US 6851341 B2
A drive tool is shiftable between locking and releasing configurations relative to an associated tool, the drive tool including a lock member moveable between a locking position and a release position relative to the associated tool, an actuator member moveable between a locking condition and a releasing condition, and coupling structure interconnecting the actuator member and the lock member. The lock member is tiltable to a latching condition which prevents its movement to its release position. In one embodiment the coupling structure is substantially rigid so that the lock member and the actuator move in substantially the same direction, and in another embodiment the coupling structure is flexible and resilient. The coupling structure may be fixedly coupled to the actuator member or may be loosely coupled thereto and biased to a rest condition.
1. A locking drive tool comprising:
a body having a first latch surface thereon,
a lock member having a second latch surface thereon and carried by the body for movement between a locking position extending from the body and a release position,
an actuator member carried by the body for movement between a locking condition projecting from the body and a releasing condition, and
coupling structure carried by the body and interconnecting the lock member and the actuator member, the coupling structure being responsive to movement of the actuator member in a predetermined direction from the locking condition to the releasing condition to effect a corresponding movement of the lock member from its locking position to its release position substantially in the predetermined direction,
the lock member being tiltable relative to the coupling structure from a normal rest configuration for engaging the second latch surface with the first latch surface to prevent movement of the lock member to its release position.
2. The drive tool of
3. The drive tool of
4. The drive tool of
5. The drive tool of
6. The drive tool of
7. The drive tool of
8. The drive tool of
9. The drive tool of
10. A locking drive tool comprising:
a lock member,
mounting structure mounting the lock member on the body for pivotal movement relative thereto between a locking position extending from the body and a release position,
an actuator member carried by the body for movement between a locking condition projecting from the body and a releasing condition, and
flexible and resilient coupling structure carried by the body and interconnecting the lock member and the actuator member, the coupling structure being responsive to movement of the actuator member from its locking condition to its releasing condition for resiliently flexing to cause movement of the lock member from its locking position to its release position.
11. The drive tool of
12. The drive tool of
13. The drive tool of
14. The drive tool of
15. The drive tool of
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of copending U.S. provisional application No. 60/318,247, filed Sep. 10, 2001.
This application relates to hand tools and, in particular, to locking drive tools and devices for releasably locking associated tools. The application relates in particular to improved extension members for socket wrenches and the like, which include a locking mechanism to prevent unwanted separation of a socket or the like from the extension member.
Socket wrenches, which may be of the ratcheting or non-ratcheting type, typically include a handle and a head provided with a drive square onto which various sockets may releasably be mounted. In order to be able to use such a wrench to apply torque to fasteners in remote, relatively inaccessible locations, it is known to provide extensions which have a square drive portion at one end and a square socket portion at the other end adapted to fit onto the square drive of the wrench. Retention of a socket on an extension is important because, in use, the socket may be at a distance from the wrench handle and in a relatively inaccessible location, where retrieval could be difficult if the socket becomes disengaged. Accordingly, various arrangements have heretofore been provided for locking a socket in place on an extension. Such prior locking arrangements have had various disadvantages. Some have required that a release mechanism be manually actuated in order to mount a socket on the extension as well as to remove it, some are relatively complex, requiring a relatively large number of parts, some are relatively expensive to manufacture, such as by requiring the drilling of diagonal holes, and virtually all require the conversion of one type of motion to another in transmitting motion from a release actuator to a locking member.
The present application discloses a locking drive tool which avoids the disadvantages of prior drive tools, while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
In and embodiment, a locking drive tool comprises a body, a lock member carried by the body for movement between a locking position extending from the body and a release position, an actuator member carried by the body for movement between a locking condition projecting from the body and a releasing condition, and coupling structure carried by the body and interconnecting the lock member and the actuator member, the coupling structure being responsive to movement of the actuator member in a predetermined direction from the locking condition to the releasing condition to effect a corresponding movement of the lock member from its locking position to its release position substantially in the predetermined direction.
In another embodiment the coupling structure is flexible and resilient and flexes in response to movement of the actuator member to cause movement of the lock member.
In an embodiment a locking drive tool is operated between locking and releasing conditions by providing a lock member movable between locking and release positions and an actuator member movable between locking and releasing conditions, and interconnecting the lock member and the actuator member so that movement of the actuator member in a predetermined direction results in a corresponding movement of the lock member substantially in the predetermined direction.
