GB2272177A

GB2272177A - Apparatus for unscrewing an object

Info

Publication number: GB2272177A
Application number: GB9223327A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arpad Stephen Laszlo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-11-06
Filing date: 1992-11-06
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-06
Also published as: GB9223327D0; GB2272177B

Abstract

Apparatus 2 for unscrewing an object such as an oil filter 4, comprises a tubular metal handle 6, a wire rope 8 which extends from the handle 6 for gripping the object 4, and an externally threaded member 10 which is attached to the wire rope 8 and which is screwable along a threaded bore 14 in the handle 6. The wire rope 8 has two end portions 18, 20 which are permanently secured to the externally threaded member 10. Rotating the handle relative to member 10 causes the rope 8 to be drawn into the handle, thus tightening the grip on the object 4. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR UNSCREWING AN OBJECT This invention relates to apparatus for unscrewing an object.

There are many devices available for giving assistance in unscrewing objects, such for example as the lids of jars or oil filters from engines. The known devices are often satisfactory for unscrewing objects such as lids from jars where plenty of space is available and both hands may be used. The known devices are however not satisfactory for unscrewing objects such as filters from engines where space is usually severely restricted and it is awkward to use both hands.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem by providing an apparatus for unscrewing an object, which apparatus can be used in confined spaces and which apparatus can be operated with one hand.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for unscrewing an object, which apparatus comprises a handle which is tubular and which is made of a metal, a wire rope which extends from the handle and which is for gripping the object, and an externally threaded member which is attached to the wire rope and which is screwable along a screw threaded bore in the handle: the wire rope being such that it has two end portions permanently secured to the externally threaded member; the wire rope being sufficiently stiff that it forms a permanent loop for receiving the object; the wire rope being sufficiently springy that the size of the loop is able to be decreased by rotating the handle in the first direction to cause the externally threaded member to move in an increasingly deeper manner in the handle and pull more of the wire rope into the handle, and is able to be increased by rotating the handle in a second and opposite direction to cause the externally threaded member to move in an increasingly less deep manner in the handle and allow the wire rope in the handle to escape and increase the size of the loop; and the wire rope being sufficiently stiff that rotation of the handle to tighten the loop when the wire rope is around the object does not cause the wire rope to twist on itself adjacent the two end portions which are permanently secured to the externally threaded member.

The apparatus of the invention is constructed to be a robust tool which is especially useful for removing oil filters from engines. Other objects can however be unscrewed using the apparatus. The apparatus is advantageous in that the handle can be held with one hand such that the wire rope can be placed over the object to be unscrewed, and then the handle can simply be rotated about its longitudinal axis in order to tighten the wire rope about the object, prior to applying force to one end of the handle to unscrew the object. The ability of the handle to rotate about its longitudinal axis and tighten the loop means that the apparatus can easily be operated in confined conditions.This is especially important in unscrewing oil filters from engines where space is invariably restricted and the oil filters are often at different positions and project at different angles in different vehicles. The apparatus of the invention can be used professionally in garages or privately by persons changing their own oil filters. After use, the apparatus can simply be hung on a hook using the loop of wire rope.

The apparatus of the invention is so simple to use that oil filters can be changed without much of the mess that often occurs using known unscrewing devices for removing oil filters. The wire rope is advantageous in that it has ridges which grip the object to be unscrewed.

The wire rope is thus advantageous when compared with plain wire which would not grip so well. Also, plain wire that was sufficiently springy to allow the rope to increase in size would tend to be brittle and might snap if bent too much. If a flat strip were to be used instead of the wire rope, the edges of the flat strip would tend to cut into the handle and/or the flat strip would twist on rotation of the handle when the wire rope was around the object. Textile cord or rope would not be sufficiently stiff to form the required permanent loop, it would not be sufficiently springy to enable the automatic increase of the size of the loop as the handle is rotated in the second direction, and it would not be sufficiently stiff to prevent twisting on itself adjacent the two end portions when the handle was rotated in the first direction to tighten the loop.

