Keeper For Socket Wrenches

Abstract

A keeper accessory for use on a conventional wrench socket without need for alterations to hold a fastener captive in the socket while being manipulated into and out of an assembly position. The one-piece resilient accessory is frictionally engageable with the interior wall surface of the socket to retain the accessory in place and includes an extension positioned to have compressive frictional engagement with the hex face of a fastener to hold the latter seated in the wrench socket deliberately released therefrom.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation of my application for U.S. Letters Pat. Ser. No. 187,684 filed Oct. 8, 1971 now abandoned.

Description

This invention relates to accessories for wrenches, and more particularly to an improved keeper accessory readily installable in a conventional wrench socket and expandable thereagainst to retain itself installed and including means for frictionally gripping and retaining a fastener component.

Many attempts have been made by designers to provide simple, effective means to hold a fastener component captive while it is being assembled to or separated from a companion component. The need for such devices is particularly pronounced with respect to fasteners located in remote, crowded or cramped quarters or in areas not accessible to a mechanic's hands.

Certain prior proposals serves the purpose but require a specially constructed wrench which is costly and not readily available when needed.

By the present invention there is provided a simple one-piece inexpensive accessory readily installable in conventional 12-point wrench sockets without need for alteration. The accessory is characterized by its resiliency and dual utilization of this resiliency to hold the accessory in place in the wrench as well as to engage a face of a hex fastener to hold it assembled to the socket until deliberately detached therefrom. Typically, the accessory comprises a T-shaped element of resilient stock, the T-head of which is readily curled into a C configuration of a size permitting it to be installed axially into the wrench socket whereupon it expands into firm gripping contact with the interior wall of the socket. The T-stem is positioned to extend lengthwise of one point of the wrench socket and has an interference fit between one hex face of the fastener and the juxtaposed point of the socket. The entire accessory is located within and protected by the wrench socket and, should the accessory become damaged or worn in use, the accessory is readily replaced with a new one. The portion of the accessory in frictional contact with the socket wall is substantially greater than that in contact with the fastener and, in consequence, the forces holding the accessory in assembled position are very substantially greater than those employed to retain the fastener captive in the wrench.

The accessory is conveniently manufactured integral with a series of similar accessories following which the single components are readily separated lengthwise and crosswise of the molding to form a plurality of individual accessories each properly proportioned to fit a different size wrench socket. The accessory can be manufactured either of metallic of non-metallic resilient material. If made of non-metallic elastomeric material, the accessories are readily molded to a desired shape and can be cut to size by the user to fit any particular wrench. However, if made of spring metal each keeper would be stamped from spring sheet stock in different sizes.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved highly-versatile inexpensive keeper accessory for use with 12-point wrench sockets to hold a fastener captive therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a one-piece keeper accessory formed of resilient stock and generally T-shape in configuration with the T-head curled into a split ring to grip the interior of a wrench socket and the T-stem portion adapted to have an interference frictional fit with one hex face of a fastener.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a keeper accessory readily insertable into a deep wrench socket and adapted to convert the socket for use to service spark plugs of internal combustion engines.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a keeper accessory readily installable in conventional 12-point wrench sockets without need for making alterations or using fasteners to hold the accessory installed in the socket.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rugged substantially indestructible keeper device insertable in a wrench socket to hold a fastener captive therein and readily and quickly replaced by a new one should a former one become worn or damaged.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing one preferred embodiment of the invention keeper accessory installed in a conventional 12-point wrench to hold a cap screw captive therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 2--2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIg. 2 but showing the cap screw detached;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the accessory per se;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the keeper before the T-head portion is curled into a C shape;

FIG. 6 is a view partly in cross section showing a modification of the keeper installed in a wrench socket in readiness to receive a fastener;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the right hand portion of FIG. 6 showing a fastener in place in the FIG. 6 wrench socket;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a deep socket with the invention keeper installed, the parts being shown partly in cross section; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a series of keeper accessories as initially molded and prior to separation into individual keepers.

