US3781052A

US3781052A - Safety apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3781052A
Application number: US00240572A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Millington
Original assignee: HIMS Inc
Current assignee: HIMS Inc
Priority date: 1972-04-03
Filing date: 1972-04-03
Publication date: 1973-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-25
Also published as: DE2316568A1

Abstract

A manipulating tool and apparatus for handling items in hazardous work zones, without entrance of the hands into the work zone, including a tool releasably mounted on the human hand. On installation the tool includes secondary restraining means engaging the hand to limit extension of the hand in emergencies.

Description

States atent [191 [4 net. 25, 1973 SAFETY APPARATUS Robert G. Millington, Treichlers, Pa.

Assignee: ll-lims, lnc., Allentown, Pa.

Filed: Apr. 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 240,572

Inventor:

U.S. Cl 294/25, 30/232, 294/106 Int. Cl B25!) 7/04 Field of Search 294/25, 118; 29/203 H, 203 HM; 30/232, 298; 81/43 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1968 Millington 294/25 8/1921 Gower 30/232 9/1968 Johnson et al 30/232 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner.lohnny D. Cherry Attorney-Frederic C. Dreyer [5 7] ABSTRACT A manipulating tool and apparatus for handling items in hazardous work zones, without entrance of the hands into the work zone, including a tool releasably mounted on the human hand. On installation the tool includes secondary restraining means engaging the hand to limit extension of the hand in emergencies.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 2 PATENIED DEC 25 I975 FIG.2

SAFETY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to safety tools and safety installations and is concerned more particularly with hand-extension manipulators having overload or emergency-release means for engaging the hand on which it is mounted. Preferably, secondary means are included for restraining the hand from the work zone after release of the emergency-release mount.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The best prior art known to me is that described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,563, issued Dec. 10, 1968.

However, the advancement in our technology and production efficiency has increased the hazards to skilled hands in high-production operations performed by machinists, punch-press operators and others.

This has been formally recognized by the passage of the much-needed Occupational Safety and Health Act by recent action of the Congress of the United States.

The prior attempts in safety installations including, under certain circumstances, my own device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,563 have not been found to be entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to safety tools and installation, and is concerned, more particularly, with hand-mounted manipulators which include safetyrelease mountings. Preferably, the installation includes secondary restraining means independently operable and effective upon release of the safety-release mountings of the tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention may be derived from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the preferred tool of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view detailing the finger mounts of the tool;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view detailing the means for changing the angles of the working extensions;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the preferred installation of my invention;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the tool and hand of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a view showing the effect of the secondary restraining means in the installation of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED TOOL As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the preferred form of tool comprises a pair of

arms

1 and 2 which are hinged for scissor-like motion by a hinge 3. I prefer to locate the hinge 3 at the wrist-mount as taught in and for the reasons set forth in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,4

l

5,5 63. The hinge is mounted generally perpendicular to the wrist by a releaseable wrist-mount strap 4 by means of a U-shaped bracket 5.

wrist-mount, such as the buckle and snap-fastener of my prior patent.

The remote ends of the arms I and 2 are curved to I form transverse walls 7 and 8 which are generally perpendicular to the major portions of the arms. The walls 7 and 8 carry.

finger mounts

9 and 10.

The

finger mounts

9 and 10 are equivalent in construction and only one will be described in detail, for the sake of brevity. As best shown in FIG. 4, the finger mounts each comprise a U-shaped, preferably metal, bracket 12 mounted on the wall by suitable means such as the several rivets I3 and having opposing

legs

14 and 15.

The outer ends of the

legs

14 and 15 have dished areas or rounded recesses I6 and 17, respectively, with the hollows of the recesses facing each other. The rounded sockets carry projections or

pins

18 and 19, respectively, which extend inwardly from and are directed toward each other.

While I prefer the deformed or drawn form of pins on metal brackets, as shown, the projections may take other forms, particularly if the brackets are formed of material other than metal.

The

pins

18 and 19 engage a swivel ring 20 therebetween which is resiliently secured on the pins by diametrically-opposed

sockets

21 and 22 in the outer surface 23 of the rings.

