Abstract:
A strap wrench for turning generally cylindrical objects where the strap wrench includes a manually rotatable thumb wheel which is mounted within a handle. Rotation of the thumb wheel produces lineal movement of a strap that attaches to the handle. The strap wrench is firmly mounted about a generally cylindrical object and applying a twisting force to the strap wrench is to result in turning movement of the generally cylindrical object.

Description:
This application is to reference U.S. Provisional patent application serial No. 60/304,551, filed Jul. 11, 2001, entitled CAP GRIPPER by the present inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A strap wrench for turning of an object of general overall cylindrical shape. The strap wrench is formed of a handle which has mounted therewithin a strap. One end of the strap is fixed to the handle and the opposite end of the strap is movable relative to the handle. A portion of the strap is formed into a loop which is placed around the object that is to be turned. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many containers, such as bottles, jars, and cans utilize a cap which is threaded thereon. In most instances, when it is desired to remove one of the caps, such can be accomplished relatively easily by most individuals. However, for some individuals, this removal technique is difficult. Older people or people with arthritis find it exceedingly difficult to exert adequate force for affecting removal of such caps. Also, some caps are so tight that even strong men cannot remove such. One could use a conventional tool, such as pliers or a pipe wrench. However, many caps are too large to be usable in conjunction with plier or even a pipe wrench. Also, the use of such plier type of tools exerts an uneven applied pressure on the cap which may cause damage to the cap and the container on which it is mounted making it difficult to reinstall the cap. 
     Although the subject matter of this invention has been found to be especially useful when removing of caps on containers, it is considered to be within the scope of this invention that the tool could be used in conjunction with any generally cylindrical object, such as a pipe, a fastening nut, a water valve handle, a pulley and any other similar type of relatively round device that it is necessary to apply torque to this device. As far as this invention goes, a generally cylindrical object is meant to include hexagonal shaped threaded nuts, elliptically shaped water valve handles, pipes, container lids and other similar objects. 
     In the past, it has been known to construct what is called a strap wrench where there is utilized an elongated strap, usually made of rubber or fabric, that can be placed about the generally cylindrical object. The strap can be tightened on the cylindrical object and a force applied to the generally cylindrical object to cause such to be turned to loosen the object although the force could be applied to tighten the object. There have been numerous different types of such strap wrenches constructed in the past. For the most part, these strap wrenches have been constructed so that the strap can be easily disconnected from the handle on which it is mounted such as by having the strap merely fall sideways through a slot in the handle. When the strap is disconnected from the handle, it cannot be used in the desired manner. Also, strap wrenches of the prior art have been constructed to be reasonably costly. There is a need to construct a strap wrench which can operate efficiently with a minimal amount of effort and which can be constructed at a relatively inexpensive cost and therefor sold to the ultimate consumer at an inexpensive cost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The first basic embodiment of strap wrench of the present invention comprises a handle which has an internal chamber. A frontal access opening is formed within the handle with this frontal access opening connecting with the internal chamber. A strap terminates in a fixed end and a movable end with the fixed end being fixed to the handle adjacent the frontal access opening. The movable end extends through the frontal access opening into the internal chamber, The strap is formed into an encircling loop located directly adjacent and exterior of the frontal access. A thumb wheel is mounted on the handle. The thumb wheel engages with the movable end of the strap. Manual movement of the thumb wheel causes movement of the movable end of the strap which expands or contracts the size of the encircling loop which will permit tightening of the encircling loop on a generally cylindrical object for the purpose of causing turning movement of the object by the application of a manual twisting force of the handle. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the handle being elongated. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the movable end of the strap being permitted to extend exteriorly of the handle through a rear access opening formed in the handle. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the fixed end of the strap is secured to the handle directly adjacent the frontal access opening. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the including of a shoe on the handle located directly adjacent the frontal access opening with this shoe to be pressed tightly against the strap and against the generally cylindrical object which assists in securing in a fixed position the encircling loop of the strap on the generally cylindrical object. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where there is included within the internal chamber of the handle an idler roller with the movable end of the strap continuously riding against the idler roller facilitating its lineal movement by rotation of the thumb wheel. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the including of first gear teeth on the movable end of the strap and the including of second gear teeth on the thumb wheel with the second gear teeth of the thumb wheel to engage the first gear teeth. