Tangle free manually engageable device

• US 5,021,008 A
• Filed: 06/19/1990
• Issued: 06/04/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pedoma Clamps, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Scherer
• Inventors: Scherer, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCGLYNN, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/540,162
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 439/503, 439/504, 439/506, 439/759, 439/822, 439/829, 439/835
• US Class Current: 439/504
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip

Abstract

A manually engageable device (30) consisting of an elongated first element (32), a second element (34) and a grip lever (88) the second element being pivoted to one side of the first element. The first element has an elongated grip portion extending between a first end and the pivot receiving portion, whereas the second pivotal element has a relatively short portion between the first end and the pivot receiving portion. The grip lever has first and second ends and a grip portion between the ends, the second end being pivotally secured to the first end of the second element by a pivot (94) and the other end of the grip lever being interconnected with the first end of the first element by means of a pin and slot connection. A spring (80) normally biases the two grip portions away from each other.

Claims

1. A tangle free manually engageable device adapted to be secured to a cable or the like comprising:

an elongated first element having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion located between the ends, the first end being adapted to be secured to the cable or the like, the first element further having an elongated gripping portion between the pivot receiving portion and the first end;

a pivotal second element disposed to one side of the elongated first element and having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion between the ends, the pivotal second element further having a relatively short portion between the first end and the pivot receiving portion considerably shorter than the elongated gripping portion of the first element;

a first pivot pin extending through the pivot receiving portions of the first and second elements for pivotally securing the second element to the first element in such a manner that as the first ends move apart the second ends move together;

spring means extending between the first and second elements for forcing the second ends of the first and second elements towards one another;

a gripping lever disposed to one side of the elongated first element and extending between the first end of the first element and the first end of the second element, the gripping lever having first and second spaced apart ends;

a second pivot pin connecting the first end of the gripping lever of the first end of one of the first and second elements; and

slidable connection means for slidably connecting the second end of the gripping lever and the first end of the other of the first and second elements.

2. The tangle free manually engageable device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second pivot pin connects the first end of the gripping lever to the first end of the elongated first element.

3. The tangle free manually engageable device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the slidable connection means is a pin and slot connector.

4. The tangle free manually engageable device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the gripping lever is provided with an elongated slot adjacent its second end, and the first end of the pivotal second element is provided with transversely extending pin received within the slot.

5. A tangle free manually engageable battery jumper cable clamp securable to a battery jumper cable comprising:

an elongated first element having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion located between the ends, the first end being adapted to be secured to a battery jumper cable and the second end being provided with a battery terminal engaging jaw, there being an elongated gripping portion between the pivot receiving portion and the first end;

a pivotal second element having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion between the ends, the second end being provided with a battery terminal engaging jaw, the portion of the pivotal second element between the first end and the pivot receiving portion being considerably shorter than the elongated gripping portion of the first element;

a first pivot pin extending through the pivot receiving portions of the first and second elements for pivotally securing the second element to the first element in such a manner that as the first ends move apart the battery terminal engaging jaws will move together;

spring means extending between the first and second elements for forcing the jaws on the second ends of the first and second elements towards one another;

a gripping lever extending between the first end of the first element and the first end of the second element, the gripping lever having first and second spaced apart ends;

a second pivot pin connecting the first end of the gripping lever to the first end of one of the first and second elements; and

slidable connection means for slidably connecting the second end of the gripping lever the first end of the other of the first and second elements.

6. A tangle free manually engageable battery jumper cable assembly comprising:

a pair of jumper cables; and

a pair of jumper cable clamps mounted on each battery cable, each of the battery jumper cable clamps comprising

an elongated first element having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion located between the ends, the first end being secured to a battery jumper cable and the second end being provided with a battery terminal engaging jaw, there being an elongated gripping portion between the pivot receiving portion and the first end;

a pivotal second element having first and second ends and a pivot receiving portion between the ends, the second end being provided with a battery terminal engaging jaw, the portion of the pivotal second element between the first end and the pivot receiving portion being considerably shorter than the elongated gripping portion of the first element;

a first pivot pin extending through the pivot receiving portions of the first and second elements for pivotally securing the second element to the first element in such a manner that as the first ends move apart the battery terminal engaging jaws will move together;

spring means extending between the first and second elements for forcing the jaws on the second ends of the first and second elements towards one another;

a gripping lever extending between the first end of the first element and the first end of the the second element, the gripping lever having first and second spaced apart ends;

a second pivot pin connecting the first end of the gripping lever to the first end of one of the first and second elements; and

slidable connection means for slidably connecting the second end of the gripping lever the first end of the other of the first and second elements.