WO2006021026A1

WO2006021026A1 - A hand tool

Info

Publication number: WO2006021026A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/001252
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Newton
Original assignee: Savetime Products Pty. Limited
Priority date: 2004-08-23
Filing date: 2005-08-19
Publication date: 2006-03-02

Abstract

The present invention provides a screw holding device for holding a screw (5) onto the screw driving end (18) of a screw driving tool (710), said device having a tubular member (12) to surround said screw driving tool, said tubular member including a free end having a screw holding means to engage a screw to be held on said tool, and an opposite end (14) being connected to said tool by a connection means, said tubular member or said screw holding means being able to move relative to said tool when connected, said tubular member or said screw holding means being biased toward a rear end (14) of said tool. The present invention also provides a tool holder having a socket (16) which is adapted to receive a tool to be turned, said tool being one of a boring tool; a combination boring tool and screwdriver bit; or a screwdriver bit; said socket being formed within a surrounding wall, said wall including a boring, cutting or reaming (17) formation formed on a surface engaging end of said wall. The present invention also provides a tool holder including a body having a socket to receive a boring and or screwdriving bit, said socket being located at a bit end of said tool holder, said tool holder including at a rear end means to enable said tool holder to be held by a rotating tool to rotate said tool holder, said tool holder including a cylindrical member mounted to and surrounding a portion of said body, said cylindrical member having a surface engaging end and means at or near said surface engaging end so as to engage a screw connected to said bit to assist said screw in maintaining contact with said bit before said screw is inserted into a surface. The present invention further provides a depth limiting device for a boring tool or boring tool holder which is adapted to hold a boring tool, said device having a tubular member to surround said boring tool or said holder, said tubular member including a free end to engage a surface to be bored by said boring tool, and an opposite end being connected to said tool or tool holder by a connection means which allows said tool or tool holder to rotate relative to said tubular member, whereby when said device and said tool are used in a boring operation axial movement between said tubular member and said tool or said tool holder is prevented.

Description

A hand tool Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool holder or a tool holder for boring, a screw holding device and a depth limiting device. These devices can be used with boring tools such as augers, countersinkers, counter-bores, reamers, speed-bores, drills or other rotating tools such as screw drivers and the like.

Background of the invention

[0002] Within the patent literature there are many guides, and screw holder devices which can be used in association with boring tools so as to control the depth to which such boring tools will enter into a material being bored and to hold steady a screw to be fastened into a material. Such devices tend to be relatively complex articles of manufacture and are thus expensive to make. Alternatively they can be relatively simple and as such do not give the flexibility and speed of operation that modern day tradesmen and handymen are requiring of their tools.

Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a screw holding device for holding a screw onto the screw driving end of a screw driving tool, said device having a tubular member to surround said screw driving tool, said tubular member including a free end having a screw holding means to engage a screw to be held on said tool, and an opposite end being connected to said tool by a connection means, said tubular member or said screw holding means being able to move relative to said tool when connected, said tubular member or said screw holding means being biased toward a rear end of said tool.

[0004] The connection means can allow said tool to rotate relative to said tubular member.

[0005] The connection means can include adjustment means to allow the axial position of said tubular member to be adjusted relative to said tool.

[0006] The connection means can include a collar which remains stationary relative to said tool. [0007] The screw holding means can be a magnetic material at said free end.

[0008] The screw holding means can be a screw holding member inside of said tubular member, which is able to move into and out of said tubular member. [0009] The screw holding member can be connected to an actuation member on the outside of said tubular member, said actuation member allowing said screw holding member to be brought into contact with a screw to be held.

[0010] A magnetic material can be located on said screw holding member. [0011] The connection means can be releasably secured to said tool. [0012] The collar can have said tubular member rotatably connected thereto.

[0013] The tubular member can also have one or more of the following functions: a depth limiting device; a depth gauge; a reaming, cutting or boring bit.

