US3034550A

US3034550A - Two-element hand tool

Info

Publication number: US3034550A
Application number: US33272A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank L Dahl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-06-01
Filing date: 1960-06-01
Publication date: 1962-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-15

Description

May 15, 1962 F. DAHL TWO-ELEMENT HAND TOOL Filed June 1, 1960 INVENTOR.

FRANK L.DAHL

United States Patent C 3,034,550 TWO-ELEMENT HAND TOOL Frank L. Dahl, 5248 W. 119th Place, Inglewood, Calif. Filed June 1, 1960, Ser. No. 33,272 2 Claims. (Cl. 145-64) The present invention consists of an improved twoelement hand tool which is controllably selectively movable into either of two locked positions for effectively positioning either of the hand tool elements in operative position for use. In one preferred form, the invention may include a handle provided with a longitudinal bore therethrough and having slidably mounted therein a longitudinal shaft provided with a different tool element means at each end, and with the shaft being movable between a first position, wherein one of said tool elements extends from one end of said handle in an operative position, and a second position, wherein the other one of said tool elements extends from the other end of said handle in an operative position, with said shaft being controllably lockable in either said first or second position. The tool elements or tool element means carried at each end of the longitudinal shaft are usually different and may comprise, for example (and not to be construed in a limiting sense), a conventional screwdriver at one end and a Phillips screwdriver at the other end, or may comprise socket wrench fittings of various sizes, if desired, or may comprise merely a driver element at each end adapted to engage various types and/ or sizes of removable interchangeable tool elements. This makes it possible for a user of the device to, in eflect, have two tools in one, with either tool element being adapted to be placed in operative position With very little effort on the part of the user.

The present invention includes novel engaging means for controllably locking the longitudinal shaft in either extreme position whereby to respectively position either tool element end thereof in operative extended relationship with respect to the handle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel two-element hand tool of the character referred to above, which is of extremely simple, cheap, foolproof construction such as to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter and will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study thereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, several exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheet and are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention with one end of the longitudinal shaft shown in extended relationship with respect to the handle means whereby to place one of the two different tool element means carried by the longitudinal shaft in operative position for use and whereby to place the other tool element means carried by the other end of the longitudinal shaft in non-use position within a rear portion of a bore extending through the handle means.

FIG. 2 is a larger-scale view comprising a central longitudinal vertical sectional view of the handle means of 3,034,550 Patented May 15, 1962 lCC FIG. 1 and a fragmentary elevational view of the longitudinal shaft and two different tool element means of FIG. 1. It should be noted that a central portion of the longitudinal shaft is broken away and removed for drawing space conservation reasons, in this view.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIG. 2 and comprises a section of the handle means, the longitudinal shaft, and transverse pin means comprising a portion of the engaging means cooperating with the other portion of the engaging means, shown in elevation in FIG. 3, whereby to lock the longitudinal shaft in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the left tool element means in extended operative position and with the right tool element means in retracted non-use position Within the handle means.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to a fragment of the right end portion of FIG. 2, but shows a slight modification wherein opposite ends of the handle means have a larger entry portion into the central bore to receive a larger tool element, which is shown in FIG. 4 as comprising a socket head wrench, although any other type of tool element may be employed, either fixedly carried by the shaft or remova'bly carried thereby.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, reduced-size view illustrating a further slight modification wherein each end of the longitudinal shaft carries tool element means comprising a tool member driver.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 for exemplary purposes, one illustrative embodiment of the invention takes a typical exemplary form wherein it comprises the handle means indicated generally at 10, which is shown as being of substantially longitudinal cylindrical configuration made of molded plastic material, although not specifically so limited. The handle means 10 is provided with a longitudinal bore therethrough which, in the specific example illustrated, takes the form of a bore indicated generally at 11 including a central portion 11C and larger end entry portions 1113 which, in the form shown in FIGS. 1-3, are outwardly divergingly flared, although the invention is not so limited. The central bore portion 11C is provided with retaining means 12 at each end thereof which, in the example illustrated comprise two metallic insert members, although the invention is not specifically so limited. Each of the retaining means 12 has a circular through-aperture 13 slightly larger than the circular cross-sectional size of the longitudinal shaft 14 which is slidably mounted in the longitudinal bore 11 for slidable movement through the aligned holes 13 in the retaining means 12 between two extreme positions whereby to place either of the tool element means 15 carried by opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft 14 in extended, locked, and operative position. In the form shown in FIGS. l3, it should be noted that the left tool element means 15, which for illustrative purposes only is shown as comprising a. Phillips type of screwdriver, is in the extended, locked, and operative position. However, it should be understood that by merely unlocking the engaging means, which will be described hereinafter, and by slidably moving the shaft 14 toward the right until it is in a rightwardly extending position substantially similar to the leftwardly extended position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and by then locking the engaging means, which will be described hereinafter, the right tool element means 15 may be similarly placed in extended,

locked, and operative position with respect to the handle means 1% In the example illustrated, said right tool element means 15 is shown as comprising a conventional screwdriver, although the invention is not specifically so limited.

The engaging means, generally referred to above, for controllably engaging and locking the shaft 14 in either of the two extreme positions for placing in operative condition either the left or the right tool element means 15, comprises the two retaining means or insert members 12, each of which is provided with a transverse receiving recess means 16 on the inner face thereof, which faces the central portion 11C of the bore and opens thereinto for purposes which will be described in detail hereinafter.

