Patent ID: 8677865

Claim:
A hand operated gripping tool comprising: a movable jaw, a fixed jaw, a first cam associated with said movable jaw and operating on a first surface, a pivotal handle connected with said movable jaw and a second cam associated with said pivotal handle and operating on a second surface that is spaced from said first surface, said first cam being spaced from said fixed jaw by a first variable distance, said second cam being spaced from said fixed jaw by a second variable distance and said connection of said pivotal handle with said movable jaw being such that said first distance is maintained greater than said second distance, a fixed handle associated with said fixed jaw, a pivotal link pivotally connected to said pivotal handle and said fixed handle and provided with a slide pin that is slidable in a slot defined by said fixed handle, and a locking member provided on said pivotal handle to engage said pivotal link to lock said movable jaw relative to said fixed jaw, wherein said movable and fixed jaws are cooperable to define a variable size space for receiving a workpiece, said first and second cams are operable to cause said jaws to grip said workpiece that is positioned in said variable size space, wherein said first and second cams are arranged such that rotational movement of said second cam caused by movement of said pivotal handle towards said fixed handle causes said movable jaw to pivot on said first cam to grip said workpiece that is positioned in said variable size space, and wherein said movement of said pivotal handle towards said fixed handle moves said pivotal link to positions in which it is engagable by said locking member.