Metal deforming – By relatively movable offset tool-faces – With tool motion in fixed path
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-28
2002-11-05
Jones, David (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By relatively movable offset tool-faces
With tool motion in fixed path
C072S114000, C029S243521, C029S243527
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474129
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a setting gripper for an anchor device of the type comprising two co-axial components of which each has a head and of which the heads are mutually spread co-axially during setting.
The discussion that follows, both with regard to prior art setting grippers and the setting gripper of the present invention, describe the construction of several components of the setting grippers, as well as the operation of the setting grippers, with references to various zones of mutual contact between various components. As such, the term “zone” is used herein to refer to an area of a particular component on which contact with an associated component is possible. In this regard, the two mutually contacting components are akin to a hypothetical cam and a hypothetical cam follower wherein the cam is movable relative to a cam follower over a predetermined area of the surface of the cam follower. The portion of the surface of the cam that is capable of contacting the surface of the cam follower would be collectively referred to as the “zone on the cam” while the portion of the surface of the cam follower that is capable of contacting the surface of the cam would be collectively referred to as the “zone on the cam follower”. The zone of the cam and the zone of the cam follower collectively represent a zone of mutual contact between the cam and the cam follower.
The discussion herein is somewhat more complex, as the exemplary setting gripper of the present invention includes two pair of contacting components that have a common component. The exemplary setting gripper
16
illustrated in
FIG. 3
includes a lever
20
that is movably coupled to both a gripper body
19
(via a shank
113
) and a slider
21
(via a pin
110
). When the term “zone” is used herein with reference to the gripper body
19
, it designates an area on the gripper body
19
that is capable of contacting a corresponding area on the lever
20
, such as zones
81
and
84
on the gripper body
19
which are capable of contacting zone
106
on the lever
20
, or the bottom
93
and top
94
of the apertures
88
(i.e., zones
93
and
94
) and the shank
113
(i.e., zone
113
). Similarly, when the term “zone” is used herein with reference to the slider
21
, it designates an area on the slider
21
that is capable of contacting a corresponding area on the lever
20
, such as notch
64
(i.e., zone
64
) and pin
110
(i.e., zone
110
). When the term “zone” is used herein with reference to the lever
20
, it designates an area on the lever
20
that is capable of contacting a corresponding area (or zone) on the other specified component (i.e., the one of the gripper body
19
and the slider
21
that is specifically mentioned). The corresponding zones of gripper body
19
and the lever
20
represent a zone of mutual contact between the gripper body
19
and the lever
20
whereas the corresponding zones of the slider
21
and the lever
20
represent a zone of mutual contact between the slider
21
and the lever
20
.
Setting grippers for co-axial expanding wall anchors typically include:
a gripper body having an integral handle and a flat jaw perpendicular to a predetermined direction of the body;
a slider having an integral flat jaw perpendicular to said predetermined direction and placed opposite the jaw of the gripper body in said predetermined direction, the slider being guided so as to translate in said predetermined direction relative to the gripper body in the sense of moving away from the jaw of the slider relative to the jaw of the gripper body, from a relative rest position in which the two jaws are mutually adjacent and capable of being inserted together between the heads of the two components prior to setting, then in the opposite direction as they return;
a lever positioned and supported by a respectively corresponding zone in said predetermined direction against a zone of the slider and in the opposite direction against a zone of the gripper body offset in relation to said zone of the slider perpendicularly to said predetermined direction, and pivot axes perpendicular to a plane containing said predetermined direction, the lever having an integral handle and said lever and gripper body handles being disposed relative to one another and relative to said zones so as to allow the two handles to be gripped by one hand by the user in such a way that squeezing the handles together from a relative rest position moves the slider in said predetermined direction relative to the gripper body;
a holding arrangement for fixing the position of a zone of the lever perpendicular to said predetermined direction in said plane relative to the gripper body and/or to the slider; and
a spring or other arrangement for returning the handles of the slider, on the one hand, and of the gripper body, on the other hand, to their respective relative rest positions.
As non-limiting examples of anchoring devices of the type concerned, expanding metal plugs of which an embodiment is described in French patent 2,546,989 and sold under the registered trade mark “Molly” and which is set when a screw is engaged coaxially therein by pulling on the head of the screw while holding the plug by a flange integral therewith and forming a head for supporting it on a hollow support in a hole of which setting is effected. Certain rivets which are set blind are also known and, in general, any anchoring device which is set blind by co-axial spreading apart of heads of components which are themselves co-axial (whatever the configuration of these heads and the nature of these components) are considered to be similar to such expanding metal plugs.
Various embodiments of grippers for the setting of such anchoring devices have been proposed, the most highly developed and the most satisfactory hitherto being described in British patent application 2,289,006, which describes a gripper of the type mentioned above in which a lever is supported on a gripper body via a pivot which is stationary relative to the lever and the body. Such an arrangement only allows a relative rotational movement about the corresponding axis, whereas the lever is also supported on a slider between this axis and the handles by way of a cam portion of the lever and an opposing part of the slider. As the handles are brought together by clenching of the user's fist, the zone of mutual support for the lever and the slider gradually moves away from the axis of articulation of the lever on the gripper body.
Thus, in an initial phase of setting of the anchor device, in particular an expanding metal plug, that is in a phase which is generally found to require a much greater force than the following phases to bring about the spreading apart of the heads of the two components (namely the screw head and the plug head in this example) the minimum value of the lever arm between the zone of mutual contact between the lever and the slider and the axis of articulation of the lever on the gripper body allows the user to apply to the heads a maximum spreading force by means of a more reasonable force applied to squeeze the handles together. This lever arm then increases progressively as the handles are brought together and as the two heads are spread apart, which means that less force is required for this purpose. When setting an expanding metal plug, in particular, it is particularly important that, after setting, the application of such a squeezing force on the handles does not risk causing the screw to tear away from the plug. The tapping in the plug, and the known gripper described in British patent application 2 289 006 is able to reconcile the need to apply a considerable force in spreading apart the heads of the screw and the plug in the initial phase of setting or starting phase of expansion, and the need to limit this force at the end of setting.
This development is more satisfactory than previously grippers, it also offers great simplicity in production and use and provides an improved guidance of the slider inside th
Black & Decker Inc.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Jones David
LandOfFree
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