US2805594A

US2805594A - Nut-holding socket wrench

Info

Publication number: US2805594A
Application number: US487420A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fogel Aaron
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-02-10
Filing date: 1955-02-10
Publication date: 1957-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1974-09-10

Description

S p 1957 A. FOGEL 2,805,594

NUT-HOLDING SOCKET WRENCH Filed F'eb. 10. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR. 4 420 4/ F0 6:1

AZ'I'OPNE r Se t. 10, 1957 A. FOG EL 2,805,594

NUT-HOLDING SOCKET WRENCH Filed Feb. 10. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Z ,6 41421? INVENTOR.

arromvar 2,805,594 NUT-HOLDING SOCKET WRENCH Aaron Fogel, Jackson Heights, N. Y. Application February 10, 1955, Serial No. 487,420 2 Claims. (Cl. 81-125) This invention relates to socket wrenches and more particularly to a nut-retaining or holding device therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a nutholding socket wrench which has a retaining or holding device incorporated therein for the purpose of retaining in the wrench the nut being applied or removed from a screw or bolt whereby loss of the same when working in close quarters will be minimized and the effort of securing the nut or removing the same from a bolt reduced to a minimum amount.

It is another object of the invention to provide a retaining device for wrench sockets that is sufficiently small and effective to be used upon very small nut sockets without running into interference with other parts of the mechanism or electric unit upon which work is being performed.

It is another object of the invention to provide a retaining device for wrench sockets of small size which is applied to the socket in such a way as to engage the side of the nut at the outer open end of the socket so that the nut can be kept within the socket only a minimum distance and readily available for removal therefrom, and where the nut is more or less flat and has but a length in the order of less than one-eighth of an inch.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tool for use by television and radio operators and assemblers or mechanics so that the control of the small nuts being used, added or removed, can be maintained.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a nutretaining or holding device for wrench sockets that can be formed in an easy manner and added to a standard wrench socket with little alteration being required of the socket to secure the retainer thereupon and wherein the retainer can be secured upon the socket in a simple, quick and snap-like manner.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a nut-retaining device for wrench sockets wherein means are provided on the device to release the device from the nut so that the nut can be dropped from the socket by simply inserting a finger nail or by squeezing the clip between two fingers.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a spring nut-retaining or holding device for wrench sockets which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and is efficient in operation and use.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a socket wrench having a handle and a socket with the nut-retaining device of the present invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the nut socket shown in Fig. 1 the view being taken on the section line 22 of Fig. 3, but showing a nut within the socket;

nited States Patent ice Fig. 3 is an end face view of the nut socket shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but omits the nut shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the nut socket and retaining device therefor, the same being inverted and looking into the open end of the socket;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective bottom view of a socket wrench similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but employing a modified form of the retaining device;

Fig. 6 is a bottom fragmentary perspective view of the wrench similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but employing a still further modified nut-retaining device;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a wrench adapted for use on small nuts and wherein the operating shank is detachable from the socket;

Fig. 8 reproduces a lower fragment of Fig. 7 in elevation, but has parts broken away and shown in section in order to illustrate a nut within the socket;

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the socket shown in Figs. 7 and 8 but omits the nut;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the socket and retaining ring shown in Fig. 5 but with the retaining ring applied to the socket from an opposite direction and with an illustration made as to the manner in which the finger is applied to release the ring;

Fig. 11 is a bottom perspective view of a wrench socket, particularly adapted for large nuts and having a modified form of retaining device;

Fig. 12 is a bottom perspective view of a still further form of the invention wherein the retaining ring has two projections for contacting the nut;

Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 are fragmentary sectional views taken generally at 13-13 of Fig. 10, but showing respectively different projections of the retaining device and illustrating their different manner of engaging the sides of the nuts.

Fig. 17 is a bottom plan view of a socket employing a still further form of the invention wherein there are two nut engaging projections and external release projections which are squeezed by the thumb and finger to release the nut from the socket, a portion of the socket being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 18 is an elevation of the wrench socket shown in Fig. 17 and as viewed in the direction of arrows l8-18 thereof.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 20 represents a hollow shank that has a handle 21 on one end and an integral wrench socket 22 on its lower end. In the bottom of the socket is a recess 23 adapted to receive a hexagonal nut 24. A central opening 25 extends upwardly from the recess 23 and intothe shank 28 so as to accommodate a portion of a bolt from which the nut 24 may be released or onto which it may be threaded.

