Integrated foot vise and wrench

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327387-B2
Application number	US-201313964151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2013
Priority date	Aug 30, 2012
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

Tools having provisions associated with a wrench and a vise are described. The tools can include lateral support members extending from the handle that increase stability during use as a vise. The support members can be removed and/or placed in a non-use position when the tool is used as a wrench. The tool can also include support plates that provide a clearance space between a workpiece and a movable jaw of the tool. Various other features of the tools are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for selectively gripping a workpiece, the tool comprising:
a handle including a sleeve at one end and an opposite distal end, the sleeve defining a receiving region;
a fixed jaw adjoined to at least one of the sleeve and the handle;
a movable jaw defining a shank, the movable jaw movably disposed in the receiving region defined in the sleeve, the movable jaw defining a threaded region along at least a portion of the shank, the movable jaw positioned relative to the fixed jaw so as to define a workpiece engaging region between the fixed jaw and movable jaw accessible from a front of the tool and rearwardly bounded by the movable jaw;
a rotatable threaded member retained to at least one of the handle and the sleeve, the threaded member threadedly engaged with the threaded region of the movable jaw such that rotation of the threaded member results in linear displacement of the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw; and
at least one lateral support member extending outward from the handle and extending at an angle within a range of 0° to 20° toward a rear of the tool, the rear of the tool being oppositely directed from the workpiece engaging region, wherein the at least one lateral support member includes a first lateral support member extending outward from a first side of the handle and a second lateral support member extending outward from a second side of the handle, the second side being oppositely directed from the first side.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the handle defines a longitudinal axis, and the at least one lateral support member extends at an angle within a range of from 90° to 10° relative to the longitudinal axis.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the at least one lateral support member extends at an angle of about 60° relative to the longitudinal axis.

4. The tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a first and a second support plate, each support plate engaged with at least one of the sleeve and the fixed jaw, the first support plate positioned adjacent to a first side of the tool and the second support plate positioned adjacent to a second side of the tool, the second side being oppositely directed from the first side, each support plate defining a frontwardly directed edge, wherein the frontwardly directed edges of the first and the second support plates are spaced from a face of the movable jaw that rearwardly bounds the workpiece engaging region.

5. The tool of claim 4 wherein each of the frontwardly directed edges of the first and the second support plates are inclined to thereby promote contact between a workpiece and the fixed jaw.

6. The tool of claim 4 wherein each of the first and the second plates are permanently attached to the sides of the tool.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein the rotatable threaded member is disposed and accessible along a front region of the handle.

8. The tool of claim 1 wherein the at least one lateral support member is selectively removable from the handle.

9. A tool for selectively gripping a workpiece, the tool comprising:
a handle including a sleeve at one end and an opposite distal end, the sleeve defining a receiving region;
a fixed jaw adjoined to at least one of the sleeve and the handle;
a movable jaw defining a shank, the movable jaw movably disposed in the receiving region defined in the sleeve, the movable jaw defining a threaded region along at least a portion of the shank, the movable jaw positioned relative to the fixed jaw so as to define a workpiece engaging region between the fixed jaw and movable jaw accessible from a front of the tool and rearwardly bounded by the movable jaw;
a rotatable threaded member retained to at least one of the handle and the sleeve, the threaded member threadedly engaged with the threaded region of the movable jaw such that rotation of the threaded member results in linear displacement of the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw;
a first and a second support plate, each support plate engaged with at least one of the sleeve and the fixed jaw, the first support plate positioned adjacent to a first side of the tool and the second support plate positioned adjacent to a second side of the tool, the second side being oppositely directed from the first side, each support plate defining a frontwardly directed edge, wherein the frontwardly directed edges of the first and the second support plates are spaced from a face of the movable jaw that rearwardly bounds the workpiece engaging region so that a workpiece or pipe contacts the frontwardly directed edges of the first and second support plates instead of the face of the movable jaw when the workpiece is positioned between the fixed jaw and the movable jaw.

10. The tool of claim 9 further comprising:
at least one lateral support member extending outward from the handle and extending at an angle within a range of 0° to 20° toward a rear of the tool.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein the at least one lateral support member includes a first lateral support member extending outward from a first side of the handle and a second lateral support member extending outward from a second side of the handle, the second side being oppositely directed from the first side.

12. The tool of claim 10 wherein the at least one lateral support member is selectively removable from the handle.

13. The tool of claim 12 further comprising:
provisions for retaining the at least one lateral support member upon removal of the support member from the handle, the provisions adapted to retain the at least one lateral support member alongside the handle and oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

14. The tool of claim 10 wherein the handle defines a longitudinal axis, and the at least one lateral support member extends at an angle within a range of from 90° to 10° relative to the longitudinal axis.

15. The tool of claim 14 wherein the at least one lateral support member extends at an angle of about 60° relative to the longitudinal axis.

16. The tool of claim 9 wherein the rotatable threaded member is disposed and accessible along a front region of the handle.

17. The tool of claim 9 wherein each of the frontwardly directed edges of the first and the second support plates are inclined to thereby promote contact between a workpiece and the fixed jaw.

18. A system selectively configurable between a vise configuration and a wrench configuration, the system comprising:
a tool for selectively gripping a workpiece, the tool including (i) a handle including a sleeve at one end and an opposite distal end, the sleeve defining a receiving region, (ii) a fixed jaw adjoined to at least one of the sleeve and the handle, (iii) a movable jaw defining a shank, the movable jaw movably disposed in the receiving region defined in the sleeve, the movable jaw defining a threaded region along at least a portion of the shank, the movable jaw positioned relative to the fixed jaw so as to define a workpiece engaging region between the fixed jaw and movable jaw accessible from a front of the tool and rearwardly bounded by the movable jaw, (iv) a rotatable threaded member retained to at least one of the handle and the sleeve, the threaded member threadedly engaged with the threaded region of the movable jaw such that rotation of the threaded member results in linear displacement of the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw, and (v) at least one lateral support member;
wherein upon being configured in a vise configuration the at least one lateral support member is engaged to the handle and extends laterally outward from the ha

Assignees

• Emerson Electric Co

Inventors

• Shah Vineet S
• Dakare Sachin
• Hamm James E

Classifications

• B25B1/24

  Details, e.g. jaws of special shape, slideways · CPC title

• B25B5/147

  for pipes · CPC title

• B25B3/00 Primary

  Hand vices, i.e. vices intended to be held by hand; Pin vices · CPC title

• B25B5/006

  Supporting devices for clamps · CPC title

• B25B13/16

  by screw or nut · CPC title