PatentFIZZ™

1. Self-adjusting utility pliers for automatically gripping workpieces of different sizes, comprising:

first and second rigid elongated members each having a jaw end, a handle end, and an intermediate neck portion;

slideable and pivotable fastening means connecting the members between their neck portions and permitting the jaw ends to move toward each other in a sliding action in response to an initial manual force being applied to close the handle ends toward each other to grasp a workpiece between the jaw ends;

biasing means coacting between the members and normally urging the jaw ends to slide away from each other to a fully opened disposition; and

the fastening means adapted to halt further sliding action of the members in response to the jaw ends contacting the workpiece and to then translate the manual force on the handle members into a pivoting gripping action of the jaw ends against the workpiece.

2. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 1 wherein the fastening means includes an elongated slot in the neck portion of the first of the members, the slot having a series of projections along one sidewall thereof, a fastener stationarily secured to the neck portion of the second member and having a post portion projecting through the slot, and means on the post portion adapted to engage along the projections and thereby halt the sliding action between the members in response to the jaw ends contacting the workpiece.

3. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 2 wherein the means on the post portion is a pawl rotatably mounted thereon and adapted to cam against the slot sidewall and engage one of the projections to halt the sliding action.

4. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 3 wherein the pawl has a cam surface disposed to be registerable with the projections to effect rotative movement of the pawl to a position of locking engagement along the projections.

5. The self-adjusting pliers of claim 1 wherein the biasing means includes a control arm interconnecting the members intermediate the handle ends and the fastening means.

6. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 1 wherein the biasing means includes at least one spring which is mounted on a first of said members and operatively connected to the second of said members to normally urge the jaw ends toward their fully opened disposition.

7. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 6 wherein the biasing means further includes an elongated control arm interconnecting the members and having one end slideably connected to the first member and the other end pivotably connected to the second member.

8. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 7 further including a spring on the first member for exerting a force against the one end of the control arm to bias it toward the neck portion of the first member.

9. The self-adjusting utility pliers of claim 7 wherein the biasing means further includes a spring on the second member for exerting a pivoting force on the control arm.

10. Utility pliers for gripping workpieces of different sizes, comprising:

first and second rigid, elongated members each having a jaw end, a handle end, and an intermediate neck portion;

slideable and pivotable fastening means connecting the members between their neck portions and permitting the jaw ends to move toward each other in a sliding action in response to an initial manual force being applied to close the handle ends toward each other to grasp a workpiece between the jaw ends;

means providing a self-adjusting action to the pliers and normally urging the jaw ends toward their fully open position, including a control arm extending between the members and having a first fixed pivot point on one of the handle members and a second shiftable pivot point on the second handle member, and the second pivot point being mounted to slideably shift away from its normal position when force is applied to the members and a workpiece is grasped between their jaw ends.

11. Utility pliers capable of self-adjustment for gripping different size workpieces, comprising:

a pair of rigid, elongated handle members having opposed respective jaw ends and handle ends;

the handle members having intermediate means slidably and pivotally interconnecting them whereby a manual closing action of the handle members causes the jaw ends to move toward each other in a sliding action to grip a workpiece;

the intermediate means including releasable engagement means for engaging the members to each other and halting the sliding action while permitting the members to pivot relative to each other; and

means normally urging the releasable engagement means to release.

12. The utility pliers of claim 11 wherein the releasable engagement means includes a pawl secured to a first of said handle membes for engageably coacting with a track on the second handle member.

13. The utility pliers of claim 11 further including means coacting between the handle members for normally urging them to slide such that the jaws move to their fully open position.

14. The utility pliers of claim 13 wherein the coacting means includes means for actuating the releasable engagement means to engage in response to the jaw ends pressing against a workpiece disposed between them when manual pivoting force is exerted on the handle ends to move them toward each other.