Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Rigid jaws
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-10-09
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Rigid jaws
C007S138000, C081S167000, C081S176200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298754
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand tools, and particularly to tools for use by firefighting personnel.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Tool bags carried by firefighting personnel typically include, among other things, a conventional adjustable pipe wrench for operating rusty or stuck water valve stems at the site of a fire; and a spanner wrench for loosening or tightening pipe caps and hose coupling rings by engaging circumferentially arranged pins on such caps or rings.
When a conventional spanner wrench encounters a “stubborn” cap or ring, another tool such as a hammer is often used to strike a blow against the free end of the spanner, in an attempt to break loose the frozen cap or ring. Such misuse of the spanner wrench can cause it eventually to fracture or otherwise fail during normal use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,763,353 (Jun. 10, 1930) and 5,247,715 (Sep. 28, 1993) show tools intended for use by firemen. The tool of the '353 patent has a handle portion with a spring-biased swinging jaw at one end for clamping about a pentagonal valve stem. An arcuate surface formed on the other end of the handle portion has a socket and aperture for engaging a pin of a hose coupling ring. The tool of the '715 patent has an adjustable spanner head at one end of the tool handle for engaging fire apparatus couplings of different diameters. A wedged tip at the opposite end of the handle is used for prying.
There remains a need for a tool that can be carried conveniently by firefighters, and which tool can operate safely both as a wrench and as a spanner even when assisted by an outside pry bar or other levering device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a wrench tool includes an elongated tool handle having a handle axis. A spanner part at a first end of the tool handle is formed with an offset to one side of the handle axis, and a claw projects from a free end of the spanner part in a direction approximately perpendicular to the handle axis for operatively engaging a pin on the circumference of a cap or coupling ring to be worked by the tool. A wrench part at a second end of the tool handle opposite the first end, has jaws constructed and arranged for adjustable movement along the general direction of the handle axis over a certain range, for operatively engaging an object to be worked by the tool. The range of movement of the jaws includes a position at which the jaws are set to receive an outside levering tool for obtaining increased leverage when operating the spanner part.
In the disclosed embodiment, the jaws of the wrench part open in a direction that is opposite to the direction in which the claw of the spanner part projects, for supporting the outside levering tool safely when producing added torque at the spanner part of the tool.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 263674 (1982-04-01), Ebert
patent: 1400285 (1921-12-01), Hart
patent: 1413798 (1922-04-01), Shinn
patent: 1465009 (1923-08-01), Wasseth
patent: 1727623 (1929-09-01), Thewes
patent: 1763353 (1930-06-01), Heller
patent: 4903555 (1990-02-01), Howard
patent: 5247715 (1993-09-01), Nishiguchi
patent: 5428853 (1995-07-01), Menke et al.
patent: 5432968 (1995-07-01), Beck
patent: 12484 (1904-06-01), None
Law Office of Leo Zucker
Smith James G.
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