[0014] The tool can be a screw driver bit, a screw driver shank, or a bit holder to receive a screw driver bit.

[0015] The present invention provides a tool holder having a socket which is adapted to receive a tool to be turned, said tool being one of: a boring tool; a combination boring tool and screwdriver bit; or a screwdriver bit; said socket being formed within a surrounding wall, said wall including a boring, cutting or reaming formation formed on a surface engaging end of said wall.

[0016] The surrounding wall can be formed with a cylindrical outer surface. [0017] The socket can be a blind aperture to receive said tool. [0018] The socket can be hexagonal in cross section.

[0019] A device can be combined with said tool holder, said device providing one or more of the following functions: a depth limiting device; a depth gauge; a screw holder to hold a screw on a screw driving bit when said tool holder has a screw driver bit inserted in said socket; a reaming, cutting or boring bit.

[0020] The present invention also provides a tool holder including a body having a socket to receive a boring and or screwdriving bit, said socket being located at a bit end of said tool holder, said tool holder including at a rear end means to enable said tool holder to be held by a rotating tool to rotate said tool holder, said tool holder including a cylindrical member mounted to and surrounding a portion of said body, said cylindrical member having a surface engaging end and means at or near said surface engaging end so as to engage a screw connected to said bit to assist said screw in maintaining contact with said bit before said screw is inserted into a surface. [0021] The cylindrical member is able to move on said tool holder relative to said body, said cylindrical member being biased towards said rear end and being able to move in a direction away from said rear end against said bias.

[0022] The tool holder and or the cylindrical member can include limit means to limit movement of said cylindrical member towards said rear end.

[0023] The surface engaging end can include a magnetised portion.

[0024] The tool holder can also include a threaded portion near said rear end to which can be threaded a nut rotatably adjusting said cylindrical member away from said tool holder body and towards said boring tool.

[0025] The cylindrical member can be made up of an inner and an outer cylinder.

[0026] The inner cylinder of said cylindrical member can include a magnetic material, while said outer cylinder includes said cutting, reaming or boring formation.

[0027] The cylindrical member can include a plug hole cutting formation or other reaming or boring formation thereon.

[0028] The cutting, reaming or boring formation can be located on an outer location of a rim of said cylindrical member.

[0029] The magnetic material can be located on an inner location of a rim of said cylindrical member.

[0030] The inner cylinder of said cylindrical member can include a hexagonal bore that interacts with said boring tool or hexagonal boring tool shank to provide axial movement of said devices.

[0031] The inner cylinder of said cylindrical member can include a magnetic material is a round bore having a larger diameter than said boring tool or hexagonal boring tool shank preventing interaction and axial movement of said devices.

[0032] The cylindrical member can include a plug hole cutting formation or other reaming or boring formation thereon.

[0033] The cutting, reaming or boring formation can be located on an outer location of a rim of said cylindrical member.

[0034] The cylindrical member can be made up of an inner and an outer cylinder.

[0035] The inner cylinder can include a magnetic material, while said outer cylinder includes said cutting, reaming or boring formation. [0036] The cylindrical member can be made of steel and has said cutting, reaming or boring formation on an outer location thereof, with magnetic material added thereto to magnetise said cylindrical member.

[0037] The present invention further provides a depth limiting device for a boring tool or boring tool holder which is adapted to hold a boring tool, said device having a tubular member to surround said boring tool or said holder, said tubular member including a free end to engage a surface to be bored by said boring tool, and an opposite end being connected to said tool or tool holder by a connection means which allows said tool or tool holder to rotate relative to said tubular member, whereby when said device and said tool are used in a boring operation axial movement between said tubular member and said tool or said tool holder is prevented.

[0038] The connection means can include a carriage member which is rotatably connected to said tool or said tool holder.

[0039] The connection means can include adjustment means to allow the axial position of said tubular member to be adjusted relative to said tool or said tool holder.

[0040] The connection means can include a carriage member which is releasably secured to said tool or said tool holder.

