US2821296A - Tool holder assembly - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1958 c. PIHL 2,821,296

' TOOL HOLDER ASSEMBLY Filed April 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1 958 c. PIHL TOOL HOLDER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April '5, 1954 vi n A77 02 NE) United States Patent TOOL HOLDER ASSEMBLY Carl Pihl, Jamestown, N. Y., assignor of thirty-five percent to Lucius J. Seymour, Bemus Point, N. Y.

Application April 5, 1954, Serial No. 421,067 Claims. (31; 206-16) This invention relates to improvements in holders for hand manipulated tools such as taps, drills, etc., and more specifically to holders that are so constructed as to enable securing a number of them in packaged or set form.

Tools of the type intended to be operably mounted in holders of the nature of the invention are frequently provided in sets. The various tools of the set may be of ditferent proportions or size and a user is thus given great convenience in selection at the time and place of use. Generally speaking, holders for hand manipulated tools are not designed to enable packaging in kits or sets, rather being constructed with a view to properly securing a tool or to providing a suitable hand hold, or both. The present invention contemplates the combining of these ideas by producing a holder for hand manipulated tools that enables the easy and ready insertion or removal of a tool, together with a construction that lends itself not only to convenience of use but packaging in sets as well. Insofar as the structure for packaging the holders is concerned, it is necessary that such structure be of simple design to cooperate with a number of holders and be inexpensive to manufacture in order that neither the particular structure of the holder nor packaging structure may constitute any material additional cost of manufacture.

The present invention is directed to and has for one of its objects the provision of a holder for hand manipulated tools, such as taps, drills, etc., that prevents turning or loosening of a tool during use and yet enables quick and easy replacement of one tool for another.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a holder that includes a substantial and easily grasped handle, thus enabling an operator to exert desired force in use of the tool.

. A further and important object of the invention lies in the provision of a holder that is so designed as to cooperate with other holders and a container in a manner to enable gathering such holders together into kit or set arrangement.

Another and important object of the invention lies in the provision of a container that-requires a number of tool holders to be packed in predetermined relative arrangement which thus provides an attractive display package and gives clear visibility to each of the holders and tools in the package.

A very important object of the invention is found in the provision of a container that so cooperates with a number of holders, when in one position, to secure them against displacement and yet enables their ready removal from the container when the holders assume another position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. -1 is a side elevational view ofaset of tool holders and a container therefor and shows one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig.1; I

Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional View being 2 taken substantially as indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and shows the posi tion of the holders in the container when they are free to be individually removed or inserted;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the holders with a tool engaged therewith;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, being taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and shows the first step in the procedure of removing a tool from the holder;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the Wedge key actuated to wholly loosen a tool from the holder;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 6, and more clearly shows the structural details for mounting a tool in the holder; and

, Fig. 10 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 5 and shows a tool in position preparatory to assembling with the holder.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 is employed to generally designate a holder embodied in the present invention. The tool end 11 of the holder is substantially circular in cross section and continues thus from the end 11 to a point approximately with a transverse elongated slot 12. From this point on, the holder is formed with opposite fiat faces or sides 13 and these faces continue to the other end 14 of the holder, at which point it is tapered and notched to receive a winglike handle is. Rivets 17, or any other suitable means, may be provided as a permanent means of securing the handle to the end 14.

The tool end 11 is formed with a centered circular opening 18 which is of a diameter to receive the shank 19 of a tool 21. The opening 18 terminates substantially at the upper end of the slot 12 (see Fig. 10). It will be noted that the Width of the slot 12 is somewhat less than the diameter of the opening 18 and the walls 22 of this slot thus provide a socket for the tapered squared end 23 of the tool. It will be clear from the drawings that to mount a tool in the holder it is merely necessary to project the end 23 into the opening 18 and move it through this opening until the tapered walls thereof have frictional engagement with the walls 22 of the slot. This engagement prevents twisting or turning of the tool with respect to the holder and also suggests that as the tool is manipulated, by way of pressure applied to the handle, the frictional engagement of tool and holder will, if anything, slightly increase rather than decrease over a period of use.

Not infrequently, removable tools become so firmly engaged with their holders, following a period of use, as to make it difficult to remove them should another tool of diiferent size or proportions be required to be substituted in the holder. By reason of the fact that the tool end 23 projects well into the slot 12, it is of course exposed to view exteriorly of the holder. Through the use of a wedge key 24 it is possible to remove any of the most tightly fitting tools by simply inserting the pointed end 25 of the key into the slot beneath the tool end, substantially as suggested in Fig. 7. Application of a slight downward force on the outer end of the key loosens the tool, enabling further movement of the key into the slot to the position such, for example, as shown in Fig. 8. From this point, it is merely necessary to rock the key and the tool will be sufiiciently freed from its frictional engagement with the holder as to enable merely withdrawing it from the end 11.

Reference has been made to the fact that each tool holder, commencing beyond the slot 12, is formed with opposed fiat faces or sides 13. This provision enables mounting a number of holders in a container such as the strap-like container indicated;v by the reference numeral 26. The container 26 is shown in its normal or relieved shape in Fig. 4. Herein the top and bottom faces 27, that are connected by the rounded ends 28, are somewhat bowed or outwardly curved, The distance.- between the inner surfaces of the curved ends 28 is slightly greater than the over-all width of five of the holders when they are in a relationship such that the flat faces or. sides 13 are in abutment. Again referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the diameter of each holder is somewhat less than the space between the bowed faces 27. Insofar as the use of this tool holder is concerned, it is immaterial whether the wing-like handle 16 is aligned with the slot,

12, at right angles thereto, or, in fact, rotated to any other position. However, for the purpose of the present invention, the handles are disposed at a thirty degree angle to the flat sides 13. Thus, when five of these holders are projected into the container, the handles will be inclined as shown. the handles in this position they are sufiiciently loose within the holder to be individually'or collectively removed or inserted.

