GB2395152A

GB2395152A - A driving tool

Info

Publication number: GB2395152A
Application number: GB0226229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Laurence Warwick-Adkins
Original assignee: MMTT Ltd
Current assignee: MMTT Ltd
Priority date: 2002-11-09
Filing date: 2002-11-09
Publication date: 2004-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-09
Also published as: GB2395152B; GB0226229D0

Abstract

A driving tool 10 comprises a body 12 defining a recess 16 extending along an axis of the body. The recess has a profile that comprises alternating first portions 18A, 18B and second portions 19A, 19B. The first portions are arcs of substantially the same circle, and the second portions extend inwardly of the circle. Preferably the profile of the recess is generally oval. Alternatively, the driving tool comprises a projection (36, fig 5) extending from the body, which has a profile that comprises alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of the same circle and the second portions extending inwardly of the circle (see figs 5 and 7). Preferably the driving tool comprises a main recess for receiving an article to be driven, and guide means (40, fig 5) to guide the article into the recess. Driving means may also be provided that comprises a breakable member, such as a pin (72, fig 9A), which extends between a transmission means (54, fig 9) and a holding means (52, fig 9), where the breakable member breaks when the driving force exceeds a predetermined level.

Description

l 2395 1 52

A Driving Tool This invention relates to driving tools, particularly, but not exclusively to driving tools for rock bolts and nuts mounted thereon. The invention may also relate to chuck arrangements, particularly, but not exclusively to chuck arrangement for holding drivers for rock bolts and nuts mounted thereon.

In the mining industry, rock bolts have to be driven into mine walls to prevent collapse. Nuts mounted onto the bolts need to be tightened to ensure the bolts are secured tightly to the walls. The use of known tools for driving the bolts and the nuts is time consuming.

According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a driving tool comprising a body defining a recess extending along an axis of the body, wherein the recess has a profile in which the wall of the recess comprises alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle, and the second portions extending inwardly of said circle.

The word "profile'' as used herein is intended to refer to the cross-

sectional profile of an article when viewed along its main axis.

The driving tool is preferably a tool for use in driving a bolt, and may be suitable for use in a driver for a further article, for example a nut, which may be threadably received on the bolt. The driving tool may function as a chuck for co-operatively engaging a further driving tool for said further article.

At least an end region of the bolt may have a profile corresponding to said profile of the recess, and the recess may be configured to drivingly receive said end region of the bolt. The recess may be configured lo drivingly engage said

end region of the bolt. Rotation of the body about said axis may rotatably drive the bolt about said axis.

Preferably, the profile of the recess is generally oval. The bolt may also have a correspondingly generally oval profile.

The body may include means for engaging a prime mover to effect said rotation of the body.

In one embodiment, the engaging means may comprise a configured outer surface to matingly engage a corresponding recess in the prime mover. Said configured outer surface of the body may be of a hexagonal profile, preferably a profile of a substantially regular hexagon.

In another embodiment, the engaging means may comprise an elongate projection which may extend along said axis from the body. The elongate projection may include a configured outer surface to matingly engage a corresponding recess in the prime mover. Said configured outer surface of the projection may be of a hexagonal profile, preferably a profile of a substantially regular hexagon.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a driving tool comprising a body for drivingly engaging an article, and a projection extending from the body, wherein the projection has a profile comprising alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle and the second portions extending inwardly of said circle.

Preferably, the driving tool of the preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention is suitable for driving articles which comprise fasteners

for example nut or bolts, and may be suitable for use with the driving tool described in the third to the eighth paragraphs above. In such a case the projection of the preferred embodiment of the driving tool according to the second aspect of the invention may be receivable in the recess of the preferred embodiment driving tool of the first aspect of the invention to drivingly engage therewith, whereby rotation of the body of the driving tool of the first aspect of the invention about said axis rotatably drives the driving tool of the second aspect about said axis.

According to a third aspect of this invention, there is provided a driving tool comprising a body defining a main recess, the wall of the main recess comprising a plurality of driving surfaces to drivingly engage an article having a plurality of external surfaces, and guide means to guide the article such that said driving surfaces engage corresponding external surfaces of the article.

