WO1993011909A1

WO1993011909A1 - A ratchet wrench having openings formed in head portions

Info

Publication number: WO1993011909A1
Application number: PCT/KR1992/000076
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ji Soo Kim; Charles Wook Ahn
Original assignee: Ji Soo Kim; Charles Wook Ahn
Priority date: 1991-12-17
Filing date: 1992-12-11
Publication date: 1993-06-24
Also published as: KR930012207A

Abstract

A ratchet wrench having head portions in both ends of the wrench. The head portions, connected together by a handle, each support a socket. Slots are formed in both head portions to allow the ratchet wrench to access bolts or nuts formed on irregular surfaces, such as on a cylindrical tube. The slots join the exterior frame portion of the head portions to their adjacent sockets.

Description

A RATCHET WRENCH HAVING OPENINGS FORMED IN HEAD PORTIONS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench and, in particular, a wrench which can be used to adjust bolts or nuts secured to components in a manner which would normally make the bolts inaccessible to standard ratchet wrenches.

BACKGROUND ART

Wrenches, both box and open and, having the wrench heads offset from the handle portion so that it is convenient to use the wrench to manipulate bolts and nuts over a wide surface, are available in the prior art. As example of such a prior art ratchet wrench is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,748,875 which discloses a reversible ratchet wrench employing spaced plates which hold the sockets and ratchet mechanism in assembly and which has an offset handle to provide clearance for the hand of the user. The pawl of the ratchet mechanism is in the head portion of the wrench adjacent the socket and the spring-loaded plunger is supported in the handle portion.

^' The ratchet wrench disclosed in the aforementioned patent is typical of reversible ratchet wrenches in that the head portions are part of continuous surfaces. This generally causes no problems when the bolts and nuts are. located in an accessible area. However, if the bolt or nut is, for example, located on or at the end of a tubular member, such as a shaft., the ratchet wrenches currently available would not be usable. Patent No. 2,660,910 to Sellers and Patent No. 3,504,579 to Harlan disclose ratchet wrenches having open ends to enable the wrench to be used in areas otherwise inaccessible to closed-ended wrenches, the ratchet bearing disk being permanently attached to the end of the ratchet handle. U.S. Patent No. 4,080,851 to Rogers discloses a ratchet wrench having a composite wrench assembly comprising two wrench units formed in the ratchet end, the first unit being affixed to the ratchet handle and having an opening formed therein to permit the wrench to be installed sideways about a fitting, the second unit, when attached to the first unit, forming a closed circular ring. The wrench units disclosed in the Sellers, Harlan and Rogers patents are, in essence, permanently affixed to the end of the wrench, thus preventing the units form being easily removed and replaced if damaged or replaced with one having a different sized opening to accommodate various fasteners.

What is therefore desired is to provide a ratchet wrench which has the capability of being used in locations which would be otherwise inaccessible to the ratchet wrenches now commercially available and which has socket units which can be easily removed from the handle and replaced if damaged- or replaced with one having a different sized opening to accommodate various sized bolts, lugs or other type fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a ratcheting box wrench which comprises two head portions separated by a handle portion, each head portion including a socket, or wrench unit, which is adaptable to fit over a similar sized bolt or nut. An opening, or slot, of a predetermined size is formed in the wrench frame containing each head portion, the slot joining the exterior surface of the head portion to the adjacent socket. A ratcheting pawl, or gear knob, is provided which is pivotally supported by a pair of pins which includes a plurality of teeth which co-act with teeth formed on the adjacent socket. The gear knob is retained in the selected position and forced into contact with the teeth on the socket by a spring mounted adjacent thereto. The surface of the gear knob containing the co-acting teeth is selected to be of a distance greater than the distance between the surfaces formed by the slot cut in the socket portion of the wrench. In another embodiment, the size of the slots in at least one head portion of the wrench. In another embodiment, the size of the slots in at least one head portion is increased, a groove formed in the bottom surface of the socket coacting with a plurality of vertically extending members supported on the head portion to secure the socket in the head portion. Tab members are formed on one surface of the. socket to enable it to be easily moved so that the slot is either in- position to initially ^'engage a nut, for example, or in position to turn the nut. In one version of the embodiment, the socket is removable from the head portion; in a second version, the socket is fixed within the head portion. The removable version enables the socket to be easily removed from the handle and replaced if damaged or replaced with one having a different sized opening to accommodate various sized bolts, lugs, or other type fasteners.

