Claims
- 1. A socket tool for being driven by a driver, said socket tool comprising:
- a socket defined by a wall, said wall having integral therewith a periphery, said periphery having an annular slot located therein, said socket having a plurality of faces forming an hexagonal shape, said socket further having a longitudinal axis;
- three cut-outs in said wall of said socket, each cut-out of said three cut-outs being located at a respective face of said plurality of faces, one said respective face being positioned at every other face of said plurality of faces, said each cut-out being contiguous said periphery and said socket, said each cut-out being generally rectangular in shape, said each cut-out further being contiguous said respective face of said socket and partially contiguous each face of said plurality of faces that is adjacent said respective face of said socket;
- a retainer pin located in each said cut-out, said retainer pin being oriented in parallel relation with respect to said respective face of said socket, said retainer pin further being oriented in transverse relation with respect to said longitudinal axis of said socket, said retainer pin having generally cylindrical shape;
- abutment means in said wall for preventing said retainer pin from protruding into said socket further than a predetermined distance, said abutment means comprising an abutment formed adjacent each face of said plurality of faces that is adjacent said respective face of said socket;
- a retainer key in each said cut-out, said retainer key being located adjacent said retainer pin, said retainer key having a straight end abutting said retainer pin, said retainer key further having a curved end opposite said straight end thereof, said curved end of said retainer key having a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of said annular slot;
- at least one resilient ring located in said annular slot in said periphery, said at least one resilient ring resiliently biasing against said retainer key to cause said retainer pin to protrude into said socket; and
- means located at one end of said socket tool for connecting said socket tool to said driver.
- 2. The socket tool of claim 1, further comprising an annular rim integral with said wall of said socket, said periphery being located on said annular rim.
- 3. A socket tool and driver, comprising:
- a socket defined by a wall, said wall having integral therewith a periphery, said periphery having an annular slot located therein, said socket having a plurality of faces forming a polygonal shape, said socket further having a longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of cut-outs in said wall of said socket, each cut-out of said plurality of cut-outs being located at a respective face of said plurality of faces, one said respective face being positioned at every other face of said plurality of faces, said each cut-out being contiguous said periphery and said socket, said each cut-out being generally rectangular in shape, said each cut-out further being contiguous said respective face of said socket and partially contiguous each face of said plurality of faces that is adjacent said respective face of said socket;
- a retainer pin located in said each cut-out, said each retainer pin being oriented in parallel relation with respect to said respective face of said plurality of faces of said socket, said retainer pin further being oriented in transverse relation with respect to said longitudinal axis of said socket, said retainer pin having a generally cylindrical shape;
- abutment means in said wall for preventing said retainer pin from protruding into said socket further than a predetermined distance, said abutment means comprising an abutment formed adjacent each face of said plurality of faces that is adjacent said respective face of said socket;
- a retainer key in said each cut-out, said retainer key being located adjacent said retainer pin, said retainer key having a straight end abutting said retainer pin, said retainer key further having a curved end opposite said straight end thereof, said curved end of said retainer key having a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of said annular slot;
- at least one resilient ring located in said annular slot in said periphery, said at least one resilient ring resiliently biasing against said retainer key to cause said retainer pin to partially protrude into said socket; and
- a driver for driving said socket tool, said driver being connected with one end of said socket tool.
- 4. The socket tool and driver of claim 3, wherein said polygonal shape of said socket comprises an hexagonal shape, and said plurality of cut-outs comprises three cut-outs.
- 5. A socket tool for rotatably driving a multi-faced fastener comprising:
- a socket wall structure having a female socket cavity therein, said female socket cavity having a socket axis, said female socket cavity further defining a plurality of fastener river faces extending parallel to said socket axis:
- at least one cut-out extending radially outwardly from at least one of said fastener driver faces of said plurality of driver faces within said socket wall structure, said at least one cut-out extending radially outwardly in a plane normal to said socket axis, said at least one cut-out defining a straight-surfaced guideway having a guide axis extending normal to said associated fastener drive face;
- at least one cylindrical pin slidably disposed in said at least one cut-out for selective radial movement relative to said associated fastener driver face, said a least one cylindrical pin being slidably movable to extend radially inward of said associated driver face to have pressure engagement with one face of said multi-faced fastener, said at least one cylindrical pin being rotatable in said cut-out about its longitudinal axis:
- resilient means for biasing said at least one cylindrical pin toward said socket axis; and
- abutment means for limiting the inward radial movement of said at least one cylindrical pin so that said at least one cylindrical pin protrudes a predetermined distance into said female socket cavity.
