US3259965A

US3259965A - Condenser pliers

Info

Publication number: US3259965A
Application number: US374746A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph L Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-06-12
Filing date: 1964-06-12
Publication date: 1966-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 1983-07-12

Description

July 12, 1966 R. 1.. EVANS I 3,2

CONDENSER PLIERS Filed June 12, 1964 INVENTOR.

RALPH L. EVANS BY KW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,259,965 CONDENSER PLIERS Ralph L. Evans, 2110 W. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, Utah Filed June 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,746 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-227) This invention relates to hand tools, and more particularly to a spring compression tool for installation of spring-loaded condensers and the like in confined spaces in small internal combustion engines.

Condensers for ignition systems in motors for lawnmowers, motorbikes and the like are mounted in a holder or clip by means of a small compression spring coaxi-ally disposed about the positive terminal of the condenser. This spring must be compressed during installation of the condenser in order to permit insertion of the connecting lead into an opening in the condenser terminal. The difliculty of simultaneously holding the condenser in alignment within the clip, compressing the small compression spring and inserting the connecting lead in the terminal opening has perplexed mechanics and has resulted in undue consumption of time, loss of springs and even minor injuries to the hands of the installer. The problem is compounded when the holding clip is not readily acessible.

An object of this invention is the provision of a hand tool for rapidly installing spring-loaded condensers in motors and the like.

Another object is the provision of such a hand tool with a readily actuated mechanism for compressing the condenser spring and for releasing same when the con-, denser is mounted and connected.

A further object is the provision of an inexpensive condenser installation tool of relatively simple design that may .be quickly adjusted to accommodate condensers having diflerent lengths.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a condenser tool embodying my invention and shown in the locked position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the condenser tool in the unlocked or released position; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded elevation of a condenser and spring assembly of the type for which my installation tool is useful.

Referring now to the drawings, the condenser installation tool comprises a first jaw member 12, a second jaw member 13 aligned with and coextensive with the first jaw member, and a paw actuating lever 14. Jaw

members

12 and 13 are pivotally connected at the rear end of the tool as indicated at 16 and have opposed outwardly

curved jaws

17 and 18, respectively, at the forward end, and straight

shank portions

19 and 20, respectively, intermediate the forward and rear ends. Lever 14 has an elongated straight rear portion 14a, a shorter straight front portion 14b, and a diagonally extending intermediate portion 14c; the intersection of the diagonal and front portions defining a V-shaped fulcrum F engageable with jaw member 13 and about which lever 14 pivots.

In order to bias

jaw members

12 and 13 apart, a spring 22 is disposed therebetween immediately to the rear of the

jaws

17 and 18, respectively, coaxially of a screw 23. The shank portion 19 of jaw member 12 has a tapped hole 24 for receiving the threaded end of the screw 23 and

oversize openings

26 and 27 in front lever portion 14b and shank portion of jaw member 13,

3,259,965 Patented July 12, 1966 respectively, loosely receive the upper part of the screw. Head 23a of the screw 23 is wider at its base than the diameter of opening 26 and thus lever 14 and jaw member 13 are yieldably secured together by spring 22 and the screw. Adjustment of the spacing between

jaws

17 and 18 to accommodate condensers of different lengths is effected by screw 23.

Jaw

members

12 and 13 are uniquely pivot-ally connected at 16 by a combination pivot and lever lock structure comprising a hooked extension 30 at the rear of jaw member 12 which curves up and forwardly, and a transverse lip 31 at the rear end of jaw member 13 formed with an enlarged opening 32 for loosely receiving extension 30. The curvature of hook 30 is sufliciently Wide that its extremity 30a which overlies the rear shank part of jaw member 13 is spaced therefrom greater than the thickness of lever 14. The hook 30 thus provides a catch or holder for the lever when depressed to lock the jaw members as shown in FIGURE 1. Opening 32 in lip 31 loosely constrains hook 30 so'that the jaw members can pivot relative to each other. Also opening 30 has a transverse dimension D greater than the thickness or width of hook 30 so that the jaw member 12 may be rotated about its longitudinal axis with the hook in the opening in order to permit assembly and disassembly of the tool.