The present invention thus provides an improved, ratchet wrench which enables the wrench to be utilized in locations which are inaccessible to currently available ratchet wrenches and in which, in one embodiment, the socket is replaceable thus increasing the versatility of the wrench.

The present invention can be simply adapted to existing ratchet wrenches, one criteria being that the gear knob be of a predetermined size to allow the gearing and ratcheting operation to continue even when the cutout portion of the socket rotates past the gear knob. A conventional reversible ratcheting mechanism can be utilized although one is not necessary since the wrench can easily be positioned to accomplish bolt or nut adjustment in either direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be road in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the ratchet wrench of the present invention;

^• Figure 2 is a plan view of the ratchet wrench shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of Figure 3 ;

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 with the socket portion of the ratchet wrench rotated approximately 180' from the position shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the ratchet wrench of the present invention;

Figures 7A and 7B are views of the ratchet wrench shown in Figure 6 with the socket removed from the head portion of the wrench; Figure 8 is a plan view of the ratchet wrench shown in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line 10-10 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a view illustrating a modification to the socket retaining mechanism utilized in the embodiment shown in Figure 6-11;

Figure 13 illustrates the use of a reversible ratcheting mechanism;

'Figure 14. is a cross-sectional view along line 14-14 of Figure 13; Figure 15 is a modification of the embodiment shown in Figure 6;

Figure 16 illustrates an alternate socket head, which can be utilized with the present invention; Figure 17 illustrates a ratcheting mechanism having a center position;

Figure 18 shows a modified version of the socket; Figure 19 and 20 illustrate another version of the reversible ratcheting mechanism;

Figure 21 illustrates the ratchet wrench with an angular handle; and

Figures 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D illustrate alternative shaped configurations of the ratchet wrench of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now the embodiment shown in Figure 1-5, a perspective view of the ratchet wrench 10 of the present invention is illustrated. Since the basic components of ratchet wrenches are well known, a detailed description thereof will not be set forth. Ratchet wrench 10 comprises head portions 12 and 14, each head portion comprising sockets 16 and 18 _r respectively. A handle portion 20 comprising plate members 22 and 24 connect the head portions together, plate 22 and 24 being joined together by rivets 26. As shown, portions 23 and 25 of plate member 22 partially extend about socket 16 and 18 and portions 27 and 29 of plate member 24 partially extend about sockets 16 and 18, respectively, as illustrated. As is well known, sockets 16 and 18 comprises a portion 30 having an essentially hexagonal-shaped rotatable inner surface 32 and a portion 34 having external geared teeth 36 formed thereon (note that Figures 4 and 5 only illustrate head portion 12, head portion 14 being identical but different in size) .

In accordance with the teachings of the first embodiment of the present invention, slots 40 and 42 are formed in the head portions 12 and 14, respectively. Specifically slot 40 is formed through plate portions 23 and 27 and into and through socket 16 as illustrated. Similarly, a slot 42 is formed through plate portions 25 and 29 and into and through socket 18 as illustrated (for purposes of clarification, the slot formed in socket 16 has been identified with a reference numeral 50 as shown in Figure 4).

The size of the slot openings, like the size of the sockets themselves, will vary and will be based on the sizes of the conventional shaft/bolt combinations used in industry. In the wrench illustrated in the figures, the size of slot 40 ( and the slot in the adjacent socket) is larger than the slot 42 to allow the wrench to be used with two different shaft/bolt sizes.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a pawl, or gear knob, 60 is positioned within an aperture 62 formed in handle 20 as illustrated. Gear knob 60 is movable in the direction of arrow 61 as illustrated. A pair of pins 64 positioned within apertures- 66 retain the pawl or gear knob 60 in position and assures that it will not fall out when the slot portion of socket 30 is positioned adjacent the corresponding surface of knob 60. A spring 70 biases knob 60 into position against the teeth formed on socket 30 to provide the ratcheting mechanism. It should be noted that in lieu of separate gear knob 60, two smaller gear knobs 63 and 65 (shown in phantom in Figure 5) may be utilized. It should be noted that since the wrench can be easily positioned to adjust a bolt or nut, a reversible ratcheting mechanism is not reguired. Referring now to figures 6-12, a ratchet wrench 80 constructed in accordance with the teachings of a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Those components of the ratchet wrench 80 which are equivalent to the components of the ratchet wrench 80 which are equivalent to the components of ratchet wrench 10 have identical reference numerals. Head portion 82 of wrench 80 comprises socket 84, socket 84 having a plurality of internal angled surfaces 86 and a portion having external geared teeth 88 formed thereon (note that although only one head portion 12 is illustrated, ratchet wrench 80 has another head portion of a different size at the other end)