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention comprises modifying of the basic embodiment by the including of a locking device that is slidably mounted on the handle that is to be engaged with the thumb wheel to fix the position of the thumb wheel in position when a tightened position of the strap has been obtained. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention comprises modifying the first gear teeth on the movable end of the strap by locating the first gear teeth on the inside surface of the strap. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the including of the idler roller within the internal chamber of the handle with this idler roller to be in continuous contact with the movable end of the strap. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the including of the slidable locking device on the handle that is to engage with the thumb wheel to lock the thumb wheel in a fixed position thereby fixing the encircling loop in a fixed position on the generally cylindrically shaped object. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the strap wrench of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of just the locking mechanism that is utilized in conjunction with the strap wrench of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of one configuration of strap that could be utilized in conjunction with the strap wrench in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second configuration of a strap that could be utilized with the strap wrench of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinal side cross-sectional view of the strap wrench of FIG. 1 depicting tightening operation of the strap wrench on the generally cylindrical object; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the thumb wheel portion of the strap wrench of this invention again depicting the tightening operation of the strap wrench on the generally cylindrical object; 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the locking mechanism in the locked position in conjunction with the thumb wheel; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of a portion of the strap wrench showing the strap wrench mounted on a square shaped object; 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the strap wrench mounted on an elliptical shaped object; and 
     FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the strap wrench mounted on a hexagonal shaped object. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring particularly to FIGS.  1  and  5 - 7  of the drawings, there is shown the strap wrench  20  of this invention. The strap wrench  20  includes an elongated handle  22  which has an exteriorly mounted grip  24 . Grip  24  will normally be constructed of a resilient material, such as a rubber or rubberized plastic. The grip  24  has a basically convoluted shape which is to facilitate connection to the user&#39;s hand  26 . The user&#39;s hand  26  includes a thumb  28 . 
     The handle  22  includes an internal chamber  30 . The internal chamber  30  is open at the front end by a frontal access opening  32  and also open at the rear end by a rear access  34 . Fixedly mounted on the wall surface of the internal chamber  30  is a guide ramp  36 . The guide ramp  36  has an exterior inclined surface  40  and an enlarged transverse groove  38 . The surface  40  will actually include a plurality of longitudinal slots, which are not shown. The purpose of the longitudinal slots is to provide a minimal amount of surface area on the surface  40  so that the movable end  42  of a strap  44  will function to easily slide on the surface  40 . Mounted within the groove  38  is a small cylindrical member defined as an idler roller  46 . This idler roller  46  is also to be pressed against by the movable end  42  and further facilitate low frictional movement of the movable end  42  relative to the handle  22 . It is to be noted that the roller  46  and the surface  40  presses against the planer exterior surface  48  of the strap  44 . 
     The movable end  42  of the strap  44  is conducted through hole  50  formed within a shoe  52 . The movable end  42 , after being conducted through the hole  50 , is passable through the frontal access opening  32  and through the internal chamber  30  and may protrude exteriorly of the handle  22  out through the rear access opening  34 . The fact that the end of the strap  44  has a taper  43  facilitates the insertion through the frontal access opening  32 . If the generally cylindrical object  54  is of a rather small diameter, then almost assuredly the movable end  42  will protrude exteriorly of the rear access opening  34 . However, if the object  54  is of a rather large diameter, the movable end  42  may not protrude at any time from the rear access opening  34 . Object  54  is shown to be a cap on a container (bottle or jar)  53 . 
     Fixed end  56  of the strap  44  includes a hook  58 . The hook  58  is to be forcibly moved through hole  60  formed within the shoe  52 . The hook  58 , after being forced through the hole  60 , will expand and be caught by dividing wall  62  which separates holes  50  and  60 . The hook  60  will be pressed against the dividing wall  62  thereby fixedly locating fixed end  56  to the handle  22 . Exteriorly of holes  58  and  60 , the strap  44  forms an encircling loop  64 . The encircling loop  64  is to be placed around the object  54  that is to be turned. The object  54  can be cylindrical, as is shown in FIG. 5, or could have another shape which will be referred to as far as this invention goes as being generally cylindrical however, really not cylindrical. For example, the object  66  could be square, as is shown in FIG.  8 . It is known that some can, bottle or jar lids are square. In FIG. 9, the object  68  is elliptical and a common form of an elliptical shaped object would be a handle for a water valve located underneath a sink or in conjunction with a toilet in a home or office. In FIG. 10, the object  70  is hexagonal shaped with again some lids being in this shape. 
