GB2133729A

GB2133729A - Improvements in socket wrenches

Info

Publication number: GB2133729A
Application number: GB08401725A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Arthur Reeves
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-01-22
Filing date: 1984-01-23
Publication date: 1984-08-01
Also published as: GB8401725D0; GB2133729B

Abstract

A socket wrench comprises a main handle 11, a socket carrier 12 mounted on the main handle at one end thereof, and a ratchet mechanism 23, interconnecting the handle and socket carrier whereby the socket carrier may rotate in only one direction relatively to the main handle. A lever 15 is pivotally mounted on the main handle 11, and a push rod 17 and cam 18 are provided interconnecting the lever and socket carrier in such manner that pivotal movement of the lever 15 imparts rotation to the socket carrier, so that where the socket is applied to a nut in a location where side-to-side movement of the main handle is not permitted through lack of space, the socket may be rotated by squeezing the lever mounted on the handle. The lever 15 is mounted on a tubular sleeve 13 on the main handle of the wrench so that it may be rotated to the most convenient position for operation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in socket wrenches The invention relates to socket wrenches of the kind comprising a main handle, a socket carrier mounted on the main hancle at one end thereof, for rotation relatively to the handle about an axis substantially at right angles thereto, and a ratchet mechanism interconnecting the handle and socket carrier whereby the socket carrier may rotate in only one direction relatively to the main handle.

Thus in operation of the wrench a socket mounted on the socket carrier is engaged with a nut and the nut may be rotated, to tighten or loosen it, by reciprocating side-to-side movement of the handle of the wrench. Adjusting means may be provided on the wrench whereby the direction of operation of the ratchet mechanism may be selected according to whether clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation of the socket is required.

Although such a ratchet operated wrench is an improvement over a simple rigid wrench, and permits tightening or loosening of nuts in areas where space is extremely restricted there may not even be sufficient room to apply adequate side-to-side movement to the wrench handle. The present invention therefore sets out to provide a modified form of socket wrench whereby the socket may be rotated with vary little operating movement.

According to the invention there is provided a socket wrench of the kind first referred to wherein a lever is pivotally mounted on the main handle, and means are provided interconnecting the lever and socket carrier in such manner that pivotal movement of the lever relatively to the main handle imparts rotational movement to the socket carrier. Thus, where the socket is applied to a nut in location where side-to-side movement of the main handle is not permitted through lack of space, the socket may be rotated by squeezing the lever mounted on the handle.

Preferably the lever is so mounted on the main handle of the wrench that it may be rotationally adjusted around the longitudinal axis of the main handle so as to very the orientation of the axis of pivoting of the lever with respect to the axis of rotation of the socket carrier. Thus the lever may be positioned to be operable in any plane relative to the normal plane of operation of the wrench.

Preferably pivotal movement of the lever is arranged to actuate the paw of the ratchet mechanism to impart rotation to the socket carrier. For example, the pawl may be mounted on a movable element, pivotal movement of the lever being arranged to move said element in such a direction that the resultant bodily movement of the pawl effects rotation of the socket carrier. Preferably a spring is provided to return the movable element, and hence the pawl, to its initial position upon release of the lever.

The means interconnecting the lever and socket carrier may comprise a pivotable cam linked to the lever so as to pivot when the lever is pivotally moved, the cam bearing on the movable element, or a part connected thereto, so as to effect said movement thereof.

The movable element may be rotatable relatively to the socket carrier about the axis of rotation thereof. The lever and the pivotable cam may be linked by a push rod extending longitudinally of the main handle.

The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa diagrammatic representation of the mechanism within the wrench, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main body components, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the handle components, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the socket carrier assembly.

Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3 the wrench comprises a main body 10 from which extends a tubular handle 11. At one end of the main body 10 there is rotatably mounted a socket carrier 12 which is connected to the main body by a ratchet mechanism (to be described). At the opposite end of the wrench there is provided a handgrip 13 to which is pivotally mounted, by means of a pivot pin 14, a lever 15. The handgrip 13 is rotatably mounted on the main handle 11 so that the lever 15 may be rotated to any position around the handle. The lever is interconnected with the socket carrier by a mechanism to be described.

In normal operation of the wrench a socket (not shown) connected in conventional manner to the socket carrier 12 is applied to a nut which is to be tightened or loosened and the socket is then rotated by the normal to-and-fro ratchet operation of the handle 11. If, however, space is so restricted that the main handle 11 of the socket wrench cannot be moved readily from side to side, the socket may be rotated by squeezing lever 15, the handgrip 13 carrying the lever first having been rotated to the most convenient position.

