Abstract: Disclosed is a tool, such as pliers, with handle offsets and stop features. In an embodiment, the tool has a minimum of about 0.50 inches of clearance between handles in an area where a user's index finger contacts the handles. This is accomplished by offsetting upper and lower handles of the tool. For example, the lower handle may be offset about 1.10 inches from a pivot point between the handles. Similarly, an end of the upper handle may be offset by about 1.150 inches from the pivot point when jaws of the tool are adjusted to a closed position.

Abstract: A device for suspending a rail of an overhead conveyor or a hoisting machine from a traversing gear or supporting structure includes a tension element, which carries the rail by one end via a fixing device. The fixing device grasps a support element of the rail. The support element widens and extends at least partly in the lengthwise direction of the rail. To provide a device for suspending a rail that provides enhanced safety against collapse, the fixing device includes two fixing parts, which are connected like pliers by means of a bolt running in the lengthwise direction of the rail. The fixing parts swivel toward each other from the open position into the fixing position by their fixing regions. The support element of the rail rests against the bearing surfaces of the fixing parts, even in the open position, when the fastening means are released.

Abstract: A dental instrument (10) having a tool (12) with a tip (56) capable of being rapidly adjusted and fixed in a variety of orientations relative to an instrument body (14). The instrument comprises opposing jaws (16, 22) having concave surfaces (18, 24). One jaw (16) is attached to one end of the instrument body, while the other jaw (22) is attached to the end of a lever arm (20). The lever arm is pivotally attached to the instrument body and is pivotal between a first (closed) position (P1), a second (intermediate) position (P2) and a third (open) position (P3). The lever arm includes a latch (26) having first and second catches (34, 36) that each releasably engage a rim (42) of an aperture (40) in the instrument body so as to retain the lever arm in the first (closed) position and the second (intermediate) position, respectively.

Abstract: A specialty tool having removable and interchangeable jaw members which are secured to the handles by twist locking. A ratchet gear and pawl are disposed at the pivot hub of the tool to lock the tool in a selected position. A releasing lever provides an option to the user to use the ratcheting action.

Abstract: A bottle cap remover used to separate a cap from a bottle wherein the cap has an upper section and a lower section, and at least a portion of the upper section of the cap protrudes radially outwardly beyond the lower section of the cap. The cap remover includes a first grip member and a second grip member. The first grip member is rigidly mounted to a stop plate in a position where the first grip member is spaced from the stop plate to define a gap between the first grip member and the stop plate. The first grip member includes a cap engaging edge which at least partially corresponds to an outside surface of the cap. The second grip member is positioned in opposed relationship to the first grip member and has a grip surface positioned a predetermined distance from the cap engaging edge of the first grip member.

Abstract: The jar lid loosening device includes a pair of jaws which are arranged to compress upon a lidded jar inserted therebetween. Of the pair of jaws, one jaw is a passive jaw and the other is the active jaw. The passive jaw is fixed substantially stationary and hence it neither twists nor travels in compression or retraction. The active jaw, in contradistinction. is given compound motion. More particularly, the active jaw is mounted in a traveling head. The traveling head is arranged to cycle through compression and retraction strokes. The active jaw is carried in the traveling head such that, generally, the active jaw rides passively along with the traveling head through the compression and retraction strokes. If however, a lidded jar is inserted between the jaws, then during a compression stroke the active jaw eventually limits out against the lidded jar. From then on, the lidded jar is subjected to increasing compression between the jaws by virtue of the traveling head.

Abstract: Adjustable pliers having a pair of handles, each handle having a jaw portion, an intermediate portion and a hand-grip portion. The handles intersect each other and are pivotally mounted to each other so that movement of the hand-grip portions in one direction will move the jaw portions in the same direction. Holding means in the form of a pin extends from one of the intermediate portions and a slot is in the other intermediate portion. The holding pin extends into the slot and is slidable along the slot. The slot has receiving means in the form of notches which will receive the said holding pin when the jaw portions are placed in a predetermined position and hold them in that position. A locking assembly is also provided on the handle members to lock the two in position.

Abstract: An oil nozzle lock device has a hollow male fastener and a hollow female fastener. The hollow male fastener has two lobes, a first inner flange, a first upper semicircular notch, a first lower semicircular notch, a first oblong notch, and an end bevel. The hollow female fastener has two lugs, a spacing defined between the lugs, a second inner flange, a second upper semicircular notch, a second lower semicircular notch, a second oblong notch, and a distal bevel. A torsion spring is disposed between the lobes. The lobes are inserted in the spacing. A pivot shaft fastens the hollow male fastener and the hollow female fastener pivotally.

