Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6766716
-
Patent Number
6,766,716
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, May 27, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, July 27, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Hail, III; Joseph J.
- Grant; Alvin J.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 081 60
- 081 61
- 081 17785
- 081 632
- 081 1771
- 081 1772
- 081 1801
- 403 97
- 403 298
- 403 91
- 403 92
- 403 93
- 403 96
- 403 146
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A socket adapter for a ratchet wrench, in which the bottom of the base body of the adapter comprises a coupling portion for engaging with a socket wrench or other liked tools. At the top surface of the base body a locking nut is rotatably disposed for inserting in a drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench. The locking nut is provided with a hexagonal portion at periphery thereof; by rotating the locking nut through a certain angle, the hexagonal portion is accordingly locked manually with any corner of the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench, such that the socket adapter of the present invention can be detachably fixed in the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench, and more particularly to a socket adapter for a ratchet wrench.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ARTS
Conventional ratchet wrenches are generally divided into two types: one is provided with a drive ratchet, and the other is provided with a socket that is replaceable for accommodation of different tool heads. The user has to choose different wrenches according to different tool heads since a socket fits a single size tool head only. Thereby an adapter was invented which is fixed to the ratchet wrench having a drive ratchet at an end, such that the ratchet wrench is additionally provided with a function of socket adapting and thus a single ratchet can perform both functions.
However, in real operation, this kind of adapter has a disadvantage that it cannot be positioned fixedly. Thus, in some special conditions (such as the user sometimes has to lie on the ground for repairing and maintaining machines), the user has to hold the adapter with his hand. Furthermore, this kind of adapter is only applicable to single size socket.
The present invention, mitigates and/or obviates has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional adapter for a ratchet wrench.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is a ratchet body of the socket adapter a coupling portion is defined for engaging with a socket or other tools. At top surface of the base body a rotary locking nut is disposed for inserting in a drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench. The locking nut is provided with a hexagonal portion around the periphery thereof, when the locking nut is rotated through a prescribed an angle, the hexagonal portion of the locking nut is accordingly locked mutually with any corner of the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench and is fixed in position, accordingly, the Such that the socket adapter of the present invention can be removably fixed in the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench, and through the socket adapter then the ratchet wrench is applicable to socket or other tools.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a socket adapter for a ratchet wrench. Through the socket adapter the ratchet wrench-can be connected with a socket, so as to augment the versatility of the ratchet wrench.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded view of an adapter in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an assembly perspective view of the adapter in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a top view in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention of showing the adapter engaging in a ratchet wrench;
FIG. 4
is a cross sectional view taken along
4
—
4
of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a cross sectional view taken along
5
—
5
of
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 6
is a perspective view in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the adapter being engaged with a ratchet wrench;
FIG. 7
is a top view of
FIG. 6
;
FIG. 8
is a cross sectional view taken along
8
—
8
of
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 9
is a cross sectional view taken along
9
—
9
of FIG.
7
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to
FIGS. 1-2
, wherein a socket adapter
5
for a ratchet wrench in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and which can be removably engaged in a drive ratchet
7
of a ratchet wrench
6
(for example, a two-way ratchet wrench) through the socket adapter
5
the ratchet wrench
6
is able to engage with a socket or the like (for example, socket
8
). The socket adapter
5
comprises a base body
10
, a locking nut
20
and a rod
30
.
The base body
10
has a coupling portion
11
defined at a first end thereof for engaging with the socket
8
. The coupling portion
11
of the base body
10
is pillar-like configured having a predetermined size, while the socket
8
has a slot
81
with a predetermined specification defined at the front end and an aperture
82
defined at a predetermined position thereof. At the coupling portion
11
an aperture
12
is defined for the receipt of a steel ball
13
, such that, through the cooperation between the socket
8
and the steel ball
13
, the coupling portion
111
of the base body
10
is able to engage with the socket
8
rigidly. At a second end of the base body
10
opposite to the coupling portion
11
an engaging portion
14
is defined for the purpose of engaging with the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
. The engaging portion
14
is axially provided with a through passage
15
for connecting with the aperture
12
, around the periphery of the through passage
15
of the engaging portion
14
an annular protrusion
16
is defined and extends outward. At a side of a top surface of the engaging portion
14
is further provided with an orifice
17
for receiving a spring
19
and a ball
18
respectively in turn, such that the ball
18
is pushed by the spring
19
and partially protrudes out of the engaging portion
14
of the base body
10
. At another side of the engaging portion
14
opposite to the orifice
17
which is defined with a projection
101
.