The engaging means generally referred to above, also includes two longitudinally spaced transverse pins 17 carried transversely adjacent the two tool element means 15, and abuttingly engageable and receivingly insertably cooperable with the corresponding ones of the two transverse receiving recess means 16, as best shown at the right end of the central bore portion 11C in FIG. 2 and as shown enlarged in FIG. 3, whereby the transverse engaging pin 17 is effectively locked within corresponding transverse receiving recess means 16 so as to rotatively immobilize the shaft end 14 withthe left tool element means 15 extending leftwardly from the left end of the handle means into an operative use position.

It should be noted that each of the transverse pins 17 may be referred to as a first engaging means and each of the corresponding two transverse receiving recess means 16 may be referred to as a second engaging means, cooperable together for locking engagement whereby to hold the longitudinal shaft 14 in either of two extreme positions, which will place either the left or right tool element means in extended operative use position,

where it is maintained by a coil compression spring 18 r mounted on the central portion of the shaft 15 and abutting the transverse pin 17 which is engaged in the transverse receiving recess means 16, with the opposite end of the spring 18 abutting the other retaining means 12.

It should be noted that each of the retaining means 12 is provided, in a rotatively displaced position with respect to its transverse receiving recess means 16, with a through slot means 19 of a size such as to allow the corresponding transverse pin 17 to pass therethrough when aligned therewith so as to controllably reverse the longitudinal position of the shaft 14 for extending the other tool element means 15 into operative use position. This is accomplished after the other or left transverse pin 17 passes through the other or left through slot 19, after which the shaft 14 is rotated until said left transverse pin means 7 is aligned 'with the left transverse receiving recess means 16, after which the shaft 14 is allowed to move slightly to the left under the action of the biasing spring 18 so as to firmly lock the left transverse pin means 17 in the left transverse receiving recess means 16 in a manner identical to the locking of the right transverse pin means 17 in the right transverse receiving recess means 16, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This will effectively lock the shaft 14 in an extreme rightwardly extended position with the right tool element means 15 locked in extended operative use position.

in the specific form shown, the rotative displacement of the shaft 14 required for moving either of the transverse pins 17 from alignment with the corresponding through slot 19 into alignment with the corresponding transverse receiving recess means 16 is 90 degrees. However, any other desired rotative displacement between each of the through slots 19 and each of the transverse receiving recess means 16 may be employed within the basic spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the right portion of FIG. 2, and similar parts are indicated by similar reference numerals, primed, however. In this modification, each of the entry portions 11E of the central bore 11' is of substantially cylindrical configuration rather than conical as shown in the first form of the invention so as to be eficctively adapted to receive therein a socket head wrench element 15 comprising the tool element means. The left tool element means (not shown in this view) may comprise another socket head Wrench type of tool element of a different size or shape or may comprise a screwdriver type of tool element or any other desired type of tool element means, either fixed with respect to the shaft 14 or movably engageable therewith.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view very similar to a part of FIG. 4, and corresponding elements are indicated by similar reference numerals, doubly primed, however. In this modification, either or both ends of the shaft 14 may comprise a tool element means 15", which takes the form of a driver adapted for removable driving cocperation with respect to any of various types and/ or sizes of auxiliary tool members engageable therewith.

While the retaining means have been shown as comprising metal inserts, they may be integrally formed in the body of the handle means It in certain forms of the invention. Furthermore, it should he noted that, for constructional purposes, the handle may be of a type formed in two sections subsequently joined together for final assembly. Various other structural and/or constructional variations are within the basic spirit and scope of the present invention and are intended to be included within the scope hereof.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An improved hand tool controllably selectively operable for positioning in either of two oppositely directed extended positions, comprising: longitudinal handle means provided with a longitudinal bore therethrough; a longitudinal shaft provided with end-mounted tool element means, said longitudinal shaft being provided inwardly of each end thereof with first engaging means comprising engaging pin means transversely projecting on opposite sides of said shaft; said bore including a centrally positioned longitudinal intermediate portion shorter than said longitudinal handle and concentrically positioned therein and having adjacent each end thereof and completely within said bore second engaging means including a shaftsupporting slidable bearing means for slidably receiving the shaft and an engaging recess means facing said intermediate central portion and opening thereinto and extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal bore and on each side thereof to an extent substantially equal to the transverse extension of the corresponding one of said engaging transverse pin means and adapted to controllably and non-rotatably receive and positionally lock the corresponding one of said engaging transverse pin means therein in a position completely within said handle when the opposite end ofthe shaft extends outwardly from the opposite end of the handle; said second engaging means immediately around said shaft-supporting slidable bearing means and in a position rotatively displaced from said engaging recess means being provided with a through-slotted portion having a dimension in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal ais of the shaft greater than the transverse dimension of each of said transverse engaging pin means whereby to allow the corresponding one of said pin means to be rotated into a position for passing therethrough outwardly into a position extending outwardly from the same end of the handle means; and centrally intermediately positioned biasing 5 6 coil compression spring means positioned around a central 2. A tool of the character defined in claim I, wherein illtfifmediate Portion of said Shaft entirely Within Said the tool element means comprises torque-applying means. centrally positioned longitudinal intermediate portion of said bore between the second engaging means at each end Ref Cited in the fil f this patent thereof for effective engagement between one of said 5 transverse engaging pin means and the opposed second en- UNITED STATES PATENTS gaging means whereby to bias said transverse engaging pin 2 629,415 Baker Feb 4 1953 means into locked relationship with respect to the other 632,489 Johnson Man 1953 second engaging means, with the shaft extending outwardly from the end of the handle means remote therefrom. 10 273O145 Brown 1956