Claims
- 1. A ratcheting tool driver comprising
- a generally conduit head means having an open first end and an open second end that includes a structure defining an external head flange, an internal head flange, and a head slot which is open on its sides, said head means additionally having a structure including a head recess, a head opening, a loading hole in said open second end, and a pair of detent holes in said open second end;
- a hollow cylindrical retainer means having an external structure defining a plurality of flutes and an internal structure defining a first cylindrical retainer cavity, a second cylindrical retainer cavity in communication with said first cylindrical retainer cavity and having a smaller diameter than said first cylindrical cavity, and an internal retainer flange that represents the termination point of said first cylindrical retainer cavity and the commencement point of said second cylindrical retainer cavity and the dividing point between the first and the second cylindrical retainer cavity, said retainer means rotatably positioned around said open second end from the beginning of the open second end to the head recess and such that said external head flange rotatably mates with said internal retainer flanges;
- a plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth means integral with the walls of said first cylindrical retainer cavity, with each respective tooth having a first tooth side and a second tooth side that defines a cam surface;
- a washer means mounted around said generally conduit head means and sandwiched between said external head flange and said internal retainer flange;
- a snap ring means positioned in said head recess in order to provide friction for said washer means in conjunction with maintaining said retainer means around said open second end;
- a generally solid cylindrical switch rod means having a first rod end and a second rod end and including a rod flange integral with outside of said first rod ends, a first cylindrical rod hole piercing said first rod end in proximity to said rod flange, a second cylindrical rod hole piercing said second end, said first rod end including a structure defining a channeled side which includes a rod recess therein,
- said first cylindrical rod hole having a central axis that is generally parallel with a plane of the face of the channeled side and said switch rod means being rotatably positioned within said conduit head means such that said channeled side of said fist rod end of said switch rod means faces and opposes the head slot and said head opening generally registers with said second cylindrical rod hole and said first cylindrical rod hole is essentially circumferentially aligned with said pair of detent holes of said head means;
- a pawl means having a first end and a second end and a structure defining a pawl recess and slidably lodged within said head slot such that said pawl recess generally registers with said rod recess of said first rod end of said switch rod means, said first end of said pawl means engages and is flushed against the cam surface of the second tooth side of a respective tooth when the pawl means is on one side of the head slot and said second end of said pawl means engages and is flushed against the cam surface of the first tooth side of a respective tooth when the pawl means is on the other side of the head slot;
- a rod retention spring bias means and a pair of ball means on opposed sides thereof slidably positioned in said first cylindrical rod hole wherein said pair of ball means are biased against the internal wall of said open second end such that when said switch rod means is rotated in one predetermined direction one of said pair of ball means removably lodged in one of said pair of detent holes and when the switch rod means is rotated in the reverse of said predetermined direction said lodged ball means becomes dislodged from said one of said detent holes and with continuing rotation of said switch rod means the other opposed remaining ball means of said pair of ball means becomes lodged in the other opposed remaining detent hole of said pair of detent holes;
- a switch button means seated in said second cylindrical rod hole and extending through said head opening of said head means in order to rotate the switch rod means about is central axis within said head means in a predetermined direction; and
- a pawl spring bias means seated in said pawl recess and in said rod recess such that when said switch button means rotates the switch rod means in a predetermined direction, simultaneous with the pair of ball means being lodged and dislodged from the pair of detent holes respectively, said pawl spring bias means forces the pawl means to shift within said head slot and engage one of the plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth of said first cylindrical retainer cavity, said pawl means capable of being shifted in opposing direction within said formed head slot in accordance within the predetermined rotation of said switch rod means, the shift of said pawl means from one side and its engagement with said ratchet teeth preventing a rotation of the retainer means in one direction as during application of a force simultaneously with freely providing a reverse turn of said retainer means in preparation for the exertion of additional force in the prevented direction, while a shifting of the said pawl means to the other side of the head slot and its engagement thereat with the ratchet teeth precluding a rotation of the retainer means in an opposite direction while freely providing a reverse turn of said retainer means.
- 2. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 wherein said washer means has a sinusoidal structure.
- 3. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 additionally comprising a shaft means inserted into said open first end such that said tool driver defines a tool.
- 4. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 wherein each of the detent holes have a central axis whose radially extension thereof represents between about 5.degree. and 35.degree. angle with a horizontal plane along the central axis of said first cylindrical rod hole.
