MXPA06008083A - Universal locking lever - Google Patents

Abstract

A repositionable operating lever including a lever body having a handle (34) and a generally hollow cylindrical housing (36), an inner end portion of which has a multi-faced wall configured to engage a multi-faced head portion (48) of an adjusting member (26), an adjusting member (26) positioned in the cylindrical housing and having a multi-faced head portion (48) engaging the multi-faced wall of the inner end portion, a generally cylindrical end piece (32) configured to fit within an outer end portion of the cylindrical housing (36), a biasing member (30) having a inner end and a outer end, and wherein the lever body is capable of being moved in the outer direction relative to the adjusting member (26) by manipulation overcoming the biasing force whereby the multi-faced head portion (48) and the multi-faced wall disengage from one another, permitting relative rotation of the lever body and the adjusting member to reposition the lever body on the adjusting member.

Description

For two-letter codes and olher abbreviations, refer to the "Guidance Notes on Codes and Publications" appearing at the beginning of the regular issue of the PCT Gazette.

UNIVERSAL BLOCKING LEVER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to tools and particularly to adjustable locking levers for said tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tool users know that it is often necessary, during use, to lock the components of the tools in a particular position such as the depth of cut of a tilt contour or circular saw or the adjustment of the bevel angle of a circular saw among many other applications. During the life of the tool, users often discover that the locking components experience wear, which requires that a lever be rotated further to achieve the same locking force. At some point, the lever will interfere with another component external to the locking system, such as a motor housing, a base of an arched saw or circular saw, among other examples, which prevents the locking lever from tightening properly . In prior art systems, the user has been forced to return the lever to a different position to allow the system to be fully tightened. Prior art systems in commercially available professional saws have required the removal of a screw or retaining ring to reattach the locking lever. In addition to being inconvenient, there is the prospect of a possible loss of the retaining ring or screw. Other locking and unlocking devices without tools have included wing nuts or knobs. Although there are adjustable lever systems of the prior art, which have a lever that can be moved out against the force of a deflection spring, from its normal position, so that it can be repositioned at a different angle that allows To the system to properly tighten the desired components, these systems have generally required a nut that engages a carriage bolt or the like and another screw that is threaded on the opposite end of a hexagonal head adjusting nut to retain a spring in position that bypass the handle for coupling with the hexagonal head adjusting nut. An object of the present invention is to provide a universal locking lever having a simpler design and which is also easy to assemble in a tool where the lever can be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention has a universal locking lever system having a lever into which is inserted an adjusting nut, a carriage bolt or the like, which is threaded into the adjusting nut, a spring having an end that rests against a bra on the lever and the opposite end that rests against a cover, the cover is configured to snap in the locked position to the adjusting nut during assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a circular saw having a bevel adjustment mechanism including a bevel dial with a curved slot, wherein a carriage bolt of a universal locking lever is fixed to lock the saw at a desired bevel angle; Figure 2 is a perspective view in parts of the components of the universal locking lever shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section taken through the center of the universal locking lever shown in Figure 1, and generally taken in a vertical plane substantially similar to "the section illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 4 is a perspective view from a side and rear angle of the locking lever shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a side view of the locking lever shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross section of the lever taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an end view of the lid of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a cross section taken generally along line 8-8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a side view of the lid shown in Figure 7; and Figure 10 is a side elevational view of a locking lever, according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the locking lever of Figure 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of the universal locking lever is shown in the figures and is useful for locking tool components, such as contours, arched saws, reciprocating saws and circular saws, as well as in other applications than the tooling technique. manuals However, the preferred embodiment is particularly suitable for use in circular saws, such as the circular saw shown in Figure 1. The saw has a lock lever assembly 10 located on its front to block an adjustment system of Bevel in place after it has been fixed by a user. The circular saw has a motor housing 12, a blade housing 14 in which a cutting blade (not shown) is located, an auxiliary handle 16, a base 18 on which the bevel quadrant 20 is formed, with the housing of the circular saw 12, the blade housing 14 and the blade configured to rotate relative to the base about a pivot axis defined by a bolt 22. When a lever arm 24 of the lock lever assembly 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, this causes an adjustment element 26 to be tightened in a threaded fastener 28, such as a carriage bolt or the like, which is operatively attached to the motor housing 12 so that the movement, in the counterclockwise direction, of the locking lever 10 will loosen the adjustment element 26 relative to the bevel dial 20 and allow the angle to be modified. the bevel of the circular saw. The universal locking lever assembly 10 is shown in the part view of Figure 2, and preferably includes the lever arm 24, the adjusting member 26, the threaded fastener 28 which is illustrated as a carriage bolt, a washer 29, a biasing member 30 such as a compression spring, and a cap 32. As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the lever arm 24 has an outer handle portion 34 that extends from a portion generally cylindrical 36 having a right side portion 37 and a relatively smooth inner surface 38 in a left side portion 39 thereof. Additionally, an inner portion to the right includes a predetermined key configuration, preferably a double hexagonal configuration 40, as shown in Figure 5 and in the cross section of Figure 3. However, the embodiments of the present invention contemplate that the key configuration can assume a plurality of configurations, such as pentagonal, square or fluted. As shown in Figure 6, there is preferably a release portion 42 that is present to make the lever 24 lighter in weight. Corrugations 44 or other texture may be provided to facilitate holding the lever arm 24 during use. The adjustment element 26 has an opening on its right end surface 46 which preferably includes an internal thread. The adjustment element 26 further includes an end portion configured to couple the preferred double hexagonal configuration 40, preferably a hexagonal head portion 48, and a cylindrically shaped opposite end portion 50 around which an annular groove 52 is placed. Other embodiments of the invention include an end portion that is configured to assume a plurality of configurations, such as square, pentagonal, grooved, or others, such that the end portion is configured to lockly engage the double hexagonal portion. or another corresponding adjustment configuration. Preferably, an end surface of the opposite end portion 50 includes a slot 51 or other configuration to allow the user to rotate and / or accurately thread the adjusting element 26 to the threaded fastener 28., which extends from a portion of the saw to attach the adjustment element. The deflection member 30 may have a uniform diameter along the length thereof, but in the preferred embodiment, it includes a smaller diameter end 54 and the spring increases in size to the larger end portion 56. The cap 32 is shown in detail in Figures 7, 8 and 9 and has an annular base 57, an inner opening 58 and a plurality of nails 60, preferably eight, positioned around a circumference of the interior opening, each of which it has a bevelled end surface 62 and an inner support 64 for engaging the annular groove 52 of the adjusting member 26 when it is forced onto the adjusting nut. There is another annular cavity 65, in the opposite end portion, which is configured to receive the deflection member 30 when installed. The cavity 65 is not continuous, but is formed by a plurality of axially oriented tabs 67 that extend downwards, as shown in Figure 8. In this aspect and referring to Figure 3, the deflection element 30 is shown with its smaller diameter end 54 located in the cavity 65 and this increases in diameter towards the opposite end 56, where it is constrained by a support 66 located in the cylindrical portion 36 adjacent to the hexagonal configuration portion 40.

Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 2, the preferred lock lever assembly 10 is assembled with the threaded fastener 28 by threadably coupling the inner thread of the right end surface 46 of the adjusting element 26. The portion of the larger end 56 of the deflection member 30 engages the support 66 (best illustrated in Figure 3), while the smaller diameter end 54 couples the annular cavity 65 (better illustrated in Figure 8) placed in the the lid 32 and formed by the plurality of axially oriented tabs 67. When assembled, an outer surface 68 of the annular base 57 is aligned with, and is generally coplanar to a surface of the left side 39 of the cylindrical portion 36, with the opposite end portion 50 of the adjustment element 26 tightly engaging the opening 58 of the lid 32. To maintain the locking engagement, the inner support 64 engages the annular notch 52 of the adjusting member. 26. Because the diverting member 30 is preferably a compression spring configured to resist compression, and the cap 32 is lockedly engaged to the adjusting member 26, the diverting element pushes the hexagonal head portion 48. of the adjustment member 26 towards the double hexagonal configuration 40 within the cylindrical portion 36 in its inner portion to the right. With deflection member 30 causes the hexagonal head portion 48 to engage the double hexagonal configuration 40 in the reset position. An alternative embodiment of the locking lever assembly 10, which is illustrated in Figure 10, includes an elongated shaft 70 extending from the left side portion 39 and through the cylindrical portion 36, wherein the elongated shaft is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a central hole 71 at its right end, as shown. A threaded fastener, such as the carriage bolt 28 illustrated in FIG. 2, engages a distal end 72 of the elongated shaft 70 that extends through the cylindrical portion 36 and from the right-hand portion 37 of the cylindrical portion. . Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made. These modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims. Several characteristics of the invention are mentioned in the following claims.

