GB2453008A

GB2453008A - Wrench

Info

Publication number: GB2453008A
Application number: GB0809030A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsai-Ching Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-18
Filing date: 2008-05-19
Publication date: 2009-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-19
Also published as: DE102008021411A1; GB0809030D0; TWI333444B; GB2453008B; DE202007013057U1; DE102008021411B4; TW200918245A

Abstract

A wrench comprises a handle 20 including two collar portions 211 formed on an end thereof, arranged parallel to and spaced from each other with two through-holes 212 defined on the collar portions, and a gear wheel 30 rotatably mounted in the collar portions and exposed from the through-holes of the handle, wherein the gear wheel allows a ratcheting operation of the wrench and is rotatable in universal movement in the through-holes of the handle. The gear wheel may comprise a plurality of teeth 343 on its outer periphery. The wrench may comprise a pressed pawl member 25 and an elastic member 24 received in the end of the handle with the elastic member disposed between the pressed pawl member and the end of the handle for biasing the pressed pawl member toward the gear wheel for engagement therewith. The wrench may comprise a head 10 mounted on an end of the handle and including two through holes 13 corresponding to the through holes of the handle, wherein the gear wheel is exposed from the through-holes of the head and handle. A wrench comprises a handle (20', Figure 13), a head (10', Figure 13) formed on an end thereof and including a compartment (101', Figure 13) that is open to the top and bottom, and a gearwheel rotatably mounted in the compartment and exposed toward the top and bottom of the head, wherein the gear wheel includes an outer periphery that allows a universal movement within the compartment.

Description

1 Wrench with gear wheels for universal movement in use

2 Background of the Invention

3 1. Field of the Invention

4 The present invention relates to a wrench with gear wheels.

2. DescriDtion of the Related Art 6 Wrenches are an important hand tool and have many types such as 7 spanners, adjusting wrenches, combination wrenches, and socket wrenches.

8 Ring spanners are very useful when the fastener to be tightened or loosened is 9 located in a difficult-to-access place. However, the ring spanners could not be operated in a reverse direction and thus require troublesome disengagement 11 of the ring spanner from the fastener and reengagement of the ring spanner 12 until tightening or loosening of the fastener is achieved.

13 Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at least alleviate

14 the problems encountered in prior art.

16 Summary of the Invention

17 It is, therefore, an objective of the present invention to provide a wrench 18 with gear wheels that is adapted for universal movement in use.

19 In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a wrench in accordance with the present invention comprises: 21 a handle including two collar portions formed on an end thereof and two 22 through-holes respectively defined on the collar portions, with the collar 23 portions parallel to and spaced from each other; and I a gear wheel rotatably mounted in the collar portions and exposed from the 2 through-holes of the handle respectively; 3 wherein the gear wheel allows a ratcheting operation of the wrench in a 4 predetermined direction, with the gear wheel being rotatable in universal movement in the through-holes of the handle.

6 In further aspects, the gear wheel further comprises an actuating member 7 received therein and forming a connecting end, with the connecting end 8 adapted for connecting to a sleeve in use.

9 Other objectives and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction 11 with the accompanying drawings.

13 Brief Description of the Drawings

14 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wrench in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

16 Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wrench shown in Fig. 1.

17 Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along 3-3 in Fig. 1.

18 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along 4-4 in Fig. 1.

19 Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating use of the wrench.

21 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a wrench in accordance with the second 22 embodiment of the present invention.

23 Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wrench shown in Fig. 6.

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I Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a wrench in accordance with the third 2 embodiment of the present invention.

3 Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the wrench shown in Fig. 8.

4 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along 10-10 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along 11-11 in Fig. 8.

6 Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a wrench in accordance with the fourth 7 embodiment of the present invention.

8 Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the wrench shown in Fig. 12.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

11 Referring to Figs. 1 through 4, a wrench in accordance with a first 12 embodiment in the present invention is designated by a wrench 100 and 13 generally includes two heads 10, an elongated handle 20 respectively and two 14 gear wheels 30. Each head 10 includes two covering portions 11 being parallel to and spaced from each other and a space defined between the 16 covering portions 11, a connected element 12 adapted to join the covering 17 portions 11 and two through-holes 13 respectively formed on an end of the 18 covering portions 11. Two fixed holes 111 are defined on another end of the 19 covering portions 11, respectively, and allow a pin 14 inserting therethrough.

