Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6345554
-
Patent Number
6,345,554
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Date Filed
Thursday, April 19, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 12, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Morgan; Eileen P.
- Danganan; Joni B.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 081 1211
- 081 1244
- 081 1772
- 403 174
- 403 217
- 403 218
- 403 219
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A detachable vehicle tire wrench includes a base block, the base block having a threaded center through hole and four radial through holes equiangularly spaced around the periphery in communication with the threaded center through hole, four socket bars respectively detachably inserted into the radial through holes of the base block, each socket bar having an outer end terminating in a socket for grasping/turning a screw bolt or nut, and a locking block threaded into the threaded center through hole of the base block to lock the socket bars.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wrenches and, more specifically, to a detachable vehicle tire wrench that can be alternatively arranged into one of a series of forms to fit different working requirements.
A regular vehicle tire wrench, as shown in
FIG. 1
, is generally comprised of a crossed handle formed of a main handlebar
1
and two auxiliary handlebars
3
welded to the main handlebar
1
, and four sockets
2
at the four ends of the crossed handlebar. This structure of vehicle tire wrench has drawbacks as follows:
1. Because the auxiliary handlebars
3
are welded to the main handlebar
1
, the vehicle tire wrench is not detachable and inconvenient to carry.
2. Because the crossed handle is not detachable and the vehicle tire wrench is not adjustable, the vehicle tire wrench cannot fit different working requirements in different working positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a vehicle tire wrench, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a vehicle tire wrench, which is detachable. It is another object of the present invention to provide a detachable vehicle tire wrench, which can be arranged into one of a series of forms to fit different working requirements. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a detachable vehicle tire wrench, which is durable in use. According to one aspect of the present invention, the detachable vehicle tire wrench is comprised of a base block, the base block having a threaded center through hole and four radial through holes equiangularly spaced around the periphery in communication with the threaded center through hole, four socket bars respectively detachably inserted into the radial through holes of the base block, each socket bar having an outer end terminating in a socket for grasping/turning a screw bolt or nut, and a locking block threaded into the threaded center through hole of the base block to lock the socket bars. According to another aspect of the present invention, the bar sockets each have an annular position groove disposed around the periphery at one end remote from the respective socket, and the locking block comprises an annular bottom locating flange adapted to engage the annular positioning groove of each socket bar.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a vehicle tire wrench according to the prior art.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of a detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
FIG. 3A
is a top view in section of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
FIG. 3B
is a side view in section of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
FIG. 4A
shows one arrangement of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
FIG. 4B
shows another arrangement of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention
FIG. 4C
shows still another arrangement of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
FIG. 4D
shows still another arrangement of the detachable vehicle tire wrench according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 2
,
3
A, and
3
B, a vehicle tire wrench in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a base block
10
, four socket bars
20
, and a locking block
30
.
The base block
10
comprises a center through hole
11
, inner threads
13
disposed in the center through hole
11
, and four non-circular radial through holes
12
equiangularly extended through the periphery in communication with the center through hole
11
. The socket bars
20
each comprises a socket
21
at one end, an end block
24
at an opposite end, a non-circular front section
22
disposed adjacent to the end block
24
and fitting the non-circular radial through holes
12
of the base block
10
, and an annular positioning groove
23
disposed around the periphery between the end block
24
and the non-circular front section
22
. The non-circular front section
22
of each socket bar
20
is respectively fitted into the radial through holes
12
of the base block
10
, keeping the annular positioning groove
23
and end block
24
of each socket bar
20
respectively suspending in the center through hole
11
of the base block
10
. The locking block
30
comprises a threaded shank
32
threaded into the inner threads
13
in the center through hole
11
of the base block
10
, and an annular locating flange
31
downwardly extended from the bottom end edge thereof and engaged into the annular positioning groove
23
of each socket bar
20
to lock the socket bars
20
.
When not in use, the locking block
30
is turned upwards and disengaged from the annular positioning groove
23
of each socket bar
20
to unlock the socket bars
20
, enabling the socket bars
20
to be disconnected from the base block
10
. Thus, the socket bars
20
can be put together and received with the base block
10
and the locking block
30
in a tool bag. When in use, the socket bars
20
are respectively inserted into the radial through holes
12
of the base block
10
, and then the locking block
30
is rotated downwards in the center through hole
11
of the base block
10
to force the annular locating flange
31
into engagement with the annular positioning groove
23
of each socket bar
20
, keeping the socket bars
20
positively secured to the base block
10
.
The vehicle tire wrench can be alternatively arranged into different working forms to fit different working requirements as shown in FIGS. from
4
A through
4
D. In
FIG. 4A
, two socket bars
20
are fastened to the base block
10
and longitudinally aligned at two opposite sides. In
FIG. 4B
, the four socket bars
20
are installed in the base block
10
, showing a crossed profile. In
FIG. 4C
, three socket bars
20
are fastened to the base block
10
, forming a T-shaped profile. According to the arrangement shown in
FIG. 4C
, the two longitudinally aligned socket bars
20
serve as handle means for turning with the hands, and the other socket bar
20
is used to grip or rotate the screw bolt or nut. In
FIG. 4D
, two socket bars
20
are fastened to two adjacent radial through holes of the base block
10
with one socket bar
20
serving as handle means and the other socket bar
20
for grasping or rotating the workpiece.
Further, the socket bars
20
and the locking block
30
are respectively made from metal. When the base block
10
, the socket bars
20
and the locking block
30
are fastened together, the vehicle tire wrench provides a high structural strength. Because the annular locating flange
31
of the locking block
30
is forced into engagement with the annular positioning groove
23
of each socket bar
20
, the annular locating flange
31
of the locking block
30
and the base block
10
commonly bear the torsional force transmitted from the socket bars
20
when operating the vehicle tire wrench to rotate the workpiece. Because the locking block
30
bears much torsional force from the socket bars
20
, the base block
10
can be made from plastics for the advantage of light in weight. Of course, metal can be used to fabricate the base block
10
.
A prototype of vehicle tire wrench has been constructed with the features of FIGS.
2
˜
4
D. The vehicle tire wrench functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A detachable vehicle tire wrench comprising:a base block, said base block comprising a center through hole, inner threads disposed in said center through hole, and four non-circular radial through holes equiangularly extended through the periphery thereof in communication with said center through hole; four socket bars for attaching to said base block, said socket bars each comprising a socket at one end, an end block at an opposite end, a non-circular front section disposed adjacent to said end block and fitting the non-circular radial through holes of said base block, and an annular positioning groove disposed around the periphery of the respective socket bar between said end block and said non-circular front section; and a locking block detachably fastened to said base block to lock said socket bars in the radial through holes of said base block said locking block comprising a threaded shank threaded into the inner threads in the center through hole of said base block, and an annular locating flange downwardly extended from a bottom end edge thereof and adapted to engage the annular positioning groove of each of said socket bars after insertion of the non-circular front section of each of said socket bars into the radial through holes of said base block.
US Referenced Citations (5)