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vping

vping

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I found this in my garage and it looks oddly familiar. It has a US patent #1330542. Any ideas?
Tool.jpg
 
I thought it had something to do with valve springs. IT fit around them but I cannot figure out why you would want to lift them. I am trying to figure out if it is in some way reversible so I can compress the springs to take them out.
 
I have one that I've had for more years than I care to think about. Mine isn't called a valve spring lifter, it is a valve spring compressor. Slide it over each end of the spring and squeeze. The ratchet will hold the spring compressed to remove the keepers. You had to keep compressed air in the cylinder so the valve wouldn't drop. Worked good on some older engines. I haven't used mine in years. Bad feature about it was, if a spring was compressed in it while out of the engine and you bumped the tool, the spring would sometimes launch out of the tool and you could pick up the spring in the next county, providing no one was in it's path.

PS, Really looking at the tool in your photo, it appears to work backwards from mine. Yours looks like it pushes out. It might be for engines with the valve springs in the side of the block, such as the old flat head engines. Flat head Fords were that way and I would bet that tool is for that set up where one side of the tool pushes against the block and the other pushes against the spring. It's, a very old tool. Keep it for a conversation piece. PJ
 
Then there might be 2 tools unless it is somehow reversible. This will only lift I think.
 
ew.

That thing looks awkward to use. Mount it on the shop wall as a curio and get a real one for safty's sake. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Doc, Believe it or not, the tool probably worked very well in the old Ford V8 flat heads, as you had to reach in the valley under the intake manifold, after it was removed of course, to put the spring compressor in place. There wasn't very much room to do this. I don't think I'd try to use it on a modern engine though. Might cause a lot of pain. Mentally and physically. PJ
 
When I bought the house I got all of my wife's Grandfathers tools. This was one of them but it does not seem that old. I can spread with it but not compress.

Tool001.jpg

Tool002.jpg
 
OK, after reading this from the patent, The jaws are reversible, and can be made to compress the spring.

Look at the two jaws...they are removable. Take them off and flip them over, but hook them into the holes on the same side of the plier mechanism instead of crossing over. It will then work as a compressor.

But, it still looks like you may have to pull the handles apart to get it to compress. Try flipping the jaws, and see what happens.
 
Looks like something my dentist used on me a couple of weeks ago.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
PAUL161 said:
Doc, Believe it or not, the tool probably worked very well in the old Ford V8 flat heads, as you had to reach in the valley under the intake manifold, after it was removed of course, to put the spring compressor in place. There wasn't very much room to do this. I don't think I'd try to use it on a modern engine though. Might cause a lot of pain. Mentally and physically. PJ
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know it's of benefit on the old American iron, but it'll frustrate you sideways on an LBC head. You can ~almost~ get enough spring compression to get the keepers out... wiggling it. Then *just* as you get the second one free, *SPROING!*

Then it's half an hour of hide 'n seek with the collet and spring. Nahhh... wall mount it. As Scotty says, get a "C-clamp" big-un. I've a K-D 383 and used it on everything from BMC to Alfa, Lotus, Ferrari and Porsche valves. Only thing besides the compressor ever needed is a 2" tube with a notch cut-out to do the twincam springs.
 
Still cannot figure out how it is reversible. I'll hang it on the wall as per Doc instructions and get a real tool but I still want to figure this bugger out.
Oh and ain't I lucky it was patented on my birthday in 1920.
 
That is why the diagram did not make any sense to me but still it does show it doing both.
 
I have actually used a tool very simular to that one to remove and replace the valves on a 52 Merc flathead V8 engine. I also used several experlatives to assist in the completion of the job.
Luckily this engine was installed in a 32 ford 3 window coupe with NO hood or inner fenders to get in the way, but never the less No easy task!
 
Maybe I will hang it up & make me another tool. I like making tools. The one I used to take out the main bearing was pretty good to me.
 
Have you tried pulling those cotter pins out and flipping the jaws around??
 
Yes. The way I see it, unless I am totally daft is, it works the same way. Unless the pivot point of the handle can move, it will still only spread and not compress. I can move the jaws to the outside which will make them have a larger opening but that is it.
 
I also noticed that, but it appears it was designed so that when you want to compress, you have to pull apart the handles. The key is, when you flip the jaws and pull the handles apart, will the locking mechanism work??
 
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