According to the present invention, there has been provided in the socket 22 a slot cut into the front face thereof as indicated at 25'. This slot is adapted to receive a projection 26 of a spring retaining-band or nut-holding device 27. This band 27 surrounds the socket more than halfway and one end 28 of the band adjacent the projection 26 is made only half as wide as the remainder of the band, and the band has an elongated depression 29 that enters a notch 30 in the side of the socket; The projection 26 will engage one of the side faces of the nut 24 and will retain the nut in the recess 23.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified form of a nutretaining ring. This ring is indicated generally at 32 and has a depression 33 that enters the notch 30 in the socket 22. This projection and notch prevent the ring 32 from slipping off the end of the socket. The ring has an intermediate slit 34 which provides an independently severed or struck portion 35 that is bent to provide a folded projection 36 that will extend through the slot 25 and an outwardly extended end 37 that serves as a finger lift by which the projection 36 can be pulled outwardly to release. the nut. Upon the end 37 being released, the portion and the projection 36 will spring back into place. The ring 32 has spaced ends which can be sprung apart to fit the ring upon the socket 22.

InFig. 6, there is shown a still further form of ring device which is substantially the same as shown in Fig. 5, but which is more narrow and which is inverted with respect to the position of the ring device 32. This ring device isindicated at 40 and is fitted upon a socket 41 that is of greater length than the above-mentioned socket 22 to pro vide a deeper recess 42 than the recess 23 of the other socket so as to receive larger nuts. This socket 41 has a deep slot 43 cut therein. The ring device 40 has a depression 44 that fits into a circumferential notch in the outer surface of the socket 41 and adjacent to one side of the slot 43. The ring 40 is cut :at 45 to provide a flexing portion 46 in which. is struck a projection 47 that extends through the slot 43 for engagement with a nut and a finger-lift end 48 under which the finger nail can be inserted to flex the portion 46 outwardly to release the projection 47 from the nut within the recess 42.

Since thenuts are large and enter a deep recess, the projection 47 may be located in the bottom of the slot 43 adjacent the bottom of the recess 42 for engagement with a side wall of a nut. Overlying the projection 47 is a bridging portion 49 that terminates in the spring ends of the device 40 that partly surround the periphery of the socket.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, there is shown a socket-wrench assembly wherein any one of a set of sockets are removable from a shank 51 having a handle 52. A socket 53 is recessed to receive the lower end of the shank 51 that has a ball detent 54 to engage the side of the recess to hold the socket against longitudinal dis placement from the shank 51. This socket 53 has a re duced-diameter end 55 having a nut recess 56 therein for receiving a nut 57. A nut-retaining device similar to the device shown in Fig. 5 and as indicated at 58 is fitted on the outermost part of the reduced diameter end 55 of the socket and has a projection 59 that projects through .a

slot 60 for engagement with a nut 57. This nut-retaining ring 58 has a depression 61 that enters a notch 62 to hold the device against outward displacement from the socket. Other sockets 53 for different-sized nuts and hav ing different-sized nut-retaining rings 58 can be connected to the shank 51.

In Fig. 11, a nut-retaining band 65 is fitted upon a socket 66 having a deep recess 67 for large nuts. Instead of providing in the socket a slot cut from the end face thereof, there is provided a side hole drilled through the wall of the socket and into the recess 67 as indicated at 68. The retaining ring 65 also has oppositely disposed

depressions

69 and 70 that fit into correspondingly located, circumferentially extending notches'in the outer surface of the socket.

Midway between inner and outer ends of the band 65 and intermediate the

depressions

69 and 70, a projection 71' is struck from the material of the device and folded upon itself so that it extends into the hole 68 for engagement with a nut. This projection will engage the nut in the recess 67 and at the same time will by engagement with the walls of the hole 68 help to hold the retaining device against displacement from the end of the socket.

In Fig. 12 a nut-retaining device 71 is fitted about a socket 72. This socket has a recess 73 for receiving a large nut and instead of having one hole extending through the side wall of the socket as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 11, it has two circumferentially spaced holes 74 and 75. The nut-retaining device 71 has two folded and struck

projections

76 and 77 projecting respectively through the respective holes 74 and for engagement with two nonadjacent sides of a nut that may be disposed in the recess 73. These projections will not only serve to engage the out but will also serve to hold the retaining device against displacement from the socket 72. Both of these projections are struck from an intermediate portion of the retaining device. The retaining device 71 has an elongated depression '78 that projects into a circumferential notch intermediate the openings 74 and 75 to further hold the retaining device against displacement from the socket 72.

