Self-retaining Ratcheting Wrench

Abstract

A ratcheting wrench for rotating a hexagonal member, the wrench including a body having a member engaging portion and a handle, the member engaging portion providing four contiguous torqueing surfaces configured to receive a hexagonal member therein, each torqueing surface being at an angle of 120.degree. relative to any adjacent torqueing surface, the torqueing surfaces providing a member receiving opening therebetween, the first torqueing surface being adjacent the opening and having a length less than one-half the length along one side of the hexagonal member, the second torqueing surface being contiguous to the first and in the direction away from the opening and of a length slightly greater than the length along one side of the hexagonal member, the third torqueing surface being contiguous to the second torqueing surface and being opposite and parallel to the first surface and of a length slightly greater than the length along one side of the hexagonal member, and the fourth torqueing surface being contiguous to the third and parallel to the second surface, the length of the fourth torqueing surface being greater than the length along one side of the hexagonal member.

Description

BACKGROUND, SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Wrenches have been employed in a variety of forms for engaging and rotating hexagonal members. Most common wrenches are of two basic types, that is, the open end wrench having parallel sides with an opening between, the distance between the sides being such to slidably and snugly receive opposing sides of a hexagonal member to be rotated. The other common type wrench is the box end wrench in which a hexagonal opening is provided to snugly receive the hexagonal periphery of the member to be rotated. The box end configuration may be employed in what is termed a socket wrench in which the body portion is rotatable by a ratcheting mechanism.

The present invention is directed towards a wrench concept of improved economy, simplicity and ease of operation and in which the wrench can be used to ratchet a hexagonal member without the use of moving parts and in which ratcheting is accomplished without removing contact of the wrench from the hexagonal member being ratcheted.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a wrench for ratcheting a hexagonal member. More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a ratcheting wrench for hexagonal members characterized by simplicity of operation and in which ratcheting is accomplished without moving parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wrench for ratcheting members wherein in one embodiment the wrench is in the form of a ratcheting socket in which the hexagonal member may be ratcheted in a manner not requiring moving parts.

These general as well as more specific objects of the invention will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF VIEWS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wrench embodying the invention. The wrench shows the invention incorporated in one configuration at the left end and a different configuration at the right end.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the wrench embodying the invention and showing the use of hard material inserts to increase the wear resistance of the wrench.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an additional alternate embodiment of the invention showing the means whereby the angle of the various surfaces may vary relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment showing a further variation of the angle of the contacting surfaces relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle and showing the inclusion of a spring means to retain the wrench torqueing surfaces in engagement with the hexagonal member being rotated.

FIG. 6 is a view, shown partially in cross section, of a wrench wherein the member engaging portion is in the form of a socket, that is, wherein the hexagonal member to be rotated is fully encompassed by the wrench.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of the invention in a wrench design commonly referred to as a "crow foot."

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 9--9 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a hexagonal member showing representative dimensions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and first to FIG. 1, a wrench is shown for rotation of a hexagonal member 10. As shown in FIG. 10 the hexagonal member 12 has representative dimensions in which the distance between opposing corners is X, the distance between opposing sides is Y, and the length along a side is Z. The wrench of FIG. 1 includes a body 14 having a handle portion 16 extending therefrom. The body 14 includes a hexagonal member receiving recess generally indicated by the numeral 18, the recess forming a hexagonal member engaging portion. The recess provides four contiguous torqueing surfaces to receive a hexagonal member and, upon pivotation of handle 16, to rotate the hexagonal member. The torqueing surfaces provide a hexagonal member receiving opening 20 therebetween. The first torqueing surface 22 is adjacent the opening 20 and has a length A less than 1/2 Z. The second torqueing surface 24 is contiguous to the first torqueing surface 22 and extends in the direction away from the opening 20, the second torqueing surface intersecting the first surface 22 at an angle of 120.degree.. The length of the second torqueing surface 24 is slightly greater than Z.

The third torqueing surface 26 is contiguous to the second torqueing surface 24 and intersects the plane of the second torqueing surface 24 at an angle of 120.degree.. The length of the third torqueing surface 26 is slightly greater than Z.

The fourth torqueing surface 28 intersects the third torqueing surface 26 at an angle of 120.degree.. It is parallel to the first torqueing surface 22 and spaced from it a distance slightly greater than Y. The length of the fourth torqueing surface 28 is greater than Z.

When the wrench handle 16 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow the four torqueing surfaces 22, 24, 26 and 28 engage the member 12 and rotate it in the direction indicated by the arrow internally of the member. When the wrench handle is moved in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow the surfaces 22, 24, 26 and 28 slide upon the external peripheral surfaces of the hexagonal member 12 but do not apply any rotational torque to it. The wrench can thus be moved to a new position wherein, upon rotation again in the direction indicated by the arrow, the member 12 will be engaged by the torqueing surfaces and rotated. Thus the wrench provides a ratcheting wrench for a hexagonal member which does not employ any moving parts. In addition, the arrangement of the invention provides a ratcheting wrench wherein four of the six surfaces of the hexagonal member are engaged by the wrench and yet wherein the wrench can easily be slipped onto or off the hexagonal member.