Figure 1 shows the essential components of the mechanism for transmitting movement from the lever 15 to the socket carrier 12. The lever 15 has a cranked end portion 16 against which bears one end of a push rod 17 which extends longitudinally through the handle 11. The opposite end of the push rod 17 bears on a relay cam 18 which is pivotally mounted at 19 within the main body 10 of the wrench. The nose 20 of the relay cam bears against one side of a lug 21 on a carrier assembly 22 which surrounds the socket carrier 12. As best seen in Figure 4, a pawl 23 is pivotally mounted in a recess 23a in one part 22a of the carrier assembly 22. The two parts 22a and 22b of the carrier assembly straddle a toothed ratchet wheel 24 with which the pawl 23 cooperates and to which the socket carrier 12 is secured.As best seen in Figure 4, the pawl 23 is urged into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24 by a helical compression spring 25 located in the recess 23a.

Referring again to Figure 1,the underside of the lug 21 on the carrier assembly 22 bears on one end of a shaped leaf spring 26 which is located in the main body of the wrench by a fixed pin 27, the leaf spring having a portion 28 which bears against the inner wall of the main body 10. The spring 26 serves to urge the socket carrier 12 anti-clockwise (as viewed in Figure 1) and thus maintain the lug 21 firmly in engagement with the nose 20 of the relay cam 18.

Referring to Figure 3, the handgrip 13 is in the form of a generally tubular element which embraces the handle 11. A circlip 29 engages an annular recess 31 on the end of the handle 11 to locate the handgrip 13 axially.

The circlip 29 is integrally formed with a U-shaped flange having a pressed-out projection 29a which engages in any one of a series of depressions 30 spaced evenly around the annular end face of the handle 11. The handgrip 13, together with the lever 15, may thus be clicked through alternative rotational positions on the handle 11.

Referring again to Figure 1, it will be seen that squeezing the lever 15, i.e. swinging it clockwise as viewed in Figure 1, moves the push rod 17 to the left and imparts anti-clockwise swinging movement to the relay cam 18. This in turn rotates the carrier assembly 22 clockwise against the action of the spring 26. This clockwise movement effects clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel 24, due to the paw 23 engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Upon release of the lever 15 the carrier assembly 22 is returned to the position shown in Figure 1 under the action of the spring 26, the pawl 23 ratcheting over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24 which remains stationary. It will thus be seen that the socket holder 12 may be rotated in one direction by repeatedly squeezing the lever 15.

During normal operation of the wrench, swinging movement of the handle 11 clockwise (as viewed in Figure 1) will also rotate the carrier assembly 22, ratchet wheel 24 and socket carrier 12 clockwise whereas when the handle is swung anti-clockwise the pawl 23 will ratchet over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 24. A spring circlip 32 (see Figure 4) is provided to act as a clutch on the ratchet wheel 24 and prevent the socket carrier 12 moving with the carrier assembly 22 under the action of the spring 26.

In orderto permitratcheting action in either direction, the socket carrier 12 includes a square section block 1 2a carrying two longitudinally spaced spring loaded balls 12b. The block 12a is mounted in a square socket 1 2c within the ratchet wheel 24 and may be slid axially of the socket so as to project from one side or the other of the wrench. The block is therefore moved to project from the side of the wrench appropriate either for left-hand or right-hand ratcheting action.

Claims

1. A socket wrench comprising a main handle, a socket carrier mounted on the main handle at one end thereof, for rotation relatively to the handle about an axis substantially at right angles thereto, a ratchet mechanism interconnecting the handle and socket carrier whereby the socket carrier may rotate in only one direction relatively to the main handle, a lever pivotally mounted on the main handle, and means interconnecting the lever and socket carrier in such manner that pivotal movement of the lever relatively to the main handle imparts rotational movement to the socket carrier.

2. A socket wrench according to claim 1, wherein the lever is so mounted on the main handle of the wrench that it may be rotationally adjusted around the longitudinal axis of the main handle so as to vary the orientation of the axis of pivoting of the lever with respect to the axis of rotation of the socket carrier.

3. A socket wrench according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein pivotal movement of the lever is arranged to actuate the pawl of the ratchet mechanism to impart rotation to the socket carrier.

4. A socket wrench according to claim 3, wherein the pawl is mounted on a movable element, pivotal movement of the lever being arranged to move said element in such a direction that the resultant bodily movement of the pawl effects rotation of the socket carrier.

5. A socket wrench according to claim 4, wherein a spring is provided to return the movable element, and hence the pawl, to its initial position upon release of the lever.

6. A socket wrench according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the mean interconnecting the lever and socket carrier comprise a pivotable cam linked to the lever so as to pivot when the lever is pivotally moved, the cam bearing on the movable element, or a part connected thereto, so as to effect said movement thereof.

7. Asocketwrench according to claim 6, wherein the movable element is rotatable relatively to the socket carrier about the axis of rotation thereof.

8. A socket wrench according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the lever and the pivotable cam are linked by a push rod extending longitudinally of the main handle.

9. A socket wrench substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.