The ring 20 has a finger bore 24 therein. The outer surface 23 is curved forward and aft, with respect to the finger bore 24, generally conforming to the rounded recesses 16 and I7. I prefer to form the rings 20 of a relatively tough plastic, such as nylon, but other materials can be used. For comfort and safety, the rings should be free of sharp edges.

The rounded recesses, pins and sockets thus form trunnions in which the rings 20 may rotate on an axis substantially perpendicular to both the axis of the hinge 3 and the axis of the finger bore 24.

Therefore, the rings are angularly self-adjusting to the comfort of the fingers on which they are engaged, and further permit the same tool to be used on right hands and left hands interchangeably.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the tool includes

forward extensions

25 and 26 mounted to forward-extending

flanges

27 and 28. The mounts between the extensions and the flanges are equivalent and, for brevity, only one will be described in detail.

The flanges have a ring of socket apertures 29 surrounding and concentric with a bolt aperture 30. The forward extensions carry a plurality of pins 3i arranged on a circle equal to the circle of the socket apertures and concentric with a bolt aperture 32 in the forward extension.

The pins 31 are spaced from each other at degrees on the circle to coincide with and enter the socket apertures. The forward extension and flange are held in position by a bolt 33 and a knurled nut 34.

This mounting permits realignment and locking of the

forward extensions

25 and 26 in selected positions to accommodate objects of different size, independently of the position of the arms, and to adapt to desired angles for rightor left-hand use.

While the forward extensions are shown with resilient terminal portions of caps and 36 for general purpose use, it is to be understood that different terminals may be used for specialized work.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED TOOL In use, the strap 4 is secured about the wrist and the thumb and the forefinger inserted in the different finger bores 24. If the tool is mounted on the right hand, the thumb will be in the finger mount 9 while the forefinger will engage the finger mount 10. If on the left hand, the thumb and finger will engage the

mounts

10 and 9, respectively.

It is to be understood that a finger pair other than the thumb and forefinger may be used, if desired, or if required by loss of a finger in a previous accident.

Also, the tool is entirely satisfactory in use on the inside of the hand, instead of on the back of the hand, since the finger mounts will swivel to permit such use without reassembly of the entire tool. In this instance, the hinge 3 and arms will extend alongside the palm of the hand, instead of along the back, and the thumb and finger simply realign the swivel rings to accommodate themselves.

Of particular importance in my new tool is the emergency-releasability provided by the swivelling finger mounts in conjunction with the releaseable wrist mount.

If the tool were caught in machinery or otherwise forcibly directed away from the body and hand, the releaseable-fastener 6 will disengage the wrist before real damage to that member.

The swivelling finger mounts, since they are selfaligning with the fingers, then will rotate on their axes to the extent required to permit the relatively more vulnerable fingers to slide-free of the tool as it is carried away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INSTALLATION As best shown in FIG. 6, a hand mounted manipulator carries an apertured swivel-link 41 rotably mounted on its hinge 42. The swivel link aperture is engaged by an end snap 43 of a tether 44, which is secured at its other end 45 to a relatively stable structure 46 to the rear of the operator.

The manipulator 40 includes suitable finger mounts 47 and an emergency-release wrist-mount 48. Preferably, however, the manipulator is as disclosed hereinbefore, and as shown in FIGS. 1-5.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the manipulator further includes a flexible loop or strap 49 adapted to encircle the base of the thumb or another finger of the hand, apart from any other engagement of the tool and the hand. The strap 49 is secured to the hinge portion of the manipulator, such as to the hinge itself, as shown.

The swivel-link minimizes the discomfort or interference by the tether, since the link swivels on the hinge 3, but permits a loop or a snap to swivel perpendicular to the motion at the hinge 3, much as occurs in a universal joint.

The strap 49 provides a secondary means for restraining only forward motion of the hand beyond the predetermined limits defined by the tether 44.

For example, and as depicted in FIG. 8, the manipulator may be partially disengaged from the hand, such as to apply or adjust a manipulator on the other hand,

or during a brief rest period, and engaged only by the releaseable wrist-mount 48.

