NZ541559A - Socket wrench head with rotatable members retained in cage so as to transfer torque - Google Patents

Abstract

A socket wrench head is disclosed with rotatable members, typically tapered rollers 13, retained by a cage 12 and a drive plate 14 such that the rotatable members 13 bear against and engage the flange face by way of torque being applied from an opposing face of the drive plate 14 as a wrench handle is rotated to rotate the drive plate and drive flange 10 together.

Description

4 15 5 9 *10052757497* Our ref: NIV001 Patents Form No. 5 No. 541559 Dated 1 August 2005 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 40 DRIVE WRENCH DEVICE I, David Niven, a British citizen, of 24 Turakina Street, New Plymouth, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the 45 method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 2 7 OCT 2006 received DRIVE WRENCH DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a torque transfer mechanism for use with a torque or socket wrench or the like. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a drive means for a socket wrench.

BACKGROUND ART The use of a standard ratchet torque wrench can cause the problem of a loose nut or bolt rotating backwards and forwards by operation of a conventional socket wrench driver mechanism.

It is a non-limiting object of the invention to provide a socket wrench device which overcomes at least some of the abovementioned problems, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided a drive wrench device for use in a socket wrench, the device including a wrench head having a cavity with a centrally aligned drive axis therethrough, the cavity being adapted to receive a drive flange provided 25 with a drive shank at one end and a flange face at the other end, and a drive actuating member including a plurality of rotatable members being retained in a spaced apart arrangement by a cage means and a drive plate member that are configured and arranged, in use, such that the rotatable members bear against and engage the flange face by way of torque being applied from an opposing face of the drive plate member as the wrench 30 handle is being rotated to axially rotate both the drive plate and the drive flange together. 2 Preferably the plurality of rotatable members are tapered rollers configured and arranged substantially equidistantly about the drive plate member, and wherein the drive plate member is adapted with corresponding roller beds adapted to bear against the rollers.

Desirably six tapered rollers and corresponding roller beds on the drive plate member are provided.

Desirably the drive wrench device further includes a means for allowing the direction of rotation of the drive flange to be reversed.

Preferably the drive wrench device further includes a spring biasing means for urging the drive plate member toward the drive flange.

Preferably the spring biasing means includes a coil spring being urged against the rear face of the drive plate member by a spring housing.

Advantageously the spring housing is adjustable to increase or decrease the spring bias against the rear face of the drive plate member.

Optionally the plurality of rotatable members are balls configured and arranged substantially equidistantly about the drive plate member and retained in a spaced apart arrangement by the cage means, and wherein the drive plate member is adapted with corresponding beds for receiving and actuating the balls.

Preferably the flange face of the drive flange is concave and the opposing face of the drive plate is configured as a convex shape to accommodate the rolling shape of the roller members, in use, being engageable between the flange face of the drive flange and the opposing face of the drive plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention will now be illustrated, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 3 Figure 1: illustrates a socket wrench 1; Figure 2: illustrates a cross sectional view of the wrench head through A-A of figure 1 showing components of a wrench drive means according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3: illustrates an exploded view of components of the wrench drive means of figure 2; Figure 4: illustrates a plan view of the drive face of a drive plate; Figure 5: illustrates a side view of figure 4; Figure 6: illustrates a drive plate and associated actuation arm; and Figure 7: illustrates the cage and cage actuator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to figure 1, a socket wrench, generally referred to as 1, is illustrated.

The socket wrench 1 includes a wrench head 2 that is integral with a shank or shaft 3 and handle 4. The handle 4 is formed at the distal end of the shaft 3 from the wrench head 2 25 along a longitudinal axis and swing plane that is perpendicular to the drive axis X-X (as shown in figure 2) through the wrench head in which a drive housing 6 for retaining the wrench drive means is provided.

The present invention offers a new wrench drive means or a new torque transfer 30 mechanism arrangement located in the wrench head 2 of a socket wrench 1 for transferring reciprocating motion of the handle to a rotational motion of the drive housing 6. 4 Referring now to figures 2 to 7, components of a wrench drive means, according to one preferred embodiment of the invention, is illustrated.

A cross sectional view through A-A of figure 1 of the wrench head 2 is shown, and in 5 particular, the arrangement of components of a wrench drive means or torque transfer mechanism means, is now described.

The wrench head 2 includes a cavity in the form of a drive housing 6 for receiving and retaining the wrench drive means. In this embodiment, a projecting drive shank 7 is 10 mountable in the housing 6. The drive shank 7 includes a slot 8 into which a spring loaded ball detent 9 is retained. In use, it will be seen that the shank can be of any desirable and suitable size to fit and drive any available sockets, such as a square drive stud or shank, and the distance across the flats of the square cross section may be, for example, 1/8, 1/4, 3/8,1/2, 3/4 of an inch or 1 inch or any other other size as required.

