Claims
- 1. A hand tool, comprising:
a pair of oppositely facing jaws forming an arc, with a first of said jaws containing an aperture opening into said arc; a serrated movable element comprised of a proximal portion reciprocatingly received within said aperture and a distal portion exhibiting a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth, borne within said arc by said first of said jaws; and a serrated opposing element comprised of a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth, borne by a second of said jaws within said arc, in facing opposition to said movable element, with individual lands of the distal end of the serrated, reciprocating element exposed to directly engage, in cooperation with the opposing element, diametrically opposite features of a rotatable element, in a succession of grasps equally amenable to both non-ratchetable and ratchetable movement of said hand tool relative to the rotatable element.
- 2. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised said second of said jaws bearing said opposing element in reciprocating longitudinal opposition to said movable element during said ratchetable movement.
- 3. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of tangents to said intermediate teeth of said reciprocating element and said movable element being substantially parallel.
- 4. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of said first of jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat.
- 5. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said first of said jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat; and a terminal end of said movable element extending transversely from a central portion of a flat of said first of said jaws.
- 6. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said first of jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat; a terminal end of said movable element extending transversely from a central portion of a flat of said first of said jaws; and a most distal one of said lands of said movable element extending from said terminal end of said movable element.
- 7. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said first of jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat; an intermediate section of said opposing element broaching a flat of said second of said jaws; and a most proximal one of said lands of said opposing element extending from said flat of said second of said jaws.
- 8. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said first of jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat; a terminal end of said movable element extending transversely from a central portion of a flat of said first of said jaws; a most distal one of said lands of said movable element extending from said terminal end of said movable element; an intermediate section of said opposing element broaching a flat of said second of said jaws; and a most proximal one of said lands of said opposing element extending from said flat of said second of said jaws.
- 9. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said first of said jaws and said second of said jaws each terminating opposite ends of said arc with a flat; a terminal end of said movable element extending transversely from a central portion of a flat of said first of said jaws; a most distal one of said lands of said movable element extending from said terminal end of said movable element; an intermediate section of said opposing element broaching a flat of said second of said jaws; and a most proximal one of said lands of said opposing element extending flush from said second of said jaws and conforming coextensively with said arc.
- 10. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
an intermediate section of said movable element intersecting said arc; and a most proximal one of said lands of said movable element extending flush from said first of said jaws and substantially conforming coextensively to curvature of said arc.
- 11. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
said second of said jaws being perforated by a passage opening into said arc, with said passage terminating in a recess, formed in said arc; and a terminal end of said opposing element butting against said recess, with a most distal one of said lands of said opposing element extending from said terminal end and transversely intersecting said arc.
- 12. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of:
an intermediate section of said movable element broaching said arc; a most proximal one of said lands of said movable element extending flush from said first of said jaws and substantially conforming coextensively to curvature of said arc; said second of said jaws being perforated by a passage opening into said arc, with said passage terminating in a recess formed in said arc; and a terminal end of said opposing element abutting against said recess, with a most distal one of said lands of said opposing element extending from said terminal end and transversely intersecting said arc.
- 13. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of said second of said jaws being movably adjustable relative to said first of said jaws.
- 14. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of said first of said jaws being movably adjustable relative to said second of said jaws.
- 15. The hand tool of claim 1, comprised of said aperture extending through said first of said jaws.
- 16. A hand tool, comprising:
a pair of oppositely facing jaws forming an arc, with a first of said jaws containing a first aperture opening into said arc and a second aperture extending transversely to said first opening from outside said arc and opening to said first aperture, said second aperture having a counterbored entry from said outside; a serrated movable element bearing an open channel, comprised of a proximal portion reciprocatingly received within said first aperture with said open channel extending partially to a proximal terminus of said movable element and passing transversely to said second aperture, and a distal portion of said movable element exhibiting a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth, borne within said arc by said first of said jaws; and a serrated opposing element comprised of a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth, borne by a second of said jaws, in facing opposition to said movable element, with individual lands of said movable element exposed to directly engage, in cooperation with the opposing element, diametrically opposite features of a rotatable element, in a plurality of equally non-ratchetable and ratchetable grasps.
- 17. The hand tool of claim 15, comprised of a fastener having a flanged portion mating against said counterbored entry and a distal end protruding beyond said second aperture and riding along said open channel as said movable element reciprocates within said first aperture.
- 18. A hand tool, comprising:
a pair of oppositely facing jaws forming an arc, with a first of said jaws defining an arcuate greater section of said arc and containing a first passage opening into said arc, and a second of said jaws containing an arcuate lesser section of said arc and being perforated by a second passage opening into said arc; a movable element comprised of a proximal portion movably received within said first passage and a distal portion directed outwardly from said arc and exhibiting a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth within said arc; and an opposing element comprised of a proximal portion movably received within said second passage and a distal portion directed inwardly toward said arc to expose a plurality of lands separated by an array of intermediate teeth within said arc in facing opposition to said movable element, with said movable element and said opposing element respectively reciprocating relative to said first and second of said jaws in longitudinally opposite directions, with individual lands of said movable element exposed to directly engage, in cooperation with individual lands of said opposing element, diametrically opposite features of a rotatable element, in a succession of grasps equally amenable to both non-ratchetable and ratchetable movement of said hand tool relative to the rotatable element.
- 19. The hand tool of claim 20, comprised of a tangent to said teeth of said movable element being approximately parallel to a tangent to said teeth of said opposing element.
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY
[0001] This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all right accruing from our earlier filing of a provisional patent application entitled RATCHETABLE WRENCH filed in the United States Patent & Trademark Office on Aug. 9, 2002 and there assigned Serial No. 60/402,146.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60402146 |
Aug 2002 |
US |