If an object such as a tool or part were to start rolling off the work area, or upon any provocation, the operator may instinctively lunge, or suddenly reach forward, breaking the releasable fastener of wrist mount 48 and reaching into the danger zone.

With the installation and tool of my invention, however, the secondary restraint by the strap 49 will prevent entrance of the hand only in the direction of and into the danger zone even though the wrist mount 48 were to be released.

Thus, a hazard of relatively instant duration, but permanent consequences, is anticipated, and the potential damage prevented. The strap 49 does not impose any restraint other than in the direction of the danger zone.

Various changes may be made in the details of my invention, as disclosed, without sacrificing the advantages thereof or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety tool comprising a pair of arms,

hinge means joining said arms,

a releasable wrist mount engaging at least one of said arms adjacent the hinge means,

at least one finger mount, said finger mount being positioned on one of said arms, said finger mount including a member having a finger-receiving bore therein, and

swivel means mounting said member having the finger-receiving bore to swivel transverse to the finger bore on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the finger bore and to the axis of the hinge means.

2. The safety tool of claim 1 in which the finger mount includes a U-shaped bracket, the legs of the bracket each have a recess therein, said recesses are arranged to face each other, and the member having said finger bore therein is a ring received between said recesses.

3. The safety tool of claim 2 in which the ring has diametrically-opposed socket in its outer surface, and said rounded recesses have projections thereon adapted to be received in said sockets.

4. The safety tool of claim 3 in which the recesses in the bracket legs and the outer surface of the ring are arcuate.

5. A safety tool comprising a pair of arms,

hinge means joining said arms,

a wrist mount engaging at least one of said arms adjacent said hinge means,

at least one finger mount,

said finger mount being positioned on one of said arms forward of said hinge,

a forward extension on each of said arms and positioned to extend forward beyond the region of said finger mount, said forward extensions each-having a terminal portion for engaging work objects,

spacing means for regulating the spacing of said terminal portions independently of the spacing of said arms, said spacing means including a circular group of apertures on one of said arms and said forward extension,

a group of raised portions on the other of said arms and said forward extension, said raised portions means for securing said tether to a structure to limit motion of the tool in a selected direction,

and secondary restraining means engaging said tether and adapted to engage the hand to restrain motion of the hand beyond the selected limit independently of the releaseable hand mount.

8. The safety installation of claim 7 in which the tether engages the tool by means of an aperture in a swivel link.

9. The safety installation of claim 7 in which the secondary restraining means includes a flexible loop adapted to engage the base of a finger of the hand.

Claims

1. A safety tool comprising a pair of arms, hinge means joining said arms, a releasable wrist mount engaging at least one of said arms adjacent the hinge means, at least one finger mount, said finger mount being positioned on one of said arms, said finger mount including a member having a finger-receiving bore therein, and swivel means mounting said member having the finger-receiving bore to swivel transverse to the finger bore on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the finger bore and to the axis of the hinge means.

5. A safety tool comprising a pair of arms, hinge means joining said arms, a wrist mount engaging at least one of said arms adjacent said hinge means, at least one finger mount, said finger mount being positioned on one of said arms forward of said hinge, a forward extension on each of said arms and positioned to extend forward beyond the region of said finger mount, said forward extensions each having a terminal portion for engaging work objects, spacing means for regulating the spacing of said terminal portions independently of the spacing of said arms, said spacing means including a circular group of apertures on one of said arms and said forward extension, a group of raised portions on the other of said arms and said forward extension, said raised portions being sized and positioned to be received into said apertures in successive positions, and retaining means for selectively locking and releasing the members at the successive positions.

6. The safety tool of claim 5 in which the retaining means comprises a threaded member joining the members at a point within and concentric with the aperture circle.

7. A safety installation comprising a tool including a releaseable hand mount, restraining means including a tether engaging said tool, means for securing said tether to a structure to limit motion of the tool in a selected direction, and secondary restraining means engaging said tether and adapted to engage the hand to restrain motion of the hand beyond the selected limit independently of the releaseable hand mount.