Patent Publication Number: US-9884409-B2

Title: Pipe wrench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pipe wrench, and more particularly, to a pipe wrench with a pivotal clamping member. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional pipe wrench is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,612, and comprises a pivotal member which has a mounting recess defined in one side thereof, and the pivotal member is pivoted toward the fixed jaw of the wrench so as to clamp the object in the mounting recess. However, after the wrench is rotated an angle, the pivotal member has to be removed from the object, and the wrench is adjusted to another angle, the pivotal member is then pivoted toward the object again to clamp the object. 
     Another conventional pipe wrench is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,701, and comprises a pivotal member pivotably connected to the body of the wrench so as to be pivoted to clamp the object between the fixed jaw and the pivotal member. The shortcoming is the same as the wrench disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,612. Another embodiment of the pipe wrench disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,701 uses a link to be connected between two different segments of the pivotal member. However, the link is composed of two plates which are riveted together. The link cannot ensure the movement of the two segments is under controlled. 
     The present invention intends to provide a pipe wrench to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a A pipe wrench includes a fixed jaw with alternatively located first recesses and first driving faces defined in the inner side thereof. A pivotal member is pivotably connected to the fixed jaw and a resilient member is biased between the fixed jaw and the pivotal member. The pivotal member has alternatively located third recesses and second driving faces. A hexagonal space is defined between the first and second driving faces. The end portion of the pivotal member is inserted into a second recess defined in the inner side of the fixed jaw. The object is clamped in the hexagonal space, and the pivotal member can be pivoted away from the fixed jaw. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pipe wrench which is able to quickly clamp and dismounted from the object by operating the pivotal member. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the pipe wrench of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view to show the pivotal member of the pipe wrench of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view to show the fixed jaw and the pivotal member of the pipe wrench of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view to show the fixed jaw and the pivotal member of the pipe wrench of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view, taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view to show the fixed jaw and the pivotal member of the pipe wrench of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows that the pipe wrench of the present invention is rotated counter clockwise; 
         FIG. 8  shows that the pivotal member of the pipe wrench of the present invention is pivoted away from the fixed jaw, and 
         FIG. 9  shows that the pipe wrench has two function ends which include the fixed jaw and the pivotal member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the pipe wrench of the present invention comprises a fixed jaw  10  having a first end and a second end which is located opposite to the first end. A pivotal end  18  is formed on the second end of the fixed jaw  10 . A first pivotal portion is formed on the inner side of the fixed jaw and located close to the second end of the fixed jaw  10 . The thickness of the first pivotal portion a half of the thickness of the fixed jaw  10  so as to define two first recessed areas  111  respectively defined in the top and the bottom of the first pivotal portion. A first hole  11  is defined through the first pivotal portion. Two first recesses  13  and two first driving faces  12  are formed along the inner side of the first jaw  10  and extend from the first end of the first pivotal portion, wherein the first end of the first pivotal portion is located away from the second end of the fixed jaw  10 . The two first recesses  13  and the two first driving faces  12  are located alternatively to each other. A second recess  14  extends from a first end of the first driving face  12  that is located close to the first end of the fixed jaw  10 . A first end portion  15  extends from a first end of the second recess  14  and is connected to the first end of the fixed jaw  10 . The first driving faces  12  are a convex and curved faces, and the first recesses  13  are concaved and curved recesses. The second recess  14  is a curved recess having only one curvature. The shape of the second recess  14  is different from that of the first recesses  13 . A first reception recess  16  is defined in the inner side of the pivotal portion. A first protrusion  17  extends from the inner side of the pivotal portion and is located next to the first reception recess  16 . 
     Two connection members  20  are respectively and partially located in the first recessed areas  111  and each have a second hole  21  and a third hole  22  defined therethrough. The second and third holes  21 ,  22  have the same diameter. The second hole  21  of each connection member  20  communicates with the first hole  11 . 
