Adjustable socket

Abstract

An adjustable socket having first and second jaw members having manually selectable sizes. An exterior drive unit and a moveable inner driver unit each having serrated interlocking teeth are positioned to either engage during wrenching, or to be disengaged for socket size manual adjustments. The opposing first and second jaw members are forced by axial rotation of a spiral cam element located on the open top end of the outer drive unit to move laterally, inward or outward, when a user pulls the inner driver unit in a first direction and rotates the inner drive unit such that the first and second jaw members are positioned to engage a selected fastener head.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing therein:

FIG. 1 is the top plan view of the first embodiment of the adjustable socket of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the of the first embodiment of the adjustable socket of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is the bottom view of the of the first embodiment of the present invention showing its interior;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment taken along FIG. 4-FIG. 4 of FIG. 2 showing one side of the upper spiral cam, serrated teeth and radial groove to house the retaining ring;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a second embodiment of the adjustable socket of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is the side plan view of the second embodiment of the adjustable socket showing the lateral slot for the jaw installation on the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment taken along FIG. 7-FIG. 7 of FIG. 5 for the present invention;

FIG. 8 is the bottom view of the second embodiment of present invention showing the ⅜ inch square driver cavity and the serrated exterior teeth;

FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view looking approximately 30 degrees downwards at the components of adjustable socket embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric view, looking approximately 30 degrees upwards, showing all the components, including the ⅜ inch square drive cavity, of the adjustable socket of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the adjustable socket embodiment fully assembled with the jaw members gripping a standard hexagonal fastener;

FIG. 12 is a view of the adjustable socket fully assembled with a cutaway to show the serrated teeth disengaged;

FIG. 13 is a view of the adjustable socket fully assembled except with a cut-away showing the serrated teeth engaged;

FIG. 14 is a top view of the socket with jaws set to 11/16 inch opening;

FIG. 15 is a top view of the socket with jaws set to ⅜ inch opening;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view along line 16-16 of FIG. 18 illustrating the jaws gripping a ⅜ inch hex fastener;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view along line 17-17 of FIG. 19 illustrating the jaws set to accept a 11/16 inch hex head fastener;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the adjustable socket with the jaws set to a ⅜ inch hex head fastener;

FIG. 19 is a top view of the adjustable socket with the jaw members to a 11/16 inch opening; and

FIG. 20 is a sectional view along line 20-20 of FIG. 16 showing the teeth of the exterior driver engaging the teeth of the inner drive unit and the square (wrench) driver cavity.

Claims

1. An adjustable socket with a number of selectable socket size openings available to accommodate different size fasteners, an exterior drive member having a longitudinal axis, an end of said exterior drive member having a cam surface, a series of serrated teeth and a grooved diameter positioned at said end, an axially moveable inner drive unit positioned within said exterior drive member, said inner drive unit being manually rotatable to different positions corresponding to a selected socket size opening, first and second jaw members movably secured to said interior drive unit whereby said first and second jaw members are movable to fixed lateral jaw positions, each fixed lateral jaw position corresponding to that of a selected socket size during axial rotation of said inner drive unit; a series of serrated teeth positioned at the lower end of said interior driver unit which engage the serrated teeth formed within said exterior driver member said inner drive member being rotatable in a first mode when simultaneously pulled in a first direction along said longitudinal axis to disengage the serrated teeth of said exterior driver member and said internal drive unit, thereby enabling a user to adjust said first and second jaw members laterally to a selected socket size, said teeth of said interior drive unit and the teeth of the exterior driver member being interlocked to secure the selected socket size during a second mode of operation, said first and second jaw members each having an angled radius relief on its surface which corresponds to an angled surface formed on said exterior driver member allowing for additional lateral expansion of said first and second jaw members as said inner drive member is pulled in said first direction.

2. The adjustable socket of claim 7 where there is visible indicia associated on the exterior surface of said exterior drive member with each selectable position to indicate a numeric size that corresponds to the opening provided by said first and second jaw members.

3. The adjustable socket of claim 2 wherein a corresponding mark is formed on said first jaw member, said corresponding mark aligning with the position of the opening of said first and second jaw members.

4-5. (canceled)

6. The adjustable socket of claim 7 wherein the user continually adjusts said interior drive unit in a first direction until a desired socket size is selected.

7. An adjustable socket with a number of selectable socket size openings available to accommodate different size fasteners, an exterior drive member having a longitudinal axis, an end of said exterior drive member having a cam surface, a series of serrated teeth and a grooved diameter positioned at said end, an axially moveable inner drive unit positioned within said exterior drive member, said inner drive unit being manually rotatable to different positions corresponding to a selected socket size opening, first and second jaw members movably secured to said interior drive unit whereby said first and second jaw members are movable to fixed lateral jaw positions, each fixed lateral jaw position corresponding to that of a selected socket size during axial rotation of said inner drive unit, a series of serrated teeth positioned at the lower end of said interior driver unit which engage the serrated teeth formed within said exterior driver member said inner drive member being rotatable in a first mode when simultaneously pulled by a user in a first direction along said longitudinal axis to disengage the serrated teeth of said exterior driver member and said internal drive unit, thereby enabling a user to adjust said first and second jaw members laterally to a selected socket size, said teeth of said interior drive unit and the teeth of the exterior driver member being interlocked to secure the selected socket size during a second mode of operation, a spring bias in the second mode of operation forcing the inner drive unit and the exterior drive member into a position wherein the teeth of the inner drive unit and the teeth of said exterior driver are engaged.

8. An adjustable socket with a number of selectable socket size openings available to accommodate different size fasteners, an exterior drive member having a longitudinal axis, an end of said exterior drive member having a cam surface, a series of serrated teeth and a grooved diameter positioned at said end, an axially moveable inner drive unit positioned within said exterior drive member, said inner drive unit being manually rotatable to different positions corresponding to a selected socket size opening, first and second jaw members movably secured to said interior drive unit whereby said first and second jaw members are movable to fixed lateral jaw positions, each fixed lateral jaw position corresponding to that of a selected socket size during axial rotation of said inner drive unit, a series of serrated teeth positioned at the lower end of said interior driver unit which engage the serrated teeth formed within said exterior driver member, said inner drive member being rotatable in a first second mode when simultaneously pulled by a user in a first direction along said longitudinal axis to disengage the serrated teeth of said exterior driver member and said internal drive unit, thereby enabling a user to adjust said first and second jaw members laterally to a selected socket size, said teeth of said interior drive unit and the teeth of the exterior driver member being interlocked to secure the selected socket size during a second mode of operation and a spring bias positioned adjacent the bottom surface of said inner drive unit and, said spring bias forcing the inner drive unit upward along the longitudinal axis in a second direction thereby engaging the serrated indexing teeth on the interior drive unit into a position where the teeth of the outer drive member and the teeth of the interior drive unit are interlocked.

9. The adjustable socket of claim 7 wherein said inner drive member is released by the user prior to the initiation of said second mode of operation.

10. The adjustable socket of claim 8 wherein said inner drive member is released by the user prior to the initiation of said second mode of operation.