- 5. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 4 wherein the radially extension of the central axis of the detent holes defines an about 20.degree. angle with the horizontal plane along the central axis of the first cylindrical rod hole.
- 6. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 wherein said loading hole includes a larger diameter than the diameter of the pair of detent holes.
- 7. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 additionally comprising a handle means positioned around said hollow cylindrical retainer means and a button cap means situated around said open first end and engaged to said switch button means.
- 8. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 wherein said washer means has a sinusoidal structure, wherein each of the detent holes have a central axis whose radial extension thereof represents about 20.degree. angle with a horizontal plane along the central axis of said first cylindrical rod hole, wherein said loading holes include a larger diameter than the diameter of the pair of detent holes, and wherein said ratcheting tool driver additionally comprises a handle means positioned around said hollow cylindrical retainer means and a button cap means situated around said open first end and engaged to said switch button means.
- 9. A ratcheting tool driver comprising
- a generally conduit head means having an open first end and an open second end that includes a structure defining an external head flange, an internal head flange, a head slot which is open on its sides, and a pair of internal channels, said head means additionally having a structure including a head recess, a head opening, and a loading hole in said open second end;
- a hollow cylindrical retainer means having an external structure defining a plurality of flutes and an internal structure defining a first cylindrical retainer cavity, a second cylindrical retainer cavity in communication with said first cylindrical retainer cavity and having a smaller diameter than said first cylindrical cavity, and an internal retainer flange that represents the termination point of said first cylindrical retainer cavity and the commencement point of said second cylindrical retainer cavity and the dividing point between the first and the second cylindrical retainer cavity, said retainer means rotatably positioned around said open second end from the beginning of the open second end to the head recess and such that said external head flange rotatably mates with said internal retainer flanges;
- a plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth means integral with the walls of said first cylindrical retainer cavity, with each respective tooth having a first tooth side and a second tooth side that defies a cam surface;
- a washer means mounted around said generally conduit head means and sandwiched between said external head flange and said internal retainer flange;
- a snap ring means positioned in said head recess in order to provide friction for said washer means in conjunction with maintaining said retainer means around said open second end;
- a generally solid cylindrical switch rod means having a first rod end and a second rod end and including a rod flange integral with outside of said first rod end, a first cylindrical rod hole piercing said first rod end in proximity to said rod flange, a second cylindrical rod hole piercing said second end, said first rod end including a structure defining a channeled side which includes a rod recess therein, said first cylindrical rod hole having a central axis that is generally parallel with a plane of the face of the channeled side and said switch rod means being rotatably positioned within said conduit head means such that said channeled side of said first rod end of said switch rod means faces and opposes the head slot and said head opening generally registers with said second cylindrical rod hole;
- a pawl means having a first end and a second end and a structure defining a pawl recess and slidably lodged within said head slot such that said pawl recess generally registers with said rod recess of said first rod end of said switch rod means, said first end of said pawl means engages and is flushed against the cam surface of the second tooth side of a respective tooth when the pawl means is one side of the head slot and said second end of said pawl means engages and is flushed against the cam surface of the first tooth side of a respective tooth when the pawl means is on the other side of the head slot;
- a rod retention spring bias means and a pair of ball means on opposed sides thereof slidably positioned in said first cylindrical rod hole wherein said pair of ball means are biased against the internal wall of said open second end such that when said switch rod means is rotated in one predetermined direction one of said pair of ball means removably lodges in one of said pair of internal channels and when the switch rod means is rotated in the reverse of said predetermined direction said lodged ball means becomes dislodged from said one of said internal channels and with continuing rotation of said switch rod means the other opposed remaining ball means of said pair of ball means becomes lodged in the other opposed remaining internal channel of said pair of internal channels;
- a switch button means seated in said second cylindrical rod hole and extending through said head opening of said head means in order to rotate the switch rod means about its central axis within said head means in a predetermined direction; and
- a pawl spring bias means seated in said pawl recess and in said rod recess such that when said switch button means rotates the switch button means rotates the switch rod means in a predetermined direction, simultaneous with the pair of ball means being lodged and dislodged from the pair of internal channels respectively, said pawl spring bias means forces the pawl means to shift within said head slot and engage one of the plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth of said first cylindrical retainer cavity, said pawl means capable of being shifted in opposing directions within said formed head slot in accordance within the predetermined rotation of said switch rod means, the shift of said pawl means from one side and its engagement with said ratchet teeth preventing a rotation of the retainer means in one direction as during application of a force simultaneously with freely providing a reverse turn of said retainer means in preparation for the exertion of additional force on the prevented direction, while a shifting of the said pawl means to the other side of the head slot and its engagement thereat with the ratchet teeth precluding a rotation of the retainer means in an opposite direction while freely providing a reverse turn of said retainer means.
