Pliers having a rack and pawl coupling to produce greater force after the jaws closeabout the work

Claim 1

IN A HAND TOOL COOPERABLE WITH A WORKPIECE: A PAIR OF JAW MEMBERS; HANDLES FOR THE JAW MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY; MEANS OPERATIVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE WORKPIECE AND CARRIED BY THE JAW MEMBES TO CONFINE THE JAW MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT IN A FIXED PATH; MOVEMENT OF SAID JAW MEMBES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN SAID FIXED PATH CAUSING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT OF SAID JAW MEMBERS; MEANS FORMING AN OVERRUNNING CONNECTION BETWEEN ONE OF THE HANDLES AND ITS JAW MEMBER; YIELDING SPRING MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING THE HANDLE AGAINST OVERRUNNING MOVEMENT WHEREBY SAID ONE HANDLE AND ITS JAW MEMBER MOVE AS A UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID OTHER JAW MEMBER AND ITS HANDLE UNTIL RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE JAW MEMBERS IS RESTRAINED BY CONTACT WITH THE WORK, WHEREUPON SAID ONE HANDLE MEMBER BEGINS ITS OVERRUNNING MOVEMENT AND CAUSES ENERGY TO BE STORED IN SAID SPRING MEANS; AND A RELEASABLE COUPLING BETWEEN SAID ONE HANDLE AND THE OPPOSITE JAW MEMBER FOR APPLYING A CLOSING FORCE BETWEEN THE JAW MEMBERS, SAID COUPLING BEING ESTABLISHED UPON OVERRUNNING MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE HANDLE SUBSTANTIALLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE RELATIVE POSITION OF SAID JAW MEMBERS.