US3702136A

US3702136A - Wrench holder

Info

Publication number: US3702136A
Application number: US120527A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nathan E Albertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-03
Filing date: 1971-03-03
Publication date: 1972-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1989-11-07

Abstract

A HOLDER FOR HAND WRENCHES USABLE WITHIN A TOOL BOX OR CHEST TO POSITION THE WRENCHES PROGRESSIVELY ACCORDING TO THEIR SIZE. THE WRENCHES ARE HELD IN PLACE UPON DIVERGING SUPPORTS HAVING OPPOSED RECESSES FORMED THEREIN ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOOL ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF. ONE FORM OF THE HOLDER PROVIDES FOR BOTH SLIDABLE AND ROTAIONAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE SUPPORTS TO ACCOMMODATE VARIOUS WRENCH SIZES.

Description

1972 N. E. ALBERTSON 3,702,135

WRENCH HOLDER Filed March 5, 1971 INVENTOR. NATHAN E. ALBERTSON 4h il-L AGENT U ted- Saws Pa 3,702,136 WRENCH HOLDER Nathan E. Albertson, 221 Greenwood, Junction City, Oreg. 97448 Filed Mar. 3, 1971, Ser. No. 120,527 Int. Cl. B25h 3/04 US. Cl. 211-60 T 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder for hand wrenches usable within a tool box or chest to position the wrenches progressively according to their size. The wrenches are held in place upon diverging supports having opposed recesses formed therein engageable with the tool adjacent the ends thereof. One form of the holder provides for both slidable and rotational movement between the supports to accommodate various wrench sizes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a holder for hand wrenches usable both for tool display prior to sale and for later use within a tool box or chest.

It is common practice for hand wrenches to be stored in a loose haphazard manner within a mechanics tool box or tool chest. Use of the Wrenches on the job ordinarily involves a degree of searching as the wrenches are usually interspersed in the tool chest or box among other hand tools. As most work will require the use of different sized wrenches considerable inconvenience is incurred in the locating of a particular wrench and checking same for the size desired.

A further objection to the loose storage of hand wrenches is that in order to determine whether or not the tool box or chest contains a complete set of wrenches the same must be counted as well as individually checked for a complete range of sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied within a holder for hand wrenches wherein the wrenches are supported in a compact manner and arranged progressively according to wrench size. The holder is of minimum height to permit its use within tool boxes and shallow drawers of tool chests. One form of the holder additionally provides for multiple adjustment of the holder to adapt same to a specific set of wrench lengths.

An important object of the holder is to provide means for compactly arranging a set of wrenches permitting both convenient wrench storage and use. The selection of the desired tool is facilitated by having each tool in place, according to size, within a pair of aligned recesses in the holder. Finding of the next sized tool to that being used is greatly simplified and may even be done without visual checking of the holder. Non-productive time searching for the proper tool is reduced as is the time spent inventorying the tools before and after a work period.

Another important object is the adaptability of one form of the holder to various makes and sizes of wrench sets.

A further important object is the provision of a tool holder wherein wrenches may be kept in the tool box or chest and taken individually therefrom as needed as opposed to initially removing a number of different sized wrenches for the job at hand thus increasing the risk of wrench loss.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder which is of uncomplicated design, having a low manufacturing cost which permits it to be used as a sales promotion item. A set of combination, open end, or box 3,702,136 Patented Nov. 7, 1972 ICQ wrenches may be attractively packaged and displayed in the holder without increasing appreciably the cost of the wrench set.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one form of the wrench holder with an adjusted position being shown in broken lines,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the holder taken along irregular line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the holder shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly identified in the following specification, the reference numeral '10 indicates a holder made in accordance with one form of the invention.

The holder is comprised of two shaped sheet metal members 11 and 12 interconnected by fastener means 13 extending therethrough. The two members are preferably formed from medium gauge sheet metal having wrench supports in the form of non-parallel upstanding convoluted edges 11A, 12A extending along their outer sides. Each of the edges is recessed or notched at intervals as at 14 and 15 to receive and support the intermediate grip portion of a wrench. The opposed recesses are in alignment and progressively increase in depth and width towards the divergent ends of the holder. Such recesses are preferably formed in a cutting and forming operation to contribute to economical manufacturing of the holder.

Loosely supported within pairs of

opposed recesses

14, 15 are the wrenches as shown in dashed lines at W which may be of the types noted above. A typical set of wrenches may include for example fifteen tools running from five-sixteenths through an inch and a quarter size Wrench. The larger sizes are not shown. The tools are supported on their sides with adequate spacing therebetween to permit easy grasping of the tool selected.

The fastener means 13 is part of cooperating pivot means formed on the members 11 and 12 which provides both for varying the angular relationship between the members as well as permitting adjustment of the members toward and away from one another. Accordingly means are provided for positioning the holder members to receive various sizes and makes of wrenches and support same adjacent the jaws of the tool.

The pivot means further includes a raised central area 16 formed on member 11 with said area being a shallow truncated cone having a flat upper surface 16A. Cooperating with the area 16 and overlying same is a like raised area 18 formed on member 12 with a flat upper surface 18A. As best viewed in FIG. 2 the areas 16-18; 16A- 18A are complementary and nest one within the other while allowing for relative rotational movement. Such movement is about the upright axis of the fastener means 13 which is shown in the form of a bolt assembly. The upper raised area 18 further has straight, inclined surfaces at 19 to permit relative sliding movement of the nested areas in addition to the rotational movement above mentioned. The fiat upper surface 18A is slotted at 21 to adjustably receive the shank of fastener 13 with said fiat surface being frictionally engaged by the head of the fastener upon tightening of same after desired placement of members 11 and 12.

FIGS. 4 and 5 disclose a modified form of the invention in the form of a casting wherein a pair of diverging rails 22-23 constituting wrench supports which are recessed, at 24-25. As. was the case with those earlier described, the notches increase in size and depth in the diverging direction of the rails. The wrenches are positioned in a horizontal alignment as viewed in FIG. 5. Crossmembers at 26-27 fixedly space the rails 22-23.

While I have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is desired to be secured under a Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for hand wrenches comprising in combination,

a pair of divergently disposed wrench supports, each of said supports having a series of recesses formed therein with the recesses formed of a progressively increasing size and depth in the direction of divergence, of the wrench supports, said wrench supportes adapted to receive a set of wrenches with each wrench supported within an opposed pair of recesses adjacent the jaws of the wrench, and

means interconnecting said supports including members integral with each of said supports disposed in overlying relationship, said members including pivot meanscomprising raised nested areas to provide co- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,577 11/1931 Vallone 211- T UX 3,370,696 2/1968 Groe 206-16 D 746,999 12/ 1903 Sohmitz 206- 2,420,535 5/ 1947 Griflin 21169 X FOREIGN PATENTS 828,230 1/1952 Germany 21160 A WILLIAM H. SCHULTZ, Primary Examiner A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

206-16 D; 211-60 T, 60 A