Plier wrench with removable/reversible jaw

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273538-B2
Application number	US-201916404470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2019
Priority date	May 6, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A plier wrench is provided and includes a jaw that can be disengaged from the remainder of the wrench and reengaged with the remainder of the wrench while the remainder of the wrench remains in its fully assembled condition. In one form, the jaw is “reversible” and includes two different jaw surfaces that can be selectively utilized depending upon the type of workpiece that will be engaged by the plier wrench.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable plier wrench comprising:
a first jaw including a first surface to engage a workpiece;
a second jaw including a second surface to engage a workpiece;
a first handle having the first jaw fixed thereon; and
a second handle; and wherein
the first and second handles are operably engaged to translate relative to each other between a plurality of relative positions and to pivot relative to each other at each of the plurality of relative positions,
the second handle is operably engaged with the second jaw to translate the second jaw relative to the first jaw as the first and second handles are translated to each of the plurality of relative positions,
the second handle is operably engaged with the second jaw to translate the second jaw relative to the first jaw between an open position where a workpiece can be received between the surfaces of the jaws and a gripping position where a workpiece is gripped by the surfaces of the jaws in response to the first and second handles being pivoted relative to each other as each of the plurality of relative positions, and

the second jaw is configured to be manually disengaged from and reengaged to the remainder of the wrench without any disassemble of the remainder of the wrench with the first and second handles translated to a predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions and pivoted relative to each other to a jaw release position.

2. The wrench of claim 1 wherein the second jaw has a third surface to engage a workpiece, the second jaw surface and the third jaw surface face in opposite directions, the second jaw can be selectively mounted on the remainder of the wrench in a first mounted orientation where the second jaw surface faces the first jaw surface to grip a workpiece therebetween or a second mounted orientation where the third jaw surface faces the first jaw surface to grip a workpiece therebetween.

3. The wrench of claim 2 wherein the second surface is a planar, smooth surface and the third surface is an arcuate or angled surface having teeth or knurls formed thereon.

4. The wrench of claim 2 wherein the first jaw and the first handle are a single unitary part.

5. The wrench of claim 4 wherein the unitary part has a linear slot formed therein, the second handle is pivot mounted to a carriage, and the carriage is mounted in the slot to translate the first and second handles relative to each other between each of the plurality of relative positions.

6. The wrench of claim 5 wherein the slot and the carriage comprise teeth that are selectively engageable with each other to retain the handles in each of the plurality of relative positions except for the predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions, the slot has an end portion that is free of any of the teeth, and the first and second handles are positioned in the predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions when the carriage is located in the end portion of the slot.

7. The wrench of claim 4 wherein the unitary part has a linear groove extending parallel to the linear slot, and the second jaw has a linear rib received in the linear groove for guided translation relative to the unitary part.

8. The wrench of claim 7 wherein the unitary part has another linear groove extending parallel to the linear slot, the linear grooves are located on opposite sides of the unitary part, the second jaw has another linear rib received in the another linear groove for guided translation relative to the unitary part, and the second jaw has a pair of spaced side walls with one of the linear ribs fixed on one of the side walls and the other of the linear ribs fixed on the other of the side walls.

9. The wrench of claim 2 wherein the second handle and the second jaw have mating cam surfaces to transfer force from the second handle to the second jaw as the first and second handles are pivoted between the open and the gripping positions.

10. The wrench of claim 9 wherein the second jaw has a concave recess defined by one of the mating cam surfaces and the second handle has a convex protrusion defined by the other of the mating cam surfaces.

11. An adjustable plier wrench comprising:
a first jaw including a first surface to engage a workpiece;
a second jaw including:
a second surface to engage a workpiece, and
a third surface to engage a workpiece, the second jaw surface and the third jaw surface facing in opposite directions;

a first handle fixed to the first jaw; and
a second handle; and wherein the first and second handles are operably engaged to translate relative to each other between a plurality of relative positions and to pivot relative to each other at each of the plurality of relative positions,
the second handle is operably engaged with the second jaw to translate the second jaw relative to the first jaw as the first and second handles are translated to each of the plurality of relative positions,
the second handle is operably engaged with the second jaw to translate the second jaw relative to the first jaw between an open position where a workpiece can be received between the surfaces of the jaws and a gripping position where a workpiece is gripped by the surfaces of the jaws in response to the first and second handles being pivoted relative to each other as each of the plurality of relative positions, and

the second jaw can be selectively mounted on the remainder of the wrench in a first mounted orientation where the second jaw surface faces the first jaw surface to grip a workpiece therebetween or a second mounted orientation where the third jaw surface faces the first jaw surface to grip a workpiece therebetween.

12. The wrench of claim 11 wherein:
the wrench further comprises a guide structure fixed to the first jaw and the first handle intermediate the first jaw and the first handle; and
the second jaw is configured to be manually disengaged from and reengaged to the remainder of the wrench without any disassemble of the remainder of the wrench with the first and second handles translated to a predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions and pivoted relative to each other to a jaw release position.

13. The wrench of claim 12 wherein the guide structure has a linear slot formed therein, the second handle is pivot mounted to a carriage, and the carriage is mounted in the slot to translate the first and second handles relative to each other between each of the plurality of relative positions.

14. The wrench of claim 13 wherein the slot and the carriage comprise teeth that are selectively engageable with each other to retain the handles in each of the plurality of relative positions except for the predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions, the slot has an end portion that is free of any of the teeth, and the first and second handles are positioned in the predetermined one of the plurality of relative positions when the carriage is located in the end portion of the slot.

15. The wrench of claim 13 wherein the guide structure has a linear groove extending parallel to the linear slot, and the second jaw has a linear rib received in the linear groove for guided translation relative to the guide structure.

16. The wrench of claim 15 wherein the guide structure has another linear groove extending parallel to the linear slot, the linear grooves are located on opposite sides of the guide structure, the second jaw has another linear rib received in the another linear groove for guided translation relative to the guide structure, and the second jaw has a pair of spaced side walls with one of the linear rib

Assignees

• Klein Tools Inc

Inventors

• Gibic Amina
• Fisher Jordan L

Classifications

• B25B7/10 Primary

  with adjustable fulcrum · CPC title

• B25B7/04 Primary

  adjustable · CPC title

• B25B7/18

  Adjusting means for the operating arms · CPC title

• B25B13/08

  of open jaw type · CPC title

• B25B13/22

  by ratchet action or toothed bars · CPC title