Two recess 112 are formed on the edge of the front end of the covering 21 portions 11, respectively, and integrate with two ends of the connected 22 element 12, respectively. The connected element 12 does not protrude from 23 the related covering portions 11

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I Two ends of the elongated handle 20 are received in the spaces of the 2 head 10 and combined with the head 10 via the pins 14, respectively. The 3 elongated handle 20 consists of two first plate members 21 and a second 4 plated member 22 disposed between the first plated members 21. Two bolt members 23 are inserted through the first and second plate members 21, 22 6 for a combination of the first and second plate members 21, 22.

7 Each first plate member 21 includes two collar portions 211 defined on 8 two ends thereof respectively, with the collar portion 211 disposed in the 9 space and corresponding to the covering portions 11 of each head 10. A through-hole 212 is defined on each collar portion 211 and corresponding to 11 the through-holes 13 of the related head 10. A recess 213 is formed on the 12 outer periphery of each collar portion 211 and for abutting against the interior 13 side of the related connected element 12. Two first holes 214 are defined on 14 each first plate member 21, with one of the first holes 214 corresponding to the fixed holes 111 of the related head 10 and allowing the related pin 14 16 inserting therethrough. Two second holes 215 are defined on each first plate 17 member 21 and allows the bolt members 23 inserting therethrough 1 8 respectively.

19 The second plate member 22 includes a plate portion 221 and two side portions 222 disposed on two sides of the plate portion 221 for preventing 21 transverse movement of the first plate members 21 on the second plate 22 member 22. Two first and second holes 223, 224 are formed on the second 23 plate member 22 and respectively correspond to the first and second holes 24 214, 215 of each first plate member 21. Therefore, the pins 14 are 1 respectively inserted through the fixed holes 111 and the first holes 214, 223 2 as to couple the heads 10 to the elongated handle 20. The bolt members 23 3 are respectively inserted through the second holes 215,224 for a combination 4 of the first and second plate members 21, 22.

Two receiving portions 225 are formed on the two ends of the second 6 plate member 22 respectively, with each receiving portion 225 provided for 7 receiving a pressed pawl member 25 and an elastic member 24, that is 8 disposed between the pressed paw! member 25 and the receiving portion 225, 9 with an engaged end 251 formed on an end of the pressed paw! member 25 opposite to the elastic member 24.

11 The gear wheels 30 are rotatably disposed in the heads 10, respectively, 12 between the covering portions 11 and the first plate members 21. Each gear 13 wheel 30 forms an inner polygonal peripheiy 33 therein for engaging with a 14 fastener (such as a nut, bolt head. etc.) and a plurality of teeth 343 on an outer periphery 34 thereof. A first annular rim 31 and a second annular rim 32 are 16 respectively defined on two ends of the outer periphery 34 of each gear wheel 17 30. Namely, the rims 31 and 32 are axially spaced from each other.

18 The engaged end 251 of the pressed paw! member 25 is provided to 19 engage with the teeth 343 of the related gear wheel 30. The pressed pawl member 25 is biased by the elastic element 24 to engage with the related gear 21 wheel 30 to thereby allow a ratcheting operation of the wrench in a 22 predetermined direction and free rotation of the gear wheel 30 in a reverse 23 direction.

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I As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the first annular rim 31 defines a first 2 retaining edge 341, and the second annular rim 32 defines a second retaining 3 edge 342 for limitation of the gear wheels 30 in the covering portions 11 and 4 the first plate members, which will be described later. The gear wheel 30 may be turned to a desired direction that corresponds to the location of the 6 fastener which would be loosened or tightened. Moreover, disengagement 7 of each gear wheel 30 from the related head 10 is prevented by the retaining 8 edges 341 and 342 that are in contact with the covering portions 11 when the 9 gear wheel 30 reaches its critical position, at best shown in Fig. 5. In addition, each gear wheel 30 is preferably formed into the shape of a ball or 11 sphere, and the same is provided with the teeth 343 made in a circular form 12 on the outer periphery 34 thereof.

13 Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, a wrench in accordance with a second 14 embodiment in the present invention is similar to the first embodiment except that the heads 10 are removed and two connected element 12a are 16 respectively adapted for joining the front end of the first plate members 21 to 17 each other. Therefore, the gear wheels 30 are repsectively disposed in the 18 collar portions 211.

19 Referring to Figs. 9 through 11, a wrench in accordance with a third embodiment in the present invention is similar to the first embodiment except 21 several features.

