US2603996A - Flexible drive means for socket wrenches - Google Patents

Description

y 1952 B. G. SCHELLENGER 2,603,996

FLEXI1LE DRIVE MEANS FOR SOCKET WRENCHES Filed Dec. 17, 1948 Bernard Sahel/anger INVENTOR.

Patented July 22, 1952 FLEXIBLE DRIVE MEANS FOR SOCKET I WRENCHES Bernard G.- Schellenger, Eugene, Oreg., assignor of one-fourth to Herman P.'Hendershott, Eu-

gene, Oreg.

Application December 17, 1948, Serial No; 65,832

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in wrenches, and the principal objectof the invention is to facilitate convenient and expeditious tightening or loosening'of nuts or bolts, particularly those disposed in poorly accessible locations.

This object is achieved by the provision of a wrench including a stationary handle provided with a rotatable shank carrying a work engaging tool or-socket, together with a flexible endless drive member such as a rope, cable or chain which is so arranged that pulling thereon rotates the shank together with the work at a substantial rate of speed.

1 Claim. (01. 8154) An important feature of the invention, there- I fore, resides in the particular structural arrangement whereby the flexible endless drive member is operatively connected to theaforementioned shank, while another feature resides in the provision of means for retaining the drive member in operative engagement with the shank, thus permitting the drive member to be twisted, passed around corners, or the like, without impairing the operability of the device.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the particular constructionof a drive chain which is particularly well adapted for use in this device.

Some of the advantages of" theinvention lie in its simplicity of construction, convenience of operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illlustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the plane of the line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a transverse cross sectional view of the driving wheel used in the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings 38 which is attached to the han dle by a pluralin detail, more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the invention consists of a wrench designated generally by the reference character II], the same embodying in its construction a tatio'nary'handle I2 which is preferably of a disc-shaped configuration, being provided with an axial bore I4 to freely and rotatablyv receive one end portion of a shank I6, as is best shown in Figure 2.

' The bore I4 of the handle I2 is counter-bored as at I8, 20 to accommodatea pair of suitable anti-friction bearings 22, 24 respectively, whereby the shank I6 is rotatably supported in the handle, as will be clearlyapparent. It is to be noted that an intermediate portion of the shank I6 is polygonal as indicated at 26, and the portion of the shank I6 between the bearing 24 and the polygonal portion 26 accommodate apair of washers 28, 30 between which is interposed a substantially semi-circular guide plate 32 hereinafter more fully described.

. The plate 32 is, of course, spaced away from the adjacent surface of the handle I2 by the washer 28, and it should be understood that the plate 32 is preferably rotatable or swingable on the shank I6. p v

The inner end of the shank I6 carries a further washer 34 and a nut 36 whereby the shank and the handle I2 are retained togetherjand-if desired, the counter-bore l8 of the handle as well as the entire upper surface of the handle may be covered by a suitable circular disc or plate ity of screws 40. v I

The outer end portion 42 of the shank I6 is .also polygonal though preferably smaller in cross section than the intermediate portion 26, the portion 42 being adapted to removably receive thereon a suitable work engaging tool 44, such as forfexample, a conventional Wrench socket. This socket may be removably retained in position on the shank portion 42 in any wellknown manner, such as for example, by a spring'pressed ball 46 with which the shank portion 42 may be provided, as indicated in Figure 2.

A dividing wheel 48 is positioned on the polygonal portion 26 of the shank I6, being retained thereon in any desired manner, such as for example, by a further, spring pressed ball 50. The wheel 48 is formed with a peripheral groove 52 which is engaged by a flexible, endless drive member 54, such as for example, a rope or cable.

This cable is retained in engagement with the wheel 48 by a marginal, arcuate flange 56 provided on the aforementioned guide plate 32, this flange being disposed in spaced adjacent relation to the periphery of the wheel 48 and the member 54 passing between the flange and the wheel in such mannerthat it is urged by the flange in frictional engagement with the groove 52, as indicated in Figure 2.

Accordingly, it will be noted that when a pulling force is exerted upon the outer loop por tion of the member 54 and the handle I! is held, a rotating motion will be imparted to the wheel 48, shank I6 and to the work engaging tool 44, so that the work may be loosened r tightened as desired,

depending upon the direction in which the member 54 is pulled. The member 54 is flexible, it may be twisted or passed around corners whereby the wrench may be eflectively and expeditiously employed in poorly accessible locations.

To prevent the ends of the guide flange 56 from cutting or otherwise damaging the rope or cable 54, the ends of the guide flange may be provided with outwardly arcuate'd portions 58, as is best shown in Figures 1 and 3-. It is to be noted that I While the drive member 1 is intended for use primarily when the work is free running, the wrench may be also employed for final tightening and initial loosening of the work, to which end the peripheral portion of the wheel 48 is formed with a plurality of blind bores or apertures 60, wherein a hand bar 62 may be inserted for the purpose of exerting substantial torque on the shank and work engaging tool.

The modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying Figures 4 and 5 is similar to the embodiment already described, but this modified embodiment, designated generally by the reference character 10, employs a flexible, endless drive member in the form of a specially constructed chain 12 and a driving wheel 14 which is particularly adapted to be engaged by the special chain.

The chain [2 simply consists of a plurality of spaced balls or spheres 16 which are connected together by flexible cable-like elements 18, while the periphery of the driving wheel 14 is provided with a series of spaced depressions or recesses 85 and with arcuate segments 82 of a circumferen tial groove or channel which passes through or intersects the recesses 8U, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

When the chain 12 engages the wheel 14, the balls or spheres 16 are receivable in the recesses 30 while the flexible elements 18 are similarly receivable in the groove segments 82, whereby the possibility of slippage of the chain on the wheel is prevented and a more positive driveis obtained than is possible in the cable or rope embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3.

It is to be noted that the, releasable retaining means 50 in the embodiment ll]v facilitates re- 'moval of the wheel 43 from the shank portion 26,

so that the rope or cable drive may be substituted by a chain drive, and vice versa while employing the same shank and handle.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a wrench, the combination of a substantially disc shaped stationary handle provided with an axial bore, a shank having a cylindrical inner end portion rotatable in said bore and projecting outwardly therefrom, said shank also having a polygonal intermediate portion disposed outside the shank and a polygonal outer end portion to receive a work engaging tool, a driving wheel positioned on the intermediate portion of said shank for rotation therewith and provided with a perimetrie track and with driving recesses of circumierentially spaced points on said track, said wheel being spaced fromsaid handle and providedat its periphery with a plurality of spaced inwardly extending apertures, a flexible endless drive member having a relatively short portion of its length in operative engagement with the track of said wheel, driving elements provided spaced points on said drive member and receivable in said recesses, the remaining portion of said drive member extending away from the wrench and being completely unsupported thereby, a substantially semicircular plate independently rotatable on the cylindrical portion of said shank between said wheel and said handle, a substantially semi-circular marginal flange provided on said plate in closely spaced relation to the periphery of said wheel, whereby to sustain said relatively short portion of said member in operative engagement with said track, and supplemental drive means comprising a torque bar having an end portion thereof receivable in said apertures.

BERNARD G. SCHELLENGER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lybyer -2. Apr. 5, 1949

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