Abstract: A pliers-knife combination tool including pivotally connected elongated members. A working region of the tool includes opposed gripping jaws on interior faces of the elongated members and at least one knife edge on an exterior edge of one of the elongated members. Engaging the opposed gripping jaws with each other allow use of the tool as a knife. A method of fabricating the tool includes maximizing the size of the tool for a given size forming machine. Each member is formed separately from the other member to permit sizes as large as possible for the forming dies and machines used. The members are pivotally connected after forming to produce a larger size tool than if both the first and second members were simultaneously formed in a given size forming machine.

Abstract: A new adjustable electric bottle opener for quickly and easily opening vacuum packed jars and oversized bottles. The inventive device includes a base member having a C-shaped support bracket secured to an upper surface thereof. The C-shaped support bracket is dimensioned for receiving a base of a bottle therein. The base member includes a collar extending upwardly from the upper surface thereof. An upper housing is adjustably coupled with respect to the base member. The upper housing has a support arm extending downwardly therefrom. The support arm is slidably received within the collar of the base member. A motor is disposed interiorly of the upper housing. The motor has a rotating axle extending outwardly thereof. The axle has a beveled gear disposed on a free end thereof. The beveled gear couples with a beveled drive gear within the upper housing. The drive gear has a shaft extending outwardly of the lower surface of the housing.

Abstract: The device has a V-shaped wedge provided with a flexible belt which is adjustable to locate on either side of the inside surfaces of the wedge. The belt has frictional side surfaces. The lid of a jar may be either opened or closed by jamming against the convergent inside surfaces between one side of the wedge and the belt adjusted to abut the other side of the wedge. One end of the belt is mounted to the vertex of the wedge and its other end is mounted to a slider button sliderably mounted to an arcuate periphery of a supporting plate of the device.

Abstract: A new Pill Bottle Cap Removal Device for offering a device that facilitates an easier opening of child proof pill bottles. The inventive device includes a structure mountable, a support surface, a cone like tool, and a handle. In use, for people having problems with the dexterity of their fingers, the structure mountable 12 is mounted to the underside of a support surface 14 and the cone like tool 20 can be used to open child proof pill bottles from this location or the cone like tool 20 can be removed from the structure mountable 12 and used in one hand to remove the cap of a child proof pill bottle held in another hand.

Abstract: A locking mechanism useful in various microsurgical, laproscopic and endoscopic surgical instruments includes a lock body which is linearly movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and a plate having a slot through which a linkage rod or the like passes. The slot includes a larger diameter portion through which a linkage rod or the like can freely pass when the lock body is in the unlocked position, and a relatively narrow section which restricts or prevents movement of the rod in one direction when the lock body is in the locked position. The slotted plate is free to pivot between an angle wherein the linkage rod is engaged by the edges of the narrow portion of the slot and thus wedged against movement, and a second angle wherein the rod is not engaged by the edges of the narrow portion of the slot, wherein by linkage rod can be moved through the lock body in one direction, but not in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A bottle cap remover is activated by inserting a bottle into an orifice. A detector adjacent the orifice detects the presence of the bottle and causes a linear actuator to drive a gripping device away from the top of the bottle where the cap is located. As the gripping device is moving away from the bottle cap, cam members direct hooked members of the gripping device around the bottle cap so that it is pulled off of and away from the bottle as the linear actuator drives the gripping device away from the bottle top. Once the bottle cap is removed, the linear actuator recycles to ready the bottle cap remover for the next bottle cap.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a safety cap from a safety container is provided for a prescription bottle or other safety container system. A tapered surface wedgingly engages the periphery of the safety cap when pressed into pressure engagement with the tapered surface. The tapered surface includes prongs for guiding the safety cap into pressure engagement with the tapered surface. A suction cup is disposed on the tapered surface for detaching the safety cap from the safety container.

Abstract: The household appliance is for receiving the cap of a screw-top jar, and for gripping the cap so firmly that a person can bring all available force to bear to crack open the cap. The appliance includes flanges (one of which is toothed) which are bent up from a flat panel. The flanges are rigid and strong, whereby they do not deflect under the gripping forces.

