US3256966A

US3256966A - Ratcheting tool drive

Info

Publication number: US3256966A
Application number: US323982A
Authority: US
Inventors: Angquist Torsten Fredric
Original assignee: Crescent Niagara Corp
Current assignee: Crescent Niagara Corp
Priority date: 1963-11-15
Filing date: 1963-11-15
Publication date: 1966-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1983-06-21

Description

June 21, 1966 T. F. ANGQulsT 3,256,966

RATCHETING TOOL DRIVE ATTORNEYS June 21, 1966 T. F. ANGQUlsT 3,256,966

RATCHETING TOOL DRIVE Filed Nov. l5, 1963 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 l I 3 i INVENTOR 703mm/ f NGQz//s ATTORNEYS United States Patent O l 3,256,966 RATCHETING TOOL DRIVE Torsten Fredric Angquist, Jamestown, N Y., assgnor to Crescent Niagara Corporation, Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation ot New York Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 323,982

' 8 Claims. (Cl. 192-46)' This invention relates to hand tools, and more particularly to tools having ratchet mechanisms to enable the user to impart rotation to a tool selectively in either direction; or, in the alternative, to impart positive drive in both directions. v

One object of the invention is to provide a tool of the screwdriver type wherein a ratchet drive mechanism is installed in the handle therein.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a screwdriver type tool having a ratchet drive mechanism in which the upper end of the tool shank passes through a central opening in the drive mechanism and is removably received within a longitudinal bore inthe handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ratchet tool drive mechanism of small size werein the pawl members are formed from wire stock.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following specication in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a preferred form of a ratchet tool driver constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1; v

FIG., 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 4is an exploded view of the device shown in FIG. 1 on a somewhat reduced scale;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the body;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan View of the drive mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a top plan View of the reversing lever;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the reversing lever;

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are, respectively, a plan view and a front elevation of the spring for actuating the pawls;

FIG; 11 and FIG. 12 are, respectively, side elevations and front elevationsof the tool-retaining spring, and;

FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are, respectively, a side elevation and a plan view of one of the pawl mechanisms.

Arically projecting ears 22.

In FIG. 4, it may be seen that the tool driver 20 comprises a cylindrical hollow body, indicated generally by the numeral 23, which may be -associated with a molded handle (a portion of which is shown in dotted lines),- open at one end and within which there is contained a drive mechanism, indicated generally by the numeral 24, which, in turn, is retained within the body by a reversing lever, indicated generally by the numeral 25, and which also serves as an end closure for the hollow body.

3,256,966 Patented June 21, 1966` The reversing lever 25 is provided with an external annular groove 26 which registers with an internal annular groove 27 provided in the body 23, whereby the reversing lever can be retained in place by means of a resilient C-shaped flat retaining ring 28, received within the

grooves

26 and 27. It will be seen in FIG. 2, that a portion of the skirt of the body 23 is cut away at 29, and that the ends 30 of the C-ring are turned outwardly to facilitate compression of the retaining ring for removal of the internal elements.

The lower portion of the skirt is also provided with a cylindrical bearing surface 31, extending slightly above and below the groove 27 to rotatably receive the external cylindrical surface 32 of the reversing lever. Thus, the C-ring 28 not only holds the assembly together by preventing axial displacement, but permits relative rotation between the body and the reversing lever. The lower face of thereversing lever is provided with a downwardly extending pair of oppositely arranged finger grips 33, for purposes which will be explained later.

The major portion of the upper face 34 is at except for the provision of an upwardly projecting circular ridge 35 spaced concentrically inwardly a short distance from the periphery of surface 34 and extending approximately The reversing lever is also provided with a centrally located bore 36 which receives a downwardly projecting circular boss 37 centrally located on the under side of the drive mechanism 24.

The drive mechanism is freely rotatable within the body 23 and, as will be explained later, is also 4rotatable to a limited degree with respect to the reversing lever 25. Axial movement, however, is limited due to the fact that the upper end 38 bears against the upper internal wall 39 of the body, while the lower faces of the downwardly projecting concentrically arranged

ridges

40, 42 and 43 bear on the surface 34 of the reversing lever.

