Locking tool for manipulation of electronic components

Claim 1

A locking tool having defined open and closed positions, for manipulation of electronic components, comprising: a U-shaped frame having first and second legs constituting the sides of the U, each leg having an end, each leg end having at least one hook attachable to an electronic component, said frame being biased so said legs tend to spring apart; said first leg having a T-shaped hole therethrough, said hole having a wider first part contiguous with a relatively narrower second part; a cross-bar connecting said legs, said cross-bar having a body, a fixed end, and a moveable end, said moveable end being T-shaped and having a wider first section contiguous with a relatively narrower second section connected in turn to said cross-bar body; said fixed end of said cross-bar being attached to said second leg, opposite the hole in said first leg; said moveable end of said cross-bar projecting through the hole in said first leg; the wider first section of said cross-bar moveable end having a bend operative to hold said wider first section of said cross-bar moveable end within the wider first part of said T-shaped hole and to establish the limit to which the tool can open; the wider part of said hole accommodating the wider first section of said cross-bar moveable end, and the narrower part of said hole accommodating the relatively narrower section of said cross-bar moveable end; said cross-bar being biased and said T-shaped hole being oriented such that upon squeezing together of the legs of said frame, the narrower second section of said cross-bar moveable end springs into the narrower second part of said T-shaped hole, holding the legs in a closed position to grasp and retain an electronic component until bias-opposing force is applied to said cross-bar, bringing the wider first part of said T-shaped hole and the wider first section of said cross-bar moveable end into alignment and permitting the frame legs to spring apart, releasing the component.