TOOL FOR DRIVING A CHAIN PIN OUT OF A CHAIN LINK

Abstract

A tool for driving a chain pin out of a chain link includes a handle body which extends along a longitudinal axis and has a positioning element at a first end along the longitudinal axis, and a press-out device with an upper and a lower projection, which in each case delimit an intermediate element connecting the two projections, wherein through holes coaxial with one another are provided in the two projections and a driving screw with a press plunger is screwed into the upper projection at its end oriented towards the lower projection. This tool is intended to have good manual applicability, even for chains of different types, while at the same time having very small dimensions and being easy to transport, and in particular to enable machining of very narrowly constructed chain types. This is achieved by the fact that the handle body has, at the first end along the longitudinal axis, a guide device extending the handle body, in which guide device the press-out device is mounted so as to be movable along the longitudinal axis of the handle body between a first position in which the positioning element and the intermediate element of the press-out device form a chain space for positioning the chain link, and a second position in which the press-out device is spaced from the positioning element.

Claims

1. A tool for driving a chain pin out of a chain link, comprising: a handle body which extends along a longitudinal axis and has a positioning element at a first end along the longitudinal axis, and a press-out device having an upper and a lower projection, each of the upper and lower projections delimiting an intermediate element connecting the upper and lower projections, wherein through bores coaxial with one another are provided in the upper and lower projections and a driving screw with a press plunger is screwed into the upper projection at an end thereof oriented towards the lower projection, wherein the handle body has, at the first end along the longitudinal axis, a guide device extending the handle body along the longitudinal axis, in which the press-out device is movably mounted along the longitudinal axis of the handle body between a first position, in which the positioning element and the intermediate element of the press-out device form a chain space for positioning the chain link, and a second position, in which the press-out device is spaced apart from the positioning element.

2. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein the press-out device can be fixed in the first position against the handle body by a magnet.

3. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein the handle body forms, at the first end along the longitudinal axis, a recess which lengthens the handle body in the direction of the longitudinal axis and is delimited by side walls, wherein the guide device is integrated into the side walls.

4. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein the positioning element has a semicircular recess and is formed on the handle body in such a way that an edge is formed between the positioning element and the handle body, the edge delimiting a support surface for a chain link positioned in the chain space towards the handle body.

5. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein a hook- or lever-like tire engagement element of a tire lifter is formed on the second end of the handle body remote from the guide device.

6. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein a recess is formed in a region between the first and the second end of the handle body, the boundary contour of the handle body as well as a recess thereof in relation to a surface of the handle body correspond to an outer contour as well as a component thickness of a chain lock or replacement chain link.

7. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein at least one element for gripping a tire valve is formed in a side of one of the upper and lower projections of the press-out device facing away from the intermediate element.

8. The tool for driving out a chain pin according to claim 1, wherein at least one nipple tensioner is formed in a side of one of the upper and lower projections of the press-out device facing away from the intermediate element.

Description

[0013] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment example and associated drawings. Showing:

[0014] FIG. 1: a perspective view of the tool according to the invention

[0015] FIG. 2: a single view of the press-out device, direction of view from below

[0016] FIG. 3: a detailed view of the press-out device in position separated from the handle body

[0017] FIG. 4: a detail view of the press-out device in second position

[0018] FIG. 5: a detailed view of the press-out device in a first position

[0019] FIG. 6: a view of the tool according to the invention in combination with an additional tool with hexagonal outer contour

[0020] The tool according to the invention consists of a handle body (10), in the present case in the form of a solid square made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, as well as a press-out device (20) and a driving screw (30), in the present case both made of metal. The press-out device (20) is formed in a manner known per se from the prior art from an upper projection (21), a lower projection (22) and an intermediate element (23) arranged between these two projections and delimited by them. Through holes (24, 25) coaxial with each other are provided in the two projections (21, 22); the intermediate element (23) is narrower and not covered by these through holes (24, 25). In a manner also known from the prior art, a driving screw (30) is screwed into the through hole (24) of the upper projection (21), the press plunger of which (not visible in the figures for reasons of the selected perspective) is oriented in the direction of the lower projection (22). At a first end along the longitudinal axis (A) of the handle body (10), the handle body (10) has a positioning element (11) which has a semicircular recess (12) on a lateral surface. Furthermore, a guide device (14) is formed on the first end along the longitudinal axis (A) of the handle body (10), which extends the handle body (10) by means of side walls (15) parallel to the longitudinal axis (A).

[0021] A guide strip (16), which is also parallel to the longitudinal axis (A), is arranged on the opposite inner sides of each side wall (15). A guide groove (26) is incorporated on both sides of the lower projection (22) of the press-out device (20), in each of which a guide strip (16) of the guide device (14) of the handle body (10) can engage. The guide strips (16) are shorter than the side walls (15) in relation to the longitudinal axis (A). This creates a gap in which the press-out device (20) is not guided in the guide device (14). As shown in FIG. 2, the press-out device (20) can be separated from the guide device (14) or from the handle body (10) in the region of this guide hatch. Thus, the press-out device (20) can be inserted into or removed from the handle body (10) in this position.

[0022] The positioning element (11) is applied to a surface of the handle body (10) in such a way that, on the one hand, its side surface designed as a semicircular recess (12) is oriented in the direction of the guide device (14) and, on the other hand, this aforementioned side surface forms an edge with the surface of the handle body, which edge delimits a support surface (13) of the handle body located in front in the direction of the guide device. This support surface (13) also includes the upper edges of the side walls (15) and thus also extends to the guide device (14). Provided that the press-out device (20) is in engagement with the guide device (14), the inner upper side of the lower projection (22) of the press-out device (20), which is oriented in the direction of the intermediate element (23), does not have a high offset with respect to the support surface (13). Furthermore, the handle body has a magnet (17) below the positioning element, which also acts in the direction of the guide device (14).