[0041] The axial position of said carriage members on said tool or said tool holder can be adjusted by releasing said carriage member from said tool or tool holder then re-securing same in a different axial position.

[0042] The carriage member can have said tubular member rotatably connected thereto.

[0043] The connection means can be a bearing means which rotatably interconnects said tubular member and said tool holder or boring tool holder.

[0044] The tool holder or boring tool holder can include a blind aperture to receive a boring tool or boring tool shaft.

[0045] The tool holder or boring tool holder can include a boring or reaming formation formed on its surface engaging end.

[0046] The boring tool can be any one of, or combination of one or more of the following: countersinker, screw driver, auger, counter-bore, drill, reamer, speed bore, other rotating tool, or a combination of one or more of these

[0047] The depth limiting device can further include a screw holding device. [0048] The screw holding device can include a magnetic material to hold said screw.

[0049] The screw holding device can be positioned around said boring tool.

[0050] The screw holding device can be biased to move said screw holding device away from said tool holder or boring tool holder in the direction of said boring tool. Said tool holder or boring tool holder including a depth indicating mark or marks scribed on the circumference of the said body perpendicular to the axial rotation.

[0051] The screw holding means can be biased towards said boring tool.

[0052] The screw holding means can be moved away from said tool holder or boring tool holder by a sliding handle member.

[0053] The sliding handle member can be slidably mounted on tubular member of said depth limiting device.

[0054] The screw holding means can include a super magnetic material. Brief description of the drawings

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0056] Figure 1 illustrates- a reaming tool holder and boring tool including depth limiting indicator;

[0057] Figure 2 illustrates said reaming tool holder and boring tool including cross- section through an embodiment of a depth limiting device;

[0058] Figure 3 illustrates said reaming tool holder and boring tool including cross- section through another embodiment of an adjustable depth limiting device;

[0059] Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrates said reaming tool holder, boring tool and adjustable depth limiting device of figure 3 in use;

[0060] Figure 7 illustrates an underneath plan view of a combination tool holder and reaming device of figure 1 to 6;

[0061] Figure 8 illustrates a side elevation of the apparatus of figure 7;

[0062] Figure 9 illustrates said reaming tool holder and boring tool similar to that of figure 1 including adjustable depth limiting embodiment with magnetic screw holding device, shown in half cross section; [0063] Figure 10 illustrates the same tool as described in figure 9, showing the magnetic screw holding device in use.

[0064] Figure 11 illustrates a tool similar to that of figures 9 and 10, attached to a manually operated screw driver;

[0065] Figure 12 illustrates a tool holder embodiment and said boring tool including a screw holder combined reaming device with depth gauge indicators and lock nuts to adjust the depth of said screw holder combined reaming device to the boring tool, shown in half cross section;

[0066] Figure 13 illustrates said bit holder embodiment and said screw holder combined reaming device of figure 12, showing said screw holding device in use;

[0067] Figure 14 illustrates is a tool similar to that of figure 12, which does not include a reaming device or lock nuts as described in figure 12;

[0068] Figure 15 illustrates same tool as described in figure 14, shown in use holding a screw; and

[0069] Figure 16 is a device similar to that of figures 12 to 15, attached to a manually operated screw driver

Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments

[0070] Illustrated in figure 1 is a device 910, which has a rotating tool holder body 12 having a hexagonal drive shaft or shank at the rear end 14 a socket 16 to receive a boring bit 18 a boring tool end 116 formed with a cutter 17 and a fixed depth gauge mark 360 being a distance Y from the end of the cutter 17. The boring bit 18 is illustrated as being a combination counter¬ sinking and screw driving bit. However it can be any one of a drill bit, countersinking bit, counterboring bit, reaming bit, speed bore bit, auger bit or other rotating tool bit, or combinations of these.

