T-connector holding tool and method

• US 7,062,995 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kayley M. Smith, Timothy V. Smith
• Original Assignee: Kayley M. Smith, Timothy V. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Timothy V., Smith, Kayley M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WUJCIAK, ALFRED J
• Application Number:
  US10/757,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 294/19.1, 294/24, 248/52, 811/19, 811/20, 811/211, 811/242, 811/246, 811/247, 811/244, 818/02, 811/778.5, 811/772
• US Class Current: 81/121.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/48 for special purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0085 Counterholding devices

Abstract

A T-connector holding tool is a tool for immobilizing or applying a torque to a T-connector. The tool has an elongated handle portion and a head portion fixed to the handle portion. The head portion includes a pair of rigid claws, each including an interior surface sized to capture a corresponding one of two aligned nuts of the T-connector. When applying a torque to the third nut of a T-connector, the T-connector is immobilized by capturing the aligned first and second nuts and applying a counteracting torque to the T-connector, the counteracting torque being opposite the torque applied to the third nut.

Claims

1. A T-connector holding tool, comprising:

a handle having a grip portion and a mounting lug extending from the grip portion, wherein said lug has a square drive directly adjacent the grip portion;

wherein said square drive includes a spring-biased ball bearing extending from the square drive;

said mounting lug further including a cylindrical end portion extending from the square drive;

a head having a cylindrical body, the cylindrical body having a bore defined therein, the mounting lug being removably inserted into the bore in order to attach the head to the handle; and

first and second claws attached to the cylindrical body in parallel, spaced relation, each of the claws having a pair of jaws dimensioned and configured for simultaneously gripping coaxially aligned nuts of a T-connector in order to prevent rotation of the T-connector when adjusting a nut on stem of the T-connector.

2. The T-connector holding tool according to claim 1, wherein the bore defined in the cylindrical body of said head has a square shaped bottom end having at least one detent hole defined therein, the ball bearing snapping into the detent hole to temporarily secure said head to said handle, and a cylindrically shaped top end receiving the cylindrical end portion of said mounting lug.

3. The T-connector holding tool according to claim 1, wherein each said claw has a smooth, arcuate, cylindrical interior surface.

4. The T-connector holding tool according to claim 1, wherein said bore extends axially through said cylindrical body.

5. The T-connector holding tool according to claim 1, wherein said bore extends transversely through said cylindrical body.