US717569A - Screw-driver. - Google Patents

Description

No. 717,56Q. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903."

E. C. GREENE.

SCREW DRIVER.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 2,1902.

N0 MODEL.

llNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. GREENE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNCR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. DILLINGHAM, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND CHARLES F. DUDLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SCREW-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,569, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed April 2, 1902. Serial No. 101,073. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, FRED C. GREENE, acitizen of the United States, residing in Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Screw-Drivers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to screw-drivers, and particularly to the operative portion of the screwdriver-that is to say, to the handle and the portions immediately connected therewith, whereby the blade is operated. In this improved screw-driver the device is adapted to be used, i'rst, in the ordinary manner in which a simple screw-driver, consisting of a fixed handle upon a blade, is operated; second, as a right-handed ratchet screw-driver with the handle slipping; third, as a lefthanded ratchet screw-driver with the handle slipping, and, fourth, as a lever-ratchet screwdriver, in which power is applied by means of a lever which swings outward from the handle. VWhen the screw-driver is actuated in the manner last described, the lever may be placed at right angles therewith or swung to an upward or downward angle, as desired, the angle being determined by the position with relation of the screw to be operated upon and the condition of the surrounding parts. In practice when the lever is swung up to its highest point over the handle it becomes locked with the handle and the device is used as an ordinary screw-driver. is swung down on either side, the device is operated as a ratchet screw-driver and the lever takes the place of a bit-stock or brace; but as it can swing to any angle the screwdriver can be used in locations and under conditions where a bit-stock could not be operated.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fignre l is a view in front elevation of my device with the parts in position for the screwdriver to be operatedin the ordinary manner-that is, as ordinary screw-drivers, not ratchet screw-drivers, are used. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the 5o elevation in Fig. l with the parts in the same When the lever,V

position, but with the lever removed. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation with the lever swung down, so that the device maybe operated as a ratchet screw-driver and the lever used after the manner of abit-stock. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the disk or cam wheel removed. Fig. 5 is a plan ofthe under side of the sam e. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7, Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the' spring-pawl removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the handle, and B the blade, of the screw-driver, said blade being of any desired shape or form which may be rotated for the purpose of turning a screw or for any other analogous purpose.

B represents the shank of the blade, provided with an annular groove B", into or through one portion of which a pin b extends from the ferrule I9 for the purpose of holding 'the shank rotatively in the handle. The upper end of the handle is provided with a metallic ring or socket C, having a central hole C.

Normally' loose on the lower portion of the shank B' is a head or block D, and swinging from opposite sides of said block, by means of screws e, are the lower ends of the two arms of a bail-shaped lever E. This lever corresponds substantially in shape with the handie A and is provided on the under surface of its upper end with a small projection E', Fig. l. When the bail is swung up into a vertical position, this projection extends into the opening C' of the ring or socket C and locks the bail and handle together.

Rigidly secured toand surroundingthe lower portion of the shank B', below and next to the head or block D, is a circular ledge or flange F, provided on its upper surface with a series of recesses F', arranged in a circle and each preferably round iu plan and arc-shaped in vertical section, although these exact shapes need not be closely adhered to. The diameter of the flange F is preferably the same as that of the block D. This block is vertically bored at D' to receive a spring-pawl consisting of the lower portion or pawl proper, H,

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provided with the shank H', Figs. 2 and 8; the tubular portion I, provided with the head l', into which said shank loosely extends, and the spring G, surrounding said shank and lying between the shoulders produced by the upper end of the portion H and the lower end of the portion I. The lower end or foot of the pawl proper, H, is beveled off at one side at H", and said beveled foot extendsinto one of the recesses F'. The upper surface of the head l' is provided with an upwardly-extending pin J. In the drawings I have shown but one of the spring-pawls above described; but the block D may be bored to receive more thanhone, so that the feet may extend into more than one of the said recesses F', if desired. The movement of the pawl is limited by a pin i.

Projecting up from the upper surface of the block D is a tubular extension K, vertically slotted at K', Fig. 2, to accommodate the head l below described. Normally loose on this tubular extension is a disk L, provided with a curved cam-slot L' and having a serrated or rougliened edge L". The pin J extends into the cam-slot L', and the under surface of the disk is provided with recesses n, into which extend small projections or teats n', which extend upward from the upper surface of the block D, thus holding the camdisk L normally in engagement with the part D. These recesses and teats are intended to be very small, however, for a reason which will appear below.

Projecting downward from the ferrule b around the shank B' is a tubular extension N, and loose ou and surrounding this extension is the ring P, recessed at P' to receive the spiral spring S, which surrounds said tubular extension between the bottom of the ferrule l) and the inwardly-projecting ange P" of the ring P.