[0071] The boring bit 18 fits into socket 16 of tool holder body 12 and when in operation the boring tool end 116 of the tool holder body 12 rotates about a central axis 40 guided by tip 38 of boring bit 18. The required depth of countersinking to be provided by the bit 18 and the boring tool end 116 of the body 12 is determined by the location of the fixed depth gauge mark 360, as represented by the distance X.

[0072] Illustrated in figure 2 is a depth limiting device 810 which is similar to the device

810 and like ports have been like numbered. The device 810 differs by the presence of a tubular member 34 rotatably affixed in a single location by means of the races 26 and 20 and a series of ball bearings 24 onto the body 12. [Other arrangements could be provided to allow the tubular member 34 to rotate at a single depth setting]. In use the required depth of countersinking to be provided by the bit 18 and the boring tool end 116 of the body 12 is determined by the location of the free end 36 of tubular member 34 relative to the tip 38 of the bit 18 (or some other appropriate location, feature or point on the bit 18), as represented by the distance X.

[0073] Illustrated in figure 3 is a depth limiting boring device 710 which is similar in construction to that of the device 810 and like parts have been like numbered. The device 710 differs from the device 810 in that a carriage member 28 of the device 710 is secured to the tool holder body 12 by means of a grub screw 452. The carriage member 28 has an annular groove 20 which acts as a race, in which can run a series of ball bearings 24 which also run in a race 26 on the internal circumference of a tubular member 34. The device 710 has its depth reaching capability adjusted by means of loosening the grub screw 452 then allowing the carriage member 28 to slide axially along the tool holder body 12 allowing the depth capability to be adjusted.

[0074] It will also be noted that for the tool 710, the tubular member 34 is rotatably mounted on the carriage 28 whereas in the device 810 the tubular member 34 was rotatably attached to the tool holder body 12.

[0075] The socket 16 is a blind hexagonal socket which receives a hexagonal shank of the boring bit 18. To assist with^* this, the socket 16 has a magnet 7 and a circlip 6 to hold the bit 18 in the socket 16. If desired, only one of the circlip 6 or magnet 7 can be provided, but the provision of both can be advantageous to prevent the bit 18 from separating from the socket 16 in use. Other means or alternative means can be provided to prevent the bit 18 from separating from the socket 16 in use.

[0076] Illustrated in figure 4 is a depth limiting boring device 710 with the countersinking tool 18 and the plug hole cutter tip or end 116 being inserted into a surface 3 to a desired depth. The depth X is the depth from free end 36 to the tip 38 of the countersinker tool 18, while depth Y is the depth to the tip of the plug hole cutter 17.

[0077] . Illustrated in figure 5, is a depth limiting boring device 710 with a screw 5 attached to the screwdriver tip 38 of tool 18 and countersunk in position into the timber. As the screw 5 goes into the timber via the apex formed in the countersunk hole, the plughole cutter 17 and tool 18 follow the same line as the first entry made in figure 4. [0078] With the tool 710 removed as illustrated in figure 6, a plug 317 can be inserted into the hole cut for the plug by the plughole cutter 17 and thus hide and cover the screw 5.

[0079] Illustrated in figures 7 and 8 are detailed views of the tool holding socket 16 of the previous figures. The socket 16 is a modified end of the tool holder body 12. The end 116 has the reaming cutter 17 formed in the base thereof. The cutter 17 has a straight cutting face 19 and a fluted trailing edge 21. The cutter 17 is located around the socket 16. In this way the tool holder body 12 in effect becomes a tool of its own, and can be used for any desired purpose, such as a plug hole cutter.

[0080] Illustrated in figure 9 and 10 is a device 610, which is similar in structure to the device 710 of figure 3 with like parts being like numbered. The device 610 has its depth attainment adjusted by sliding the carriage member 28 along the body 12 and securing them together by means of the grub screw 452 as described in figure 3. The carriage member 28 of device 610 can be removed from the body 12, so that the body 12 can function independently as described in figure 1. The device 610 differs from device 710 of figure 3 by the presence of axially extending slots 1436 in the tubular member 34. The purposes of the slots 1436 will be described later.