' The lower end of the drive 'mechanism is also undercut to provide the circular

external recesses

43 and 44 within which the ridge 35 of the reversing lever is rotatably received.'

The drive mechanism also includes a pair of J-shaped pawls 45 and 46. These pawls are formed from hardened Wire stock and, since they are similar but of opposite hand, it is believed necessary only to show one of them in FIGS. 4, 13 and 14. Their assembled positions being clearly shown in FIG. 3. The

short legs

45a and 46a of each pawl serves as a mounting pivot and they are respectively received within the apertures 47 and 48 drilled upwardly from the end face 49 of the drive mechanism. This portion of the end face is undercut and forms an extension of the

recesses

43 and 44.

The two apertures 47 and 48 are disposed outwardly of the opposite sides of the boss 37 and in circumferential alignment with the ridges 42 `and 43. The horizontally extending mid portions of the pawls bear slidably against the end face 49 on the one hand, and on the other hand,

are prevented from dropping out of the apertures 47 and A centrally located bore 52 extends vertically through the drive mechanism including the boss 37 and a continuation 53 of this bore extends upwardly through a centrally located boss 54 provided on the top of the body 23 and upwardly into the handle.

The bore 52 dilfers from its continuation 53 in that bore 52 is also provided with a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinally extending slots 55 which slidably receive the ears 22. Since the shank 21 is of a diameter to be loosely but easily received Within the

bores

52 and 53, it will be seen that if the tool shank is inserted from the bottom of the drive mechanism, upward movement of the shank will be stopped because the ears cannot enter the bore 53.

In order to hold the tool in place, yet permit its easy removal, the slot 56 is cut a little deeper and is provided with a longitudinally extending spring detent member 57, and one end of the slot is also cut away in a radial direction, as at 58, to provide space for outward movement of the spring tip 59 when the tool shank is being inserted or removed.

Extending about the entire inner periphery of the cylindrical body 23 and above the bearing surface 31 are a plurality of longitudinally extending semi-cylindrical teeth 60, whose radii are approximately the same as the radii of the wire stock from which the pawls are made.

The outer surface 61 of the drive mechanism 24 is cylindrical in cross-section and of =a diameter to be loosely received within the toothed portion of the body 23. Furthermore, the two longitudinal recesses 50 and 511 are of suicient depth such that when one of the pawl elements is disposed with-in its respective recess, it will be completely free from the possibility of contact with any of the teeth 60.

A C-shaped spring made of flat stock and having a body portion 62 which extends in a flat plane when unstressed, and having re-entrantly turned

end portions

63 and 64 is stressed into a curve and placed in the circular space between the ridge 40 and the exterior of the boss 37 so that the ends of the spring bear yieldingly against the respective mid portions of the pawls, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

In this ligure, it can also be seen that the spring end 64 is urging the longer leg of the pawl 46 into engagement with `one of the teeth 60 and that the arrangement is such that relative rotation of the body 23 in a clockwise direction with respect to the drive mechanism 24 will be effectively prevented, while at the same time, counterclockwise rotation of the body will be permitted by the successive downwardly yielding oscillatory movement of the pawl 46. Y

Means is provided whereby the pawls 45 and 46 can be selec-tively placed in ratcheting engagement with the teeth 60, while the respective other one of the pawls is held out of engagement to provide one way rotary driving movement of the body 23 lin either direction with respect to the drive mechanism and the tool shank engaged therewith. This selective engaging-means is also effective to release both of the pawls for simultaneous engagement with the teeth 60 to provide positive two-way drive between the body 23 and a tool shank received therein.

The means for accomplishing this selective drive includes the circular ridge 35, the position of which can be changed by rotation of the reversing lever 25 with respect to the drive mechanism 24. There are three operating positions and each of them can be lreleasably maintained by virtue of the provision of a detent mechanism which includes a ball 66 received within a suitable radial opening in the linger piece 33 and which is springbiased into selective engagement with the

recesses

67, 68 and 69 provided on the exterior of the boss 37.

To change the position of the ridge 35, it is only necessary to hold the handle of the drive mechanism in one hand and to turn the reversing lever by gripping the l finger grips 33 with 4the other hand in the direction in which it is desired to drive the tool.

