U.S. patent number 3,672,419 [Application Number 05/078,463] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-27 for hand tools.
Invention is credited to Alvin G. Fischer.
United States Patent |
3,672,419 |
Fischer |
June 27, 1972 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
HAND TOOLS
Abstract
A hand tool, and particularly a screw driver, comprising a
handle and a detachable shank. The handle has intersecting
longitudinal and transverse openings, and either opening receives
either end of the shank. A single holding means, in the form of a
spring-pressed ball detent, is contained within the handle and is
cooperable with the shank end to hold the shank assembled with the
handle.
Inventors: |
Fischer; Alvin G.
(Independence, OH) |
Family
ID: |
22144181 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/078,463 |
Filed: |
October 6, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
81/460;
81/177.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25G
1/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25G
1/00 (20060101); B25g 003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;145/61R,61L,5C,65,76,77
;81/177ST,177PP,177G,177D ;279/76,79,24 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Juhasz; Andrew R.
Assistant Examiner: Koczo, Jr.; Michael
Claims
I claim:
1. A hand tool, comprising an oblong handle, and a shank detachably
securable to said handle, said handle having longitudinal and
transverse non-circular openings of equal transverse size which
extend inwardly from respective transverse and longitudinal walls
of said handle and intersect at a midpoint of the longitudinal axis
of said handle, each opening extending beyond the point of
intersection but short of penetration through an opposed wall of
said handle to form a bottom for each opening, said shank
comprising end portions of cross-section complementary to the
non-circular transverse size of said openings to fit closely within
either opening and extend beyond the point of intersection so that
an extremity abuts the bottom of the opening and a part between the
latter and the point of intersection is supported by the adjoining
wall surface of the opening, and means within the handle at said
point of intersection to engage a shank end portion in either
opening and releasably hold said shank assembled with said
handle.
2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said last named
means is a detent permanently carried by said handle and
resiliently urged into the intersection of said openings and
adapted to frictionally engage the shank portion within one of said
openings.
3. The construction according to claim 2 wherein said detent is a
ball which is spring-pressed to frictionally engage said shank
portion.
4. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said openings are
rectangular in transverse size and said handle portions are
correspondingly rectangular in cross-section.
5. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said shank is a
screw driver blade of uniform cross-section throughout its length
and has its opposite ends of different formation for engagement
with screw heads having different types of screw driver slots.
6. The construction according to claim 4 and further including a
socket having one end formed with an opening rectangular in
transverse size to closely receive an end of said shank, said
socket at its other end having an opening to receive and rotate
conventional nuts and bolt heads.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
Hand tools, such as screw drivers, having a shank which is
detachable from a handle are well known in the prior art. Also
known are constructions wherein either end of a shank may be
disposed within an opening in a handle. Such prior art tools,
although finding some commercial acceptance, do not provide simply
yet sturdy structure which my invention makes possible, nor do they
provide the utility of my improved structure.
According to my invention, the handle may be made as a metal or
plastic casting or molding to eliminate expensive machining
operations, and the shank may be made in accordance with standard
methods. Either of the pair of openings in the handle receive a
sufficient length of the shank end so that considerable force may
be applied to the handle; yet the shank may be easily removed from
the handle so that either of its ends may be disposed in either of
the handle openings. The single spring-pressed ball detent securely
holds the shank assembled with the handle in any of their variously
related positions. Accordingly, it is a principal object of my
invention to provide new and improved hand tools of the character
described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing accompanying this description and forming a part of
this application there is shown, for purposes of illustration, an
embodiment which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a screw driver, showing the handle
and shank assembled in one relation, the shank being fragmentarily
shown to conserve space,
FIG. 2 is an end view of the construction shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a screw driver, showing the handle
and shank assembled in another relation, the shank again being
fragmentarily shown, and a socket being included in the
combination,
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view corresponding to the line 5--5
of FIG. 3, the shank being fragmentarily shown, and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view corresponding to the line 6--6
of FIG. 1, the shank being fragmentarily shown.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
My improved hand tool is herein disclosed in the form of a screw
driver comprising a handle 10 and a shank or blade 11. The handle
may be formed of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic.
Metal is preferred in order to provide strength for withstanding
the great pressure that may be applied by the tool.
The handle 10 is oblong and is preferably provided with
longitudinal ribs 12 to improve gripping qualities. The handle may
be made of cast metal to provide the contour shown in the drawing
and to provide a pair of intersecting openings, thereby eliminating
expensive machining operations.
As shown in FIG. 6, the handle 10 is provided with a longitudinal
opening 14 which extends from an end 15 inwardly to a point 16
beyond the longitudinal midpoint of the handle. As shown in FIG. 4,
the handle is also provided with a transverse opening 17 which
extends from a side 18 inwardly to a point 19 beyond the transverse
midpoint of the handle. The longitudinal and transverse openings
intersect at the midpoint of the handle, to provide a balanced
effect. A transverse bore 20 is formed in the handle at its
midpoint and the line with the intersection of the longitudinal and
transverse openings.
Either end of the blade 22 may be disposed in either of the
longitudinal or transverse openings, and the cross-section of the
blade is complementary to that of the openings for a close,
non-rotatable fit. In the present embodiment, the blade 11 is
square in cross-section, and so are the openings. One end of the
blade is herein shown as provided with a wedge-like tip 25 to fit
the kerf in the head of a conventional screw, while the other end
of the blade is provided with a cross-like tip 26 to fit the head
of a Phillips screw.
A hardened steel ball 27 is disposed within the bore 20 and is
prevented from fully entering the intersection of the longitudinal
and transverse openings 14 and 17 by an annular lip 28. The ball is
pressed inwardly by a spring 29 which is disposed between the ball
and a seat 30 formed by an inward deformation of the metal
surrounding the outer end of the bore.
To assemble the blade, it is merely necessary to insert either end
thereof into either opening and push on the blade to cam the ball
27 rearwardly. The inner ends of the longitudinal and transverse
openings form stops against which inner end of the blade abut. The
pressure of the ball 27 against the inner end of the blade will
adequately hold the letter assembled with the handle. Because of
the ribbed contour of the handle, the latter may be firmly gripped
by the hand of a user. With the blade and handle assembled in the
relation shown in FIG. 3, a tremendous pressure may be applied to
turn the most stubbornly locked screw. The invention may also be
used to turn nuts and bolts by merely assembling a socket 31 over
the free end of the blade.
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