[0081] The tubular member 34 includes on its inside, an annular wall or flange 1713.

This can be a washer held in place by two circlips 1715 and 1717, or it could, if desired, be integrally formed.

[0082] Attached to the flange 1713 is a tension spring 1719 which has its free end attached to an open cylinder 1711 which terminates with a rim 1439. The rim 1439 is made from an annular magnet so that when the cylinder 1711 is extended away from the body 12, the magnet will hold the screw 5 onto the bit 18, in a similar manner to that depicted in figure 10.

[0083] The cylinder 1711 has spigots 1723 and 1725 radially extending away therefrom, which also pass through the slots 1436 and terminate in an annular handle 1727 to allow a user an easy grip mechanism.

[0084] The spring 1719 biases the open cylinder 1711 towards the socket 16 or the shank

14, so that for a user to have the annular magnet on rim 1439 engage a screw 5, will require the user to push the handle 1727 away from socket 16 towards the screw 5. This is best seen in figure 10.

[0085] Once the open cylinder 1711 and its magnetic rim 1439 has engaged the screw 5, the screw 5 will be prevented from moving towards the socket 16 by the bit 18. As the force of attraction of the magnetised rim 1439 of open cylinder 1711 is greater than the tensile force of the spring 1719, the screw 5 will be pushed onto the bit 18 by the spring tension 1719. This arrangement also serves to apply compressive forces onto the bit 18, pushing it into the socket 16.

[0086] Illustrated in figures 12 and 13 in half section is a device 510 having a boring bit

18 fitting into socket 16 of tool holder body 12. The tool holder body 12, having shoulder 235 at the socket end 16, that stops compression spring 62 from passing being a smaller diameter than the shoulder 235, the compression spring 62 is fitted over the tool holder body 12 from rear end 14 until it engages the shoulder 235.

[0087] Tubular member 134 of device 510, slides over the boring tool 18 and the tool holder body 12 from the socket end 16, partially encapsulating the fitted compression spring 62. Tubular member 134 includes shoulder 135 that engages face 236 of the shoulder 235 of the body 12, being the static fitting location of the tubular member 134.

[0088] Tubular member 134 includes external threaded end 129, the end 129 being the largest diameter partially encapsulating the fitted compression spring 62 fitted over the body 12. The external threaded end 129 accepts tubular cap 128 with like internal thread. The cap 128 winds on to the external threaded end 129 in the direction of arrow 100 by first sliding over the body 12 from the rear end 14.

[0089] The fitted compression spring 62 includes a length longer than the cap 128 when fitted to the external threaded end 129 of the tubular member 134 causing the spring 62 to be totally encapsulated and to be compressed between spring locating groove 130 of the cap 128 and the shoulder 235 of the body 12.

[0090] The. compressed spring 62 creates an opposing force between the shoulder 235 of tool holder body 12 and the spring locating groove 130 of the cap 128 being fixed to the tubular member 134. Under the compression load of the spring 62 the tubular member 134 is stopped from moving in the opposite direction of arrow 100 by the shoulder 135 that engages against the surface face 236 of the shoulder 235 of the tool holder body 12, holding the tubular member 134 in a static position to the tool holder body 12.

[0091] The tool holder body 12 includes a threaded end 52 at the rear end 14 of the body

