US2947564A - Tool - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2, 1960 2,947,564

S. P. WINTHE R TOOL Filed Aug. 26, 1957 INVENTOR. SIMON P. WINTHEFZ JQLQ AT TORNEY TOOL Simon P. Winther, 644 Diversey Parkway, Chicago 14, Ill.

1 Filed Aug. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 680,235

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-100) This invention relates in general to mechanics tools and in particular to a combination pickup and inspection tool.

In present day practice a large number of tools are available for use in reaching parts which have been dropped into normally inaccessible places or to inspect such places for flaws, Wear or for other reasons.

Insofar as I am aware there is no one tool available with various detachable accessories which will permit any one of several functions to be performed merely by a quick change of the tip portion of the tool.

It is therefore one object of my invention to provide a tool having retractable pickup means at the end of a long handle which may be flexible or rigid.

It is another object of my invention to provide the tool end of the device with a shank on which any one of various tools such as a magnet, flashlight, mirror or the like may be removably mounted.

Other objects and advantages as well as the construction and manner of use of my invention will be better understood by reference to the following specifications in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a pickup tool in which yieldable prongs, used as the pickup members, are shown in extended position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the pickup members retracted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end of the pickup member with a universally swivel mounted magnetic pickup.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with a screw type mounting for the magnetic pickup.

Fig. 5 illustrates a magnet with threaded end for fixed relation to the pickup tool.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end of a pickup member with a mirror inspection unit and its covering protector.

Fig. 7 is a similar view with a small universally mounted flashlight.-

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference 1 designates a sleeve member which may be rigid or flexible and which carries a shaft 2 terminating in knob 3 at its upper end. The sleeve has finger grips 4 and a spring 5 is positioned between the knob 3 and end of sleeve 1 to normally urge 'knob 3 and shaft 2 outwardly.

The other end of shaft 2 carries a plurality of yieldable grip fingers 6 which are extendible when knob 3 is depressed but which move to gripping position when pressure on knob 3 is released.

The sleeve, which may be threaded as at 7 for reception of other tools as hereinafter described, may in another form, as shown in Fig. 3, be provided with a Patented Aug. 2, 1960 smooth shank 8 for reception of the yieldable fingers of spring clip end 9 connected through ball and socket universal connection 10 to magnet 11 or the like.

As shown in Fig. 4 the magnet is carried on threaded socket 12 which 'screws on threaded end 7 of sleeve 1. The magnet 11' in Fig. 5 has threaded end 13 which screws directly to threaded portion 7 of sleeve 1 for rigid connection between the magnet and the sleeve.

Various units such as mirror 14 with protective cover 15 for one or both sides, or a flashlight 16 may be carried by the sleeve 1. The mirror may be normal on one side and magnifying on the other for desired inspection procedures.

My invention can be packaged and sold as a kit with one or several lengths of sleeves and any number of diiferent accessories to be used with the sleeves. In this form it will be much more economical than the present practice of buying a number of individual units all duplicating each other except for the terminal unit. Also, much less space is required in a tool kit.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that I have provided a versatile mechanics tool of great utility. By use of removable accessories the cost is materially reduced as well as the physical bul'k which would be encountered if each accessory had its own long handle. Being supplied in a kit form it is a very simple matter to snap or screw on the desired accessory, use it as necessary and then return it to its position in the kit.

Obviously, changes in form, proportion and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention and I reserve all rights to such changes as come within the scope of this specification and the claims which follow.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pickup and inspection tool comprising an elongated sleeve, a smooth shank at one end of the sleeve adapted to receive any one of a number of tool accessories, each of said tool accessories including an end portion having a plurality of yieldable fingers forming a spring clip receivable by the smooth shank, a universal joint secured at one end to the spring clip and at the other end to the tool accessory.

2. A pickup and inspection tool comprising an elongated sleeve, tool accessory attaching means at the end of the sleeve, adapted to be cooperatively secured to other tool accessory attaching means on each of any one of a number of tool accessories, a universal joint on each of said tool accessories between the second mentioned tool accessory attaching means and the tool accessory, pro- Vldlllg angular adjustment between the accessory and the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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