US2817257A

US2817257A - Ratchet wrench with supplemental head turning means

Info

Publication number: US2817257A
Application number: US585661A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas J Kniser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-05-18
Filing date: 1956-05-18
Publication date: 1957-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1974-12-24

Description

1'. J. KNISER Dec. 24, 1957" RATCHET WRENCH WITH SUPPLEMENTAL HEAD TUfifiING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1956 R4, m w N mm R n flm M T. J. KNlSER Dec. 24, 1957 RATCHET WRENCH'WITH SUPPLEMENTAL HEAD TURNING MEANS Filed May 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. J. KNISER 7- RATCHET WRENCH WITH SUPPLEMENTAL HEAD TURNING MEANS Dec. 24, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 18, 1956 INVENTIOR.

7770mm J 12 2's 9/ BY I JTTO'RNEY' RATCHET WRENCH WITH SUPPLEMENTAL HEAD TURNING MEANS Thomas J. Kniser, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,661

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-581) This invention relates to improvements in hand operated double ratchet wrenches.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a double ratchet hand wrench that is adapted to turn a nut onto a bolt easier and faster than wrenches of similar character, with less handle movement. The handle being made of any length to enable the operator to easily reach and turn or hold, hard to reach nuts or bolts.

The wrench embodying the invention comprises a new type handle and frame holding two main spring loaded pawls which alternately engage a main ratchet wheel, which is provided with a square drive stub at its center. The wrench also includes a gear rack that will engage gear teeth on a drive gear having spring biased pawls that will engage indentations in the main ratchet wheel so that two types of ratchet wheels are incorporated in the wrench.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet wrench that will eflicientlyoperate in a small space.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a double ratchet wrench embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational side view of the wrench with the side cover plate removed exposing certain elements of the wrench;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the wrench;

Fig. '4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the wrench showing the top removed;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the top of the wrench with the top removed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view of the ratchet wheel and pawls therefor;

F Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of 1g.

9 is an elevational view of the drive gear or plate;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the spring biased pawls in the drive plate of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig.2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, the reference numeral 15 is used to generally designate a wrench embodying the invention.

The wrench 15 comprises a frame 16 having a ratchet housing 17 at one end and a hand grip 18 at the opposite end. The handle 16 comprises a top portion 18a, back wall 19 and a bottom portion 20. The top portion 18a is provided with an apertured ear 21, the bottom portion is provided with apertured

ears

22 and 23, bolt receiving openings 24 are provided in the back wall 19 and an apertured car 25 extends outwardly of the bottom of the hous ing 17. The ears and openings receive screws 26 whereby a removable side plate 27 is secured in place on the handle 16.

The frame 16 houses all of the working parts of the wrench 15 and retains the various elements to be later described in proper relation to each other. The hollow frame 16 is cast or prefabricated from a material that will provide maximum strength for the application of torque to the ratchet wheel. That end portion of the frame 16 remote from the ratchet housing 17 may be used as a handle portion and is generally designated at 17a.

A ratchet wheel 28, Fig. 6, is provided with ratchet teeth 29 on the periphery thereof and a circular row of indentations 30 on one side thereof. A hub 31 on the opposite face of the wheel 28 is journalled in an opening 32 in the back wall 19 of the frame 16. A circular drive plate 33, Fig. 9, is provided with gear teeth 34 on a portion of the the periphery thereof. Four radially disposed spring biased pawls 35, Fig. 10, are seated in seats 36 in one side of the plate 33 and by means of a central opening 37 the plate is mounted on the hub 38 of ratchet wheel 28 that extends through an opening 39 in the side cover 27 of the handle 16. The ratchet wheel 28 and drive plate 33 are in face-to-face engagement so that the pawls 35 will engage the indentations 30 in the side of the ratchet wheel 28.

The

hubs

31 and 38 of the ratchet wheel 28 each have a 'square opening 40 therein to receive a similarly shaped drive stud 41. Each pawl 35 has two angularly disposed

faces

42 and 43 and an elliptically shaped body 44 that is seated in the recesses 36 in the plate 33. A spring pressed ball 45 retains the stud 41 in the opening 40 in the conventional manner.