In another embodiment, the interconnecting is done through a coupling structure which is flexible and resilient and flexes in response to movement of the actuator member to cause movement of the lock member.
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
Disposed in the axial bore 16 is coupling structure including an elongated pushbar 30 which is bifurcated at its rear end to define a pair of clevis legs 31 separated by an elongated slot 32. Each of the legs 31 is provided at its distal end with a laterally outwardly and downwardly projecting tang 33. The front end of the pushbar 30 is also bifurcated to form a pair of short clevis legs 35 separated by a slot 36. Recesses 37 are formed, respectively, in the upper and lower surfaces of the pushbar 30 just rearwardly of the front legs 35. Seated in the blind end of the axial bore 16 is a helical compression spring 38 which bears against the distal ends of the rear legs 31 for urging the pushbar 30 forwardly (to the right, as viewed in the drawings).
An actuator member in the nature of a release button 40 has an enlarged cylindrical head 41 and a reduced-diameter cylindrical shank 42 provided with parallel flats 43 (
The extension 10 also includes a lock member in the form of a cylindrical lock button 50 provided with parallel flats 51 (
In assembly, the spring 38 is inserted in the axial bore 16 and seated at its inner end, and the spring 46 is inserted through the counterbore 21 and seated at the inner end of the bore 20. Then the release button 40 is inserted in the counterbore 21 and seated on the spring 46 and rotated so that its flats 43 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the extension 10. In this regard, the flats 47 on the head 41 will assist in assembly by providing an indication as to when the flats 43 are properly aligned. Then the pushbar 30 is inserted in the axial bore 16, legs 31 first, the release button 40 being depressed sufficiently to permit the legs 31 to straddle the shank 42 for engagement with the flats 43. Upon release of the release button 40 it is urged upwardly by the spring 46, the portion of the shank 42 beneath the flats 43 engaging the undersides of the legs 31 to urge the pushbar 30 upwardly against the upper side of the axial bore 16. For ease in assembly, the release button 40 could be preassembled with the spring 44, by locking one end of the spring 44 against the shoulder 45.
Then, using a suitable tool engaged with clevis legs 35, the pushbar 30 is depressed against the urging of the compression spring 38 a sufficient distance (see
In operation, when a coupling tool such as a socket is inserted on the square drive lug 14, it will engage the cam surface 53 of the lock button 50, camming it and the pushbar 30 downwardly to a retracted position (not shown), against the urging of the spring 46, to permit movement of the socket past the lock button 50 until the detent recess of the socket moves into alignment with the cross bore 25, permitting the lock button 50 to return to its extended position illustrated in FIG. 4 and engage in the detent recess of the socket.
When it is desired to remove the socket, the release button 40 is depressed against the urging of the spring 46, depressing the pushbar 30 and, thereby, retracting the lock button 50 to permit removal of the socket. It is a significant aspect that the associated socket, once mounted on the extension 10, cannot be pulled off without depressing the release button 40. Any attempt to do so will cause the detent recess of the socket to engage the rear end of the projecting portion of the lock button 50, causing it to freely tilt forwardly, as illustrated in
When the release button 40 is depressed, pushing the pushbar 30 downwardly, the tangs 33 on the pushbar 30 legs will engage the bottom of the axial bore 16 first. Continued depression of the release button 40 will cause the pushbar 30 to pivot slightly about the tangs 33 as a fulcrum, providing increased leverage to retract the lock button 50. The fact that the pushbar 30 is held against the top of the axial bore 16 by the spring 46 maximizes the travel of the release button 40. This amount of travel would be important for power tool sockets which have a detent hole in their side wall instead of detent recess. In such applications the lock button 50 would be longer to project further from the extension and would not require the engagement of the lip 55 with the locking shoulder 27, since the straight transverse detent hole of the socket, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, would engage the projecting rear end of the lock button 50 and place it in shear, so that no retraction of the button would be possible. The spring 46, in addition to maximizing travel for the release button 40, keeps the parts under preload with minimum downward motion of the pushbar 30 when an attempt is made to remove a socket from the extension 10, and prevents parts from rattling.