22 Firstly, two gear wheels 30a and 30b respectively replace the gear wheels 23 30, with the size of the gear wheel 30a being smaller than that of the gear 24 wheel 30b. The structure of the gear wheels 30a is similar to the gear wheel 1 30 except that the circumference of first annular rim 3 la is smaller than that 2 of the second annular rim 32a. Therefore, the inner polygonal periphery 33a 3 includes first and second portions 331 a and 332a, with the inner 4 circumference of the first portion 331 a is smaller than that of the second portion 332a for engaging with two different sizes of fasteners. And the 6 structure of the gear wheel 30b is similar to the gear wheel 30a except that the 7 inner circumference of the first portions 33 lb and 332b are bigger than that of 8 the first portions 331 a and 332a, respectively. Accordingly, the wrench with 9 the gear wheels 30a and 30b of this embodiment is adapted for engaging with four different sizes of fasteners.

11 Secondly, two pawl means 40 are respectively installed between the gear 12 wheels 30a, 30b and two ends of the second plate member 22. Each pawl 13 means 40 includes a pawl member 41 and a connected member 42, with each 14 connected member 42 further replacing the pin 14 to insert through the related fixed holes 111 and the related first holes 214 for joining the related 16 head 10 and the handle 20 to each other. Each pawl member 41 forms a hole 17 411 on the center thereof for the connected member 42 inserting therethrough.

18 Two adjoining pockets 412 are defined on a side of each pawl member 41 19 adjacent to the second plate member 22. Teeth 413 are defined on another side of each pawl member 41 adjacent to one of the gear wheels 30a, 30b.

21 Each connected member 42 includes a first end 421 and a second end 422, 22 with the first end 421 inserted through the first plate member 21 and the 23 covering portion 11 that are above the second plate member 22, with the 24 second end 422 inserted through the related pawl member 41, the first plate S. I member 21 and the covering portion 11 that are below the second plate 2 member 22, and hence the pawl means 40 are respectively fixed between the 3 head 10 and two ends of the handle 20.

4 Thirdly, a pressed pawl member 25a replaces the pressed pawl member 25 and forms an engaged end 251 a on an end thereof for engaging with one of 6 the related adjoining pockets 412 and a recess 252a on another end thereof for 7 receiving the elastic element 24, with the recess 252a opposite to the engaged 8 end25la.

9 As illustrated in Fig. 10, when user operates the paw! means 40 for engaging the teeth 413 with the teeth 343a (or 343b, not shown in the 11 drawings) so that the gear wheel 30a (or 30b, not shown in the drawings) is 12 limited to rotate in one direction and the engaged end 251 a is biased by the 13 elastic element 24 to engage with one of the adjoining pockets 412 for 14 stabilizing the pawl member 41 in use.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention shows that a wrench 1 16 which includes a handle 20', a head 10' formed on an end of the handle 20' 17 and a compartment 101' defined in the head 10', with the compartment 101' 18 open to the top and bottom of the head 10'. A button 26' is disposed 19 between the head 10' and the handle 20' and protrudes from the top of the handle 20' for users to operate. A cavity 27' is formed between the head 10' 21 and the button 26' and communicates with the compartment 101', with the 22 elastic member 24 and the pressed pawl member 25 are received in the cavity 23 27'. The gear wheel 30 is disposed in the compartment 101' and an 24 actuating member 50 is installed in the gear wheel 30, referring to Figs. 12

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I and 13. The engaged end 251 is engaged with the teeth 341 of the gear 2 wheel 30. A fixed plate 28' is provided on the bottom of the compartment 3 101' and a C-clip 29' grips the fixed plate 28' as to prevent disengagement of 4 the gear wheel from the head 10'. A connecting end 51 is formed on an end of the actuating member 50 and preferably adapted for connecting a sleeve or 6 the like.

Claims

I What is claimed is: 2 1. A wrench (100) comprising: 3 a handle (20) including two collar portions (211) formed on an end thereof 4 and two through-holes (212) respectively defined on the collar portions, with the collar portions parallel to and spaced from each other; and 6 a gear wheel (30) rotatably mounted in the collar portions and exposed from 7 the through-holes of the handle respectively; 8 wherein the gear wheel allows a ratcheting operation of the wrench in a 9 predetermined direction, with the gear wheel being rotatable in universal movement in the through-holes of the handle.

11 2. The wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear wheel further 12 comprises a plurality of teeth (343) formed on an outer periphery (34) 13 thereof.

14 3. The wrench as claimed in claim 1,wherein the handle further comprises two first plate members (21), a second plate member (22) disposed between 16 the first plate members and at least one of bolt members (23) for combination 17 of the first and second plate members.

18 4. The wrench as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one of 19 second holes (215, 224) formed on each first and the second plate member, respectively, for the at least one of bolt members inserting theretbrough.

