Patent ID: 7861622

Claim:
A lockable pliers comprising: a fixed assembly comprising a first handle supporting a first jaw, said first jaw defining a front of the pliers and said first handle defining a rear of the pliers; a second movable jaw rotatable about a fixed pivot relative to the first jaw between an open position and a closed, locked position, said first jaw and said second jaw defining a line extending through the center of the first jaw and the second jaw when the first jaw and the second jaw are closed; a second handle movable relative to the first handle, said second handle connected to the second jaw at the fixed pivot; a locking mechanism for locking the second jaw in the closed, locked position; a movable pivot connecting the second jaw to the fixed assembly such that a force exerted by a workpiece on the second jaw rotates the movable jaw about the fixed pivot and moves the movable pivot relative to the fixed assembly when the second jaw is in the closed, locked position and a torque is applied to the pliers such that the second jaw moves towards the first jaw, said movable pivot comprises a pivot pin connected to said second jaw and located in an aperture in the fixed assembly, said aperture having an oval shape where the long axis of the aperture extends at an angle relative to said line toward the rear of the pliers such that said pivot pin is movable in said aperture.