The handle is chosen to be made of a metal since this also helps the apparatus of the invention to be made in a robust manner. For example, if the handle were to be made of a plastics material, then the wire rope would cut into the handle. Similarly, if the wire rope were replaced by a flat strip of material, the edges of the flat strip of material would tend to cut into the handle if it were made of a plastics material. It will thus be seen that the apparatus of the invention has been specifically designed for simple and effective operation in a minimum of space, and has been made of materials which are effective and which will not prematurely fail during use of the apparatus.

Preferably, the end of the screw threaded bore in the handle adjacent the loop is radiased. This stops any sharp edges of the screw threaded bore wearing into the wire rope. It also stops any tendency for the wire rope to snag on the end of the screw threaded bore as the wire rope is pulled into the bore and released from the bore during use of the apparatus.

Preferably, the radiased portion of the screw threaded bore is polished. This facilitates especially smooth sliding of the wire rope over the screw threaded bore in the handle.

Preferably, the end of the externally threaded member adjacent the loop is also radiased. This stops any sharp edges of the externally screw threaded member tending to wear the wire rope. Also, preferably, the radiased end of the externally threaded member is polished to facilitate smooth sliding of the wire rope over the radiased end. As will be appreciated, smooth rotation of the handle is desirable when using the apparatus with one hand in confined spaces.

Usually, the externally threaded member will be made of a metal.

The wire rope is preferably welded to the externally threaded member.

The handle may be provided with grip-increasing means such for example as knurling.

The end of the bore in the handle farthest from the loop may be closed by a closure member. The closure member may be a disc or a plug. The closure member may be welded in position.

Usually, the handle will be made of steel. The externally threaded member may also be made of steel.

The handle may be four inches (10cm) long to give loop sizes of 2.5 - 4.25 inches (6-llcm) diameter. These loop sizes are the diameters of most oil filters. With such loop sizes, the wire rope may need to be 16.5 inches (46cm) long. The externally threaded member may be 0.5 inches (1.27cm) in diameter.

The handle may be given an anti-rusting treatment.

The handle may thus be chemi-blacked. The handle may be chemi-blacked by dipping it into appropriate liquids, wiping it clean, and then hanging it from the wire rope.

The apparatus of the invention may include retainer means for preventing the externally threaded member from being screwed completely out of the screw threaded bore in the handle. This stops people dismantling the apparatus and seeing how it works. The retainer means may be a deformation of the thread of the screw threaded bore.

Where the apparatus is assembled from one end, then the deformation may be made after the externally threaded member has been inserted into the screw threaded bore of the handle.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown apparatus 2 for unscrewing an object in the form of an oil filter 4.

The apparatus 2 comprises a handle 6 which is tubular and which is made of a metal. The apparatus 2 also comprises a wire rope 8 which extends from the handle 6 and which is for gripping the oil filter 4. The apparatus 2 further comprises an externally threaded member 10 which is provided with external threads 12 and which is attached to the wire rope 8. The externally threaded member 10 is screwable along a screw threaded bore 14 in the handle 6. The screw threaded bore 14 has internal threads 16 as shown.

The wire rope 8 is such that it has two end portions 18, 20 which are permanently secured to the externally threaded member 10. This is done by welding the end portions 18, 20 to the externally threaded member 10 by welding material 22.

The wire rope 8 is sufficiently stiff that it forms a permanent loop 24 for receiving the oil filter 4.

The wire rope 8 is sufficiently springy that the size of the loop 24 is able to be decreased by rotating the handle 6 in a first clockwise direction to cause the externally threaded member 10 to move in an increasingly deeper manner in the handle 6. As this happens, the externally threaded member 10 pulls more of the wire rope 8 into the handle 6 and thus decreases the size of the loop 24. The size of the loop 24 is able to be increased by rotating the handle 6 in a second anti-clockwise direction0 This causes the externally threaded member 10 to move in an increasingly less deep manner in the handle 6, that is the externally threaded member 10 moves towards the end portion 26 of the handle 6. As this happens, the wire rope 8 in the handle 6 is allowed to escape and the loop 8 automatically increases in size due to the wire rope 8 being sufficiently springy to cause this to happen.