21 5. The wrench as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a pressed paw! 22 member (25) and an elastic member (24) received in an end of the handle, 23 with the elastic element (24) disposed between the pressed pawl member and I the end of the handle for biasing the pressed pawl member toward the gear 2 wheel to engage with the teeth of the gear wheel.

3 6. The wrench as claimed in claim 5, wherein the handle further comprises 4 a receiving portion (225) for receiving the pressed pawl member and the elastic element.

6 7. The wrench as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gear wheel further 7 comprises a first annular rim (31, 31 a, 3 ib) and a second annular rim (32, 32a, 8 32b) on two ends thereof, with the outer periphery (34, 34a, 34b) defined 9 between the first and second annular rims.

8. The wrench as claimed in claims 2 and 7, with the gear wheel forming an 11 inner polygonal periphery (33) therein for engaging with a fastener in use.

12 9. The wrench as claimed in claims 7 and 8, with the circumference of the 13 first annular rim (31 a, 31 b) being smaller than that of the second annular rim 14 (32a,32b).

10. The wrench as claimed in claim 9, with the inner polygonal periphery 16 including a first portion (33 la) and a second portion (332a), with the inner 17 circumference of the first portion being smaller than that of the second 18 portion 332a for engaging with two different sizes of fasteners in use.

19 11. The wrench as claimed in claims 1 through 4, further comprising a head (10) mounted on an end of the handle and including two through holes (13) 21 corresponding to the through-holes of an end of the handle, respectively; 22 wherein the gear wheel rotatably mounted in the head and exposed from the 23 through-holes of the head and the handle respectively. I'

1 12. The wrench as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head further comprises 2 two covering portions (11) spaced from and parallel to each other, with a 3 space defined between the two covering portions for receiving the related end 4 of the handle, with the through holes of the head formed on the covering portions repsectively.

6 13. The wrench as claimed in claim 12, wherein the head further comprises a 7 connected element (12) for a connection of the front ends of the covering 8 portions.

9 14. The wrench as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head further comprises a connected element (1 2a) for a connection of the front ends of the first plate 11 members.

12 15. The wrench as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11, further comprising a 13 pawl means (40) installed between the gear wheel and an end of the handle, 14 with the pawl means including a plurality of teeth (413) on a side thereof and a plurality of adjoining pockets (412) on another side thereof opposite to the 16 teeth(413).

17 16. The wrench as claimed in claim 15, with the adjoining pockets adapted 18 for engaging with the related pressed pawl member, with the teeth of the pawl 19 means adapted for engaging with the teeth of the related gear wheel.

17. The wrench as claimed in claims 11 and 12, further comprising apin (14) 21 inserting through the related head and the handle for joining the head with the 22 handle.

23 18. The wrench as claimed in claim 17, with each covering portion including 24 a fixed hole, with each first plate member and the second plate member I including at least one of first holes corresponding to the fixed hole for the pin 2 inserting therethrough.

3 19. A wrench (1) comprising: 4 a handle; a head (10') formed on an end of the handle and including a compartment 6 that is open to the top and bottom thereof, respectively; and 7 a gear wheel (30) rotatably mounted in the compartment and exposed 8 toward the top and bottom of the head, respectively; 9 wherein the gear wheel includes an outer periphery that allows an universal movement within the compartment of the head.

11 20. The wrench as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a button (26') 12 disposed between the head and the handle and protruding from the top of the 13 handle for users to control rotating direction of the gear wheel.

14 21. The wrench as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a cavity (27') formed between the head and the button and communicates with the 16 compartment, with an elastic member (24) and a pressed pawl member (25) 17 received in the cavity, with the elastic member adapted for biasing the 18 pressed pawl member toward the gear wheel to engage with the gear wheel.

19 22. The wrench as claimed in claims 19-20, further comprising a fixed plate (28') on the bottom of the compartment and a C-clip (29') gripping the fixed 21 plate as to prevent disengagement of the gear wheel from the head.

22 23. The wrench as claimed in claims 19 through 22, further comprising an 23 actuating member (50) received in the gear wheel and forming a connecting 24 end (51), with the connecting end adapted for connecting to a sleeve in use.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows I What is claimed is: 2 1. A wrench comprising: 3 a handle including two collar portions formed on an end thereof and two 4 through-holes respectively defined on the collar portions, with the collar portions parallel to and spaced from each other; 6 a head mounted on an end of the handle and including two through-holes, 7 each through-hole corresponding to a respective one of the through-holes of 8 the ends of the handle; and 9 a gear wheel rotatably mounted in the head and the collar portions, with two ends of the gear wheel extending from respective through-holes of the 11 head and the handle; 12 wherein the gear wheel allows a ratcheting operation of the wrench in a 13 predetermined direction, with the gear wheel being rotatable through a 14 predetermined angle in the through-holes of the handle.