The locking nut
20
is axially provided with a through hole
24
to be engaged with the engaging portion
14
of the base body
10
by virtue of a c-shape retainer ring
21
mounted onto the annular protrusion
16
of the engaging portion
14
. The periphery of the locking nut
20
is defined with a hexagonal portion
22
for mutually engaging with the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
. One side of the bottom of the locking nut
20
is formed with two peripheral notches
23
corresponding to the ball
18
in the base body
10
, while at an opposite side of the bottom of the locking nut
20
a groove
25
is formed for receipt of the projection
101
of the base body
10
. By such arrangements, after the engaging portion
14
of the base body
10
is inserted in the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
, and followed by rotating the locking nut
20
through a prescribed angle, the hexagonal portion
22
of the locking nut
20
accordingly can be locked with any corner of the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
and fixed in position. As a result, the locking nut
20
is rigidly positioned in the drive ratchet
7
. The rod
30
is provided with a head
31
which is inserted in the through hole
24
of the locking nut
20
, the rod
30
is further provided with a rod portion
32
serving to insert in the through passage
15
of the base body
10
. A spring
33
is mounted on the rod
30
and at a predetermined position of the rod
30
a notch
34
is defined for accommodation of the steel ball
13
of the base body
10
. In the notch
34
is formed a slope
35
-, the steel ball
13
is allowed to travel along the slope
35
to roll in or partially protrude out of the coupling portion
11
of the base body
10
, such that the user is able to replace the socket by pushing the push head
31
of the rod
30
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 2-9
, In order to assemble the adapter
5
to the ratchet wrench
6
, insert the adapter
5
in the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
so as to make the engaging portion
14
of the base body
10
engage in the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
, and insert the locking nut
20
of the adapter
5
through the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
, as shown in
FIGS. 3-5
.
The user then rotates the locking nut
20
of the socket adapter
5
a certain angle, as shown in
FIGS. 6-9
, so as to make the hexagonal portion
22
of the locking nut
20
mutually lock with a comer of the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
. The locking nut
20
has two peripheral notches
23
defined at a side of the bottom serves to engage with the ball
18
of the base body
10
, thereby the locking nut
20
can be positioned after the locking nut
20
is rotated a certain degree. Furthermore, θ another side of the bottom of the locking nut
20
is defined with the groove
25
for insertion of the projection
101
of the base body
10
, such that the locking nut
20
is rigidly positioned in the drive ratchet
7
. As a result, the socket adapter
5
can be fixed in the ratchet wrench
6
firmly. Through the socket adapter
5
, the ratchet wrench
6
can be equipped with different sockets. On the other hand, in order to remove the socket adapter
5
, the user only needs to reversely rotate the locking nut
20
of the socket adapter
5
a prescribed angle, so as to make the hexagonal portion
22
fully match the drive ratchet
7
of the ratchet wrench
6
, thus the socket adapter
5
can be disassembled from the ratchet wrench
6
without difficulties.
It will be noted that, besides the socket
8
, the coupling portion
11
of the socket adapter
5
can engage with other tool head of the like so as to increase the applicability of the ratchet wrench.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
- 1. A socket adapter detachably fixed to a drive ratchet of a ratchet wrench, through the adapter the ratchet wrench being able to engage with a socket or drive output tools, the socket adapter comprising:a base body including a coupling portion defined at a first end of the base body for engaging with a socket, and a locking nut disposed at a second end of the base body of the socket adapter for inserting in the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench, a periphery of the locking nut is formed with a hexagonal portion, the locking nut being rotatable relative to the base body, wherein upon rotation of the locking nut the hexagonal portion being lockable mutually with the drive ratchet such that the socket adapter is detachably engaged in the drive ratchet of the ratchet wrench.
US Referenced Citations (5)