In accordance with the teachings of the second embodiment of the present invention, slot 90 is formed in socket 84, slot faces 92 and 94 being substantially parallel to each other. Slot 90 is larger in size than slot 40 formed in head position

12 of ratchet wrench 10. In addition, a cut 92 is formed in head portion 12 of wrench 80. The surfaces 96 and 98 are cut at an angle as shown in Figure 10 and arranged to extend behind surfaces 92 and 94, respectively, of slot 90. The larger slot 90 and the angled surfaces 96 and 98 of the plate members enable the wrench 80 to" be applied directly to the bolt head when being used; the embodiment shown in Figures 1-5 is generally applied first to bolt stem before moving to the head. As illustrated, tab members 100 and 102 are formed on socket 84 to enable the socket to be easily rotated from its closed, or operative (turning) position to its open, or non-operative, position allowing the wrench to be easily removed from the bolt or nut being worked on. As shown in Figures 8-11, an arcuate groove 104 is formed in the lower surface of socket 84. A plurality of spring-loaded ball members 106 extend upwardly from the lower surface of plate member 108 and apply force to groove 104 in a manner to retain socket 84 within head portion 12. The nature of the spring-loaded ball system enables the socket 84 to be removed from head portion 12 in the manner shown in Figure 7. This enables a user to easily replace socket 84, if damaged, with one having a similarly sized slot, or opening 40, or to replace socket 84 with one having a different sized opening to accommodate various sized lugs, bolts or other type fasteners. In an alternate arrangement, shown in Figure 12, groove 104 rectangularly shaped, a correspondingly shaped projection 110 extending upwardly from plate member 108' as illustrated. In this version, socket 84' is not removable from head portion 12. It should be noted that the primed reference numerals in Figure 10 refer to components which function essentially identical to the unprimed components •shown in Figures 4 and 5. It also should be noted that the tab members 100 and 102 shown in Figure 6 can also be utilized with the embodiment shown in Figures 1-5.

Although, as noted hereinabove, a reversible ratcheting mechanism is not required, Figures 13 and 14 show such a ratcheting, or pawl, mechanism 110 replacing the ratcheting mechanism shown in Figures 4, 5 and 10 to illustrate that such a mechanism can be utilized. In particular, the mechanism comprises key member 112, having teeth engagement projections 114 and 116, and key member 118, having teeth engagement 5 projections 120 and 122. Members 112 and 118 are pivotally secured to positioning member 124 which, in turn, is secured to one of the plate members via rivet 126. Projections 112 and 118 are pivotally connected to the lower late member via rivets 128 and 130, respectively. An engagement member 132 is biased by spring 134 and applies force to member 124 and thus to members 112 and 118 such that the projections 114 and 120 engage teeth on the socket.30. In the position illustrated, socket 30 is capable of rotating counter-clockwise in the direction of arrow 140. Pushing member 124 in the downward direction will position projections 116 and 118 in a manner such that they engage teeth on socket 30 whereby it can only rotate in the clockwise direction.

Figure 15 shows a modification of the embodiment shown in

Figure 6. In particular, the upper tab members 100 and 102 of the Figure 6 embodiment are modified such that they have inwardly extending portions 150 and 152 as illustrated, portions 150 and 152 contacting the non-yanking surface of a

^'nut 154 fastened to pipe 156. This allows the ratchet wrench to be accurately positioned on the working surface of nut 154 prior to exerting force on the ratchet handle to turn nut 154.