The article may be a fastener for example a nut or a bolt. In one embodiment, the body may define a first subsidiary recess to receive a nut threadably mounted on a bolt and a second subsidiary recess, which may extend inwardly of the body, desirably co-axially of the first subsidiary recess, to receive an end region of the bolt on which the nut is mounted.

The driving tool may include a projection extending from the body, preferably co-axially with the main recess. The projection may have an axially profile comprising alternatively first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle, and the second portions extending inwardly of said circle.

Preferably, the main recess in the body of the driving tool has six of said driving surfaces, and may have a hexagonal profile. The hexagonal profile may

be a regular hexagon.

Preferably, the driving tool of the preferred embodiment according to the third aspect of the invention is suitable for use with the driving tool described in the third to the eighth paragraphs above. In such a case the projection of the preferred embodiment of the driving tool according to the third aspect of the invention may be receivable in the recess of the preferred embodiment of the driving tool according to the first aspect of the invention to drivingly engage therewith, whereby rotation of the body of the driving tool according to the third aspect about said axis rotatably drives the driving tool according to the first aspect about said axis.

Preferably, the wall of said main recess has a profile of a hexagonal configuration, preferably a substantially regular hexagon. The guide means may comprise guide recesses in the wall of said recess or first recess to receive corners formed by the junctions between adjacent surfaces of the side wall of the nut. Preferably, said main recess comprises a lead in region having a wall tapering inwardly from the outer end of said recess or said first recess.

According to a fourth aspect of this invention there is provided a driving tool comprising article holding means to hold an article to be driven, and transmission means co-operatively engageable with a prime mover to transmit a driving force from the prime mover to the holding means, wherein one of the transmission means and the holding means comprises a projection and the other of the transmission means and the holding means defines a recess to drivingly receive the projection, and the apparatus further including a breakable member extending between the transmission means and the holding means in the recess,

s whereby the breakable member can break when the driving force exceeds predetermined level.

The driving tool preferably comprises a chuck arrangement.

The holding means may comprise an article engaging member for engaging the article. The holding means may comprise a projection co-operable with the driving means. Preferably, the projection extends from the article engaging member.

The transmission means may comprise a receiving member for receiving the projection of the holding means and may also include co-operating means to co-operatively engage the prime mover. The receiving member may define a recess for receiving the projection.

Preferably, a through bore is defined in the projection of the holding means and opposite further through bores are defined in the wall of the receiving member of the transmission means, said bores being aligned with each other when the projection of the holding means is received in the projection of the transmission means, and said breakable member may extend through said through bore and said further through bores.

The breakable member may be a pin. Preferably, the breakable member includes a weakened region at which the breakable member may break on the driving force exceeding said pre-determined force when the driving tool is in use. The breakable member may comprise two of said weakened regions, one at each respective end portion thereof. Preferably, the breakable member includes a main portion and a pair of opposite end portions, the end portions being connected to said main portion by the respective weakened regions.

In one embodiment, the first part may comprise the bolt driving means as described above. The invention is particularly useful for use with one or more of the driving tools described above, to provide a driving arrangement.

At least one embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the company drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a driving tool for a bolt; Fig. 2 is a view along the lines II-II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of a driving tool for a bolt; Fig. 4 is a view along the lines IV-IV in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of a driving tool for a nut; Fig. 6 is a view along the lines VI-VI in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view along the lines VII-VII in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a sectional side view of a driving tool for a nut as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 coupled with a driving tool for a bolt as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of a chuck arrangement; and Fig. 9 is a side view of a pin for use with the chuck arrangement shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a driving tool in the form of a bolt driver 10 having a main axis X-X, and comprising a main body 12 and an engagement portion 14. The main body 12 defines an elongate recess 16 (shown in broken lines in Fig. 1) for receiving an end region of a bolt. The end of the bolt which is to be received in the recess 16 may be of a type suitable to hold up mine workings.

Fig. 2 shows an end profile of the recess 16 and this end profile is generally oval in configuration. That is to say, the wall of the recess 16 comprises two first portions 18A, 18B which alternate with second portions 19A, 19B. The two first portions 18A, 18B are arcs of a circle which extend partially circumferentially around a centre point 20. The arcs of the circle which extend between the two first portions 18A, 18B are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The second portions 19A, 19B are generally provided inwardly of the circle of which the arcs defined by the first portions 18A, 18B form a part.