The cam-disk has its periphery marked with a Zero opposite the center of the camslot L', while the letters R and L, indicating right and left, are applied on opposite sides of the periphery of the disk. When the disk is in the position indicated in Figs. l and 2, the center of the cam-slot is facing directly front-thatis, over the middle of the front portion of the block D. When the parts are in this position, the pin J is forward as far as it will go, as indicated in Fig. 2, and is central in the cam-slot. Inasmuch as the beveled portion H" of the foot of the spring-pawl is on the same side of the pinthat is, under it-When the parts are in this position the said beveled portion faces the front and of course faces the front edge of the particular recess F' into which it extends. Hence the portions of the lower end of the spring-pawl next the sides of this recessthat is to say, substantially in the line of the circle described by the row of recesses-are complete or not beveled and lock the block D and the recessed flange F together. Hence if the screw-driver is rotated in either direction the pawl will not slip, because its bevel A" does not face the direction of rotation. When the parts, therefore, are in the position indicated in Fig. l, the lever E, by means of the projection E', locks the handle A within it, the spring S bears against -the flange P", which presses down the cam-disk K, so that the teats n' are held in engagement with the recesses n, and the block D is locked to the fiange F in the manner above described, said flange being rigid on the shank B'. Hence when the screw-driver is grasped by means of the yoke-shaped lever in line with and conforming to the handle A and rotated in either direction the blade is rotated like that of an ordinary screw-driver. Now if it is desired to operate the device as a right-handed ratchet screw-driver the cam-wheel L is lifted against the power of the spring S until the teats 'n' are out of the recesses n and then rotated toward the left until the letter R is brought to the front as far as possible. This brings the right end of the slot L' up to the pin J, and the outer edge of said slot swings said pin to the left, so that the beveled portion H" of the foot of the pin faces the left, and the complete or opposite portion of the lower end of the pin faces toward the right. Now it' rotation toward the right is applied to the screw-driver the pawl will be in engagement with the particular recess F into which it extends and will rotate the ange F, and hence the blade B, toward the right, and when the device is rotated toward the left the pawl will slip, (by reason of its beveled portion H",) and the device operates as a right-handed screw-driver. When it is desired to operate the device as a left-handed screw-driver, the cam-wheel is lifted in the same manner out of engagement with the block and rotated toward the right until the letter L is as far forward as possible, the pin J being swung inward or toward the right and the bevel H" facing the same direction. The screw-driver is then operative as it is rotated toward the left, and the-pawl slips as it is rotated toward the right.

The swinging yoke-shaped lever E is, as is apparent, adapted to be placed at any angleupward or downward-and operates as a bitstock in connection with a ratchet screwdriver, but with this additional featureviz., that while the bit-stock provides leverage for operating the screw-driver its lever is in a fixed position or in a fixed circle of rotation, while my lever E may be adapted to the position or location of the screw-driver in doing its work. In some locations it is advisable that the lever should be swung well down, as shown in Fig. 3. In other lo cations it is swung up toward the handle, and in others it is swung at or near a right angle. Hence the advantages of a lever screw-driver are available in many places and under many circumstances where and when a bit-stock with its iixed lever cannot be employed.

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While this invention is primarily intended to be used as a screw-driver, I propose to use any blade whichis adapted to communicate rotation and to which my invention is applicable.

Of course any designating-marks may be applied to the disk-wheel or elsewhere or the marks may be left od entirely, as desired.

Having thus fully described myinvention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a screw-driver or similar tool of the ratchet type, the blade and its shank; the flange or collar F 'rigid on said shank and formed on its upper surface with recesses F; the blockorhead D loose on said shank above the collar or flange; the spring-pawl comprising the lower portion or pawl proper H beveled atrH" at its lower end on one side, and the upper portion I provided at its upper end with the upwardly-projecting pin J said spring-pawl being set and adapted to move substantially vertically in the block over said series of recesses; acam-disk loose on said shank above the block and adapted to engage with said pin J; and means for holding said cam-disk in engagement with the block and for disengagng it therefrom and adjusting it thereupon, whereby the ratchet mechanism may be adjusted to operate the tool right or left handed, or in the ordinary manner right and left handed without slipping, substantially as described.

Yend with the upwardly-projecting pin J said spring-pawl being set and adapted to move substantially verticallyin the block over said series of recesses; the cam-disk L loose on said shaft above the block and provided with the cam-slot L; means for locking said camdisk and block together; a suitable handle on the shank; and spring mechanism intermediate of the handle and cam-disk whereby said cam-disk is held normally in engagement with the block, but is adapted to be lifted out of such engagement in order to alter the device from a right-hand ratchet to a left-hand ratchet or from a ratchet device to a screw-driver operated as usual with a rigid blade, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED o. GREENE.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BONNEY.

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