Vise

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11717940-B2
Application number	US-202016986583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Aug 20, 2019
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel vise that operates in both a threaded and unthreaded mode. The vise includes a fixed block, a movable head, a rod, a ratchet mechanism, a threaded mechanism and a toggle mechanism. In the threaded mode, the movable head may only be moved by rotating the rod. In the unthreaded mode, the movable head may only be moved by applying force to the movable head in the desired direction of movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vise having a fixed block, a movable head and a rod having a rotational axis and having a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion connecting the fixed block to the movable head, said movable head movable relative to said fixed block along said rotational axis and wherein said vise is configured to operate in both a threaded mode and an unthreaded mode, wherein in said threaded mode, the movable block can only be moved along said rotational axis by applying rotational force to the rod, and wherein in said unthreaded mode, the movable head can only be moved along said rotational axis by applying force directly to the movable head, and said vise further comprising:
a ratchet mechanism including a frame and a ratchet subassembly disposed within the frame, and wherein said ratchet subassembly includes
an inner ring having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and wherein said inner ring further defines an opening for receiving the non-threaded portion of the rod, and wherein the inner ring is configured to rotate as the rod is rotated;
a proximal external ratchet ring positioned around the proximal portion and configured to selectively engage thereto, and wherein said proximal external ratchet ring further includes at least one ramp configured to selectively engage a trigger,
a distal external ratchet ring positioned around the distal portion and configured to selectively engage thereto, and wherein said distal external ratchet ring further includes at least one ramp configured to selectively engage a trigger; and
wherein when the inner ring is rotated in a first direction, only one of the proximal external ratchet ring and distal external ratchet ring rotates therewith, and wherein when the inner ring is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the other of the proximal external ratchet ring or distal external ratchet ring rotates therewith,
a threaded mechanism including a housing and a jaw cylinder subassembly disposed within the housing, and wherein said jaw cylinder subassembly is configured to engage a switch that facilitates rotation of the jaw cylinder subassembly within the housing, said wherein said jaw cylinder subassembly includes
a jaw ring defining an opening for receiving the threaded portion of the rod; and
at least one vise jaw at least partially disposed within the jaw ring and having a threaded surface configured to selectively engage the threaded portion of the rod, and wherein said at least one vise jaw is engaged to both the jaw ring and housing such that when the jaw cylinder subassembly rotates in a first direction, the threaded surface engages to the rod, and when the jaw cylinder subassembly rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the threaded surface disengages from the rod;
a toggle mechanism connecting ratchet mechanism to the threaded mechanism, and wherein said toggle mechanism includes
a switch rod;
a trigger defining an opening for receiving an end of said switch rod and configured to selectively engage the at least one ramp of the proximal external ratchet ring or the at least one ramp of distal external ratchet ring;
a switch defining an opening for receiving another end of said switch rod and configured to engage the jaw cylinder subassembly and selectively rotate it in either the first direction or the second direction; and
said one end of said switch rod disposed in the opening of the trigger and said other end of said switch rod disposed in the opening of the switch.

2. A vise comprising:
a fixed block;
a movable head movably attached to said fixed block;
a rod including a rod threaded portion and a rod non-threaded portion;
a ratchet secured to said fixed block and including a rotatable ring which jointly rotates with said rod, said rotatable ring including a rotatable ring opening and disposed on said rod with said non-threaded portion disposed through said rotatable ring opening, said rotatable ring rotatable in first and second opposite circumferential directions, said rotatable ring including a first rotatable portion having an external surface having a first rotatable portion ramp and a second rotatable portion having an external surface having a second rotatable portion ramp, said first rotatable portion ramp inclined outwardly in the first circumferential direction and said second rotatable portion ramp inclined outwardly in the second circumferential direction, said ratchet further including a frame having an opening therethrough and secured to said fixed block, said rotatable ring disposed within said frame with said rod extending through said frame opening, a first external ratchet ring disposed about said first rotatable portion and a second external ratchet ring disposed about said second rotatable portion;
threaded portion engagement elements secured to said fixed block and selectively engageable with said rod threaded portion such that in a first condition said threaded portion engagement elements are engaged with said rod threaded portion and rotation of said rod causes said movable head to move relative to said fixed block and in a second condition said threaded portion engagement elements are disengaged from said rod threaded portion and said movable head is freely movable relative to said fixed block by sliding said movable head along said rod; and
a toggle connected to said ratchet and said threaded portion engagement elements, wherein, rotation of said rotatable ring causes said toggle to move said threaded portion engagement elements between said first condition and said second condition, and wherein, when said rotatable ring is driven in the first circumferential direction said first external ratchet ring is driven in said first circumferential direction and said second external ratchet ring is not driven, and when said rotatable ring is driven in the second circumferential direction said second external ratchet ring is driven in said second circumferential direction and said first external ratchet ring is not driven.

3. The vise recite in claim 2 , said rod attached to said fixed block in a manner which allows said rod to rotate relative to said fixed block, said movable head including a movable head opening and disposed on said rod with said rod disposed in said movable head opening, said vise further including a force applicator fixedly disposed on one end of said rod such that rotation of force applicator causes said rod to rotate.

4. The vise recited in claim 3 , said rod and said rotatable ring jointly rotatable in first and second opposite circumferential directions, wherein, when said threaded portion engagement elements are in the first condition and said rod and rotatable ring are jointly rotated in the first circumferential direction said threaded portion engagement elements remain engaged with said rod threaded portion for a defined extent of rotation of said rod and said rotatable ring in the first circumferential direction, and wherein after the joint rotation of said rod and said rotatable ring exceeds the defined extent of rotation, further rotation of said rod and rotatable ring in the first circumferential direction causes said toggle to move the threaded portion engagement elements to the second condition.

5. The vise recited in claim 2 , said first external ratchet ring including a first external ratchet ring prong extending from an inner surface thereof and a first external ratchet ring ramp extending from an external surface thereof and inclined radially outwardly in the second circumferential direction, said first external ratchet ring prong engageable with said first rotatable portion ramp, and said second external ratchet ring including a second external ratchet ring prong extending from an inner surface thereof and a second external ratchet ring ramp extend

Assignees

• Stanley Works Israel

Inventors

• Omry Adar
• Birnbaum Miki

Classifications

• B25B1/103 Primary

  with one screw perpendicular to the jaw faces, e.g. a differential or telescopic screw · CPC title

• B25B1/02

  with sliding jaws · CPC title

• B25B1/125 Primary

  with one screw perpendicular to the jaw faces · CPC title

• B25H1/04

  portable · CPC title

• B25B1/14

  using toggle links · CPC title