     The inside surface  72  of the strap  44  includes a series of first gear teeth  74 . The gear teeth  74  are closed at each longitudinal end, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. However, the first gear teeth  74  could be open at each longitudinal end, as is shown by first gear teeth  76  in FIG.  4 . The first gear teeth  74  or  76  is to be in continuous engagement with the thumb wheel  78  which is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin  80  on the handle  22 . The thumb wheel  78  is mounted within a hole  82  which is formed within the handle  22 . A portion of the thumb wheel  78  is located within the internal chamber  30  and also is located exteriorly of the handle  22 . Exteriorly formed on the thumb wheel  78  is a continuous series of second gear teeth  84 . The second gear teeth  84  are in continuous engagement with the first gear teeth  76 . When a manual force is applied by the thumb  28  against the thumb wheel  78  tending to rotate thumb wheel  78  in the direction of arrow  86 , the movable end  42  of the strap  44  is moved lineally in the direction of arrow  88 . This movement is to occur until the encircling loop  64  tightly surrounds the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  or  70 . Again, the lineal movement of the movable end  42  is facilitated by sliding against the surface  40  and the free rotation that is permitted by the idler roller  46 . 
     Once the encircling loop  64  is tightly around the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  or  70 , it may be desirable to fix the position of the thumb wheel  78  in order to maintain whatever firm grasp is obtained by the loop  64  on the object. For that purpose, there may be provided a locking mechanism in the form of a frame  90  which is mounted against the handle  22 . The frame  90  has sidewalls  92  and  94  within which respectively are elongated holes  96  and  98 . The pivot pin  80  is to connect with the holes  96  and  98  with the frame  90  being mounted in conjunction with the handle  22 . The frame  90  has mounted thereon a rearwardly located brace bar  100 . The brace bar  100  is located between the sidewalls  92  and  94  and provides support for the rear portion of the frame  90 . Support for the front portion of the frame  90  between the sidewalls  92  and  94  is provided by a plate  102 . The rear edge of the plate  102  is formed into a narrowed member defined as a rib  104 . Mounted on the plate  102  and extending outwardly therefrom is a bar  106 . 
     When the user desires to fix in position the thumb wheel  78  and the encircling loop  64  is tightly placed about the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  or  70 , the user slips his or thumb  28  onto the bar  106 . The user then moves the bar  106  and the entire frame  90  rearwardly in the direction of arrow  108  until the rib  104  becomes located between a directly adjacent pair of the second gear teeth  84 . Further rotational movement of the thumb wheel  78  is now prevented and the user is able to remove his or her thumb  28  from the thumb wheel  78  and the strap wrench  20  will remain in its fixed position on the object. Normally at this time, the user will apply a manual turning movement in the direction of arrow  110  on the handle  22  which will press the surface  112  against the exterior surface  48  of the encircling loop  64 . As a result, the strap  44  is clamped between the surface  112  and the surface of the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  or  70 . This force of clamping is to prevent slippage of the encircling loop  64  relative to the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  or  70 . As the user applies more and more force on the handle  22 , at some point in time the object  54 ,  66 ,  68 , of  70  will be loosened and will be turned in the direction of arrow  114 . Generally, when the object  54 ,  66 ,  68  of  70  has been loosened, the strap wrench  20  is disengaged from the object by applying pressure in the opposite direction on bar  106  which will release the rib  104  from the engagement with the second gear teeth  84  with further manual movement of the object to occur strictly by the applying of the user&#39;s hand. 
     It is to be understood that the strap wrench  20  can also be used in a similar manner to effect tightening of an object onto an appropriate structure, such as a container, or tightening of a valve, and so forth. When tightening, the shoe  52  is moved one hundred and eighty degrees from the position shown in FIG.  5 .