Abstract: Any one of several rotary objects of various diameters is gripped between a pair of joined jaws, without a need for manual adjustment of such jaws to any of the various diameters. To this end, the jaws are spaced at a taper to each other for all of the various diameters, and are pivoted, biased and rendered moveable relative to each other in diminution of that taper against the bias and conversely in self-restoration of the taper by the bias upon a release of the object from the jaws. Any one of the rotary objects may be wedged between the jaws at the taper, and one of the jaws is propelled with such wedged rotary object against the bias relative to the other jaw of the pair in diminution of the taper until the jaws exert optimum grip on the object. A loosening or other operation may then be performed on the wedged rotary object, and such wedged rotary object may be released from the jaws [for self-restoration of the taper by the bias.

Abstract: A tool for screwing medication vials (10) to IV-bags (28) comprises a socket (58) with a bowl-shaped hard shell (60) defining a mouth (86) with a resilient material insert (62) lining an interior surface thereof and being held therein by a removable retainer at a lip of the mouth. The lining material defines a cylindrically-shaped vial-receiving cavity (88) of a size for receiving a bottom-end portion (96) of a medication vial, with lining material engaging radially the received bottom-end portion for imparting movement thereto. The socket has an attachment device (66) positioned at an end of the socket opposite the mouth for attaching the socket to a rotary motor (54, 102) of a rotating tool.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening a wine bottle includes a cork seal remover assembly, comprising a housing having a cavity therein, the cavity including opposed side walls that taper downwardly to a bottom opening and converge rearwardly toward a rear wall. A blade assembly is received within the cavity, the blade assembly including a pair of spring arms disposed to impinge resiliently on the side walls of the cavity. The spring arms include arcuate blades in confronting relationship to define a gap therebetween. A bottle neck is inserted between the blades and urged rearwardly, causing the spring arms to converge and the blades to impinge on the seal, severing the end of the seal. The cork remover portion of the invention includes a corkscrew blade disposed coaxially within a tubular housing. The corkscrew blade is operated by a reversible motor, and a sensor within the inner end of the tubular housing is connected to reverse the rotation of the motor and blade.

Abstract: Improved locking wrenches are provided with adjustment screws having a head portion and a flange extension associated with the lower handle. A locking element is provided which serves to lockably engage a restraining element associated with one of the adjustment screw and the flange extension. In this manner, inadvertent release of the clamping force exerted between jaws of the wrench may be prevented since the lower handle is restrained from moving into its opened stated relative to the upper handle.

Abstract: An opener for a videotape cassette case of the type having a body and a cover hinged to the body, the body and cover presenting two parallel spaced-apart flanges when the case is closed. The opener includes a rigid element, which may be a flat plate, having a shoulder portion wider than the spacing between the case flanges when the case is closed, the shoulder portion tapering toward a nose portion which is narrower than the spacing between the case flanges when the case is closed. A closed videotape cassette case is opened by inserting the nose portion of the opener into one end of the space between the flanges and moving the case with respect to the opener so as to bring the shoulder portion between the flanges to urge the flanges apart. Continued movement of the case with respect to the shoulder portion of the opener causes the flanges to progressively separate from each other so as to pry the cover from the body and thereby open the case.

Abstract: A combination jar or bottle cap remover and bag opener. This kitchen tool consists essentially of two side bars and a base. One side bar contains a gripping blade for removing caps and the other side bar contains a bag opening device.

Abstract: A pull tab can opener apparatus has a base attachable to the underside of a cabinet and has a can guiding track formed on the base for guiding a can thereon. The guiding track has a pair of can side guides and a pair of can top guides for guiding a can along a predetermined path. A pull tab grab hook is movably attached to the base between the can guiding track pair of can side guides for grabbing and removing a pull tab on a can when the can is slid along the can guiding track so that a pull tab can opener can be used with one hand. The can guiding track pair of can top guides are curved in a manner to slide the tab of a can top into the pull tab grab hook. The pull grab hook is spring-loaded and has a backward stop.

Abstract: A self-locking pliers provides automatic jaw adjustment for gripping objects of different sizes. First and second pinsers-defining members each have a body portion, a jaw-defining portion and a handle portion, being joined by a bolt extending through a slot in one of the members in pivotal, mutually moveable relationship. The slot permits pivoting as well as sliding movement of the first member relative to the second member, and has along a jaw-proximate side teeth to be engaged by corresponding teeth of a locking pawl carried rotatably within the slot by a shank of the bolt. A jaw-remote side of the slotted opening provides a smooth surface for sliding engagement of a smooth reaction surface of the locking pawl opposite from its teeth. The locking pawl has on its jaw-proximate side a camming surface proximate to the locking teeth. A control arm is pivotally engaged at one end to the body portion of the second member.