The bolt to be received in the recess 16 has an end profile which is generally of the same configuration as the end profile of the recess 16 shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the end region of the bolt is drivingly receivable within the recess 16, and is a sufficiently tight fit therein so that the bolt cannot rotate relative to the recess 16 about this main axis of the bolt when the end of the bolt is received in the recess 16. By spinning the driver 10 about its main axis X-X, the bolt received in the recess 16 is also spun and caused to be screwed into the wall of the mineworkings.

For this purpose, the bolt driver 10 includes the engaging portion 14 which has a generally hexagonal end profile suitable for engaging a standard suitably hexagonally profiled prime mover in the form of a power tool.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a further embodiment of the bolt driver designated 110 in Fig. 3 which also includes a main body 112 defining a recess 16 having the same features as described above, and which have been designated with the same reference numerals. In the present case, however, the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in that the projection 14 is omitted, and the means for engaging the power tool constitutes the outer surface of the main body 112. The mainbody 112 is formed of a plurality of regular planar surfaces 22 arranged in a configuration to provide a regular hexagonal end profile as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the main body 112 of the bolt driver 110 shown in Fig. 3 can be received within an appropriately hexagonally configured recess of the power tool.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, there is shown a driving tool for a nut, referred to as a nut driver 24 which may be mounted upon the bolt driven by the bolt driver 10 described above. The nut driver 24 comprises a main body 26 having a main axis Y-Y and defining a main recess 28, comprising a first recess portion 30 for a receiving and drivingly engaging a nut, and a second recess portion 32 for receiving a projecting end of the bolt.

The nut driver 24 also includes a projection 36 for engaging into the recess 16 of the bolt driver 10. As can be seen from Fig. 7, the projection 34 has a profile which is of a generally oval configuration and corresponds to the oval shape of the recess 16 in the bolt drivers 10, and 110 shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Thus, the projection 36 of the driver 24 can be drivingly received in the recess 16 of the bolt driver 10, 110 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 such that the driving force of the power tool is transmitted by the bolt driver 10 or 110 to the nut driver 24.

The nut to be driven has an outer end profile which is generally hexagonal and the first recess portion 30 of the recess 28 has an inner section 37 and a

tapering section 40 extending from a mouth 41 of the recess 28 to the inner section 37. The inner section 37 has a profile of a hexagonal configuration, as shown in Fig. 6, corresponding to the profile of the nut to be driven. The wall of the inner section 37 of the first recess portion 30 comprises six planar surfaces 39 and, at the junction of adjacent planar surfaces 9 there is provided subsidiary recesses 38 defined in the wall of the first recess portion 30. The subsidiary recesses 38 extend above the planar surfaces 39 into the wall of the tapering section 40, and provide guide means for the nut to be driven.

The tapering section 40 tapers outwardly from the inner section 37 to the mouth 41 of the mainbody 26. In operation, the nut driver 24 is spun about its axis Y-Y, and whilst spinning, is applied to the end region of the bolt upon which the nut to be tightened is mounted. The end region of the bolt is received in the second recess portion 32 of the main recess 28, and the nut on said end region of the bolt is received in the tapering section 40 of the first recess portion 30. As the nut is received in the tapering section 40, the taper guides the nut driver 24 to a position such that the nut is centrally arranged over the axis Y-Y.

The corners of the nut engage in the subsidiary recesses 38, thereby causing the nut to spin in the same direction as the nut driver 24 and guiding the corners along the subsidiary recesses 38 until the nut is firmly located in the first recess portion 30. Further spinning of the nut driver 24 tightens the nut on the bolt.

Referring to Fig. 8, there is shown the nut driver 24 coupled onto the bolt driver 10. The bolt driver is mounted on a power tool to be driven thereby, the projection 14 being drivingly received by the power tool.