Referring initially, more particularly to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown one preferred embodiment of the invention keeper accessory, designated generally 10, having the T-shaped configuration best shown in FIG. 5. It will be understood that, as there shown, the accessory is formed from thick resilient elastomeric material, such as neoprene, and includes a long T-head portion 11 and a relatively short narrow and thinner T-stem portion 12. The length of the T-head is somewhat shorter than the interior girth of a 12-point wrench socket 14 in which it is to be inserted. When thus dimensioned, the T-head can be folded into a C configuration best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with its free ends 15 seated in the adjacent ones of a pair of the wrench points 16, it being well known in the socket wrench art that the "point" of such wrenches designates the shallow V-shaped groove seating the similarly shaped protrusion on the periphery of a hexagonal fastener and defined by the triangular shaped axial ridge therebetween. The tang or T-stem portion 12 of the keeper projects laterally from adjacent one edge of the T-head as is shown in FIG. 3, portion 12 being there located midway between the opposite ends of the T-head so as to be positioned directly opposite one of the socket points 16.

The outer end of tang 12 is beveled as indicated at 17 in FIG. 1 to provide a camming surface engageable with the rim edge of a fastener, such as the head 18 of cap screw 19 as this head is being inserted into the wrench socket. Accordingly cam surface 17 deflects the tang 12 radially outwardly into points 16 as the fastener is inserted into the wrench socket. Prior to insertion of the fastener, tang 12 lies substantially inwardly of points 16 but after insertion of the fastener the tang is deformed and shifted radially to lie entirely within the points 16 with its outwardly facing surfaces compressed snugly against the surfaces of the wrench point and with its inwardly facing surface compressed in snug frictional engagement with the adjacent face 20 of fastener head 18.

As will be readily apparent from the foregoing, the numerous points of pressure contact of the head portion 11 of the keeper with the crests of the socket points produced by the tendency of the T-head 11 to expand outwardly and to resume its normal straight configuration is highly effective in causing the accessory to grip the socket wall and retain the keeper therein. This gripping action is augmented when a fastener is inserted into the wrench socket due to the fact that the fastener head compresses tang 12 into firm gripping action with the sidewalls of the juxtaposed wrench point 16. Only the relatively small inwardly facing surface of the tang presses against the hex face of the fastener but this fractional pressure is more than adequate to hold the fastener firmly seated while the wrench handle 23 is used in the customary manner to maneuver the fastener into and out of a desired assembly position. It will be understood that the wrench socket and its operating handle are merely illustrative of many forms of conventional wrenches of this type with which the present invention keeper accessory is equally suitable for use.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention differing only in minor respects from that shown in FIGS. 1-5. The same or similar parts of the second embodiment are identified by the same characters but distinguished by the addition of a prime. Thus, keeper 10 is there shown as comprising a continuous tubular ring having an external diameter selected to have a snug interference fit with the crests of wrench points 16' of wrench socket 14'. It will also be noted that the tang 12'has a planar outwardly facing surface but a peaked inwardly facing surface 24. However, when the hex head 18' of a fastener is seated in the wrench socket tang 12' is forcibly shifted outwardly and deformed into the configuration shown in FIG. 7 so that the peaked surface 24 now lies flush against the hex face as the planar exterior surface is forced into engagement with the peaked trough-like surface of wrench point 16'.

FIG. 8 illustrates a further modification of the keeper proportioned for use in a deep socket wrench 12" of the type commonly used to service spark plugs for internal combustion engines. As is well known, these spark plugs are commonly seated in deep wells in the engine block and a deep socket wrench is necessary to install and remove them from the engine. Any conventional deep socket wrench 14" can be used for this purpise when equipped with the invention keeper 10" modified by having a relatively wide T-head portion 11". In all other respects keeper 10" is identical with that described above in connection with either FIGS. 1-5 or FIGS. 6 and 7. As is clearly shown in FIG. 8, the overall height of the accessory corresponds to the depth of the well in the socket wrench 14". When the wrench is not being used to service spark plugs, keeper 10" can be quickly removed thereby making the full depth of the wrench socket available for engagement with fasteners.