It will further be observed in solid lines in FIG. 3 that one end 70 of ridge 35 bears inwardly against pawl 45 holding it within recess 5G so as to be completely out of engagement with the teeth 60. The other end 71 of the 4ridge 35 is clear of pawl 46 to permit its active engagement with the teeth.

If the ridge 35 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 3) to engage the ball 65 with the middle recess 63, both ends will be clear of both pawls as indicated by the dotted lines at 70 and 71. The posi-` tion of pawl 46 remains as before, While pawl 45 will drop down in engagement with teeth 60.

While the pawl 45 would normally permit clockwise rotation of the body 23, this rotation is now prevented by pawl 46. Similarly, while the pawl 46 would normally permit counterclockwise rotation of the body, this is now prevented by pawl 45 and therefore positive drive in both directions is obtained.

Further rotation of the ridge 35 in a counterclockwise direction will not affect pawl 45, but the upper end of the ridge will swing the pawl 46 inwardly out of engagement with teeth 66, and the ends of the circular ridge being now at positions indicated by the dotted lines at 7G" and 71.

Since pawl 46 is completely disengaged, it places no restriction on rotation of the body 23, and since pawl 45 is not engaged by the ridge 35, it remains in engagement with the teeth 60, under which conditions, the body 23 may freely rotate in a clockwise direction with respect to the drive mechanism, but cannot move relative to the drive mechanism in the counterclockwise direction.

Having shown and described one form of the invention which may be practiced, it should be understood that various modifications, alterations and changes can be made by one skilled in the art which would be included Within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In ratchet mechanisms for use with a tool having an elongated straight shank provided with a radially projecting portion for driving engagement with the ratchet mechanism positioned medially of the length of the shank, the combination including, a cup-shaped body having a concentric bore at its closed end, a iirst member concentrically rotatably mounted in said body, a second member concentrically rotatably mounted on said iirst member in said body, pawl means for one-way driving engagement between said body and said second member, said second member having a concentric bore to receive the tool shank and being provided with a longitudinal slot for said driving engagement with the projecting portion, and detent means for yielding engagement with the radially projecting portion for retaining the tool shank in place, axial movement of the shank in one direction being limited by abutment of the projecting portion against the inner wall of lthe cup-shaped body.

2. The invent-ion as deiined in claim 1, wherein said detent means comprises an inwardly directed, outwardly yieldable leaf spring longitudinally positioned in said slot.

3. The invention as deiined in claim 1, wherein said cup-shaped body includes an exteriorly projecting concentrically arranged portion, said concentric bore extending into said projecting portion to prov-ide support for a tool shank.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said pawl means includes a length of wire stock having end portions extending at right angles to the medial portion.

5. In a ratchet tool, a hollow body, the interior thereof being provided with longitudinally extending annularly arranged teeth, tool driving means rotatably supported by said body and a pawl supported on said tool driving means, said pawl having a mid portion terminating at each endwith a portion extending at right angles to the mid portion, both end portions being parallel with each other.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said end portions extend -in the same direction.

7. In a ratcheting tool, a hollow rst member, a second member rotatably supported therein, one of said members being provided with annularly arranged longitudinally extending teeth, the other of said members being provided with a` pawl operatively engaging with said teeth, said pawl being formed of Wire stock, and comprising a mid portion having one end extending at right angles thereto, and the other end being pivotally mounted on said one member.

6 8. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein the other end of said pawl extends at right angles lto the mid portion in the same direction as said one end.

l References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,773,574 -12/1956 Able 192-43.1

0 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primm Examiner.

DON A. WAI'I'E, Examiner.

A. T. MCKEON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

5. IN A RATCHET TOOL, A HOLLOW BODY, THE INTERIOR THEREOF BEING PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ANNULARLY ARRANGED TEETH, TOOL DRIVING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY AND A PAWL SUPPORTED ON SAID TOOL DRIVING MEANS, SAID PAWL HAVING A MID PORTION TERMINATING AT EACH END WITH A PORTION EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE MID PORTION, BOTH END PORTIONS BEING PARALLEL WITH EACH OTHER.