- 6. The socket tool of claim 5 wherein said straight-surfaced guideway further comprises at least two minor guide faces and at least two major guide faces, and wherein said at least one cylindrical pin has a predetermined length that corresponds to the spacing between said at least two minor guide faces, whereby said at least one cylindrical pin is prevented from play in the direction along the axis of said at least one cylindrical pin.
- 7. The socket tool of claim 6 wherein said resilient means for biasing comprises a force-applying member slidably positioned in each said guideway to engage a cylindrical surface area of said associated cylindrical pin.
- 8. The socket tool of claim 5 further comprising an annular circumferential slot formed in an outer peripheral face of said socket wall structure, and wherein said resilient means for biasing further comprises at least one resilient elastomeric ring seated in said annular circumferential slot.
- 9. The socket tool of claim 5 wherein said socket wall structure has an annular circumferential slot in its outer peripheral face; said resilient means for biasing comprising a resilient elastomeric ring seated in said annular circumferential slot and force-applying member slidably positioned in each guideway between said associated cylindrical pin and an inner surface of said resilient elastomeric ring.
- 10. The socket tool of claim 5 wherein said female socket cavity is configured to form six driver faces; alternate ones of said driver faces having rectangular cut-outs associated therewith
- 11. The socket tool of claim 5 wherein said female socket cavity is configured to form four driver faces; alternate ones of said driver faces having rectangular cut-outs associated therewith.
- 12. The socket tool of claim 5 wherein said socket wall structure has a radial rim flange extending outwardly therefrom, said radial rim flange having a circular edge profile when viewed in a plane normal to said socket axis; an annular circumferential slot formed in said radial rim flange; said resilient means for biasing comprising at least one resilient elastomeric annular ring seated in said annular slot and a force-applying member slidably positioned in said straight-surfaced guideway between said resilient elastomeric annular ring and said at least one cylindrical pin.
- 13. A socket tool for rotatably driving a multi-faced fastener comprising:
- a socket wall structure having a female socket cavity therein, said female socket cavity having a socket axis, said female socket cavity further defining a plurality of fastener driver faces extending parallel to said socket axis;
- at least one cut-out extending radially outwardly from at least one of said fastener driver faces of said plurality of driver faces within said socket wall structure, said at least one cut-out having a pair of spatially separated major guide faces and at least two spatially separated minor guide faces forming the side faces of said at least one cut-out, said pair of spatially separated major guide faces extending radially outwardly in a plane normal to said socket axis, said pair of spatially separated major guide faces and said at least two spatially separated minor guide faces defining a straight-surfaced guideway having a guide axis extending normal to said associated fastener driver face;
- at least one retainer member slidably disposed in said at least one cut-out for selective radial movement relative to said associated fastener driver face, said at least one retainer member having a contoured surface slidably movable to extend radially inward of said associated drive face to have pressure engagement with said fastener, said at least one retainer member further having a width corresponding to the spacing between said at least two spatially separated minor guide faces whereby said at least one retainer member is prevented from play in a direction normal to said at least two spatially separated minor guide faces;
- resilient means for biasing said at least one retainer member toward said socket axis; and
- abutment means for limiting the inward radial movement of said at least one retainer member so that said at least one retainer member protrudes a predetermined distance into said female socket cavity.
- 14. The socket tool of claim 13 wherein said at least one cut-out has a cross-sectional height dimension defined by the spacing between said pair of spatially separated major guide faces and a cross-sectional width dimension defined by the spacing between said at least two spatially separated minor guide faces; said with dimension of said at lest one cut-out being greater than the corresponding dimension of said associated fastener driver face so that the radially innermost end of said at least one cut-out defines said abutment means.
- 15. The socket tool of claim 3 wherein said at least one retainer member comprises a cylindrical pin extending crosswise of said guide axis, said cylindrical pin being rotatable about its longitudinal axis in said cut-out.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/180,351, filed Apr. 11, 1988 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
996686 |
Sep 1951 |
FRX |
224429 |
Nov 1924 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
180351 |
Apr 1988 |
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