US2761341A

US2761341A - Selective two-speed hand tool

Info

Publication number: US2761341A
Application number: US457891A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milton F Stahl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-09-23
Filing date: 1954-09-23
Publication date: 1956-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 1973-09-04

Description

Sept. 4, 1956 M, F STAHL SELECTIVE TWO-SPEED HAND TOOL Filed sept. 23, 1954 las JNVENToR. MILTON E 4`STAHL.

,-IIIII mf United States Patent @l f' SELECTIVE TWO-SPEED HAND TOOL Milton F. Stahl, Tallmadge, Ohio Application September 23, 1954, Serial No. 457,891

3 Claims. (Cl. 81--73) This invention relates to multiple speed wrenches, and in particular relates to a two speed wrench of the type operated with a certain relatively great force at given relatively low speed for initially loosening a nut on a bolt, for example, and then operating the same with less force but at a higher speed in the interest of saving time.

One object of the invention is to provide a speed wrench of the type described which is automatically adjustable from one speed to another simply by changing the manual pressure applied to the wrench in the direction of work being turned thereby.

` Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, and easy to operate tool for the purposes described.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front view, partly broken away and in section, of a speed wrench embodying the features of the invention, with the parts thereof in position for high speed operation of the wrench. V

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssection of the right-hand end of the wrench .as viewed in Figure l, illustrating a clutch mechanism in the disengaged condition of Figure 1 for said high speed operation of the wrench.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of the hand-grip at the left of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lefthand end of the wrench as viewed in Figure 1, but one segment of a hollow hand-grip being removed to show gear means therein in non-meshing relation for low speed operation of the Wrench.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the righthand end of the wrench as viewed in Figure l, with the clutch mechanism in engaged condition.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated a two-speed wrench, embodying the features of the invention, in condition for high speed operation of the same. The numeral designates a curved member having a U-shaped central hand-grip portion 11 and curvately connected straight end portions 12 and 13 which extend in outwardly opposite directions to be on a common axis. A handle 14 is suitably rotatably received on the central hand-grip portion 11. Member 10 may be of hollow rigid material, such as steel tubing, and has rotatably and axially slidably received in passageway 16 thereof a length of exible but inextensible material, such as steel cable 17.

On the straight end portion 13 of member 10 may be clutch means 18, including a clutch part 20 xed on the end portion 13 and a clutch part 21 in the form of a sleeve, rotatably and slidably received on said end portion 13 outwardly of the xed clutch part, to be axially shiftable toward and from clutching engagement of teeth 22 and 23 on the clutch parts 20 and 21, respectively (see Figures 1, 2 and 5). Aixed in the outer end of Patented Sept. 4, 1956 sleeve 21 as by means of a pin 19 extended through the sleeve, may be a work-turning part 24, having an outwardly projecting squared end 25 for ready reception of a wrench socket (not shown) of known type, the inner end of said part 24 having a metal bushing 26 secured therein by said pin 19, and the bushing 26 in turn having the corresponding end 27 of cable 17 attached thereto, as

by silver soldering. For maintaining the clutch parts 20 and 21 normally disengaged, as shown in Figures l and 2, a compression spring 28 is yieldingly engaged between opposing ends of member portion 13 and work-turning part 24. v

A hollow hand-grip or knob 31 may have a boss 32 provided with a bore 33, in which the straight portion 12 of tubular member 10 is rotatably received. For retaining the hand-grip 31 against axial movement on said member portion 12, an annular recess 34 extending radially outwardly from bore 33, is adapted to receive a complementally shaped rib 35 which is integral with member 10. To facilitate assembly, hand-grip 31 is made with two halves 36 and 37, secured together at the boss 32, asnby means of screws 38, 3S, and further by a bevel gear 39 fastened, as by means of screws 41, to a llat outer wall 42 of the hand-grip (see Figure 3). Bevel gear 39 is axially aligned with the straight member end portions 12 and 13, and the end portion 12 has an integral extension 42, at a substantial angle to the axis through said end portions, presenting a bevel pinion 43 aixed on the corresponding end of cable 17 to be normally in mesh with gear 39 when the clutch 18 is disengaged, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, upon turning the member 10 about v engaged, the work-turning part or members 24 is operable at relatively high speed. Conversely, while similarly turning member 16, the work-turning member 24 is operable at slower speed and with consequently increased power, by yieldingly compressing the clutch parts 20 and 21 into clutching engagement of the teeth 22 and 23 thereof, and by consequent sliding movement of cable 17 pinion 43 is urged out of mesh with gear 39. For limiting movement of the cable 17 in member 10, in clutch engaging direction, a ball 45 welded to the outer face of pinion 43 is engageable with an annular wall portion 46 of hand-grip 31 disposed oppositely to said outer face. Movement of the cable in the opposite, gear meshing direction, is limited by engagement of a reduced extension 47 of member portion 13 with the inner end of the sleeve 26 in work-turning part 24 (see Figure 2).