- 10. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 9 wherein said washer means has a sinusoidal structure.
- 11. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 9 additionally comprising a shaft means inserted into said open first end such that said tool driver defines a tool.
- 12. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 1 wherein each of the internal channels has a plane above its central vertical axis that represents between about 5.degree. and 35.degree. angle with a horizontal plane along the central axis of said first cylindrical rod hole.
- 13. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 12 wherein the plane of the central vertical axis of the internal channels defines an about 20.degree. angle with the horizontal plane along the central axis of the first cylindrical rod hole.
- 14. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 9 additionally comprising a handle means positioned around said hollow cylindrical retainer means and a button cap means situated around said open first end and engaged to said switch button means.
- 15. The ratcheting tool driver of claim 9 wherein said washer means has a sinusoidal structure, wherein each of the internal channels has a central axis including a plane that defines, about 20.degree. angle with a horizontal plane along the central axis of said first cylindrical rod hole, and wherein said ratcheting tool driver additionally comprises a handle means positioned around said hollow cylindrical retainer means and a button cap means situated aaround said open first end and engaged to said switch button means.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application filed on Mar. 8, 1985 and having Ser. No. 709,767, now abandoned.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a ratcheting tool driver. More specifically, this invention contemplates a novel ratcheting driver for a tool and a novel method of assembling a ratcheting driver for a tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
British Patent No. 661,043 by Griffin teaches a gear-type ratchet mechanism including inwardly facing teeth engaging a double-ended slideable pawl mounted in a slot or a recess. When the pawl slides one way there is provided clockwise engagement of the pawl to the teeth, and when the pawl slides the other way there is provided a counter clockwise engagement of the pawl to the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,909 by Wagner is similar to Griffin except that the Wagner design offers a pivoting element incorporating the handle into the socket control. Other U.S. patents by Wagner are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,356,117; 3,556,184; 3,583,556; 3,595,105; 3,595,592; and 4,170,909. U.S. Pat. No. 341,986 by Alapaw discloses a socket-ratchet wrench. U.S. Pat. No. 1,250,328 by Langford teaches a screw driver. U.S. Pat. No. 1,587,647 by Hood et al provides for a magnetic hand tool. None of the foregoing prior art or suggest the particular ratcheting tool driver and method for assembling the same of this invention.
This invention accomplishes its desired objects by providing a ratcheting tool driver comprising a generally conduit head means having an open first end to accommodate a tool and an open second end that includes a structure defining an external head flange, an internal head flange, and a head slot which is open on its sides. The conduit head means additionally has a structure including a head recess, a head opening, a loading hole in the open second end, and a pair of detent holes or a pair of internal channels in the open second end. A hollow cylindrical retainer means has an external structure defining a plurality of flutes and an internal structure defining a first cylindrical retainer cavity, a second cylindrical retainer cavity in communication with said first cylindrical retainer cavity and having a smaller diameter than said first cylindrical cavity, and an internal retainer flange that represents the termination point of the first cylindrical retainer cavity and the commencement point of the second cylindrical retainer cavity and the dividing point between the first and the second cylindrical retainer cavity. The retainer means is rotatably positioned around the open second end from the beginning of the open second end to the head recess and such that the external head flange rotatably mates with the internal retainer flange. A plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth means is integral with the walls of the first cylindrical retainer cavity. A washer means is mounted around the generally conduit head means and is sandwiched between the external head flange and the internal retainer flange. A snap ring means is positioned in the head recess in order to provide friction for the washer means in conjunction with maintaining the retainer means around the open second end. A generally solid cylindrical switch rod means has a first rod end and a second rod end and includes a rod flange integral with outside of the first rod end, a first cylindrical rod hole piercing the first rod end in proximity to the rod flange, and a second cylindrical rod hole piercing the second end. The first rod end has a structure defining a channeled side which includes a rod recess therein. The first cylindrical rod hole has a central axis that is generally parallel with a plane of the face of the channeled side and the switch rod means is rotatably positioned within the conduit head means such that the channeled side of the first rod end of the switch rod means faces and opposes the head slot. The head opening generally registers with the second cylindrical rod hole. If the conduit head means includes the pair of detent holes, the first cylindrical rod hole is essentially circumferentially aligned with the pair of detent holes.