Significantly, the portion of the pushbar 30 between the release button 40 and the lock button 50 is substantially rigid, having sufficient stiffness that when the release button 40 is depressed it, along with the pushbar 30 and the lock button 50, are all moved in substantially the same direction, transversely of the longitudinal axis of the extension 10, so that there is no motion direction-changing mechanism between the release button 40 and the lock button 50.
Referring now to
Disposed in the axial bore 66 is coupling structure including an elongated toggle beam 80 which is a substantially flat member bifurcated at one end to define a pair of clevis legs 81, the distal ends 82 of which are downturned, as can best be seen in
The extension 60 includes an actuator member in the form of a release button 90 which has an enlarged cylindrical head 91 dimensioned to slidably fit in the counterbore 71, and is provided intermediate its length with an annular groove 92 which defines a reduced-diameter shank 93 dimensioned to fit in the slot 83 of the toggle beam 80. The groove 92 defines a shoulder 94 on the head 91. The portion of the release button 90 below the groove 92 is cut away to define parallel flats 95, spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the reduced-diameter shank 93. The upper end of this portion may be chamfered, as at 95 a. Formed at the distal end of the button 90 are recesses 96 which define a seat for one end of the helical compression spring 97, the other end of which is seated in the closed end of the cross bore 70.
The extension 60 also includes a lock member in the form of a cylindrical lock lever 100 which is generally oval or oblong in transverse cross-sectional shape and is provided with a bore 101 extending transversely therethrough for receiving a pivot pin 102, the ends of which are respectively seated in opposite ends of the bore 76 in the square drive lug 64. One end of the lock lever 100 is bifurcated by a slot 103 (
In assembly, the spring 97 is first seated in the cross bore 70 and then the release button 90 is inserted in the counterbore 71 and seated against the spring 97 so that the flats 95 on the release button 90 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the extension 60. Then the toggle beam 80 is inserted in the axial bore 66, legs first, so that the legs straddle the flats 95 of the release button 90 and come to rest at the inner end of the axial bore 66. The release button 90, which has its shank 93 aligned with the slot 83 of the toggle beam 80, is then rotated 90° to latch the legs 81 in the annular groove 92 of the release button 90, this rotation being facilitated by the chamfers 95 a. The spring 107 may be inserted in the axial bore 66 until it engages the seat shoulder 85, then the lock lever 100 is inserted in the cross bore 75 in engagement with the forward end of the spring 107 for biasing the toggle beam 80 against the inner end of the axial bore 66, with the legs 104 of the lock lever 100 straddling the forward end of the toggle beam 80 and the tang 105 seated in the slot 86. Then the lock lever 100 is pinned in place by extending the pivot pin 102 through the aligned bores 76 and 101 so that the lock lever 100 is pivotally movable about the axis of the pivot pin 102. After assembly, the axial bore 66 is closed by insertion of an expansion plug 108 into the undercut groove 68, in the same manner as was described above in connection with the extension 10.
Once assembled, the spring 107 will urge the lock lever 100 and the engaged toggle beam 80 forwardly, so that the lock lever 100 bears against the forward end of the cross bore 75, as seen in
When an associated socket (not shown) is pushed onto the square drive lug 64, it engages the cam surface 106 of the lock lever 100 pivoting it rearwardly (counterclockwise as shown in
In order to remove the socket, the release button 90 is depressed, deforming the legs 81 of the toggle beam 80, tending to straighten them, and thereby moving the forward end of the toggle beam 80 forwardly against the lock lever tang 105, pivoting it counterclockwise (as viewed in
An associated socket cannot be removed without depressing the release button 90. An attempt to do so will cause the detent recess to engage the vertical rear face of the lock lever 100, which cannot tilt clockwise because it is engaged with the front end of the cross bore 75.
The locking extension 110 also includes a lock button 150 which has a generally cylindrical body 151 having a longitudinal axis 152 (FIG. 13). Projecting upwardly from the cylindrical body 151 is a head 153, the body 151 being undercut beneath the head 153 to define a forwardly projecting lip 155 disposed for engagement with the latch surface 27. The forward end of the head 153 defines a cam surface 156 rear end of the head 153 defining a contoured engagement surface 157. Formed in the rear end of the body 151 adjacent to the inner end thereof generally U-shaped notch 158 which defines substantially parallel flats 159 (one shown) respectively at diametrically opposed sides of the body 151.