In FIG. 1 the wrench design at the right hand is the same as that previously described with reference to the design at the left hand of the wrench except that the right hand configuration includes a positioning surface 30 intersecting the fourth torqueing surface 28. The positioning surface 30 is spaced from and generally parallel to the second torqueing surface 24, the distance between the surfaces 24 and 30 being greater than Y. The positioning surface 30 does not contact the hexagonal member being rotated and serves only to assist in retaining the wrench in engagement with a hexagonal member while it is being ratcheted, thus enabling the user to be freer in the motions of the wrench during ratcheting operation.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment substantially that as shown in the right hand side of FIG. 1 except that the positioning surface 30 is curved so as to allow easier movement of the wrench onto and off of a hexagonal member while at the same time serving to loosely retain the wrench in engagement with a hexagonal member as the member is being rotated.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement wherein a portion of each of the four torqueing surfaces is formed of a material harder than the body of the wrench. The material is in the form of inserts 32 which may be such as tungsten carbide. The inserts 32 add to the wear resistance of the wrench.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention illustrating that the relationship of the angles of the torqueing surfaces 22 through 28 may vary as they relate to the longitudinal axis of handle 16. Further, FIG. 4 shows an arrangement wherein the fourth torqueing surface includes a recess 34 therein. The recess 34 increases slightly the spacing between first torqueing surface 22 and fourth torqueing surface 28 so as to enable the hexagonal member to more easily slide into position in engagement with the torqueing surfaces. In addition, the point of intersection of second torqueing surface 24 and third torqueing surface 26 has a semicircular notch 36 cut therein. The notch 36 provides compensation for imperfection in the hexagonal peripheral configuration of the member to be rotated and enables the member to be more securely engaged by the torqueing surfaces.

FIG. 5 shows an arrangement wherein the first torqueing surface 22 and fourth torqueing surface 28 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of handle 16.

FIGS. 5 and 9 show an embodiment in which a spring 38 extends in front of positioning surface 30. When a hexagonal member 12 is in position within the wrench recess 18 spring 38 lightly contacts the member 12. In this way as the wrench handle 36 is moved back and forth in a ratcheting action the hexagonal member 12 is maintained in slidable contact with the torqueing surfaces and as the handle is moved in the direction to apply torque to member 12 it is urged into the torqueing position by spring 38. It can be seen that the use of spring 38 in the embodiment of FIG. 5 is optional. In addition, the arrangement, positioning and shape of the spring 38 may vary.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show an embodiment of the invention wherein the recess 18 for the wrench is completely enclosed so as to, in effect, provide a socket type wrench for engaging a hexagonal member. In this arrangement the opening 20 is covered by an extension 14A of the body portion. The torqueing surfaces 22, 24, 26 and 28 remain the same in their relationship to each other and function as in the other embodiments, including FIG. 1, to rotate the hexagonal member 12. The provision of the body extension 14A which connects the wrench body in the full 360.degree. enclosure adds additional strength to the wrench. The embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is a ratcheting socket wrench having no moving parts.

FIG. 8 shows the wrench employed in a design commonly termed a "crow foot." The body 14 includes a handle portion 16A having a recess 40 therein. A wrench handle extension including a square configured extending portion may be inserted in the recess 50 by means of which the wrench can be rotated and ratcheted. As a different arrangement the handle may be removably extended into recess 42 so as to extend in the direction normal to the wrench having the integral handle as shown in FIG. 1.

The invention described provides a ratcheting wrench which may be termed as "self-retaining" in that the configurations tend to maintain the torqueing surfaces in contact with the hexagonal member to be rotated as the wrench handle is oscillated in a manner to ratchet the hexagonal member. The wrench described, including various alternate embodiments which are shown by way of example only, fulfills the objectives above set forth.

It is understood that the invention is not limited by the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A ratcheting wrench for rotating a hexagonal member in which the distance between opposing corners is X, the distance between opposing sides is Y, and the distance along a side is Z, comprising:

a wrench body having a member engaging portion and a handle portion, the member engaging portion providing four contiguous torqueing surfaces configured to receive said hexagonal member therein, each said torqueing surface being at an angle of 120.degree. relative to any adjacent torqueing surface, the torqueing surface providing a member receiving opening therebetween, the first torqueing surface being adjacent said opening and having a length less than 1/2 Z, the second torqueing surface being contiguous to the first and in the direction away from said opening and of a length slightly greater than Z, the third torqueing surface being contiguous to the second surface and at the end thereof opposite the first surface, the length of the third surface being slightly greater than Z, the fourth torqueing surface being contiguous to the third torqueing surface and at the end thereof opposite the second torqueing surface, the length of said fourth torqueing surface being greater than Z, the fourth torqueing surface being parallel to said first torqueing surface and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than Y, and the wrench body member engaging portion having a positioning surface intersecting said fourth torqueing surface at an angle of about 120.degree. and at the end thereof opposite the intersection of said fourth torqueing surface with said third torqueing surface, the positioning surface being generally parallel said second torqueing surface and spaced from it a distance greater than X; and

a flat spring having one end received in said positioning surface and bent to extend generally parallel the positioning surface, said spring being adaptable to resiliently urge a hexagonal member towards said second and third torqueing surfaces.

2. A ratcheting wrench according to claim 1 wherein said flat spring is received in said positioning surface adjacent the end of such surface opposite the intersection with said fourth torqueing surface, and wherein said spring has a free end terminating adjacent said fourth torqueing surface.