Improvements in Parallel Jaw Pliers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
Improvements in Parallel Jaw Pliers.
I, ADOLF SCHATZ, Machinist residing at 32 Cottage Street in the City of
New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pliers of the kind in which the jaws, as they open and
close, move parallel to one another. I construct such pliers with a guide fixed
between the handles operating in such a manner that in closing the jaws so as to
grip an object the force which determines their parallel movement is all delivered
upon the fixed guide and not upon the handles as in ordinary pliers of this kind.
I also attach a wire cutter to the pliers so as to operate by the closing of the
handles. The two handles are pivotted together by a pin which also passes through
the two sides of a guide formed as a yoke and extending back some distance
behind the pivot pin. The back part of the yoke is widened so as to present front
edges sloped backwards from the middle line of the yoke. The two jaws are
pivotted to the arms of the handles which project beyond their pivot pin, and the
jaws extend backwards beyond the pivot pin and have their rear edges sloped so
ns to fit against and move along the sloped edges of the yoke guide. The upper
side of the one jaw and the lower side of the other are also curved so as to fit, as
they move, against edges projecting from the sides of the handles. When the
handles are opened and closed the rear sloped edges of the jaws slide along the
sloped edges of the yoke guide and are thus caused to turn partly round on
the pins by which they are pivotted to the arms of the handles, so that their faces
remain always parallel to one another. The handles jaws and yoke guide are all
so shaped that they can be stamped from sheet steel or other suitable metal, and
then have their parts bent to the required forms. The wire cutter consists of
two shear blades arranged side by side on the upper jaw, the one blade fixed on
the jaw, the other caused to rock by having a rearward extension, a slot of which
engages a pin fixed in the yoke guide. When the jaws are open, there is an
inclined cut across the upper edges of the two shear blades, in which cut a wire
can be placed. Then on closing the jaws the cut in the one shear blade is made
to pass from the cut in the other blade, and thus the wire is severed.
Dated this 6th day of July 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Parallel Jaw Pliers.
I, ADOLF SCHATZ, Machinist, residing at 32 Cottage Street, in the City of
New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to pliers of the kind in which the jaws as they open and
close move parallel to one another, as I shall describe referring to the accompanying

page_text: drawings, in the several figures of which similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation of pliers according to my invention,
Figures 2 and 5 are plans shewing the position of the cutting blades in closed"
and in open position;
Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7 are sections.
The construction shown by these figures provides an efficient tool wherein the
parallel movement of the jaws is guided by means of a tongue or middle piece, set
on the pivot, which connects the handles and the cutting blades are operated by
the same handles as the jaws are opened and closed.
In my improved parallel jaw pliers A, A' are the handles, B, B' the jaws, which
are pivotted to the handles by bolts b. C is the guiding tongue mounted on the
bolt D D are the cutting blades secured in one of the jaws on the screwbolt ..
The handles may be varied in shape and manufactured in any known manner; they
may, for instance, be hollow, stamped in sheet metal and bent into shape, or they
may be malleable iron castings, or the jaw parts may be of metal and the handles of
wood or other suitable material, this construction being especially suitable for tools
used in electrical operations.
The jaws B B are stamped from sheet steel and bent into proper shape. The
inner ends e are inclined, and the backs c are curved to conform to the path of the
edges d of the handles in opening and closing the pliers.
The tongue C is stamped from sheet metal and bent double; it fits against the
inclined edges e of the jaws.
The tongue C not only guides the parallel movement of the jaws B, B', but also
supports the strain exerted upon them by the pressure of the handles.
Thus when an object is held between the jaws, the handles constitute levers 1
fulcrumed at I. The jaws also constitute levers, each fulcrumed at b; the
resistance of the object held throws a strain on the inclined edges of the tongue C,
and is thus transferred to the pivot 1. As there is no connection between the jaws
and the handles behind the pin I, the strain upon the jaws cannot act against the
handles as in those pliers, where the jaws are guided by pins, set in the handles
behind their fulcrum, and consequently the full force applied to the handles bears
upon the jaws.
The tongue C also serves for operating the cutting blades D D. A pin y set
in the tongue C engages in a slots of an arm g of the blade D' and thus causes the
blade D' to change its position, turning on the bolt when the pliers are opened
or closed. Notches g, made with cutting edges, are in such relative position that
when the pliers are open, the notches y are in the position shown in Figures 5 and 7
permitting a wire to be inserted in them. As the pliers are closed, the relative
position of these notches is changed, the cutting edges advancing angularly and
cutting the wire.
The parts are put together as follows:-
First the handles A A' are slid on one another till the holes for the pivot I
coincide, then the tongue C with the pin y set between its sides is slid in between
the handles to its place, and the pivot is inserted, pivotting the handles, and
holding the tongue. The jaws B B are then set between the forks of the handles,
and the bolts are inserted. The cutting blades D and D' are set in one of the
jaws while the bolts b are being set in their place. Instead of the bolts b and also
instead of the pivot I, rivets may be used for small pliers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Parallel jaw pliers having jaws pivottel to the ends of crossed handles, the
inclined iuner ends of the jaws gliding on corresponding edges of a tongue or
middle piece set on the pivot of the handles, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the forked bandles and the guiding tongue, jaws having

page_text: backs curved in conformity with the path of the edges of the parts connecting the
tines of the forked handles, thus always holding the inner ends of the jaws firmly
between the guiding edges of the tongue and the edges of the handles, substantially
as described.
3. In combination with the hollow jaws, pivotted to the handles, and with a
hollow tongue, set on the pivot of the handles and fitting against the inclined edges.
of the jaws, cutting blades secured to the pivot in one of the hollow jaws; one of
these blades being stationary and the other moved by the slot of a rearwardly
extending arm being engaged by a pin, set in the tongue, substantially as and for-
the purpose set forth.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant..