Patent ID: 7191688

Claim:
A hand held tool comprising: a slotted handle having a first jaw end, a handle end, and at least one slot therein, the slotted handle defining an internal gear tooth rack along one side of the slot; and a second handle having a second jaw end, the second handle having a handle end and a partially toothed pinion gear protruding into the slot from the second handle and fixed with respect to the second handle, the pinion gear having at least two teeth shaped and positioned to engage the gear tooth rack of the slotted handle in a rolling manner when the two jaw ends are brought together, the pinion having a portion of its circumference with no gear teeth, the pinion being configured so that when the handles are opened to a wide separation distance, the pinion gear teeth become disengaged from the rack gear teeth and the pinion can be moved along the length of the slot to a previously presented position corresponding to a different gap between the jaw ends.