Abstract: A locking device is provided comprised of clamping pliers having a threaded adjustment screw, and an associated padlock having a long U-shaped shackle. First and second stubs associated with the padlock are adapted to enter apertures in the handles of the pliers so that the handles cannot be moved apart from their clamped or locked state. One of the stubs forces a brake member against the threaded adjustment screw.

Abstract: A first embodiment of a support rack for tweezers has a circular mounting plate provided with an adhesive backing strip for attaching the mounting plate to a bathroom wall. A pair of parallel spaced elongated bars are centrally disposed on a front surface of the mounting plate. The elongated bars form a channel in which a pair of tweezers are removably retained. A coiled plastic telephone type cord has one end attached to one of the elongated bars and an opposite end attached to the tweezers. The tweezers are thus always readily available for removing the cotton packing from medicine bottles. In a second embodiment of the present invention, a bottle opener for medicine bottles is attached to the tweezer mounting plate. The bottle opener forms a shelf on which a medicine bottle may be stored. Thus, the cotton packing from the medicine bottle may be removed by the tweezers after the cap has been removed using the bottle opener.

Abstract: A device for use in removing screw closures from containers comprises a body having a recess therein of substantially complementary frusto-conical or bell shape being to accommodate a screw-closure of a container. Converging wall portions being provided in said recess with the inner surface thereof being of, or having secured thereto a lining of, a material having a frictional adherence or resistence property with any screw closure located in contact therewith and having relative rotational movement caused therebetween by rotation of the container or of the body. A bracket is provided to enable the body to be wall- or shelf-mounted, two cheeks of the bracket being similarly apertured and the body having a bore whose axis is alignable with those of the apertures to enable a pin to be locatable therethrough to readily secure the body to the bracket. The bore in the body has its axis at right angles to the axis of the body.

Abstract: An improved bottle opening machine for smoothly removing crown caps from bottle necks of empty bottles contained in bottle cases which are being conveyed on a conveyance system in a single file, in which the cap removing is carried out by the steps of engaging of cap removing sections on rotary discs with the crown caps on the bottle necks in an area where the circular movement path of the cap removing sections and the linear movement path of the bottle necks mutually converge in the tangential direction, removing of the crown caps from the bottle necks under the influence of a moment which is produced as the former is separated from the latter as the rotary discs are rotated, and releasing of the removed crown caps from the cap removing sections with the aid of cap releasing mechanisms. To ensure that the cap removing sections are positioned correctly with corresponding bottle necks, at least a synchronizing means is rotatably mounted on the frame structure.

Abstract: A stopper removing device mountable on a bottle. A carriage on the frame of the remover has a removing lip disposed beneath the head of the stopper. Upon downward movement of the levers, the carriage is driven upwardly to extract the stopper S. The levers have handles which are disposed approximately horizontally just after application of the stopper removing device to the neck of a bottle, such handles being gripped and forced downwardly to effect upward movement of the carriage and the stopper relative to the bottle. The levers have open slots slidably engaging studs on the carriage. The carriage has three sets of slides alternately engaging the opposite sides of a frame to mount the carriage in place. A shield is carried by the carriage and disposed above the head of the stopper to prevent the stopper, under gaseous pressure from the interior of the bottle, from being popped upwardly clear of the removing device and into the face of the user.

Abstract: Beverage can opening apparatus includes a base portion, a support portion, a can engaging portion, a biasing portion and a fastening portion. The base portion includes a substantially flat plate section. The support portion includes spaced shaft supporting sections disposed adjacent opposed elongated edges of the plate section with each including an opening in a plane parallel to one of the elongated edges, the openings being spaced from the plate section. A shaft extends between the openings of the shaft supporting sections. The can engaging portion includes an elongated member pivotally connected at one end to the shaft and extending therefrom toward and beyond one end of the plate section. The elongated member includes a slot at a free end thereof beyond the plate section, the slot being aligned substantially parallel to the plate section. The elongated member includes a channel extending from the slot toward the support portion, the channel having a cross section substantially the same as the slot.