Snap-on Tools Corporation

American Pneumatic Technologies, Inc.

Andrzej J Dlugolecki

Donald J Caldwell

Timm R Herman

Gerald R Bakula

Self-locking pliers

A self-locking pliers provides automatic jaw adjustment for gripping objects of different sizes. First and second pinsers-defining members each have a body portion, a jaw-defining portion and a handle portion, being joined by a bolt extending through a slot in one of the members in pivotal, mutually moveable relationship. The slot permits pivoting as well as sliding movement of the first member relative to the second member, and has along a jaw-proximate side teeth to be engaged by corresponding teeth of a locking pawl carried rotatably within the slot by a shank of the bolt. A jaw-remote side of the slotted opening provides a smooth surface for sliding engagement of a smooth reaction surface of the locking pawl opposite from its teeth. The locking pawl has on its jaw-proximate side a camming surface proximate to the locking teeth. A control arm is pivotally engaged at one end to the body portion of the second member. The body portion of the first member receives the other end of the control arm in slidably captive relationship, while a spring carried by the second member resiliently biases the control arm for movement about its pivoted end toward the jaws. The control arm initially causes the locking pawl reaction surface to bear against the jaw-remote side of the slot, so that squeezing the handles causes jaw-closing movement of the jaws until they close upon an object until contacted by the jaws. Such jaw contact the jaws causes the pawl to rotate within the slot for forcing its teeth into locking engagement with the rack for maintaining the jaws in locked, object-contacting relationship while handle pressure is maintained by the user. An interference-providing arrangement including a detent for the control arm provides controlled pawl engagement of the toothed rack and avoids 'hanging up' the pawl or its inadvertent engagement.

Adjustable pliers

An approach ramp for an automotive support platform includes first and second ramp members, the trailing end of the first ramp member being pivotally connected to the leading end of the platform. The second ramp member is both slidably and pivotally movable with respect to the first ramp member. Each ramp member carriers rollers at its leading end for engagement with the floor when the platform is lowered to an access position. In one configuration the ramp members are disposed in overlapping parallel relationship to define a single ramp incline. In a second configuration the second ramp member is extended from the first and is inclined with respect thereto to form a dual-slope ramp incline.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Andrzej J Dlugolecki