The wire rope 8 is also sufficiently stiff that rotation of the handle 6 to tighten the loop 24 when the wire rope 8 is around the oil filter 4 does not cause the wire rope 8 to twist on itself at position 28 which is adjacent the two end portions 18, 20 which are permanently secured to the externally threaded member 10. Any such twisting of the wire rope 8 on itself at position 28 would make tightening of the loop 24 difficult and would also tend to prematurely wear the wire rope 8.

The drawing shows in broken lines how the externally screw threaded member 10 moves into the handle 6 to draw the wire rope 8 into the handle 6 and thus reduce the diameter of the bore 24.

The handle 6 is radiased at portion 30. The radiased portion 30 is also polished. The radiasing and the polishing facilitates smooth passage of the wire rope 8 into and out of the handle 6. The externally threaded member 10 is radiased at portion 32 and the radiased portion 32 is also polished. This radiasing and polishing also helps to facilitate very smooth operation of the apparatus 2 with minimal wear due to friction of the wire rope 8 and the handle 6.

The externally screw threaded member 10 is made of metal. The handle 6 has its outer surface 34 provided with grip-increasing means in the form of knurling. The end of the bore 14 in the handle 6 farthesbfrom the loop 24 is closed by a closure member in the form of a disc 36. The handle 6 is made of steel and the disc 36 is welded in position. The handle 6 is chemi-blacked to ensure that it does not rust.

During manufacture of the apparatus 2, after the externally threaded member 10 being screwed into the screw threaded bore 14, a part of the internal thread 16 adjacent the end portion 26 is deformed. This deformation of the internal thread 16 acts as retainer means to stop the externally threaded member 10 from being screwed out of the handle 6. Since the other end of the screw threaded bore 14 is closed by the disc 36, it is then not possible for persons to see exactly how the apparatus 2 works or to dismantle it to see exactly how the apparatus 2 works.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawing has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 may be employed for tightening objects as well as unscrewing objects.

Claims

1. Apparatus for unscrewing an object, which apparatus comprises a handle which is tubular and which is made of a metal, a wire rope which extends from the handle and which is for gripping the object, and an externally threaded member which is attached to the wire rope and which is screwable along a screw threaded bore in the handle: the wire rope being such that it has two end portions permanently secured to the externally threaded member; the wire rope being sufficiently stiff that it forms a permanent loop for receiving the object; the wire rope being sufficiently springy that the size of the loop is able to be decreased by rotating the handle in the first direction to cause the externally threaded member to move in an increasingly deeper manner in the handle and pull more of the wire rope into the handle, and is able to be increased by rotating the handle in a second and opposite direction to cause the externally threaded member to move in an increasingly less deep manner in the handle and allow the wire rope in the handle to escape and increase the size of the loop; and the wire rope being sufficiently stiff that rotation of the handle to tighten the loop when the wire rope is around the object does not cause the wire rope to twist on itself adjacent the two end portions which are permanently secured to the externally threaded member.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the end of the screw threaded bore in the handle adjacent the loop is radiased.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the radiased portion of the screw threaded bore is polished.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the end of the externally threaded member adjacent the loop is radiased.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the radiased end of the externally threaded member is polished.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the externally threaded member is made of a metal.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the wire rope is welded to the externally threaded member.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is provided with grip-increasing means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the grip-increasing means is knurling.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the end of the bore in the handle farthest from the loop is closed by a closure member.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the closure member is a disc or plug.

12 Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is made of steel.

13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the externally threaded member is made of steel.

14. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is four inches (10cm) long to give loop sizes of 2.5 - 4.25 inches (6 11cam) diameter.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the wire rope is 16.5 inches (46cm) long.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 or claim 15 in which the externally threaded member is 0.5 inches (1.27cm) in diameter.

17. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is given an antirusting treatment.

18. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including retainer means for preventing the externally threaded member from being screwed completely out of the screw threaded bore in the handle.

19. Apparatus for unscrewing an object, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.