invention to open and close the hand tool  14 . Accordingly, in such constructions, the hand tool  14  inserted in the holder  10  need not necessarily be spring-biased. 
   As another example, in some alternative constructions of the present invention, either or both pivot arms  86  can be connected to low-friction contoured pads employed to squeeze the handles  18  (used as an alternative to rollers  98  riding upon the handles  18 ). Upon contacting the handles  18 , the pad(s) utilize their contours to follow the shape defined by the handles  18  in order to squeeze the handles  18 . 
   Although the tool  14  illustrated in the figures is secured to the frame  30  by a pin  62  received in the supports  66 , it should be noted that the tool  14  can be mounted in the frame  30  in a number of other manners falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention. By way of example only, a pin  62  can extend through apertures in the walls or other elements of the frame  30  for pivotably securing the tool  14  thereto. Although not required to practice the present invention, a number of advantages are achieved by directly or indirectly connecting the hand tool  14  to the frame  30  via a pivot pin  62  about which the tool  14  pivots during normal operation.