In order to secure the holders in the container 26, it is merely necessary to grasp the wing-like handlesv and simultaneously rotate them to the position of Fig. 3. This causes the flat faces or sides 13 to be turnedand brings the adjacent curved surfaces of the holders into contact with each other. The result of this is to increase the over-all width of the five holders and stretch the container to an extent such that the faces 27 are straightened and in contact with the holders. By placing tension on the walls of the container, the holders have such frictional engagement with each other as to remain in this more or less fiat or collapsed relationship and present,

in elevation, a kit or set suchas shown in Fig. 1. It will be observed that a portion of each of the handles 16 is viewable when the holders are, secured in the container and that, as in the case of the present showing of tap tools, it is possible to indicate, on a portion of each handle, the size of the tap. The holders 10, in the package shown in the drawings, are of graduated length only for the purpose of showing that different size holders may be packaged in the manner described. However, since the holders are provided with flat faces or sides.13, and these sides are adjacent the handle rather than the tool, it is immaterial whether the holders are of similar or dissimilar length.

It has already been described that a wedge key is provided for the purpose of enabling quick and easy removal of a tool from the holder. plete the package, it is proposed to provide a pair of straps 29 on one face of the container. These straps have ofi'set central portions and enable mounting the wedge key in the manner shown in Fig. 1. Considering this figure and Fig. 2, it is evident that a number of holders, having certain similar structural details, may be packaged as a kit or set and with the tools exposed for examination and selection for use. It is of course a simple procedure to remove the holders from the container, this being accomplished by merely holding the container in one hand and simultaneously twisting the handles 16 in a clockwise direction with the other hand. This rotates the handles and holders from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4 wherein the flat faces are again in abutment, the pressure of'the faces 27 of the container relieved, and the holders may be removed.

Applicant has shown and'described a holder for tap tools but it is evident that other tools, when provided with tapered ends, may be used with the holders. It is contemplated that the presentinvention is applicable, both as to a toolholder and toolpackage, in varied or modified form to that shown, and it will be understood that such variations or modifications are contemplated as being within the spirit andscopeof the invention insofar as they are setout in theannexed claims.

It will be understood that with For convenience and to comr 4 Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new. andfor which I desire protection. by Letter Patent is: l. A container enclosing a, plurality of tool holders, said holders, in cross section, being of at least two different widths, whereby when in common side by side arrangement their over-all widthmay be changed, said containers consisting of a flexible; endless strap encirling said tool holders in their side by side contacting relation and having a normal endwise contour defined by roundedportions connected by slightly arched opposite sides, said holders, in one common side by. sidearrangement, loosely occupying the space within said container and in another common side by side arrangement, having an over-all width that straightens said arched sides into frictional contact with-said holders.

2. A container enclosing a plurality of tool holders that, in part, are non-circular in cross-section, said container being a flexible endless strap encircling said tool holders in their side by side contacting relation and having an endwise contour defined by semi-circular ends connected by oppositely arched sides, said holders, in given side by side arrangement, loosely-occupying the space within said container, said holders being pantially'rotatable to change their relationship and causing the walls of'said container to be straightened to frictionally engage said sides.

3. A container enclosing a plurality of cylindrical tool holders having opposed fiat sides, said container being of an endless strap-like nature and having an endwise contour defined by semicircular ends connected by oppositely arched sides, said holders, when in fiat side abutment, loosely occupying the space within said container, said holders being rotatable to an extent to fill the space within said container by straightening the arched sides into frictional contact with said holders.

4. A container enclosing a plurality of generally cylindrical tool holders, said holders having opposed flat sides, said container consistingof a flexible endless strap encircling said tool holders'in their side by side contacting relation and having an endwise contour defined by semicircular ends connected by oppositely arched sides, the space within said container, from end to end, accommodating said holders when the flat sides thereof are parallel, said holders being rotatable, as a group, to displace lthe sides and increase their over-all width and straighten the arched sides of said' container into frictional contact with said holders.

5. A container enclosing a plurality of generally cylindrical'tool holders, said holders having wing-like handles and opposed fiat sides throughout a part' of their length, said container consisting of a flexible endless strap encircling said-tool holders in their side by side contacting relation and having an endwise contour defined by rounded ends-connected'by. slightly arched opposite sides, said holdens, when in flat side abutment, loosely occupying the space within said container, said holders being rotatable to a predetermined extent as a group by said handles to displace the fiat side by side abutment and increase their over-all width whereby to spring the arched sides of said container into frictional contact with said holders.

References .Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,250 Woods July 28, 1908 1,053,709 Collins Feb. 18, 1913' 1,119,766 Simmons, Dec. 1, 1914 1,252,335 Foote Ian. 1, 1918- 1,438,931 Schmidgall Dec. 12,1922 1,502,528 Reulbach July 22, 1924 1,545,002 Martin July 7, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 119,174 Switzerland Apr. 30,1947

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