Referring to Fig. 9, there is shown a chuck arrangement 50 comprising an

article holding means in the form of a holder 52, and transmission means 54 co-

operatively engageable with a power tool. The holder 52 comprises article engaging means in the form of a first body 56 defining a recess 58 for receiving therein an article to be rotatably driven. projection 60 extends from first body 56 along a main axis Z-Z for engagement with the transmission means 54. The transmission means 54 comprises a receiving member in the form of a second body 62 defining a second recess 64 for receiving therein the projection 60 of the holder 52. In one embodiment, the recess 58 of the holder 52 has an end profile of a hexagonal configuration and can receive therein and drivingly engage the projection 14 of the bolt driver 10.

A projection 61 extends from the receiving member 62 of the driving means 54 also along the axis Z-Z, co-axially with the second recess 64. The projection 61 drivingly engages the power tool to enable the chuck arrangement to be driven by the power tool.

The second body 62 of the transmission means 54 defines opposite bores 66, 68 in the wall thereof each of which extends through the wall from the region external thereof to the second recess 64. The projection 60 of the holder 52 defines a bore 70 therethrough and, when the projection 60 is received in the second recess 64 of the transmission means 54, the bores 66, 68 and 70 can be aligned with each other. In such alignment, a breakable member in the form of a pin 72 (see Fig. 9A) can be inserted such that it is received in and extends from the bore 66 in the wall of the main body 62 of the second part 54 through the bore 70 of the projection 60 and into the bore 68 opposite the bore 66.

Referring to Fig. 9A, pin 72 includes a main elongate cylindrical part 74 and opposite end parts 76, 78. A weakened region 80 is provided between the main part 74 and the end part 76. Similarly, a weakened region 82 is provided

between the main part 74 and the end part 78. The weakened regions 80, 82 enable the pin 72 to be broken in the event that the driving force thereon exceeds a pre-determined force. The main elongate cylindrical part 74 is held within the bore 70 through the projection 60. The end parts 76, 78 are held in the respective bores 66, 68 in the side wall of the second body 62.

In use, an article to be driven, for example a bolt driver 10, is inserted into the recess 58 and the projection 61 is received by a power tool to spin the chuck arrangement 50 about its axis Z-Z. The driving force applied by the power tool is transmitted from the transmission means 54 to the holding means 52 via the pin 72. In the event that this driving force exceeds the pre-

determined force, the pin will break at the weakened region 80, 82 thereby preventing further rotation of the holding means 52. This is necessary in the event that the further driving of the driver 10 received in the recess 58 could cause damage or injury.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the recess 58 could be of the same oval configuration as the recess 16 shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to

those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A driving tool comprising a body defining a recess extending along an axis s of the body, wherein the recess has a profile in which the wall of the recess comprises alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle, and the second portions extending inwardly of said circle. lo 2. a driving tool according to claim 1 wherein the driving tool is a tool for use in driving a bolt, at least an end region of the bolt having a profile corresponding to said profile of the recess, and the recess being configured to drivingly receive said end region of the bolt.

15 3. a driving tool according to claim 2 wherein the recess is configured to drivingly engage said end region of the bolt, whereby rotation of the body about said axis rotatably drives the bolt about said axis.

4. A driving tool according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the profile of the recess so is generally oval.

5. A driving tool according to claim 4 wherein the bolt has a generally oval profile corresponding to the profile of the recess.

25 7. A driving tool according to any preceding claim wherein the body includes means for engaging a prime mover to effect said rotation of the body.

8. A driving tool according to claim 7 wherein the engaging means comprises a configured outer surface to matingly engage a corresponding recess in the so prime mover.

9. A driving tool according to claim 8 wherein the configured outer surface of

the body, is of a hexagonal profile.

10. A driving tool according to claim 7 wherein the engaging means comprises an elongate projection which may extend along said axis from the body, the 5 elongate projection including a configured outer surface to matingly engage a corresponding recess in the prime mover.

11. A driving tool according to claim 10 wherein the configured outer surface of the projection is of a hexagonal profile.

12. A driving tool comprising a body for drivingly engaging an article, and a projection extending from the body, wherein the projection has a profile comprising alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle and the second portions extending inwardly of said 15 circle.

13. A driving tool according to claim 12 wherein the profile of projection is i generally oval to 14. A driving tool according to claim 12 or 13 being suitable for use with the driving tool as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the driving tool according to claim 12 or 13 is receivable in the recess of the driving tool according to claim 1 to 11 to drivingly engage therewith, whereby rotation of the body of the driving tool according to claim 1 to 11 about said axis rotatably drives the driving tool 25 according to claim 12 or 13 about said axis.