A mounting block 45a and a mounting block 46 are provided in the ratchet housing 17. The block 45a receives a pin 48 on which is pivotally mounted a pawl 49 that engages the teeth 29 on the ratchet wheel 28. The block 46 receives a pin 50 on which is pivotally mounted a pawl 51 and

springs

52 and 53, respectively, engage the pawls 49 and 51 to urge the same into engagement with the teeth 29. A short stud 54 on the wall of the housing 17 and a short stud 55 on the pawl 49 retain the spring 52 in place. A short stud 56 on the block 46 and a short stud 57 on the pawl 51 serve to retain the spring 53 in position.

A gear rack 58 is positioned in the bottom of the housing 17 for engagement with the teeth 34 on the gear plate 33. An operating rod 59 is connected to one end of the rack 58 and extending longitudinally through the frame 16 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 60 to a hand actuating lever 61. The rod 59 passes through an opening 62 in the block 45a and a spring 63 mounted on the rod 59 and engaging the block 45a at one end and a washer 64 at the opposite end urges the rod 59 forwardly with respect to the front of the housing 17. The lever 61 is pivotally mounted at 65 in the handle portion 17a of the frame 16 and finger openings 66 are provided in the back wall 19 and side cover 27 in alinement with each other. The lever 61 extends through an elongated slot 67 in the bottom 20 of the frame 16.

Formed integrally with the bottom 20 of the frame 16 is a rack support 68 which engages the gear rack 58 to prevent side play of the gear rack.

In operation, the position of the lever 61 may be in one of three locations in accordance with the amount of torque required. The use of the lever 61 may be eliminated and the ratchet wheel 28 can be turned to maximum torque through the pawls 49 and 51 and rotation of the frame 16. The gear plate 33 and gear rack 58 are returned to their most forward positions through the action of the Patented Dec. 24, 1957.

3 spring 63. The ratchet wheel 28 and gear plate 33 drive in one direction simultaneously clockwise or anti-clockwise through the use of the frame 16 as a handle.

The speed of rthe ratchet Wheel :28 is .increased and movement .of the frame 16 as a handle is stopped when the lever 61 is used. The speed of the rotation of the ratchet wheel 28 then is limited only by the rapidity with which the user may open and close his hand. Sufiicient torque can be applied through the use of the lever 61 to set up hard the smaller nuts and bolts.

Compression of the lever 61 causes the rearward movement of the rod.59 and gear rack 58, which in turn causes rotation of the gear plate 33. The teeth .34 of the gear plate engage the gear rack for the full throw of thelever 61. The pawls 35 in the gear plate 33 engaging the indentations 30 of the ratchet wheel 28 cause the rotation of the ratchet wheel and consequentrotation of the stud 41. As :the lever 6:1.is:released, the spring 63 returns the gear rack 58, the pawls 35 releasefrom the indentations 30 and the ratchet wheel remains stationary. Alternate grippingand release of the lever-61 causes rotation of the stud 41, as previously described, to tighten a nut or loosen a nut. It should be understood that a socket the size of .the nut being worked on is placed on the stud 41. If desired, on small nuts, fingers may be inserted into the openings '66 to operate the rod 59. Thus by rotation of the frame 16 by its handle portion 17a or by alternate gripping and releasing of the lever 61 a nut may be loosened or tightened as desired,

It is believed that the construction and operation of the wrench will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A ratchet wrench comprising a handle, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in one end of said handle, pivoted spring biased pawls engaging said ratchet wheel, a rotary drive plate coaxial with the ratchet wheel in juxtaposed relation thereto, means for releasably connecting said plate to said ratchet wheel, and means for operating said drive plate to alternately rotate said ratchet wheel, said means for connecting said drive plate to said ratchet wheel comprising indentations in a side face of said ratchet wheel and spring-pressed cooperating pawls in an adjacent side face of said drive plate.

2. A ratchet wrench comprising a handle, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in one end of said handle, pivoted spring-biased pawls engaging said ratchet wheel, a rotary drive plate coaxial with the ratchet Wheel in juxtaposed relation thereto,'means for releasably connecting said plate to said ratchet wheel, and means for operating said drive plate to :alternately rotate said ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being provided with oppositely extending hubs for mounting said ratchet wheel in said handle, and said drive plate being provided with a central opening whereby said drive plate is mounted on one of the hubs of said :ratchet wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 919,260 Smith Apr. 20, 1909 1,808,959 Lane et .al. June 9, 1931 1,970,721 Walton Aug. 21, 1934 2,508,568 Ellison May 23, 1950 2,633,044 Pasquariello Mar. 31, 1953 2,726,563 (Blackburn Dec. 13, 1955