US2469386A - Spud wrench holder - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1949. A. N. HANSON SPUD WRENCH HOLDER Filed Jan. 5, 1947 lrrok/vsy Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to a holder for tools, such as wrenches which are used by riggers, steel workers, linemen and the like, and its object is to retain the tool securely when in any position, and at the same time permit its ready withdrawal from and insertion in the holder.

Many workmen have been injured by tools and wrenches falling on them from fellow workers engaged at higher elevations, and it is an object of this invention to prevent the occurrence of such accidents.

With this in view, the invention consists of a flexible tool holder for attachment to a belt worn by the workman and having certain instrumentalities which securely lock the tool in the holder against accidental displacement when in any position, all of which will be first fully described and afterwards specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the tool holder, which in the example shown is designed to hold an end wrench of the type known as a spud wrench.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the holder with wrench in locked position therein, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the wrench in the holder in full lines and in dotted lines the positions which the wrench, spring locking element and flexible holder assume when the Wrench is being withdrawn from the holder.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures, in which:

I indicates the holder which is preferably of a flexible material such as leather and which is provided with a pair of vertical slots 2 to receive a body belt 3. The holder I is also provided with a substantially circular opening 4 in the depending body portion 5 of the holder as shown in the drawing.

Attached to the holder I, as by rivets 6 about centrally thereof is the stationary leaf I of the spring locking element 8. This locking element 8 is similar to a spring hinge, in that it embodies a movable leaf 9 pivotally connected to the stationary leaf I by a pintle In, about which is coiled a spring II having one end I2 bearing upon the stationary leaf I and its other end I3 bearing upon the movable leaf 9, said spring acting to hold leaves I and 9 in substantially the same.

plane.

It wi l be noted from Fig. 2 that the movable leaf 9 of the locking element 8 is bent at I4 to form an outwardly and angularly extending neck portion I5 which merges into a cross member I6, which is ofiset from the flexible holder I by the outwardly extending neck portion I5. In elevation the neck portion of the movable leaf 8 and the cross member I6 may be said to be shaped like an inverted T.

ll indicates a spud wrench which has a bifurcated nut engaging end I8 which is offset from the handle I9 by the curved neck or shank 20 which connects the handle !9 with the bifurcated end l8.

Having thus described the several parts of the invention, its operation is as follows:

In order to insert the wrench I! in the holder I, the movable leaf 9 of the locking element 8 is lifted up out of its normal locking position, and the wrench handle I9 is inserted in the opening 4 of the flexible holder I so that the wrench assumes the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the bifurcated end I8 of the wrench lying flat against the depending body portion 5 of the flexible holder I, it being understood that the said opening 4 is large enough to receive the curved offset neck portion I2 of the wrench, but is smaller than the bifurcated wrench head I8, so that said bifurcated head cannot pass through the said opening 4.

When the wrench is in this position, the locking element 8 is permitted to assume its normal position under the influence of the spring II, so that its outwardly inclined neck I5 assumes a. position within the wrench end I8 and between the bifurcated jaws thereof, while the cross member it rests upon the face of the bifurcated wrench end, as best shown in Fig. 3. It is therefore seen that the wrench cannot be accidentally displaced from the holder no matter how the holder is turned or positioned so that all danger of the wrench accidentally falling from the holder is eliminated.

In order to remove the wrench from its holder, the movable leaf 9 of the locking element 8 is lifted clear of the bifurcated wrench end I8, which permits the wrench to be withdrawn from the flexible holder I, the depending flexible body portion 5 assuming a position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, thus permitting withdrawal of the wrench in a straight line.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A spud wrench holder which includes a flexible member having means for connection with a body belt, and provided with an opening for the reception of the handle of a spud wrench and of such size that the bifurcated wrench end will not pass through the said opening, a wrench locking element which includes a stationary leaf permanently attached to the flexible wrenchholder adjacent the said opening therein, and which also includes a movable leaf hingedly connected to the stationary leaf and a spring acting upon the stationary leaf and movable leaf to hold the two leaves in substantially the same plane, the said movable leaf including a reduced neck portion adapted to lie within the wrench end and between the bifurcated jaws thereof, and also including a cross member adapted to rest upon the face of the bifurcated wrench end, whereby the wrench is retained against accidental displacement from the holder when the holder and wrench are in any position.

2. A spud wrench holder which comprises a member provided with an opening for the reception of the handle of a bifurcated end wrench, a wrench locking element which includes two hinged leaves, one of said leaves being attached to the said member adjacent the opening therein, the other of which leaves is provided with a reduced neck adapted to lie within the wrench end and between the bifurcated jaws thereof and also provided with a cross member adapted to rest upon the face of the bifurcated wrench end, whereby the wrench is retained against accidental displacement from the holder when the holder and wrench are in any position.

3. A spud wrench holder which comprises a member provided with an opening for the reception of the handle of a bifurcated end wrench, a wrench locking element attached to the said member adjacent the opening therein, a portion of the wrench locking element being adapted to lie within the wrench end and between the bifurcated jaws thereof and having a portion adapted to rest upon the face of the bifurcated wrench end, whereby the wrench is retained against accidental displacement from the holder when the holder and wrench are in any position.

4. A spud wrench holder which comprises a member provided with an opening to receive the handle of a bifurcated wrench, and a wrench locking element attached to the said member adjacent the opening therein and having one portion thereof adapted to lie between the bifurcated jaws of a wrench and another portion thereof adapted to rest against the face of a bifurcated wrench end, whereby the wrench is retained against accidental displacement from the holder when the holder and wrench are in any position.

ADOLPH N. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 952,10? Furber Mar. 15, 1910 1,216,110 Goodrow Feb. 13, 917

1,600,193 Michaud Sept. 14, 1926

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