The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 06, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2000
Robert A. St. John, Cheshire, CT (US);
Keith Lombardi, Farmington, CT (US);
The Stanley Works, New Britain, CT (US);
Abstract
Self-adjusting pliers including first and second members each handle portions and jaw portions. The first member defines a rack having a plurality of teeth. A rack engagement structure is mounted to an intermediate portion of the second member and positioned adjacent the rack. During initial manual movement of the handle portions towards one another, the rack engagement structure travels in disengaged, spaced relation with respect to the rack. Then, after the jaw portions engage opposing sides of a workpiece, continued movement of the handle portions towards one another causes movement of the rack engagement structure toward the rack until the rack engagement structure engages the rack. The rack engagement structure has a movement restrictive portion being cooperable with the rack so as to limit the movement of the rack engagement structure toward the rack when the jaw portions contact one another in the absence of a workpiece therebetween.