Claims (21)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, what is contained in the following is claimed as co or priority: CLAIMS

1. - A relocatable operating lever (10) comprising: a lever body (24) having a handle and a generally hollow cylindrical housing including inner and outer end portions, said inner end portion having a wall of multiple surfaces configured to engage a multi-surface head portion of an adjustment member, said outer end portion having a larger inner diameter than said inner end portion so as to form an annular support; an adjustment element (26) positioned in said cylindrical housing, and having a multi-surface head portion that couples said multi-surface wall of said inner end portion of said cylindrical housing, when said adjustment element is in its position of normal operation, said adjustment element is configured to contact said lever body and limit movement relative to said lever body in an interior direction; a generally cylindrical end piece (32) configured to fit within said outer end portion of said cylindrical housing and having an outer diameter reduced inward from an end surface to form an annular support, and having a configuration blocking to automatically lock said end piece to said adjustment element when said adjustment element is pressed; a deflecting element (30) having an inner end and an outer end, said deflecting element is configured and positioned between said annular support of the end piece and said annular support of the cylindrical housing for deflecting said adjustment element towards its position of normal operation; said lever body has the ability to move in the external direction relative to said adjustment element by means of manipulation, overcoming the deflection force by means of which, said multiple surface head portion and said wall of multiple surfaces are uncoupled from one another, allowing the relative rotation of said lever body and said adjustment element to reposition said lever body on said adjustment element. 2. - The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said handle and said housing are integrally formed together. 3. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said multi-surface wall of said inner end portion is configured to be hexagonal for coupling a hexagonal head. 4. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of said head portion opposite the adjustment element further comprises a slot configured to receive a tool for tightening said adjustment element relative to another component of said lever. 5. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said head portion of said adjustment element further comprises at least one axial hole partially threaded therethrough, configured to receive a threaded fastener. 6. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said adjustment element further comprises an axial extension extending from said head portion. 7. The lever in accordance with the lever body on said adjustment element.

2. - The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said handle and said housing are integrally formed together.

3. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said multi-surface wall of said inner end portion is configured to be hexagonal for coupling a hexagonal head.

4. - The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of said head portion opposite the adjustment element further comprises a groove configured to receive a tool for tightening said adjustment element relative to another component of said lever.

5. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said head portion of said adjustment element further comprises at least one axial hole partially threaded therethrough, configured to receive a threaded fastener.

6. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said adjustment element further comprises an axial extension extending from said head portion.

7. - The lever according to claim 6, characterized in that said axial extension comprises a generally cylindrical axis having an axial hole at least partially threaded therethrough which is configured to receive a threaded fastener.

8. - The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said adjustment element further comprises an annular rim configured to couple an outer surface of said inner end portion.

9. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking configuration comprises an annular rim oriented inwardly.

10. The lever according to claim 7, characterized in that said adjustment element further comprises an annular groove configured to receive said annular rim.

11. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said deflection element comprises a compression spring.

12. The lever according to claim 11, characterized in that a diameter of said inner end is at least slightly greater than a diameter of said outer end.

13. - The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said outer end portion of said housing, said end piece and an end of said head portion opposite the adjusting element are generally coplanar.

14. The lever according to claim 1, characterized in that said handle includes a texture for a better grip.

15. A universal locking lever for selectively adjusting and locking components of a tool in a predetermined position, wherein the tool is of a type that can be adjusted relative to a work surface, said lever comprising: axially means rotary to receive the lever components; lever means for effecting the rotation of said axial rotation means; adjustment means having an inner end received inside, and rotated with said means of axial rotation; cap means for coupling one end of the adjustment means at an end opposite the inner end, biasing means for biasing the cap means and adjustment means separated from each other; and axial clamping means for maintaining the axial rotation means, the adjustment means, the cover means, and the deflection means in operative axial alignment.

16. The lever according to claim 15, characterized in that said axially rotating means comprise a generally cylindrical housing configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis thereof.

17. The lever according to claim 15, characterized in that said lever means comprise a generally rectangular body that is integrally formed with said axially rotating means and configured to effect the rotation of said axially rotating means when they are rotated in the direction of the hands of the clock or counterclockwise.

18. The lever according to claim 16, characterized in that said adjustment means comprise a generally cylindrical body having a central hole through it, said cylindrical body is configured to be received in a tight and locked within said cylindrical housing and to rotate with said cylindrical housing.

19. The lever according to claim 18, characterized in that said deflection means comprise a compression spring.

20. The lever according to claim 19, characterized in that said deflection means are configured to have a first end of smaller diameter that engages said cap means and a second end of larger diameter that engages said adjustment means.

21. The lever according to claim 20, characterized in that said adjustment means comprise a hexagonal head portion that engages a double hexagonal configuration of said cylindrical housing.