15. A driving tool comprising a body defining a main recess, the wall of the main recess comprising a plurality of driving surfaces to drivingly engage an article having a plurality of external surfaces, and guide means to guide the JO article such that said driving surfaces engage corresponding external surfaces of the article.

16. A driving tool according to claim 15 wherein the article is a nut and the

body defines a first subsidiary recess to receive the nut threadably mounted on a bolt and a second subsidiary recess, to receive an end region of a bolt on which the nut is mounted.

5 17. A driving tool according to claim 16 wherein the second subsidiary recess extends inwardly of the body.

18. A driving tool according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the second subsidiary recess is co-axial with the first subsidiary recess.

19. A driving tool according to any of claims 15 to 18 wherein the driving tool includes a projection extending from the body, the projection having an axial profile comprising alternating first and second portions, the first portions being arcs of substantially the same circle, and the second portions extending inwardly Is of said circle.

20. A driving tool according to claim 19 wherein the projection extends co-

axially with the main recess.

so 21. A driving tool according to any of claims 15 to 20 wherein the main recess in the body of the driving tool has a hexagonal profile and six of said driving surfaces. 22. A driving tool according to claims 15 to 21 suitable for use with a driving as tool according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the projection of the driving tool according, to any claims 15 to 21 is receivable in the recess of the driving tool according to any of claims 1 to 11 to drivingly engage therewith, whereby rotation of the body of the driving tool according to the third aspect about said axis rotatably drives the driving tool according to the first aspect about said axis.

23. A driving tool according to any of claims 15 to 22 wherein the wall of said main recess has a profile of a hexagonal configuration, and the guide means

comprises guide recesses in the wall of said main recess to receive corners formed by the junctions between adjacent surfaces of the side wall of the article.

24. A driving tool according to any of claims 15 to 23 wherein said main 5 recess comprises a lead in region having a wall tapering inwardly from the outer end of said recess or said first recess.

25. A driving tool comprising article holding means to hold an article to be driven, and transmission means co-operatively engageable with a prime mover to to transmit a driving force from the prime mover to the holding means, wherein one of the transmission means and the holding means comprises a projection and the other of the transmission means and the holding means defines a recess to drivingly receive the projection, and the apparatus further including a breakable member extending between the transmission means and the holding means in Is the recess, whereby the breakable member can break when the driving force exceeds predetermined level.

26. A driving tool according to claim 25 wherein the driving tool comprises a chuck arrangement.

27. A driving tool according to claims 25 or 26 wherein the holding means comprises an article engaging member for engaging the article, and a projection co-operable with the driving means, the projection extending from the article engaging member.

28. A driving tool according to claim 27 wherein the transmission means comprises a receiving member for receiving the projection of the holding means and includes co-operating means to co-operatively engage the prime mover.

29. A driving tool according to claims 28 wherein the receiving member defines a recess for receiving the projector.

30. A driving tool according to claims 27, 28 or 29 wherein a through bore is defined in the projection of the holding means and opposite further through bores are defined in the wall of the receiving member of the transmission means, said bores being aligned with each other when the projection of the holding means is s received in the projection of the transmission means, and said breakable member extending through said through bore and said further through bores.

31. A driving tool according to any of claims 25 to 30 wherein the breakable member includes a weakened region at which the breakable member may break to on the driving force exceeding said pre-determined force when the driving tool is In use.

32. A driving tool according to claim 31 wherein the breakable member may comprise two of said weakened regions, one at each respective end portion 5 thereof.

33. A driving tool according to claim 32 wherein the breakable member includes a main portion and a pair of opposite end portions, the end portions being connected to said main portion by the respective weakened regions.

34. A driving tool according to any of claims 25 to 33 wherein the breakable member comprises a pin.

35. A driving tool substantially as herein described with reference to figs 1 and 25 2. 36. A driving tool substantially as herein described with reference to figs 3 and 4. so 37. A driving tool substantially as herein described with reference to figs 5, 6 and 7.

38. A driving tool substantially as herein described with reference to fig 8.

39. A driving tool substantially as herein described with reference to figs 9 and 9A s 40. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.