laws

17 and 18 are formed with forwardly opening

longitudinal slots

35 and 36, respectively, for receiving the terminal T of condenser C gripped in the jaws as indicated in broken line in FIGURE 1. When the jaws are opened as shown in FIGURE 2, the condenser C, see FIGURE 3, with spring S and washer W disposed ooaxially of terminal T, is placed within the

jaws

17 and 18 such that the condenser terminal is aligned with the

proximate slot

35 or 36. Lever 14 is then depressed and locked under hook 30; the lever rocking about its fulcrum F, causing member 13 to compress spring 23 'and moving

jaws

17 and 18 toward each other. As the jaw proximate to condenser terminal T engages condenser washer W and compresses spring S, terminal T projects through the

jaw slot

35 or 36 and the extremity of the terminal and the connector hole H therein are exposed on the opposite side of the jaw. The installer then manipulates the gripped condenser with one hand into the proper position for ultimate connection in the motor ignition system. The connecting lead L of the ignition system is then readily inserted with the free hand into hole H. Lever 14 is thereafter disengaged from hook 30, permitting the jaws to move apart under the bias of spring 23 and relieving the grip of the jaws on the condenser so that the tool maybe removed therefrom.

It is often desirable that the bared end of lead L have a double right-angle bend in order to prevent inadvertent dislocation of the lead from hole H of terminal T. In order to facilitate bending of the lead, the inside surface of one of the jaws of the tool 10, namely jaw 17, is formed with a shallow recess 40 which extends transversely of slot 35 for the full width of the jaw. The bared lead is first inserted in slot 35 and is bent around the longitudinally extending corner edge of the slot to form the right-angle bend. The end leg of the bent lead is then disposed in recess 40 on one side of the slot 35 with the other perpendicular leg passing through the slot, and the latter is bent back against the opposite face of the jaw on the other side of the slot. 'Ihis produces the double right-angle bend in the lead which acts as a shoulder to prevent displacement of the lead from hole H by a longitudinal pull on the lead. Recess 40 in conjunction with slot 35 thus serves to properly locate and hold the lead during the bending operation.

3 Changes and modifications may be made to the above described embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and precepts thereof. Therefore, the cl-aimsdescribe the invention in scope consistent with the advance it represents in the art.

I claim:

1. A hand tool for condensers and the likecomprising a first elongated jaw member having a divergent jaw at one end and a hooked extension at the other end,

a second elongated jaw member juxtaposed with and coextensive with the first jaw member and having a divergent jaw at one end adjacent to the first named j said second member having a transverse lip at its opposite end formed with an opening through which said hooked extension extends,

said opening having transverse dimensions greater than the corresponding transverse dimensions of said hook whereby to loosely constrain the hook and pivotally connect said jaw members,

-a lever having a V-shaped fulcrum engageable with said second member adjacent to the jaw thereon,

a screw threadedly engaging said first member and loosely interconnecting said second member and lever thereto, and

a bias spring disposed coaxially of said screw between said jaw members for urging same apart,

said lever being engageable under said hook for positioning said jaw members in the locked position and being releasable therefrom to permit the bias spring to move the jaw members to the unlocked position.

2. The hand tool according to claim 1 in which at 25 a1 connection of said jaw members and said releasable.

locking means are integral with said jaw members.

least one of said jaws has a slot therein for receiving a terminal part of the condenser.

the other of said members having an opening adjacent to its jaw for loosely receiving said screw,

a lever loosely engaging said screw and disposedon the side of said other member opposite from said one member,

said lever having a fulcrum engaging said other mem-.

her and being rockable about said fulcrumfor moving said jaw members toward and away from each other,

spring means disposed coaxia'lly of said screw between said jaw members for yieldably urging same apart, and f means for releasably locking said lever when the spacing between said jaw member is minimum.

4. A hand tool according to claim 3 in which the pivot- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1965 Baker 29227 X WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. I. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner.

5/1933 Pioch 29 221

Claims

3. A HAND TOOL COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED JUXTAPOSED COEXTENSIVE JAW MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THE REAR ENDS THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND HAVING OPPOSED JAWS AT THE FRONT ENDS THEREOF, A TRANSVERSE SCREW THREADEDLY ENGAGING ONE OF SAID MEMBERS ADJACENT TO ITS JAW, THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING AN OPENING ADJACENT TO ITS JAW FOR LOOSELY RECEIVING SAID SCREW, A LEVER LOOSELY ENGAGING SAID SCREW AND DISPOSED ON THE SIDE OF SAID OTHER MEMBER OPPOSITE FROM SAID ONE MEMBER, SAID LEVER HAVING A FULCRUM ENGAGING SAID OTHER MEMBER AND BEING ROCKABLE ABOUT SAID FULCRUM FOR MOVING SAID JAW MEMBERS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SPRING MEANS DISPOSED COAXIALLY OF SAID SCREW BETWEEN SAID JAW MEMBERS FOR YIELDABLY URGING SAME APART, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID LEVER WHEN THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID JAW MEMBER IS MINIMUM.