A pawl means having a structure defining a pawl recess is slidably lodged within the head slot such that said pawl recess generally registers with the rod recess of the first rod end of the switch rod means. A rod retention spring bias means and a pair of ball means on opposed sides thereof are slidably positioned in the first cylindrical rod hole wherein the pair of ball means are biased against the internal wall of the open second end such that when the switch rod means is rotated in one predetermined direction one of said pair of ball means removably lodges in one of said pair of detent holes or in one of the internal channels; and when the switch rod means is rotated in the reverse of the predetermined direction, the lodged ball means becomes dislodged from one of the detent holes on the internal channels. With continuing rotation of the swith rod means the other opposed remaining ball means becomes lodged in the other opposed remaining detent hole of said pair of detent holes or in the other opposed remaining internal channel.
A switch button means is seated in the second cylindrical rod hole and extends through the head opening of the head means in order to rotate the switch rod means about its central axis within the head means in a predetermined direction. A pawl spring bias means is seated in the pawl recess and in the rod recess such that when the switch button means rotates the switch rod means in a predetermined direction the pawl spring bias means forces the pawl means to shift within the head slot and engage one of the plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth of the first cylindrical retainer cavity. The pawl means is capable of being shifted in opposing directions within the formed head slot in accordance with the predetermined rotation of the switch rod means. The shift of the pawl means from one side and its engagement with the ratchet teeth prevents a rotation of the retainer means in one direction as during application of a force simultaneously freely providing a reverse turn of said retainer means in preparation for exertion of additional force in the prevented direction. A shifting of the pawl means to the other side of the head slot and its engagement thereat with the ratchet teeth precludes a rotation of the retainer means in an opposite direction while freely providing a reverse turn of the retainer means.
This invention also accomplishes its desired objects by providing a method of assembling a ratcheting tool driver comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a generally conduit head means with a head recess and a head opening and with an open first end to accomodate a tool and with an open second end that includes an external head flange, an internal head flange, a head slot which is open on its sides, a loading hole and a pair of detent holes, or a pair of internal channels;
(b) sliding through the open second end a switch rod means having a first cylindrical rod hole, a second cylindrical rod hole, a channeled side with a rod recess therein, until said second cylindrical rod hole collimates with the loading hole;
(c) slipping through the loading hole a rod retention spring bias means with a pair of ball means on opposed sides thereof until the rod retention spring bias means and the pair of opposed position ball means are seated into the second cylindrical rod hole;
(d) sliding further the switch rod means until the pair of ball means are biased by the rod retention spring bias means against the internal wall of the open second end of the conduit head means;
(e) seating a pawl spring bias means in a pawl recess of a pawl means and in the rod recess of the channeled side of the switch rod means;
(f) pressing the pawl means toward the channeled side in order to compress the pawl spring bias means simultaneously with continuing to slide the switch rod means through the open second end until the second cylindrical rod hole collimates with the head opening and until the pawl means slidably lodges within the head slot;
(g) flushing circumferentially a washer means against the internal head flange;
(h) positioning rotatably a hollow cylindrical retainer means with a plurality of inwardly facing ratchet teeth and an internal retainer flange around the open second end of the generally conduit head means from the beginning of the open second end to the head recess and such that the washer means is rotatably sandwiched by the external head flange and the internal retainer flange;
(i) providing friction to the washer means of step (h) in conjunction with maintaining the retainer means around the open second end by positioning a snap ring means in said head recess; and
(j) setting a switch button means in the second cylindrical rod hole and extending through the head opening of the head means in order to rotate the switch rod means about its central axis within the head means in a predetermined direction.
It is an object of the invention to provide a ratcheting driver for a tool.
Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a method of easily assembling the ratcheting driver tool.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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709767 |
Mar 1985 |
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Patent Grant
4735120