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the press-out device (20) inserted into the handle body (10) is mounted for displacement between a first position (shown in FIG. 3) and a second position (shown in FIG. 2) by means of the guide device (14). The first position of the press-out device (20) shown in FIG. 3 forms the position of use, in which the tool according to the invention is ready for use for driving a chain pin (51) out of a chain link (50). In this position, the positioning element (11), the intermediate element (23) and the lower projection (22) of the press-out device (20) as well as the support surface (13) define the chain space (40) provided for positioning the chain link (50) to be machined, wherein the lower projection (22) and the support surface (13) form a continuous flat surface. The press-out device (20) is fixed in this position against the handle body (10) by means of the magnet (17).

[0024] When the tool is used as intended, the press-out device (20) is inserted into the handle body (10) and positioned in the first position shown in FIG. 3 with respect to the handle body (10). In a first step, the chain link (50) to be machined by means of the tool is introduced into the chain space (40), placed on the support surface (13) by means of a first vertical movement component with the outer plate (52) oriented downwards and pushed in the horizontal direction against the side surface of the positioning element (11). This acts as a stop, wherein the contour of the outer plate (14) aligns with the contour of the semicircular recess (12). In this way, the chain link is reliably positioned in relation to the tool in such a way that its chain pin (51) to be driven out is aligned in coaxial extension of the feed direction of the driving screw (30) or its press plunger. This is an essential prerequisite for the successful and proper expulsion of the chain pin. In the further course of the intended use of the tool, the press plunger is first lowered by turning the driving screw (30) towards the chain pin (51), which is then finally expelled from the chain link (50) by the press plunger.

[0025] For transport and space-saving storage of the tool, the press-out device (20) can be moved by means of the guide device (13) into the second position shown in FIG. 2, in which the press-out device is spaced as far as possible from the positioning element (11). For this purpose, only the holding force of the magnet (17) must be overcome. Since the guide grooves (26) of the press-out device (20) and the guide strips (16) of the handle body (10) are no longer in mutual engagement in this position, the press-out device (20) can be removed from the guide device (14) in this position and thus separated from the handle body (10). Thus, the tool does not have to be stored and transported in the bulky position of use.

[0026] In the central region of the handle body (10), i.e., in a region between its first and second ends, a recess (18) is formed which is offset by approximately 90 relative to the positioning element (11) and whose boundary contour corresponds approximately to the contour of the outer plate (52) of a chain lock and whose recess relative to the surface of the handle body (10) corresponds approximately to the component thickness of a chain lock. This recess (18) is thus provided for stocking a chain lock, which serves as an aid for reconnecting a chain after removing a defective chain link. A magnet (19) is integrated at the bottom of the recess (18), by means of which a chain lock can be securely fixed to the handle body (10). In a preferred manner, two such recesses (18) are provided on opposite sides of the handle body (10).

[0027] Beyond this first function of driving a chain pin out of a chain link, the tool shown here can be used for a plurality of other applications. Thus, the tool first has a hook-like or lever-like tire engagement element (60) at the second end of the handle body (10) remote from the guide device (14), so that the tool can additionally be used as a tire lever. Furthermore, a tire valve gripper (28) is integrated in the lower side of the lower projection (22) of the press-out device (20) facing away from the intermediate element (23), and a nipple tensioner (27) is integrated on the opposite upper side of the upper projection (21) of the press-out device (20). Such nipple tensioners are used to tighten or loosen Hulsen nuts, by means of which the spokes are fixed in the rim flange of a wheel. It is true that the aforementioned tools do not have any direct functional reference to the driving out of chain pins as the original function of the tool. However, they represent useful functional extensions and broaden the range of applications of the tool according to the invention.

[0028] A further functional extension of the tool is given by the fact that a recess with a hexagonal outer contour is provided in the bottom region of the guide device (14) of the handle body (10). An additional tool (70) with a similar hexagonal external contour, such as a hexagon socket or a compact socket set already marketed by the applicant under the designation daysaver, which reproduces the external contour of such a hexagon socket, can be passed through the latter and is held in a form-fitting manner against the handle body by means of form elements. In combination with such an additional tool, the press-out device (10) remains in engagement with the guide device (14) of the handle body (10) and forms a design unit with the short lever end of the additional tool (70). To improve the form fit, the outer surface of the press-out device contacting the aforementioned tool (70) is adapted to the outer contour of the tool (70) in this area. Likewise, the length of the aforementioned short lever end is consistent with the overall height of the press-out device (20) engaged in the guide device (14).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0029] 10 Handle body [0030] 11 Positioning element [0031] 12 Semicircular recess [0032] 13 Support surface [0033] 14 Guide device [0034] 15 Side wall [0035] 16 Guide strip [0036] 17 Magnet [0037] 18 Recess [0038] 19 Magnet [0039] 20 Press-out device [0040] 21 Upper projection [0041] 22 Lower projection [0042] 23 Intermediate element [0043] 24,25 Through holes [0044] 26 Guide groove [0045] 27 Nipple tensioner [0046] 28 Tire valve gripper [0047] 30 Driving screw [0048] 40 Chain space [0049] 50 Chain link [0050] 51 Chain pin [0051] 52 Outer plate [0052] 60 Tire engagement element [0053] 70 Tool with hexagonal external contour [0054] A Longitudinal axis of the handle body