Figure 16 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an alternate version of socket 84. In particular, socket 160 has a cylindrical base portion 162 and a multi-sided, vertically extending portion 164, portion 162 having inner surfaces adapted to grip hex nut 166. Socket 160 has a U-shaped slot 168 allowing the socket to extend about pipe 170 and engage nut 166. Figure 17 improves on the reversible ratching mechanism shown in Figure 13 by providing a center position area 180, socket 180 being freely rotatable when engagement member 132 contacts positioning member 124 at that position.

Figure 18 illustrates a modification to the socket 84 shown in Figure 6 wherein tab members 100 and 102 are eliminated and replaced by grooves 182, the grooves providing another way to enable a user's fingers to easily turn the socket 84.

Figure 19 and 20 illustrate a modification of the ratchet wrench shown in Figure 13 ( Figure 20 is Figure 19 with top plate 188 removed) . In particular, ratchet wrench 190 has a narrower slot, or opening, 192, and an reversible ratchet mechanism comprising a centrally positioned switch 194 located on the ratchet surface adjacent the socket 195 for controlling the position of gear knob 196. When switch 194 is in the position shown in Figure 19, gear knob 196 is in the corresponding position shown in Figure 20. When switch 194 is

^•moved in the direction of arrow 198, gear knob 196 pivots about pin member 20 in a manner such that tip portion 202 engages the gear teeth on socket 195 to allow socket rotation only in a counter clockwise direction. When switch 194 is moved in the direction of arrow 206, gear knob 196 pivots about pin 200 in a manner such that tip portion 208 engages the teeth on socket 195 to allow socket rotation only in the clockwise direction. This configuration of the reversible ratcheting mechanism reduces the number of components required when compared to the configuration shown in Figure 13. Figure 21 illustrates a ratchet wrench having a angled neck portion 210.

The ratchet wrench of the present may take various shapes such as the "S" . "L", "U" and "C" shapes illustrated in Figure 22. The present invention thus provides an improved ratchet wrench having a usefulness which extends to applications heretofore unavailable.

While the invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teaching of the invention without departing from its essential teachings.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS :

1. A ratchet wrench having at least one head portion being supported by a handle, a socket aperture being formed in said head portion for receiving and supporting a socket, said socket being provided with peripheral teeth, and ratchet means for locking said socket against rotation in a first direction while permitting ratcheting movement in a second direction, said ratchet means including a member having portions engageable with said peripheral teeth, and a cutout portion formed through said head portion of said wrench and extending through said socket and the peripheral teeth formed thereon, said head portion being removable from said handle.

2. The wrench as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pawl member is maintained adjacent the peripheral teeth formed on said socket.

3. The wrench of claim 2 wherein said pawl member is positioned within an aperture formed adjacent said socket.

4. The wrench of claim 3 wherein the length of said panel member is greater than the width of the slot formed on said socket.

5. The wrench of claim 1 wherein said socket has first and second surfaces, a groove being formed in the first surface of said socket.

6. The wrench of claim 5 wherein said head portion comprises first and second plate members, said socket being positioned for rotation between said first and second plate members.

7. The wrench of claim 6 wherein said second plate member has first and second surfaces, said first surface of said second plate member facing the grooved surface of said first socket.

8. The wrench of claim 7 wherein said plurality of members extend upwardly from the first surface of said second plate member into the groove formed in the first surface of said first socket.

9. The wrench of claim 8 wherein said upwardly extending members comprise spring loaded balls.

10. The wrench of claim 1 wherein said socket has first and second surfaces, at least one projection being formed on the first surface of said socket for facilitating the movement of said socket between first and second positions.

11. The wrench of claim 10 wherein said socket is positioned in contact with the working surface of a fastener device, said fastener device having at least one non-working surface, a portion of said projection extending inwardly and contacting said non-working surface.

12. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 wherein said ratchet means comprises a gear knob having first and second spaced apart tip portions and a switch member adjacent said head portion, movement of said switch member in a first direction causing 'said -first, tip portion to engage sa d gear teeth, movement of said switch member in a second direction causing said first tip portion to disengage from said gear teeth and said second tip portion to engage said gear teeth.