Tongue-and-groove pliers
Encyclopedia
Tongue-and-groove pliers, also known as water pump pliers, adjustable pliers, groove-joint pliers, and Channellocks, are a type of slip-joint pliers. They have serrated jaws generally set 45– to 60-degrees from the handles. The lower jaw can be moved to a number of positions by sliding along a tracking section under the upper jaw. An advantage of this design is that the pliers
can adjust to a number of sizes without the distance in the handle growing wider. These pliers often have long handles—commonly 9.5 to 12 inches long—for increased leverage.
Tongue-and-groove pliers are commonly used for turning and holding nuts
and bolts
, gripping irregularly shaped objects, and clamping materials.
This design of pliers was invented and popularized by the Champion–DeArment Tool Company in 1934 under the brand name Channellock
(after which the company would eventually take its name) but are also now produced by a number of other manufacturers.
Pliers
Pliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, for bending, or physical compression. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other...
can adjust to a number of sizes without the distance in the handle growing wider. These pliers often have long handles—commonly 9.5 to 12 inches long—for increased leverage.
Tongue-and-groove pliers are commonly used for turning and holding nuts
Nut (hardware)
A nut is a type of hardware fastener with a threaded hole. Nuts are almost always used opposite a mating bolt to fasten a stack of parts together. The two partners are kept together by a combination of their threads' friction, a slight stretch of the bolt, and compression of the parts...
and bolts
Screw
A screw, or bolt, is a type of fastener characterized by a helical ridge, known as an external thread or just thread, wrapped around a cylinder. Some screw threads are designed to mate with a complementary thread, known as an internal thread, often in the form of a nut or an object that has the...
, gripping irregularly shaped objects, and clamping materials.
This design of pliers was invented and popularized by the Champion–DeArment Tool Company in 1934 under the brand name Channellock
Channellock
Channellock is an American company that produces hand tools. It is best known for its pliers—the company manufactures more than 120 types of pliers—particularly its eponymous style of tongue-and-groove, slip-joint pliers...
(after which the company would eventually take its name) but are also now produced by a number of other manufacturers.