Simplifying Valve-spring Manipulation.
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41 A NEW device for compressing valve springs has been placed on the market by'the Certifix-Co., of 1, Ship Street Chambers, Brighton, which has the special merit that it acts in a dual capacity, lasing avalve-spring lifter and a valve-spring compressor and manipulator. It has been the general practice to compress a spring in a vice and to tie it with string or wires but this -was an awkward job, as everything to do with compressing the spring would seem to get in the way of tying, and, again, the string or wire would often prevent the spring 'from heing returned to its proper position if it is a tight fit on the outside of the uide—as it should be.
In the case of the Certifix, the two jaws act as a vice, and as a holder which enables the spring to be " offered" into place and to be gradually released after the cotter has been replaced. It will be seen from our illostratiens that the device consists of two arms, one plain and the other screw-threaded, each having asstepped jaw -which is slotted for a valve stem. The arms are kept pacallel to -each other by a frame hinged to the jaw end of each, and at its intersecting point and working on -pins on trunnion bloats at the ends of the arms opposite to the jaws. A not on one of
the trunnions engages with the thread on the threaded arm, snd the act of
turning it clockwise opens the jaws, whilst anti-elockwise turning doses them.
The cross-frame and truunions maintain parallelity between the jaws at all , times. Three widths can be provided according to the position of the arms. TiEarih arm can be reversed so that any length of -valve spring can he -accommodated. For -ordinary removals of valve springs the arms aro usually set at the minimum opening, the rotation of the nut expanding the tool and cornpr-easing the spring so that the cotter may In remised. When 'a valve is very deeply recessed it may be ground in -without the spring being removed at .all if desired, the tool being occupied in compressing the spring, this leaving the end-of the valve stem accessible to the left hand.
Fur spring compression it is generally necessary to reverse the plain arm so as to secure a wider jaw opening than is necessary for spring lifting, and the free hand can assist in the 'act of compression -while the right hand is screwing -up the nut.
It is claimed for the Certifix valves spring lifter and compressor (which, 'by the way, sells sit 15s.) that it enables the operator to remove and replace any valve in a few minutes and to do it single handed.