The drive shank 7 forms part of a drive flange 10 that, in use, is driven to rotate the socket on the wrench 1. The rear flange face 11 of the drive flange 10 is adapted to allow a drive actuating member in the form of a cage 12 to bear against the rear flange face 11 and engage with or actuate to rotate the drive shank 7, as required. The rear flange face 11 can 20 be desirably and suitably tapered and concave in form as shown, and the surface of the rear flange face 11 is substantially smooth to allow for the roller members 13 to disengage when the wrench drive means is reversed. At least one roller member 13 is arranged and configured on the opposing outer face 14a of a drive plate member in the form of a drive plate 14. More preferably the roller member 13 is a tapered roller member with a cross 25 sectional shape as shown in figure 3.

In this non limiting preferred embodiment, and as seen more clearly with reference to the side and end views of the drive plate 14 illustrated in figures 4 and 5 respectively, the drive plate 14 is adapted with six equidistantly positioned roller grooves or slots 15 radially 30 arranged about the central drive axis X-X as seen in figure 4, and with each slot 15 receiving a tapered roller member 13 thereon. Each slot 15 is bevelled either by a curve or taper to match or correspond with the shape of the roller 13 or the rolling circumference of the roller 13, and it is seen that the opposing face 14a of the drive plate 14 is desirably convex in form from the central hub 24 to the outer edge of the slots 15.

Protrusions 28 are provided about the drive plate 14, and in use, are aligned with slots 6a 5 provided in the drive housing 6 of the wrench head 2. The slots 6a function to transfer force to the protrusions 28 and the drive plate 14 and to allow the drive plate 14 to move forwards and backwards as required. The arrangement, in use, allows axial movement while force is being transmitted.

Alternatively, it is considered that the roller means can be in the form of a plurality of balls spaced apart and arranged to allow the drive plate 14 to freely rotate as required. Optionally the roller members may include a plurality of "dog bone" shapes configured and arranged to transfer a torque or force from the drive plate 14 to the drive flange 10 accordingly. In an alternative embodiment applying roller members as "dog bones", the 15 slots 15 are not required on the drive plate 14, and the other end of each "dog bone" may serve as a cam in the drive means.

The rotatable cage 12 is adapted to separate and position each of the roller members 13 about the drive plate 14. The cage 12 may be adapted with cage spring means or means to 20 align and retain the rollers 13 in their rotational orientation in respective slots 15 about the drive plate 14. It would be appreciated that the cage 12 may also desirably reduce wear and deformation of the rollers 13 and drive plate 14 by maintaining reasonable alignment of the roller members 13.

It is seen that the cage 12 is adapted and configured, in use, to be substantially centred on the drive plate 14 and to be free to rotate about the drive axis X-X.

It is considered that any desirable number of roller members 13 and corresponding roller beds in the form of grooves or slots 15 can be provided, and preferably either six or eight rollers 13 30 and corresponding slots 15 are provided. The slots 15 are desirably bevelled, either by a curve and/or being tapered as such to correspond with the rolling surface of the roller 13. As shown more clearly in figure 4, the angle of the edge of the taper or curve of each slot 15 can be between 0.001 and 89.9 degrees, and more preferably is between 6 to 13 degrees. 6 An actuation arm 16 with a spring loaded actuator detent 17 is desirably configured and arranged through a slot 18 in the wrench head that can be optionally oriented substantially perpendicular to the drive axis X-X, as seen in figures 6 and 7. The actuation arm 16 is 5 movable between a make up position to lock the cage 12 through to prevent the drive means from rotating, and a break out neutral position allowing the cage 12 and hence the wrench drive means to freely rotate. The actuation arm 16 can be spring loaded or biased so as to keep the arm 16 and the cage 12 in position. Advantageously the actuator detent may be configured to automatically re-engage the slot 18 when, in use, the cage 12 comes 10 to rest.

Referring now more particularly to figure 7, spaced apart apertures 25 are provided in the cage 12 matching the number of rollers 13 in this embodiment, and in this embodiment six apertures 25 are provided. The size and the shape of the apertures 25 are such, in use, as to 15 allow each roller 13 to freely rotate within and to make contact between the drive plate 14 and the rear flange face 11 as required. Cage slots 26 are provided in the cage 12 in positions about the cage 12 such that the actuator detent 17 can engage and disengage the cage 12 when the rollers 13 move to the adjoining roller bay. The cage slots 26 are adapted or shaped so as to disengage the actuator detent 26 sideways rather than being 20 retracted, and can re-engage when a user slidably moves the actuation arm 16 by dislodging spring loaded detent 27.