Referring now to FIG. 9, it is pointed out that the invention keepers are conveniently molded integral with one another in the manner there clearly shown. Tangs 12 project from the opposite edges of the T-head portion 11 of the strip. The unit is manufactured and sold as a flat continuous one piece molding and preferably including markings, such as indicated by the dotted lines 25,26 indicating how the strip can be severed to provide keepers for wrench sockets of different sizes. This cutting and tailoring can be performed simply by the purchaser, using ordinary shears or a sharp knife blade. Once the individual keepers are cut to size they are rolled into a C configuration and inserted into the well of a wrench socket.

Although the invention keeper accessory has been described above as formed from resilient elastomeric material, it will be readily apparent that resilient sheet metal is equally suitable. When using metal, either a split ring with overlapping ends or one having ends separated as shown in FIGS. 1-5 and FIG. 8 can be employed. As will be apparent when using a keeper made of metal, keeper tang 12 does not distort in the same way as an elastomeric tang does, that is, it is not so readily distorted by compression stresses, but instead, reliance is had on setting up strong frictional gripping forces between the fastener face and the inner surface of the tang. This is of no handicap since the inwardly facing surface of the metal tang provides adequate gripping power to hold the fastener and the T-head portion of the keeper can be relied upon to retain both the keeper and the fastener seated in the wrench socket.

While the particular keeper for socket wrenches herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. That improvement in a 12-point wrench socket having inner and outer ends and an interior surface provided with 12 inwardly projecting axial ridges separated by twelve intervening shallow V-shaped points which comprises: a keeper of resilient elastomeric material having a portion thereof in resilient gripping contact with and between the opposite ends of a plurality of the axial ridges of said wrench socket and thereby retained assembled against the inner end portions of said ridges solely by an interference fit between said axial ridges and the radially juxtaposed portions of said keeper, said keeper having an elongated protrusion extending outwardly between an adjacent pair of said ridges toward the outer end of said socket, said protrusion being shaped and sized to be radially compressed between one face of a hex fastener and the adjacent one of the points of said wrench socket when a hex fastener is seated in the outer end of said socket and thereby effective to hold the fastener frictionally gripped and captive in the wrench socket while the fastener is being maneuvered into and out of an assembly position.

2. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said keeper comprises an elongated strip of arcuate configuration within said wrench socket with said protrusion extending axially outwardly along one point thereof.

3. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said keeper comprises a ringlet having an O.D. greater than the diameter of said wrench socket in an axial plane common to a pair of diametrically opposed ridges of said socket.

4. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said protrusion is generally triangular in cross-section with one face thereof generally parallel to one face of a hex fastener when said fastener is properly oriented in readiness for axial insertion into said wrench socket.

5. That improvement defined in claim 4 characterized in that said one face of said protrusion faces radially outwardly toward the adjacent interior surface of said wrench socket with the ridge-like crest of said protrusion facing inwardly toward the axis of said wrench socket and in position to be engaged by the face of a hex fastener as the latter is being inserted endwise into the wrench socket.

6. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said keeper is sufficiently resilient and compressible for frictional engagement with and retention in a range of wrench sockets of related sizes.

7. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said keeper has a length prior to installation in said wrench socket less than the interior circumference thereof, and in that said keeper endeavors to expand radially against the interior surface at the inner end of a wrench socket and to assume a U-shape as viewed from the outer end of said socket.

8. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said protrusion has a normal relaxed position in said wrench socket lying primarily spaced inwardly from and out of contact with the adjacent one of said points.

9. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said protrusion has a width circumferentially of the wrench socket not greater than the circumferential distance between adjacent points of the socket.

10. That improvement defined in claim 9 characterized in that the relaxed inwardly facing surface of said protrusion when installed in the socket is non-circular to prevent a surface having a limited area of contact with the hex face of a fastener seated in said socket.

11. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said inwardly facing surface of said protrusion comprises a crest extending lengthwise thereof and facing radially inwardly toward the axis of said socket.

12. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said protrusion has a radial thickness not materially in excess of the radial depth of the adjacent one of said points.

13. A keeper as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said protrusion is non-circular in cross section and thicker in one transverse direction than in a transverse direction at right angles thereto.