12, on which is a nut 50 and a lock nut 51. Winding the nut 50 in the direction of arrow 100 the blank end 49 of nut 50 connects with the back end 127 of the cap 128, forcing the tubular member 134 to move in the direction of arrow 100. The spring 62 causes the tubular member 134 to compress against the nut 50, to be set in position by the lock nut 51, when the tubular member 134 is at a desired setting. The tubular member 134 can be adjusted by the nut 50 or manually slide in the direction of arrow 100 until the spring locating groove 130 of the cap 128 stops against shoulder 335 of the body 12, causing the spring 62 to apply maximum compression force. The tubular member 134 under the compression force of the spring 62 is compelled to slide in the opposite direction of arrow 100 while the body 12 is compelled to slide in the direction of arrow 100 and the two opposing forces can only be held static when the blank end 49 of nut 50 connects with the back end 127 of the cap 128, or when shoulder 135 of the tubular member 134 engages face 236 of the shoulder 235 of the body 12, or when magnet end 1439 of the tubular member 134 having a stronger force than the spring 62 attracts and attaches to screw 5 as illustrated in figure 13

[0092] The reaming end device 1810 having a boring head 117 and a magnet 1439 of the tubular member 134, by adjusting the nut 50 the distance z between tip 38 of tool 18 and the boring head 117 of device 1810 can be set to a desired depth for countersinking by tool 18, the depth of boring head 117 into a timber surface can be controlled by viewing marks 136 of the tubular member 134 simular as shown in figure 1 and giving simular results as shown in figures 4 to 6.

[0093] The tubular member 134 between the reaming end device 1810 and the shoulder

135 has an internal hexagonal bore 137 that slides over like hexagonal shank of the tool 18 and when in operation the reaming end device 1810 of the tubular member 134 is held in a rotary lock to the tool 18, rotating central to axis 40 in conjunction with tool holder body 12 guided by tip38 of the tool 18 into a material.

[0094] As illustrated in figures 12 and 13 the device 510 has an annular magnet 1439 on the end tubular member 134 and by manually sliding the tubular member 134 in the direction of arrow 100 and away from body 12, the magnet 1439 will attract screw 5. The magnet 1439 having a greater force than spring 62 will attach to the screw 5, the lesser force of the spring 62 causes the screw 5 to compress onto tip 38 of the tool 18 with out breaking the magnetic connection between the magnet 1439 and the screw 5. In operation the screw 5 can not slide sideways to axis 40 without braking the magnetic connection, as the tip 38 of the tool 18 inserts into the head of the screw 5 in compression causing the screw 5 to lock central to the axis 40. The tool 18 is also compressed into socket 16 of the body 12 by the same compression force of the spring 62 and when the magnetic connection between the magnet 1439 and the screw 5 is broken the tubular member 134 will retract back over the body 12 to its original static position. [0095] It should be noted device 510 could still operate if the spring 62 had a greater force than magnet 1439 by adjusting nut 50 in the direction of arrow 100 making end 49 act as a stop against cap end 127 of the tubular member 134 illustrated by distance z, allowing the magnet 1439 to hold the screw 5 on to the tip 38 of the tool 18 with the spring 62 holding the tubular member 134 static to the body 12 in compression as described in figure 12.

[0096] Illustrated in figures 14 and 15 is a device 1910 being simular to device 510 but unlike device 510, device 1910 does not have nut 50, locking nut 51 and thread 52 of body 12 or boring head 117 of device 1810 of tubular member 134. All like features of device 1910 are numbered same as device 1810 of figures 12 and 13. The device 1910 shows marks 136 of the tubular member 134, the marks 136 can be used as a depth guide indicator for the countersinking boring tool 19, having a cutter 119 with a bigger diameter than the tubular member 134, simular to illustrations and descriptions of figures 1 and 11. In this mode of operation the tubular member 134 is held static to the body 12 by the opposing forces of the compression spring 62 as described in figure 12 of device 1910.

[0097] The tubular member 134 between screw lock end device 1810 and shoulder 135 has an internal cylinder bore 137 that slides over a hexagonal shank of the tool 19 and when in operation the screw lock end device 1810 of the tubular member 134 can rotate free of the tool 19 that rotates central to axis 40 in conjunction with socket end 16 of the tool holder body 12 guided by tip 38 of the tool 18 into a material.