In Fig. 10 there is illustrated the manner in which the nut is released inthe forms of the invention shown in Figures 5 through 9. It will be noted that the finger nail is inserted under the end 37 of the struck portion 35 to lift the projection out of contact with the nut 24 so that the nut can be dropped from the recess 23. The projection 47 in Fig. 6 can be similarly released from a nut.

In Figs. 17 and 18, there is shown a still further form .of the invention in which form two inwardly extending projections 80 and 81 are provided upon a nut-retaining band 82 and in which form the band completely surrounds a socket 83 having projection-receiving

slots

86 and 87, and is released therefrom by squeezing two outwardly extending

projections

84 and 85 on the band to release the pressure of the projections 81 and 80 upon opposite faces of a nut located in a recess 88 of the socket 83.

The

projections

84 and 85 are respectively formed on the ends of respective overlying half-width extensions 89 and '90. These extensions slide by one another as the

projections

34 and 85 are depressed or released.

In Figs. 13 to 16, taken generally on line 13-13 of Fig. 10, there is shown various forms of projections adapted for engagement with different-sized nuts. These projections are struck from the retaining device by differentshaped striking tools so as to provide nut-contacting surfaces having different profiles so that the projections will engage a side face of the nut 24 at different distances from an end face of the nut. To insure an adequate grip on a nut, it only becomes necessary to select a nut-retaining ring having a projection of the proper profile. The nutconfronting face of each of the projections is curved or rounded so as to have line contact with the side face of the nut 24.

If the socket wrench is to be used with large nuts, the contacting ends or points of the projection 37 can conform to the shapes shown in Figs. 13 and 15. In the form of the projection shown in Fig. 13, a side face of the nut 24 is engaged substantially intermediate the width or axial dimension of the projection 36 as indicated at 91. In Fig. 15, the line of contact is at 92 and is spaced from the center of the projection toward the bottom wall of the socket. In this case, a thick nut can be adequately gripped by the projection.

In Fig. 14, the line of contact 93 is spaced from the center of the projection toward the open end of the socket. This particular projection profile is adapted for engagement of a out of minimum thickness.

In Fig. 16, there is formed a more or less flat contact surface as indicated at 94 so as to insure satisfactory engagement with nuts of different thicknesses.

The nut-engaging faces of all these projections are of necessity rounded in order to allow the nut to be pressed into the recess without manual retraction of the projection.

All of the retaining devices are formed on a mandrel which is slightly undersize with respect to the outside diameter of a socket on which the device is to be used. Once the retaining device has been rolled into shape, it can be heat treated and tempered to provide the necessary amount of spring action for biasing the projection against a nut.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a nut-holding socket wrench which has a nut-retaining or holding device incorporated therein. It should be further apparent that this retaining device is particularly adapted for use upon socket wrenches adapted to be used with small nuts of the variety such as used in television and radio sets.

While various changes may be made in details of construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be Within the function and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A nut-retaining socket Wrench having a nut opening in the end thereof and a side opening extending radially through the wall of the socket and into the nut opening, a nut-retaining device formed of a spring band surrounding the socket and having an inwardly extending projection passing through said radial opening and into the recess for engagement with a nut contained therein, said band having a struck portion and said projection being formed on said struck portion, said struck portion running circumferentially of the band and independently bendable outwardly from the body of the band and from the side of the socket, and said struck portion having its end projecting outwardly to provide a finger lift under which the finger nail of the operator can be extended to bend the struck portion outwardly to release the projection from the nut so that the nut can be released from the socket.

2. A nut-retaining socket wrench having a nut opening in the end thereof and a side opening extending radially through the wall' of the socket and into the nut opening, a nut-retaining device formed of a spring band surrounding the socket and having an inwardly extending projection passing through said radial opening and into the recess for engagement with a nut contained therein, said band having a struck portion and said projection being formed on said struck portion, said struck portion running circumferentially of the band and independently bendable outwardly from the body of the band and from the side of the socket, and said opening in the socket being in the form of a notch extending from the end face of the socket and said projection on said band lying adjacent the forward edge of the band and in said notch whereby a nut of small thickness can be retained by the projection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 145,399 Colbert Dec. 9, 1873 563,193 Leach June 30, 1896 603,159 Tyler Apr. 26, 1898 720,786 Covey Feb. 17, 1903 794,110 McDowell July 4, 1905 1,063,673 Frederick June 3, 1913 1,114,123 Dalton Oct. 20, 1914 1,297,560 Groenenstein Mar. 18, 1919 1,493,983 Hurley May 13, 1924 2,616,322 Spreng Nov. 4, 1952 2,664,021 Clayson Dec. 29, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 118,763 Sweden Apr. 29, 1947