GB2447880A

GB2447880A - Spanner sizing tool

Info

Publication number: GB2447880A
Application number: GB0701857A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Benita Poppy Miller; Huw Kevin Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-31
Filing date: 2007-01-31
Publication date: 2008-10-01
Also published as: GB0701857D0

Abstract

The tool includes a body A, an end finger C and an opposing parallel sliding finger B. A spanner or socket size is read through the only window to show an exact alignment, B2. A further window B3 may be used to indicate the nearest larger size of spanner or socket if the correct size is not available. A third window B1 may be used to indicate the nearest smaller size of spanner or socket if, for example, a nut or a bolt head is damaged and requires a smaller spanner or socket to be forced over rounded corners or shoulders of the damaged head. An end stop D prevents the finger B from sliding from body A and becoming detached. A switch E may be contained in the end stop to operate a light source within the body A to illuminate the scales indicated within the windows B1 -B3. The tool may alternatively use an electrical measurement system with a digital readout for size and scale.

Description

SIZEING TOOL.

This invention relates to a device that enables anyone to establish which size of socket or spanner is required to tighten or loosen a nut or bolt.

When looking at a nut or bolt an experienced engineer, after years of practice may be able to gauge the size of the socket or spanner needed for that particular task, however the majority of people would be unable to do so.

This often leads to problems when working in difficult positions such as beneath a machine or vehide for example. The lesser experienced person may try to overcome this problem by looking at the size of the nut or the bolt, extricating themselves from their working position, then selecting a number of various spanners or sockets that look approximately the correct size, regaining their working position then trying each tool one at a time until the correct size is found. However the correct size is not always found, this way which leads to frustration and time loss to repeat the operation with no more guarantee of success (this can also lead to damage to the nut through selection of the wrong spanner! socket which causes serious time delays and inconvenience in completing the task). Further to this more time is then wasted when the job is finally completed and time is taken to return all tools used in the process to their correct place.

To overcome these problems the invention proposes a spanner or socket sizing tool with the means to adjustably fit over a nut or bolt head and indicate the size of the tool required to fit by use of a sliding scale, readout, (digital readout, voice prompt) or other means.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a spanner or socket sizing tool which could consist of a body marked as (A). This body could be marked with the various scales of the different types of nut or bolts currently in use or devised in the future. For example the Metric system, marked MM on Figure 1. American Fine marked A.F on FIgure 2. British standard Fine marked 8.S.F.

on Figure 3, Whltworth marked Whit. on Figure 4.

Each of these scales, plus others could be displayed on a digital readout, If required, as shown at Fig.5, which is shown in M.M. for example only.

Fig. 1 shows a spanner I socket sizing tool which further consists of a sliding finger marked (B) with one or more windows, marked (81), (82), and (B3).

Fig. 1 further shows an end finger marked (C) and an end stop marked CD). (1)

The spanner or socket sizing tool could work by placing the end finger (C) on one side of a nut or bolt head and adjusting the sliding finger (B) tightly parallel to the opposing side.

It would then be possible to read off the spanner size and scale through the only window to show an exact alignment, marked (B2) in Ag 1.

A further feature of the spanner sizing tool could be the use of multiple windows. This would not only indicate the exact size of the socket or spanner required but could also indicate the nearest larger size in case the correct size were not available, this would show through the window marked (B3).

In the event that the nut or bolt head be in a damaged condition, for example having had its shoulders or corners rounded it may be necessary to force on a smaller spanner or socket in order to loosen the nut or bolt in which case the third window marked (Bi) in Fig. 1 would indicate the next smaller size.

When using the spanner or socket sizing tool the end stop (D) in Fig. 1 would prevent sliding finger (B) from sliding from body (A) and becoming detached. End stop (D) could itself be detachable and could contain a switch marked (E) which would operate a light source contained within body (A) in such a way as to illuminate the scales indicated within the windows marked (Bi), (62) and (B3) In Fig.1. (2)

A spanner sizing tool according to claim 1 but using an electrical system instead of a mechanical system of measurement as shown In Fig. 5 in the accompanying drawings, in which case the invention could Incorporate a digital readout for size and scale as opposed to the multiple wIndow system desaibed in claim 1, poInts I and Ii measuring the nut size electronically and displaying the size of spanner needed on a digital display -size up or down can also be shown if required.

A spanned sizing tool according to daims 1 and 2 and 3, but using a combination of methods of measuring and displaying described in claims 1, 2, and 3.

There are currently specialist engineering gauges and measurement gauges available but none which are designed for the proposed use of the spanner / socket sizing tool' and these do not in any case provide easy to read windows, which make this tool unique in its ability to give size needed or size up or down as required.

A normal measuring tool would be something like a slide ruler and in metric measurements could gauge the size of nut, however this could be very difficult to achieve and a tool specifically designed for the purposes gives a readout in any medium required, e.g. American Fine, Imperial, Metric etc.

Claims

CLAIM 1 The spanner sizing tool could work by placing the end finger (C) on one side of a nut or bolt head and adjusting the sliding finger (B) tightly parallel to the opposing side. It would then be possible to read off the spanner size and scale through the only window to show an exact alignment, marked (B2) in Figure 1.

A further feature of the spanner sizing tool could be the use of multiple windows. This would not only indicate the exact size of socket or spanner required but could also indicate the nearest larger size in case the correct size were not available, this would show through window marked (B3).

In the event that the nut or bolt head be in a damaged condition, for example, having had its shoulders' or corners rounded it may be necessary to force on a smaller spanner or socket in order to loosen the nut or bolt in which case the third window marked (B 1) would indicate the next smaller size.

When using the spanner sizing tool the end stop (D) in Fig 1 would prevent sliding finger (B) from sliding from body (A) and becoming detached. End stop (D) could itself be detatchable and could contain a switch marked (E) which could operate a light source contained within body (A) in such a way as to illuminate the scales indicated within the windows marked (B 1), (B2) and (B3) in Fig 1.

CLAIM 2 A spanner sizing tool according to Claim I but using an electrical instead of a mechanical system of measurement as shown at Fig 5 in the accompanying drawings, in which case the invention could incorporate a digital readout for size and scale as opposed to the multiple window system described in Claim 1, points i and ii measuring the nut or bolt size electronically and displaying the size of spanner needed digitally -size up or down as needed.

CLAIM 3 A spanner sizing tool according to Claims 1 and 2 but using a magnetic or other system instead of mechanical or electrical.

CLAIM 4 A spanner sizing tool according to Claims 1, 2 and 3 but using a combination of methods of measuring and displaying as described in Claims 1, 2 and 3 with the addition of audio display and voice prompt.

Measurement gauges currently available do not offer a tool which can display by use. There are specialist engineering gauges and measurement gauges available but none which is designed for the proposed use and these do not in any case provide easy to read windows, which make this tool unique in its ability to give size up or down as required.

A normal measuring tool would be something like a slide ruler and in metric measuremens could gauge the size of a nut, however this could be difficult to achieve and a tool specifically designed for the purposed gives a readout or audio prompt in any medium required, e.g. American fine, metric etc.