Claims
- 1. A holder system for securely storing one or more interchangeable bit members having integral shaft receiving members, said system comprising:
- (a) a rotator member comprised of
- a base portion formed transverse to a central axis and having an eccentric cam surface defined on its outer periphery;
- a lower body formed on top of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom, the perimeter defined by said lower body inwardly offset from said eccentric cam surface and having a bevel defined thereon;
- a receiving member projecting upwardly from said lower body;
- said base portion, said lower body, and said receiving member divided along said central axis to form two opposing sides separated by a gap, said two sides joined by a resilient bridge member; and
- (b) channel guide means comprised of a pair of opposing channel sidewalls formed on an elongated channel base, said base of said rotator member positioned within said channel guide means between said opposing side walls, whereby rotation of said rotator member about said central axis causes a first one of said sidewalls to selectively engage a primary cam locking face of said eccentric cam surface, and causes a retaining lip defined on a second one of said sidewalls to selectively engage said bevel, whereby said resilient bridge member is caused to flex so that the two opposing sides of said receiving member pivot outwardly from said central axis to engage a shaft receiving member of a bit.
- 2. The holder system according to claim 1 wherein said resilient bridge member is connected to said opposing sides at one of said lower body portion and said receiving member.
- 3. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said receiving member is comprised of a box member formed on said lower body and a cylindrical alignment head projecting upwardly from said box member.
- 4. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said resilient bridge member is connected to said opposing sides at said box member.
- 5. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said opposing channel side walls are formed parallel to one another and project upwardly from an elongated channel base along the length thereof, and said retaining lip is defined on an upper edge of each of said opposing channel side walls and projects inwardly toward a centerline of said elongated channel for retaining said rotator member in a position between said opposing channel side walls.
- 6. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said eccentric cam surface includes at least one resilient edge member to provide a detent when said rotator member is rotated to a position where said primary cam locking face engages said channel side wall.
- 7. The holder according to claim 1 further comprising a rotator arm outwardly projecting from said rotator member above said base portion and transverse to the direction of said central axis.
- 8. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said rotator arm is connected to said lower body, spacedly offset from said base.
- 9. A holder system for securely storing one or more bits for a tool, said system comprising:
- (a) a rotator member comprised of:
- a base portion formed transverse to a central axis and having an eccentric cam surface defined on its outer periphery, said eccentric cam surface having a primary cam locking face;
- a cylindrical lower body formed on top of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom, the perimeter defined by said lower body inwardly offset from said eccentric cam surface;
- a receiving member projecting upwardly from said lower body, said receiving member comprised of a box member formed on said lower body and a cylindrical alignment head projecting upwardly from said box member;
- said base portion, said lower body, and said receiving member divided along said central axis to form two opposing sides separated by a gap, said two sides joined by a resilient bridge member at one of said lower body portion and said receiving member; and
- (b) channel guide means, comprised of opposing channel sidewalls formed parallel to one another and projecting upwardly from an elongated channel base along the length thereof, and an inwardly projecting retaining lip defined on an upper edge of said side walls for retaining said rotator member in position between said side walls;
- said base portion of said rotator member positioned within said channel guide means between said opposing side walls, whereby rotation of said rotator member about said central axis causes a first one of said sidewalls to selectively engage a primary cam locking face of said eccentric cam surface, and causes a retaining lip defined on a second one of said sidewalls to selectively engage said bevel, whereby said resilient bridge member is caused to flex so that the two opposing sides of said receiving member pivot outwardly from said central axis to engage a shaft receiving member of a bit.
- 10. The holder of claim 9 further comprising a rotator arm outwardly projecting from said rotator member above said base portion and transverse to the direction of said central axis.
- 11. A bit holder system for securely storing one or more interchangeable bit members having integral shaft members, said system comprising:
- (a) a rotator member comprised of
- a base portion formed transverse to a central axis and having an eccentric cam surface defined on its outer periphery;
- a lower body formed on top of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom, and having an engagement surface defined thereon;
- a shaft receiving member axially aligned with and projecting upwardly from said lower body;
- said base portion, said lower body, and said shaft receiving member divided along said central axis to form two opposing sides separated by a gap, said two sides joined by a resilient bridge member; and
- (b) channel guide means comprised of opposing channel sidewalls formed on a channel base;
- said base of said rotator member positioned within said channel guide means between said opposing side walls, whereby rotation of said rotator member about said central axis causes at least one of said eccentric cam surface and said engagement surface to engage opposing sidewalls of said channel guide means, whereby said resilient bridge member is caused to flex so that the two opposing sides of said shaft receiving member flex inwardly toward said central axis to engage a shaft.
- 12. The holder system according to claim 11, wherein:
- a first one of said opposing side walls selectively engages a primary cam locking face of said eccentric cam surface; and,
- a retaining lip formed on a second one of said side walls engages said engagement surface.
- 13. The holder system according to claim 11, wherein a first one of said opposing sidewalls selectively engage opposing cam locking faces defined on said eccentric cam surface.
- 14. The holder system according to claim 11, wherein a perimeter defined by said lower body is inwardly offset from said eccentric cam surface.
- 15. The holder system according to claim 11, wherein engagement surface is a bevel.
- 16. The holder system according to claim 11 wherein a rotator arm is provided, outwardly projecting from said rotator member above said base portion and transverse to the direction of said central axis.
- 17. A holder system for securely storing one or more interchangeable bits having integral shaft receiving members, said system comprising:
- (a) a rotator member having eccentric cam means defined on a base portion thereof;
- lower body means formed on top of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom;
- bit receiving means projecting upwardly from said lower body means;
- said base portion, said lower body means, and said bit receiving means divided along a central axis to form two opposing sides separated by a gap, said two sides joined by a resilient bridge member; and
- (b) channel guide means comprised of a pair of opposing channel sidewalls formed on an elongated channel base, said base of said rotator member positioned within said channel guide means between said opposing side walls;
- whereby rotation of said rotator member within said channel guide means causes at least a portion of said opposing sides of said rotator member to selectively engage a portion of said opposing channel side walls, thereby causing said resilient bridge member to flex so that at least a portion of each of the two opposing sides of said bit receiving means engage a shaft receiving member of said bit.
- 18. A holder system for securely storing one or more interchangeable bits having integral shaft members, said system comprising:
- (a) a rotator member having eccentric cam means defined on a base portion thereof;
- lower body means formed on top of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom;
- bit receiving means projecting upwardly from said lower body means;
- said base portion, said lower body means, and said bit receiving means divided along a central axis to form two opposing sides separated by a gap, said two sides joined by a resilient bridge member; and
- (b) channel guide means comprised of a pair of opposing channel sidewalls formed on an elongated channel base, said base of said rotator member positioned within said channel guide means between said opposing side walls;
- whereby rotation of said rotator member within said channel guide means causes at least a portion of said opposing sides of said rotator member to selectively engage a portion of said opposing channel side walls, thereby causing said resilient bridge member to flex so that at least a portion of each of the two opposing sides of said bit receiving means engage a shaft member of said bit.
- 19. A holder system for securely storing one or more interchangeable bit members, said system comprising:
- (a) a channel guide comprised of a pair of opposing channel sidewalls formed on an elongated channel base, at least one of said side walls having a retaining lip;
- (b) a rotator member mounted in said channel guide for rotation into a locking position engaging said at least one retaining lip and one of said sidewalls, and configured for locking engagement with at least one of said interchangeable bit members when rotated to a locking position.
- 20. The holder system according to claim 19, wherein said rotator member is mounted in said channel guide for rotation into a locking position between said at least one retaining lip and an opposing one of said side walls.
- 21. The holder system according to claim 19, wherein said rotator member is axially divided to form opposing sides separated by a gap, said opposing sides joined by a resilient bridge member.
- 22. The holder system according to claim 19, wherein said rotator member is comprised of a base portion formed transverse to a central axis and having an eccentric cam surface defined on its outer periphery.
- 23. The holder system according to claim 22, wherein said rotator member is comprised of a cylindrical lower body formed on one side of said base portion and projecting axially upward therefrom, a perimeter defined by said lower body inwardly offset from said eccentric cam surface.
- 24. The holder system according to claim 23, further comprising a receiving member axially aligned with and projecting upwardly from said lower body.
- 25. The holder system according to claim 22, wherein said eccentric cam surface includes opposing cam locking faces for maintaining said base in a stationery locking position relative to said channel guide.
- 26. The holder system according to claim 25, wherein said eccentric cam surface includes at least one resilient edge member to provide a detent when said rotator member is rotated to said locking position.
- 27. The holder system according to claim 21 wherein said resilient bridge member is connected to said opposing sides at one of a lower body portion and a receiving member.
- 28. The holder according to claim 19 further comprising a rotator arm radially projecting from said rotator member.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 08/530,767, filed Sep. 19, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,107.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Sears/Crafrsman Power and Hand Tools Catalog, 1995-1996, p. 11, Item AA, "Craftsman Steel Socket Carry Rack". |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
530767 |
Sep 1995 |
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