In operation, the extension 110 performs substantially like the extension 10, described above, except that it is designed to lock more effectively those sockets with an internal detent recess rather than a power socket with a detent hole through its side wall. As is illustrated in
Now it is significant that when the contoured engagements surface 157 is in contact with the detent of a socket (not shown) during and attempt to remove the socket from the extension 110, the force vector normal to the surface 157 at the point of contact, along the line cap A in
Referring now to
Disposed in the axial bore 216 is coupling structure including an elongated pushbar 230 which has a substantially cylindrical main body 231, the forward end of which defines a turned portion 232 having a longitudinally central region 233 with a diameter substantially the same as that of the remainder of the main body 231. The turned portion 232 (See
An actuator member in the nature of a release button 240 has a substantially cylindrical body 241 dimensioned to be slidably received in the cross bore 220. The body 241 has an inner end face 244 (
The extension 210 also includes a lock member in the form of a substantially cylindrical lock button 250, which is similar to the lock button 150, described above, except as hereinafter explained. The lock button 250 has a substantially cylindrical body 251, the inner end of which may be beveled at the rear side thereof, as at 252 (FIG. 18). Extending through the body 250, so as to intersect both the beveled rear end 252 and the undercut 254, is a circularly cylindrical bore 258 having a diameter slightly greater than that of the cylindrical body 231 of the pushbar 230.
In assembly, the release button spring 46 is first inserted in the bottom of the cross board 220, after which the release button 240 is inserted therein and seated on the spring 46. In this regard, the parts are so dimensioned that the release button 240 slidably fits in the cross bore 220. Then the lock button 250 is inserted in the cross bore 225. Then the pushbar 230 is inserted into the axial bore 216 from the front end thereof, the rear end of the pushbar 30 being passed through the bore 258 of the lock button 250 and into the bore 246 of the release button 240, the parts being dimensioned so as to provide a light press fit of the pushbar 230 in the release button bore 246. To assist in assembly, an assembly tool (not shown) may be dimensioned to receive the tip 236 of the pushbar 230 therein, the tool being dimensioned to bottom against the end face of the square drive lug 14 when the proper depth of insertion of the pushbar 230 is achieved, thereby assuring that the turned portion 232 of the pushbar 230 will be properly positioned in the lock button bore 258 to afford proper tipping action of the lock button 250. Then the assembly tool may be removed and the expansion plug 57 is installed to close the axial bore 216.
The operation of the extension 210 would be substantially like that of the extension 110, described above. However, in this case the pushbar 230 is held in position longitudinally by the press fit in the release button bore 246 and the close fit of the release button 240 in the cross bore 220, thereby permitting elimination of the bias spring 38 of the pushbar 30, which also permits elimination of the tipping tangs 33. The frustoconical rear and front portions 234 and 235 on the pushbar 230 accommodate the tilting of the lock button 250.
The extension 210 affords the advantage of reduced cost, the cost saving resulting from the reduced depth of the axial bore 216, the elimination of the pushbar spring 38, and having the pushbar 230 formed by a turning machine rather than injection molding, metal injection or die casting. Also, the pushbar 230 does not have to be rotationally oriented in any particular way to cooperate with the other parts. The increased depth of the cross bore 225 provides clearance to permit a greater travel of the lock button 250 toward its release position. An alternative arrangement could provide a release button with a hollowed-out inner end to receive the spring 46, thereby permitting the maximum diameter of the release button body 241 to extend all the way across the axial bore 216, affording a longer sliding fit between the release button 240 and the cross bore 220, thereby better retaining the release button 240 against tipping, so as better to hold the pushbar 30 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the axial bore 216.
While the foregoing description is in the context of a locking extension, it will be appreciated that the principles described above could be applicable to other types of locking drive tools, such as socket wrenches, hand drives, breaker bars, universals, adapters and the like, which are adapted to have an associated socket or similar tool releasably mounted thereon.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved extension which permits an associated socket to be mounted by simply being pushed on and then being automatically locked in place, removal being prevented except by manual depression of an associated release button. The extension is of relatively simple and economical construction and, in the preferred embodiment, is characterized by ease of assembly.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.