[0098] In figure 15 the device 1910 has a screw locking end having an annular magnet

1439 at the end of tubular member 134 and by manually sliding tubular member 134 in the direction of arrow 100 and away from body 12, the annular magnet 1439 will hold the screw 5 onto tip 38 of tool 18, as previously described in figure 13.

[0099] Illustrated in figure 11 is the device 610 which is mounted onto the shank of a manually operated screw driver. In this instance the device 610 can be used as screw holding mechanism, and if desired as a depth limiting tool. It will be readily understood that the device 610 could be attached to the shank of a screw driving bit which in turn could be fitted to a power drill.

[00100] Illustrated in figure 16 is a device 310 which is constructed in substantially the same manner as the device 1910 of figures 14 and 15. The only difference being that instead of being assembled as part of a tool or bit holder which will receive a screw driving or boring bit, the device 310 has a through aperture and a rear end collar, which has a grub screw 452 to attach the collar to the shank of a manual or power driven screw driver bit. A manual screw driver is illustrated in figure 16.

[00101] In the above described embodiments where the devices are illustrated as having a hexagonal shank 14, it will be readily understood by a person skilled in the art, that the shank 14 can be replaced by a square, hexagonal or other shape blind socket fro attachment to a matching shaped shank held in a rotating tool, in much the same was as is illustrated in figures 11 and 16 where a circular or other shaped through aperture is provided to receive the shank of a screw driver.

[00102] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

[00103] The foregoing described embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A screw holding device for holding a screw onto the screw driving end of a screw driving tool, said device having a tubular member to surround said screw driving tool, said tubular member including a free end having a screw holding means to engage a screw to be held on said tool, and an opposite end being connected to said tool by a connection means, said tubular member or said screw holding means being able to move relative to said tool when connected, said tubular member or said screw holding means being biased toward a rear end of said tool.

2. A screw holding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said connection means allows said tool to rotate relative to said tubular member.

3. A screw holding device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, said connection means includes adjustment means to allow the axial position of said tubular member to be adjusted relative to said tool.

4. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said connection means includes a collar which remains stationary relative to said tool.

5. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said, screw holding means is a magnetic material at said free end.

6. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said screw holding means is a screw holding member inside of said tubular member, which is able to move into and out of said tubular member.

7. A screw holding device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said screw holding member is connected to an actuation member on the outside of said tubular member, said actuation member allowing said screw holding member to be brought into contact with a screw to be held.

8. A screw holding device as claimed in anyone of claims 6 or 7, wherein a magnetic material is located on said screw holding member.

9. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said connection means can be releasably secured to said tool.

10. A screw holding device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said collar has said tubular member rotatably connected thereto.

11. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said tubular member also has one or more of the following functions: a depth limiting device; a depth gauge; a reaming, cutting or boring bit.

12. A screw holding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said tool is a screw driver bit, a screw driver shank, or a bit holder to receive a screw driver bit.

13. A tool holder having a socket which is adapted to receive a tool to be turned, said tool being one of: a boring tool; a combination boring tool and screwdriver bit; or a screwdriver bit; said socket being formed within a surrounding wall, said wall including a boring, cutting or reaming formation formed on a surface engaging end of said wall.

14. A tool holder as claimed in claim 13 wherein said surrounding wall is formed with a cylindrical outer surface.

15. A tool holder as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein said socket is a blind aperture to receive said tool.

16. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein said socket is hexagonal in cross section.

17. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein a device is combined with said tool holder, said device providing one or more of the following functions: a depth limiting device; a depth gauge; a screw holder to hold a screw on a screw driving bit when said tool holder has a screw driver bit inserted in said socket; a reaming, cutting or boring bit.

18. A tool holder including a body having a socket to receive a boring and or screwdriving bit, said socket being located at a bit end of said tool holder, said tool holder including at a rear end means to enable said tool holder to be held by a rotating tool to rotate said tool holder, said tool holder including a tubular member mounted to and surrounding said bit end of said body, said tubular member having a surface engaging end and screw holding means at or near said surface engaging end so as to engage a screw connected to said bit to assist said screw in maintaining contact with said bit before said screw is inserted into a surface.

