Patent Publication Number: US-7581469-B1

Title: Clamp gripping and actuating tool assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to clamp manipulating tools and more particularly pertains to a new clamp manipulating tool for assisting a person in closing and securing a plurality of clamps in a manner that leaves one hand of a user of the tool free. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising pliers that includes a first arm and a second arm pivotally coupled together. Each of the first and second arms has a first end and a second end. A portion of the first and second arms positioned adjacent to the first ends define heads while a portion of the first and second arms adjacent to the second ends define handles. The heads move toward each other when the grips are moved toward each other. The head of the first arm has an upper side that is concavely arcuate to be bowl shaped. A lower side of the head of the second arm is planar. An arcuate rod extends through the head of the second arm. The arcuate rod has a pair of ends. The ends are positioned between the lower side and a top side of the head of the second arm and are extendable outwardly from the head of the second arm. The rod is slidably mounted in the head of the second arm to selectively allow a direction of extension of a hook member formed by the rod. A fastener is extended through openings in a plurality of clamps as the clamps are closed between the heads. The fastener is supported by the upper side of the head of the first arm. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective in-use view of a clamp gripping and actuating tool assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a rear view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of clamps of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 10  thereof, a new clamp manipulating tool embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 10 , the clamp gripping and actuating tool assembly  10  generally comprises pliers  12  that include a first arm  14  and a second arm  16  pivotally coupled together. Each of the first  14  and second  16  arms has a first end  18  and a second end  20 . A portion of the first  14  and second  16  arms positioned adjacent to the first ends  18  define heads  22 ,  24  and a portion of the first  14  and second  16  arms adjacent to the second ends  20  define handles  26 ,  28 . The heads  22 ,  24  move toward each other when the grips  26 ,  28  are moved toward each other. The head  22  of the first arm  14  has an upper side  30  that is concavely arcuate so that is bowl shaped. A lower side  32  of the head  24  of the second arm  16  is planar. 
   An arcuate rod  34  extends through the head  24  of the second arm  16 . The rod  34  forms an approximate half circle. The arcuate rod  34  has a pair of ends  36 ,  37 . The ends  36 ,  37  are positioned between the lower side  32  and a top side  33  of the second arm  16 . One of the ends  36 ,  37  may be extended forward of the head  24  as is shown in the Figures to form a hook member. The rod  34  is slidably mounted in the head  24  to allow selection of direction of the hook formed by the rod  34 . The rod has a non-circular cross-section to prevent it from pivoting with respect to the head  24  of the second arm  16 . The ends  36 ,  37  are larger than a remaining portion of the rod  34  to prevent the rod  34  from being removed from the head  24 . 
   A pair of fastener grips  38  is provided to assist a person in manipulating a fastener  50  extending through a clamp  52 . Each of the fastener grips  38  is elongated and has a notched end  40  for engaging a fastener  50 . Each of the fastener grips  38  is removably extended into one of the second ends  20  of the first  18  and second  20  arms. The fastener grips  38  each have a distal end  42  with respect to an associated one of the notched ends  40 . The distal ends  42  are a bulbous member comprising a resiliently compressible material. The resiliently compressible material prevents the distal ends  42  from damaging items being worked on and provides for easy removal of the fastener grips  38  from the first  14  and second  16  handles. 
   In use, a fastener  50  is extended through openings  54  in a plurality of clamps  52  as the clamps  52  are closed between the heads  22 ,  24  with the assistance of the rod  34  which holds the clamps  52  in a closed configuration so that additional clamps  52  may be positioned on the fastener  50 . The fastener  50  is supported by the upper side  30  of the head  22  of the first arm  14 . The bowl shaped head of the first arm  14  retains the fastener  50  while the rod  34  creates a space between an end  56  of the fastener  50  and the head  24  of the second arm  16  to allow a nut or additional clamps  52  to be positioned on the fastener  50 . The assembly  10  allows clamps, used for items such as retaining a plurality of wires, to be manipulated within small areas. The arcuate rod  34  is used as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  to first hold a first clamp and then a second clamp by moving the ends  36 ,  37  from one position to another relative to the head  24 . The fastener grips  38  can be used to hold the clamps down on the fastener  50  so that the clamps  50  can be removed from the assembly  10  and a nut  60  put on the fastener  50 . The notch  40  may be engaged with the threads of the fastener  50 , above the clamp  52 , to secure the clamp  52  between the fastener grip  38  and a head  58  of the fastener  50 . 
   With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.