2. The wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear wheel further 16 comprises a plurality of teeth formed on an outer periphery thereof.

17 3. The wrench as claimed in claim 1,wherein the handle further comprises 18 two first plate members, a second plate member disposed between the first 19 plate members and at least one bolt member to connect the first and second * ** plate members together. S...

2l 4. The wrench as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one of *.22 second holes formed on each first arid the second plate member, S.....

:.,u23 respectively, for the at least one bolt member to be inserted therethrough. S.. P

S.....

S

1 5. The wrench as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a pressed pawl 2 member and an elastic member) received in an end of the handle, with the 3 elastic element disposed between the pressed pawl member and the end of 4 the handle for biasing the pressed pawl member toward the gear wheel to engage with the teeth of the gear wheel.

6 6. The wrench as claimed in claim 5, wherein the handle further comprises 7 a receiving portion for receiving the pressed paw! member and the elastic 8 element.

9 7. The wrench as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gear wheel further comprises a first annular rim and a second annular rim on two ends thereof, 11 with the outer periphery defined between the first and second annular rims.

12 8. The wrench as claimed in claims 2 and 7, with the gear wheel forming an 13 inner polygonal periphery therein for engaging with a fastener in use.

14 9. The wrench as claimed in claims 7 and 8, with the circumference of the first annular rim being smaller than that of the second annular rim.

16 10. The wrench as claimed in claim 9, with the inner polygonal periphery 17 including a first portion and a second portion, with the inner circumference of 18 the first portion being smaller than that of the second portion for engaging 19 with two different sizes of fasteners in use. * **

* . 20 11. The wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head further comprises I...

two covering portions spaced from and parallel to each other, with a space * :22 defined between the two covermg portions for receivmg the respective end of :.23 the handle, with the through holes of the head formed on the covering S..

*24 portions respectively. *... V.,

1 12. The wrench as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head further comprises a 2 connected element (12) for a connection of the two covering portions.

3 13. The wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head further comprises a 4 connected element for a connection of the front ends of the first plate members.

6 14. The wrench as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising a pawl 7 means installed between the gear wheel and an end of the handle, with the 8 pawl means including a plurality of teeth on a side thereof and a plurality of 9 adjoining pockets on another side thereof opposite to the teeth.

15. The wrench as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a pressed pawl 11 member installed between the pawl means and an end of the handle, with the 12 adjoining pockets adapted for engaging with the respective pressed pawl 13 member, with the teeth of the pawl means adapted for engaging with the teeth 14 of the related gear wheel.

16. The wrench as claimed in claims 1 and 11, further comprising a pin 16 inserting through the related head and the handle for joining the head with the 17 handle.

18 17. The wrench as claimed in claim 16, with each covering portion including 19 a fixed hole, with each first plate member and the second plate member * S. u***** 20 including at least one of first holes corresponding to the fixed hole for the pin S... * * *S*.

21 mserting therethrough.

.: 22 18. A wrench comprising: *55S** :.23 a handle; S.. --S..... S. -

a head having a first side and a second side, the head being formed on 2 an end of the handle and including a compartment that is open to the first side 3 and second side; and 4 a gear wheel rotatably mounted in the compartment and the two ends of the gear wheel extending from the first side and second side of the head 6 respectively; 7 wherein the gear wheel includes an outer periphery that allows rotation 8 through a predetermined angle within the compartment of the head.

9 19. The wrench as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a button disposed between the head and the handle and protruding from the first side of the 11 handle for users to control rotating direction of the gear wheel.

12 20. The wrench as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a cavity formed 13 between the head and the button which communicates with the compartment, 14 with an elastic member and a pressed pawl member received in the cavity, with the elastic member adapted for biasing the pressed pawl member toward 16 the gear wheel to engage with the gear wheel.

17 21. The wrench as claimed in claims 18 and 19, further comprising a fixed 18 plate on the second side of the compartment and a C-clip gripping the fixed 19 plate as to prevent disengagement of the gear wheel frQm the head.

22. The wrench as claimed in claims 18, 19, 20 or 21, further comprising an * *e *:::* 21 actuating member received in thà gear wheel and forming a connecting end, *:*. 22 with the connecting end adapted for connecting to a sleeve in use.

: 23 23. A wrench substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to . 24 the accompanying drawings. *

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