19. A tool holder as claimed in claim 18, wherein said tool holder and or said tubular member includes limit means to limit movement of said tubular member towards said rear end.

20. A tool holder as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein said tubular member is able to move on said tool holder relative to said body, said tubular member being biased towards said rear end and being able to move in a direction away from said rear end against said bias.

21. A tool holder as claimed in claim 20, wherein said surface engaging end also includes a magnetised portion.

22. A tool holder as claimed in claim 20 or 21 , wherein said body includes a threaded portion near said rear end to which can be threaded a nut for positioning said tubular member on said body.

23. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein said tubular member and said body include respective shoulders between which a compression spring is located so as to provide said bias.

24. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 23, wherein said tubular member also has one or more of the following functions: a depth limiting device; a depth gauge; a reaming, cutting or boring bit.

25. A tool holder as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein said screw holding means is a screw holding member inside of said tubular member, which is able to move into and out of said tubular member.

26. A tool holder as claimed in claim 25, wherein said screw holding member is connected to an actuation member on the outside of said tubular member, said actuation member allowing said screw holding member to be brought into contact with a screw to be held.

27. A tool holder as claimed in anyone of claims 25 or 26, wherein a magnetic material is located on said screw holding member.

28. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 27, wherein said socket is hexagonal in cross section.

29. A depth limiting device for a boring tool or boring tool holder which is adapted to hold a boring tool, said device having a tubular member to surround said boring tool or said holder, said tubular member including a free end to engage a surface to be bored by said boring tool, and an opposite end being connected to said tool or tool holder by a connection means which allows said tool or tool holder to rotate relative to said tubular member, whereby when said device and said tool are used in a boring operation axial movement between said tubular member and said tool or said tool holder is prevented.

30. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 29 wherein said connection means includes a carriage member which is rotatably connected to said tool or said tool holder.

31. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 29 or 30, wherein said connection means includes adjustment means to allow the axial position of said tubular member to be adjusted relative to said tool or said tool holder.

32. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 29 wherein said connection means includes a carriage member which is releasably secured to said tool or said tool holder.

33. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 29 or 31 wherein axial position of said carriage members on said tool or said tool holder can be adjusted by releasing said carriage member from said tool or tool holder then re-securing same in a different axial position.

34. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 31 , 32 or 33, wherein said carriage member has said tubular member rotatably connected thereto.

35. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 34,wherein said connection means is a bearing means which rotatably interconnects said tubular member and said tool holder or boring tool holder.

36. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 35, wherein said tool holder or boring tool holder includes a blind aperture to receive a boring tool or boring tool shaft.

37. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 36, wherein said tool holder or boring tool holder includes a boring or reaming formation formed on its surface engaging end.

38. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 37, wherein said boring tool is any one of, or combination of one or more of the following: countersinker, screw driver, auger, counter-bore, drill, reamer, speed bore, other rotating tool, or a combination of one or more of these

39. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 38, wherein said device further includes a screw holding device.

40. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 39, wherein said screw holding device includes a magnetic material to hold said screw.

41. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 39 and 40, wherein said screw holding device is positioned around said boring tool.

42. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein said screw holding device is biased to move said screw holding device away from said tool holder or boring tool holder in the direction of said boring tool. Said tool holder- or boring tool holder including a depth indicating mark or marks scribed on the circumference of the body perpendicular to the axial rotation.

43. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 42, wherein said screw holding means is biased towards said boring tool.

44. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 43, wherein said screw holding means is moved away from said tool holder or boring tool holder by a sliding handle member.

45. A depth limiting device as claimed in claim 44, wherein said sliding handle member is slidably mounted on tubular member of said depth limiting device.

46. A depth limiting device as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 45, wherein said screw holding means includes a super magnetic material.