Patent Publication Number: US-6212979-B1

Title: Anti-slide covers for toggle operated pliers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to anti-slide covers for toggle operated pliers. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Pliers are often provided with plastic covers on the handles thereof to avoid slippage when clamping an object between the jaws of the pliers. The plastic covers are generally formed by means of immersing the handles of the pliers in a liquid bath. The liquid hardens and thus forms an anti-slip layer on each metal handle. Nevertheless, such a process cannot be used on toggle lever operated pliers (e.g., toggle lever operated pliers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,478,696 to Isele issued on Aug. 9, 1949 and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,803 to Heim issued on Apr. 15, 1952), as the plastic cover will cause malfunction of the toggle link and other movable elements. Thus, the user has to firmly hold the pliers to prevent the pliers from slipping through the hands. This causes operational inconvenience. 
     The present invention is intended to provide anti-slide covers that mitigate and/or obviate the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an anti-slide cover is provided for a pair of toggle operated pliers of the type including a first handle with an adjusting screw attached thereto, a second handle, and a toggle link pivotally connected between the first handle and the second handle. The anti-slide cover is detachably attached to the first handle and comprises a compartment for fittingly embracing a portion of the first handle. The anti-slide cover is prevented from disengaging from the first handle by a head of the adjusting screw. 
     The anti-slide cover further includes a cutout in an inner lateral side thereof to allow movement of the toggle link in the cutout. The anti-slide cover may include a plurality of recesses for grasping by the fingers. The anti-slide cover further includes an end opening for receiving an end of the first handle that has a screw hole threadedly engaged with the adjusting screw. 
     In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, an anti-slide cover is provided for a pair of toggle operated pliers of the type including a first handle, a second handle, a toggle link pivotally connected between the first handle and the second handle, and a release lever having an end pivotally connected to the second handle by a first pin, the first pin includes two first exposed enlarged ends, the toggle link including an end pivotally connected to the second handle by a second pin, the second pin including two second exposed enlarged ends. The anti-slide cover is detachably attached to the second handle and comprises a compartment for fittingly embracing a portion of the second handle. The anti-slide cover includes two side walls each having a first depression for releasably engaging with an associated said first exposed enlarged end and a second depression for releasably engaging with an associated said second exposed enlarged end. The anti-slide cover further may include a tenon, and the second handle may include a mortise for releasably engaging with the tenon. The anti-slide cover further includes a recessed section for grasping by the thumb. 
     In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, an anti-slide arrangement is provided for a pair of toggle operated pliers of the type including a first handle with an adjusting screw attached thereto, a second handle, a toggle link pivotally connected between the first handle and the second handle, and a release lever having an end pivotally connected to the second handle by a first pin, the first pin including two first exposed enlarged ends, the toggle link including an end pivotally connected to the second handle by a second pin, the second pin including two second exposed enlarged ends. The anti-slide arrangement comprises: 
     a first anti-slide cover detachably attached to the first handle and comprising a first compartment adapted to fittingly embrace a portion of the first handle, the first anti-slide cover being prevented from disengaging from the first handle by a head of the adjusting screw; and 
     a second anti-slide cover detachably attached to the second handle and comprising a second compartment adapted to fittingly embrace a portion of the second handle, the second anti-slide cover including two side walls each having a first depression for releasably engaging with an associated said first exposed enlarged end and a second depression for releasably engaging with an associated said second exposed enlarged end. 
     The anti-slide covers of the present invention can be conveniently, rapidly, and detachably attached to the handles of toggle operated pliers without interfering with operation of the pliers. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of toggle operated pliers with anti-slide covers in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pair of toggle operated pliers; and 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pair of toggle operated pliers. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a pair of toggle operated pliers generally includes a hollow first handle  10 , a second hollow handle  20 , a toggle link  13  pivotally connected between the handles  10  and  20 , a spring  12 , and a release lever  23 . The first handle  10  includes a screw hole  11  in an end thereof through which a threaded stem  15  of an adjusting screw  14  extends. Structure and operation of such pliers are conventional and therefore not further described. Such hollow handles cannot be immersed in liquid bath for forming anti-slide layers, as the movable elements of the pliers, namely spring  12 , toggle link  13 , and release lever  23 , will be adversely affected. 
     The present invention provides a first anti-slide cover  30  for the first handle  10  and a second anti-slide cover  40  for the second handle  20 . The first anti-slide cover  30  includes a compartment  31  for fittingly embracing a portion of the first handle  10  and includes an end opening  33  that receives the end of the first handle  10  having the screw hole  11 . The first anti-slide cover  30  includes a cutout  32  in an inner lateral side thereof that faces the second handle  20 . The first anti-slide cover  30  further includes a plurality of recesses  34  for fingers&#39; grasp. Movement of the toggle link  13  is not affected by the first anti-slide cover  30  due to provision of the cutout  32 . In assembly, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the first anti-slide cover  30  is moved to a position embracing a portion of the first handle  10 , and the adjusting screw  14  is then threadedly engaged with the screw hole  11  of the first handle  10  to prevent disengagement of the first anti-slide cover  30 , as the head of the adjusting screw  14  is larger than opening  33  in the end of the cover first anti-slide  30 . Detachment of the first anti-slide cover  30  can be easily achieved after disengaging the adjusting screw  14  from the first handle  10 . 
     The second anti-slide cover  40  includes a compartment  43  defined by two side walls thereof for fittingly embracing a portion of the second handle  20 . Each side wall of the second anti-slide cover  40  includes two depressions  41  and  42 . The depression  41  is sized to fittingly receive an exposed enlarged end  21  of a pin (not shown) that pivotally connects an end of the toggle link  13  with the second handle  20 . The depression  42  is sized to fittingly receive an exposed enlarged end  22  of a pin (not shown) that pivotally connects an end of the lever  23  with the second handle  20 . In addition, the second anti-slide cover  40  includes a tenon  44  for releasably engaging with a mortise  24  in the second handle  20 . Thus, the second anti-slide cover  40  can be easily, quickly, and detachably attached to the second handle  20  without interfering with operation of the second handle  20 . The second anti-slide cover  40  further includes a recessed section  45  for thumb&#39;s grasp. 
     According to the above description, it is appreciated that the anti-slide covers of the present invention can be conveniently, rapidly, and detachably attached to the handles of toggle operated pliers without interfering with operation of the pliers. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.