The cage 12 is preferably made of steel, and may desirably be rubber coated so that roller members 13, in use, can touch the cage 12 on both sides to take up any clearance 25 tolerances in the location of the slots 15. This arrangement would allow all the rollers 13, in use, to make contact with both the rear flange face 11 and the drive plate 14.

It is seen that the cage 12 and the roller members 13 are under no restriction of combined rotational movement when there is no torque being transmitted. The actuator detent 17, in 30 use, can be moved into a non neutral position by a user. It is considered that the distance between the neutral position and the engaging position of the detent 17 is such that the detent 17 can be forced to bend and apply a force on the cage 12, therefore forcing the roller member 13 to be in contact with both the drive flange 10 and the drive plate 14. 7 When torque is applied to the wrench head 2, it is seen that the roller members 13 are effectively jammed between the drive flange 10 and the drive plate 14. However, there is no force required to disengage the flange 10 and the plate 14 as the components are incompressible.

The drive plate 14 in this embodiment is spring biased toward the drive flange 10 by way of a coil or spring 19 being retained within a spring housing 20, and with the spring 19 providing tension against the rear face 21 of the drive plate 14. The spring housing 20 is threaded onto the wrench head 2 by way of an internal thread 22 on the housing 20 10 threading into an external thread 23 on the wrench head. It is seen then that the tension on the spring 19 can be increased or decreased by the clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation respectively of the housing 20.

It is seen in operation that when the wrench drive means and wrench head are rotated in a 15 clockwise direction, the slots 15 on one side of the drive face wedge the rollers members 13 against the drive flange 10. As the roller members 13 are incompressible, and the drive plate 14 and the drive flange 10 are unable to move apart, it is seen that torque is transferred from the driver to the drive flange 10 and hence a socket on the end of the drive shank 7. When the wrench head 2 is rotated anti-clockwise, the drive plate 14 releases 20 away from the drive flange 10 and freely rotates with no torque transfer to the socket on the drive shank 7.

It is seen as an advantage with this invention that the roller members 13 can engage the drive flange 10 at any rotational position, and in this respect the invention could be 25 considered as being a stepless torque transfer mechanism that is adapted and configured in the wrench head of a socket wrench.

It will be appreciated that materials used for components of the invention include any suitable durable and resilient material, for example only but not limited to, steel, and more preferably 30 stainless steel.

Wherein the foregoing reference has been made to integers or components having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. 8 Accordingly, it will be appreciated that changes may be made to the above described embodiments of the invention without departing from the principles taught herein.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not 5 restrictive. Additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent for those skilled in the art after considering the principles in particular form as discussed and illustrated. Thus, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described or illustrated, but is intended to cover all alterations or modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims. 9

Claims (6)

Claims:

1. A drive wrench device for use in a socket wrench, the device including a wrench head having a cavity with a centrally aligned drive axis therethrough, 5 the cavity being adapted to receive a drive flange provided with a drive shank at one end and a flange face at the other end, and a drive actuating member including a plurality of rotatable members being retained in a spaced apart arrangement by a cage means and a drive plate member that are configured and arranged, in use, such that the rotatable members bear against and engage the 10 flange face by way of torque being applied from an opposing face of the drive plate member as the wrench handle is being rotated to axially rotate both the drive plate and the drive flange together.

2. A drive wrench according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of rotatable members 15 are tapered rollers configured and arranged substantially equidistantly about the drive plate member, and wherein the drive plate member is adapted with corresponding roller beds adapted to bear against the rollers.

3. A drive wrench according to claim 2 wherein six tapered rollers and 20 corresponding roller beds on the drive plate member are provided.

4. A drive wrench device according to claim 1 further comprising a means for allowing the direction of rotation of the drive flange to be reversed. 25

5. A drive wrench according to any one of the preceding claims further including a spring biasing means for urging the drive plate member toward the drive flange.

6. A drive wrench according to claim 5 wherein the spring biasing means includes 30 a coil spring being urged against the rear face of the drive plate member by a spring housing. 10 54 1 5 59 5 8. 10 9. 15 10. A drive wrench according to claim 6 wherein the spring housing is adjustable to increase or decrease the spring bias against the rear face of the drive plate member. A drive wrench according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of rotatable members are balls configured and arranged substantially equidistantly about the drive plate member and retained in a spaced apart arrangement by the cage means, and wherein the drive plate member is adapted with corresponding beds for receiving and actuating the balls. A drive wrench according to any one of the claims 1 to 7 wherein the flange face of the drive flange is concave and the opposing face of the drive plate is configured as a convex shape to accommodate the rolling shape of the roller members, in use, being engageable between the flange face of the drive flange and the opposing face of the drive plate. A drive wrench device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. 20 DAVID NIVEN By his Agents SCHUCH & COMPANY 30 35 11 Intellectual Properly I Office of N.Z. 2 7 OCT 2006 received