     A pivotal member  40  includes a first end and a second end. A second pivotal portion extends from the second end of the pivotal member  40 , and the thickness of the second pivotal portion is one half of the thickness of the pivotal member  40  so as to define two second recessed areas  411  in the top and the bottom of the second pivotal portion. A fourth hole  41  is defined through the second pivotal portion. The two connection members  20  are respectively and partially located in the two second recessed areas  411 . The third hole  22  of each connection member  20  communicates with the fourth hole  41 . Two third recesses  43  and two second driving faces  42  are formed along the inner side of the pivotal member  40  and extend from a first end of the second pivotal portion. The first end of the second pivotal portion is located away from the second end of the pivotal member  40 . The two third recesses  43  and the two second driving faces  42  are located alternatively to each other. A second end portion  44  extends from a first end of the second driving face  42  that is located close to the first end of the pivotal member  40 . The second end portion  44  is connected to the first end of the pivotal member  40 . The second portion  44  has a single one curvature. The second driving faces  42  have the same shape as the first driving faces  12 . The third recesses  43  are concaved and curved recesses. A second reception hole  45  is defined in the inner side Of the second pivotal portion. A second protrusion  47  extends from the inner side of the pivotal portion and located next to the second reception recess  45 . The second protrusion  47  is located corresponding to the first protrusion  17 . A substantial hexagonal space is defined between the two first driving faces  12  and the two second driving faces  42 . A resilient member  50  has two ends thereof respectively engaged with the first and second reception recesses  16 ,  45 . The resilient member  50  provides a resilient force to insert the second end portion  44  in the second recess  14 . In this embodiment, the first and second reception recesses  16 ,  45  each are a circular recess. 
     A first locking member  31  extends through the second holes  21  of the two connection members  20  and the first hole  11  to pivotably connect the connection members  20  to the first pivotal portion. A third locking member  33  extends through the two respective third holes  22  of the two connection members  20  and the fourth hole  41  of the second pivotal portion to pivotably connect the two connection members  20  to the second pivotal portion. The first locking member  31  has inner threads. A second locking member  32  has outer threads which are threadedly connected to the inner threads of the first locking member  31 . The third locking member  33  has inner threads. A fourth locking member  34  has outer threads which are threadedly connected to the inner threads of the third locking member  33 . 
     The second end portion  44  of the pivotal member  40  is moved along the inner side of the first end portion  15  and inserted in the second recess  14  of the fixed jaw  10  as shown in  FIG. 5 . A lever  46  extends from the second pivotal portion and away from the outer side of the second pivotal portion. The first protrusion  17  contacts the second protrusion  47 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a hexagonal object  60  can be clamped in the hexagonal space between the fixed jaw and the movable member  40 . The resilient member  50  keeps the pivotal member  40  to be biased toward the fixed jaw  10 . The four sides of the object  60  contact the two first driving faces  12  and the two second driving faces  42 . Three of the corners of the object  60  are received in the two first recesses  13  and one of the third recesses  43 . The pipe wrench can be rotated clockwise to rotate the object  60 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the pipe wrench is rotated counter clockwise, the corners of the object  60  push the second driving faces  42  to pivot the pivotal member  40  away from the fixed jaw  10 , such that the pipe wrench can be freely rotated relative to the object  60 . After the pipe wrench is rotated an angle, the pivotal member  40  bounces back to clamp the object  60  again. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the user may pushes the lever  46  to compress the resilient member  50  and to pivot the pivotal member  40  away from the fixed jaw  10 . The opening between the second end portion  44  and the first end portion  15  allows the pipe to pass, and the object  60  on the pipe is then clamped between the fixed jaw  10  and the pivotal member  40 . The lever  46  is then released to allow the two first driving faces  12  and two second driving faces  42  to clamp the four sides of the object  60  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 9  shows that the pipe wrench has a handle  70  which has two ends and each of the two ends of the handle  70  is pivotably connected to the pivotal end  18  of the fixed jaw  10 . Alternatively, one the two ends of the handle  70  is pivotably connected to the pivotal end  18  of the fixed jaw  10 , and the other end of the handle  70  is connected with a ratchet wrench head, an open-end wrench head or a box-end wrench head. 
     The pipe wrench is able perform as a ratchet wrench, which means that the pipe wrench is rotated clockwise to rotate the object, and when the pipe wrench is rotated in counter clockwise, the corners of the object  60  push the second driving faces  42  to pivot the pivotal member  40  away from the fixed jaw  10 , such that the pipe wrench can be freely rotated relative to the object  60 . After the pipe wrench is rotated an angle, for example 60 degrees, the pivotal member  40  bounces back to clamp the object  60  again. 
     The user can quickly insert the pipe through the opening between the second end portion  44  and the first end portion  15  by pushes the lever  46  to compress the resilient member  50  to pivot the pivotal member  40  away from the fixed jaw  10 . 
     The first pivotal portion is located close the second end of the fixed jaw  10 , and the two connection member  20  are pivotably connected to the first and second pivotal portions. The pivotal member  40  is stably pivoted relative to the fixed jaw. 
     The two connection members  20  are located in the first and second recessed areas  111 ,  411 , the two connection members  20  are in flush with the top and the bottom of the fixed jaw  10 . The two connection members  20  are stably and firmly positioned in the first and second recessed areas  111 ,  411 . 
     The pivotal member  40  is pivotably connected to the fixed jaw  10  by the two connection member  20 , so that the pivotal member  40  is able to be opened wide from the fixed jaw  10  to allow a larger pipe to be clamped. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.