lnuse or operation of the improved Wrench, as for loosening a tight nut, the work-turning part 24 rst has a wrench socket of proper size (not shown) fitted on the squared end 2S. Now with the socket engaged over the nut, the operator by grasping hand-grip 31 with one hand and handle 14 with the other, may turn the tool to rotate the work-turning part and said socket. Initially, loosening of the nut, however, is accomplished with increased power at relatively slow speed, by applying sufficient axial pressure upon member 10 toward the work yieldingly to engage the clutch 18, thereby disengaging the

gears

39 and 43 and operating the work-turning part directly through member 1G. As soon as the nut has been loosened, it may be more quickly removed, by releasing said axial pressure on the member 10, allowing the spring 28 to disengage clutch 1S, with consequent forward movement of the cable 17, which re-engages the

gears

39 and 43 to drive the work-turning part at increased rotative speed, indirectly through rotation of cable 17.

Thus there has been provided an improved two-speed wrench which accomplishes the objects of the invention, and which operates safely with a minimum of exposed moving parts.

"Modifications of the invention may be rmorted to With-` out departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

WhatV claimed Vis LA multiple speed Wrenchrof the typetoroperating rimedi-turning tool, comprising amember havinga turn ingaxis, means on said member for rotating the same aboutsaid,axis,l said member havinga passageway therethrough, a clutch part axially shiftably mounted on a-tool end ofsaid member and aclutch part iixed on said tool end tobe engageable by theshiftable clutch part, workturning means on said shiftableclutch partfor attachment ofxa `work-turning tool, a hollow hand-gripr rotatably mounted on. the other end of said` member, aexible element slidably and rotatably received through said membei'y passageway andhaving said shiftable clutch part securedotothe corresponding toolend thereof, said iiexible elementhaving an extension thereof within said hollow handffgrip, Agear means in said hand-grip including a gear aixedonfsaid extension and a gear aixed on the handgrip in axially centered relation, said f gear on said exten.- sin being shiftable with sliding movement of the element toward and from a position thereof in which said gear means is in driving connection,v and resilient means normally yieldingly urging said element to a position in which said clutch parts are disengaged and said gear means is in said driving connection for relatively high speed.roperationof said Work-turning,means through said element, from an engaged positionfof said clutch parts in whchpthe Work-turning means is operated at relatively lower speed through direct driving connection with said member through said clutch parts.

2.7A multiple speed wrench of the type for operating aworkfturning tool, comprising a curved member having a; central Ahand-grip portion andvoiset end portions substantially in a common axis, said member having a passagevvay therethrough, a, clutch part axially shiftably mounted on a tool end of said member and aclutch part xedonrsaid tool end to be'engageable by the shiftable clutch part, Work-turning means on said shiftable clutch part for attachment of a work-turning tool, a hollow handgrip rotatably mounted on the other end of said member and having a gear aiiixed therein to rotate With thefsame, atflexible element slidably androtatably received through said member passageway and having said shiftable clutchv partv secured to the corresponding tool end thereof, said exible element having a pinion on the end thereof Within saidhollow hand-grip and shiftable with sliding movement ofrgsaid element toward and from meshing engagement withsrsaid gear axed on the hand-grip, and means for urging said element to a position in which Vsaid clutch parts are disengaged and said gear and pinion are meshed for relatively high speed operation of said Work-turning means through said element, from a reversed position in which the work-turning means is operated at relatively lower speed through direct driving connection with said member through said 1clutch parts, said gear and pinion having complementally bevelled teeth, said member having an extension Within-said hand-grip positionedpatv-an angle to said axis and supporting said pinion in cooperating relationship to said gear.

3. A multiple :speed Wrench of the type fproperating a Work-turning tool, comprising a curved tubular member having a central 'hand-grip portion and oppositely outward reversely bent oiset end portions substantially in a common axis, said tubular member providing a passage- Way therethrough, clutch means on one saidend portion including `a relatively fixed partthereon-,and a sleeveaxially slidable on the member from andvtowardvy aY position of engagement with said fixed part, said sleeve and Vi'ixed havinginterengageable portionsfor preventingrelative,rotation ofthe` sleeve on said member in said position ot er1-Y gagement, stop means for limiting sliding movement of said, sleeve` apart from said xed-part, spring means within said sleeve normally yieldingly urging said sleeve apart from saidfrixed part as limited by said.st op-.11 1ear'1s,Work-J turningmeans on saidsleeve as for attachment of a .workturning tool, a hollow hand-grip rotatably mounted 0n the other. end of said member, aiiexible element slidably andV rotatably received through saidmember passageway and having said shiftable sleeve secured to the corresponding toolend-thereof, said exible element .having an extension thereof within said handfgrip, ,gear meansin said hand-grip including a gear ailxed on said extension anda gear aixed on the hand-grip'in axially centered. relation, said gear on said extension being shiftable with ysliding movement of the element toward and Vfrom a position.- thereof in which s aid gear means is in driving connection relative movement of said member` and saidsleeve v' drereby being eective for changing the speed -of `operationotsaid Workfturning means.

References Cited in the le of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS