US3156143A

US3156143A - Adjustable leverage tool

Info

Publication number: US3156143A
Application number: US209984A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert S Wolf
Original assignee: HOLIDAY FROSTED FOOD CO
Current assignee: HOLIDAY FROSTED FOOD CO
Priority date: 1962-07-16
Filing date: 1962-07-16
Publication date: 1964-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-10

Description

Nov. 10, 1964 R. s. WOLF 3,1

ADJUSTABLE LEVERAGE TOOL Filed July 16, 1962 INVENTOR. ROBE/77' .5. WOLF BY WWSW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,156,143 ADJUSTABLE LEVERAGE TOOL Robert S. Wolf, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Holiday Frosted Food Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 16, 1962, Ser. No. 209,984 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-177) This invention, in general, relates to a new and improved adjustable leverage tool and, more particularly, to an adjustable leverage tool which may be utilized in a variety of positions in accordance with the needs of the user.

In the past, tools such as lug wrenches have come in either an L-shape or a form of T-shape to provide a given leverage for the user of the tool. With the L-shaped wrench, it was usually diflicult to obtain enough torque as well as vertical pressure on the nut to be worked on. With the T-shaped wrench, there were many places where the extra handle would make it impossible to use the wrench properly.

It is the general object of this invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of the prior art practices by the provision of a new and better adjustable leverage tool.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable leverage tool which may be utilized as an L or T-shaped wrench.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and better adjustable leverage tool which can be used to impart direct force as well as torque to the object worked on.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable leverage tool which is simple in construction and easy to adjust.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the adjustable leverage wrench shown in FIGURE 1 taken along lines 2-2.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the wrench of FIGURE 1 shown utilized as a T-wrench.

FIGURE 4 is a pictorial view of a second embodiment of the present invention in one of its operative positions.

In the drawings, the adjustable leverage wrench of the present invention has been generally designated by the numeral 10. Like numerals in the drawings indicate like parts of the invention.

The adjustable leverage wrench includes an extended bifurcated pivotal handle 12 and a main L-shaped tool assembly 14. In the drawings, the tool 14 has been shown as an L-shaped wrench although it can easily be understood that any other working head for a tool might be substituted for the tool head of the wrench 14.

The bifurcated handle 12 consists of two flat extending pieces 18 defining an open-ended slot 20 in the handle 12. The wrench 14 has aflat extendable handle portion 22 which is adapted to fit within the slot 28 in the bifurcated handle 12. The handle 22 is pivotally secured to the

extensions

16 and 18 by means of a headed bolt 24.

The wrench 14 also includes asocket 26 for receiving lugs therein. The socket 26 is integral with the handle 7 22 through a flat head portion 28. The thickness of the fiat head portion 28 is equal to the thickness of the handle 22.

3,156,143 Patented Nov. 10., 1964 The bolt 24 has two

heads

28 and 30 which engage

extensions

16 and 18 respectively to hold them in place against the handle 22.

When the wrench of the present invention is used in the position shown in FIGURE 1, it is operative as an L-wrench and the leverage or torque to be exerted on the lug by the wrench is determined by the distance between the head 28 and the position on the handle 12 that the force is applied. It should be noted that in this position, the length of the leverage arm can be the entire length of the handle 12 plus half the width of the head 28.

In FIGURE 2, the handle 12 has been pivoted about bolt 24 180 so as to form a T-wrench with the head 28 being placed between the bifurcated

extensions

16 and 18 and the slot 29. In this position, if force is applied both to the handle 22 and the handle 12, a greater moment is able to be exerted than was possible when the wrench was in the position shown in FIGURE 1.

The end of the handle 12 is now exactly the same distance from socket 26 as the end of the handle 14 is from the socket 26. The handle 12 is preferably made of a material such as cast iron which is not flexible. Therefore, the bifurcated

extensions

16 and 18 will not flex when a moment is applied to the wrench, and therefore there is mating engagement between the bifurcated extensions 16 and 13 and the wrench 14 for a distance including the width of the head 28 and that portion of the handle 22 which is covered by the

extensions

16 and 18. If there is any tendency on the part of the

extensions

16 and 18 to flex, the

bolt heads

28 and 30 will prevent such flexing.

In FIGURE 4, there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention in which the socket portion of the L-shaped wrench 14 has been replaced by a suitable socket receiving extension. The new L-shaped tool is designated by the numeral 30 and has a socket receiving portion 32 with nodular balls 34 thereon which act to lock replaceable sockets 36 on the socket receiving portion 32.

The bifurcated handle 12 shown in FIGURE 4 is exactly the same as the handle 12. shown in FIGURES l and 3. The handle 12 is shown as moved with respect to the tool 3%. In this position, the user of the adjustable leverage wrench can apply force in the direction of the socket receiving end 32 while applying torque by means of the tool 3t).

Thus, the objects of this invention have been accomplished by the provision of an adjustable leverage tool which can be used as an L-shaped wrench, a T-shaped wrench, or a tool capable of applying force in the direction of the socket while torque is applied.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. An adjustable leverage tool comprising a main L- shaped tool, said tool including an elongated handle, a head depending from one end of said handle in perpendicular relationship to said handle, an extension handle, means for pivotably securing said extension handle to said elongated tool handle adjacent said head, said extension handle having a slot therein for nesting said tool handle within said extension handle when said handles are on the same side of said tool head, said extension handle being pivotable from said nested position to a position displaced degrees therefrom, said extension handle projecting beyond said tool head when it is displaced 180 degrees from said nested position, and stop means on said tool head for limiting the displacement of said extension handle to 180 degrees from said nested position.

2. An adjustable leverage tool comprising a main L- shaped tool having a handle and a head perpendicular to said tool handle, an extension handle, means pivotably securing said extension handle to said tool handle for 180 degree rotation of said extension handle with respect to said tool handle, said extension handle having a slot therein for nesting said tool handle within said extension handle when said extension handle and said tool handle are in the same position relative to said tool head, said extension handle having bifurcated extensions therein forming the slot on the handle, said tool handle being adapted to fit within said slot when said tool handle and extension handle are in the same position relative to said tool head, said pivot means including a bolt passing through said bifurcated extensions and said tool handle, said bolt being spaced from said head whereby when said extension handle has been moved 180 degrees with respect to said tool handle, said bifurcated extensions are in area contact with said head, the distance between the end of said extension handle and said tool head when said extension handle has been moved 180 with respect to said tool handle being equal to the distance between said tool head and the end of said tool handle.

3. The adjustable leverage tool of claim 2 wherein said head has an enlarged portion, said head enlarged portion limiting said extension handle to 180 rotation with respect to said tool handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,662 Bartlett May 27, 1890 821,328 Bartlett May 22, 1907 849,891 Ellingson Apr. 9, 1907 1,034,383 Bronson July 30, 1912 1,301,802 Anderson Apr. 29, 1919 1,597,747 Werrnes Aug. 31, 1926 1,614,426 Des Rosiers Jan. 11, 1927 1,776,928 Potts Sept. 20, 1930 2,475,268 Wittle July 5, 1949 2,729,996 Shoewald Jan. 10, 1956

Claims

1. AN ADJUSTABLE LEVERAGE TOOL COMPRISING A MAIN LSHAPED TOOL, SAID TOOL INCLUDING AN ELONGATED HANDLE, A HEAD DEPENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID HANDLE IN PERPENDICULAR RELATIONSHIP TO SAID HANDLE, AN EXTENSION HANDLE, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY SECURING SAID EXTENSION HANDLE TO SAID ELONGATED TOOL HANDLE ADJACENT SAID HEAD, SAID EXTENSION HANDLE HAVING A SLOT THEREIN FOR NESTING SAID TOOL HANDLE WITHIN SAID EXTENSION HANDLE WHEN SAID HANDLES ARE ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID TOOL HEAD, SAID EXTENSION HANDLE BEING PIVOTABLE FROM SAID NESTED POSITION TO A POSITION DISPLACED 180 DEGREES THEREFROM, SAID EXTENSION HANDLE PROJECTING BEYOND SAID TOOL HEAD WHEN IT IS DISPLACED 180 DEGREES FROM SAID NESTED POSITION, AND STOP MEANS ON SAID TOOL HEAD FOR LIMITING THE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID EXTENSION HANDLE TO 180 DEGREES FROM SAID NESTED POSITION.