Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Field of Invention
The invention relates to ratchet wrenches and more
particularly to improved ratchet wrenches of the socket drive
type that incorporates socket ejector means.
This application is divided from Canadian Application
Serial No. 376,181, filed April 24, 1981, which claims an improved
ratchet wrench of the socket drive type that incorporates socket
ejector means and improved control knob spring bias means.
Description of the Prior Art
~ . . _ _ . .
One of the most common types of mechanicis wrenches
currently in use is the socket with a ratchet drive. The ratchet
drive accommodates a number of sockets having a range of sizes to
make up a set. A selected socket is received on a drive stud and
is normally retained thereon by means of a detent device. Some
ratchet drives of the prior art of which I am aware, as exempli-
field by United States Patents Nos. 3,3~3,587t 3,815,451 and
3,881,376, incorporate socket ejector means, so that sockets
can be removed from the drive stud by depressing an ejector con-
trolO Improved ratchet drives of the type that incorporate
socket ejector means are disclosed by United States Patent No.
4,307,632, inventor John Penner, and U.S. Patent No. 4,261,233,
inventor James W. Konecny.
The present inven-tion provides ratchet drives that
incorporate improvements over those that are disclosed by the
two last above-mentioned patents.
One embodiment of the present invention provides an
improved
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socket ejector pin structure and arrangement.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides an improved
ratchet plug assembly structure which facilitates its assembly.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a ratchet wrench of
the socket drive type with socket ejector comprising:
a. a handle having a lever portion and a head portion, with
the head portion having a central bore with internal spline-like teeth
formed therein and oppositely disposed side faces;
b. a ratchet plug assembly installed in the head portion of said
handle and including:
i. a ratchet plug with a body portion having an integral
socket drive stud protruding axially outwards beyond one of said head
portion side faces, an axial cylindrical recess having a bottom surface
and opening to the body portion end opposite said socket drive stud, a
ratchet pawl slot, and a pair of spaced parallel ejector pin bores extending
through said body portion and adjacent to respective side margins of sa:id
socket drive stud and opening to said axial cylindrical recess, with
the central axes of said ejector pin bores lying in a plane that is perpend-
icular to a plane that bisects said ratchet pawl slot, with said ratchet
plug being provided an assembly access opening which communicates between
the interior of said axial cylindrical recess adjacent its bottom surface,
with the central axis of said assembly access opening lying in a plane
that is perpendicular to the plane containing the central axes of said
ejector pin bores;
ii. ratchet pawl means mounted for pivoting movement
within said ratchet pawl s]ot for driving or ratcheting on said spline-like
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teeth, and reversing means therefor;
iii. a control knob disposed in said axial cylindrical recess
for reciprocable movement therein, with said control knob having a head
portion which has an inner face and a stub shaft portion extending axially
inward from said inner face;
iv. an ejector pin retainer plate disposed on said stub shaft
adjacent said inner Eace and having oppositely disposed side slots, and,
v. a pair of ejector pins located within said retainer plate
side slots and disposed in said ejector pin bores.
Brief Description of Drawings
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a typical ratchet wrench with
socket drive and incorporating socket ejector means, in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the ratchet wrench of
Figure 1, without a socket installed and with a portion of the handle
removed.
Figure 3 is a side elevation view, partly in section and partly
cut away, showing the interior oE the drive assembly of the ratchet wrench
of Figure 2, with a socket ejector in the retracted position and with a
socket (shown in phantom) in working position on the drive stud.
Figure ~ is like Figure 3, but with the section being taken
in a plane normal to the plane of the Figure 3 section and with the socket
ejector in the extended or ejecting position (the socket has been ejected).
Figure 5 is an exp]oded perspective view oE the ratchet drive
assembly.
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Description of Preferred Embodiment
For convenience, a ratchet wrench with socket drive which
incorporates improvements in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the invention will first be described and then the improvements will be
discwssed.
Referring now to the drawings it can be seen that the ratchet
drive is made up of a handle 11 and a ratchet plug assembly 13. I'he handle
11 has a lever portion 15 which is integrally merged with a cylindrical
head portion 17. The cylindrical head portion 17 has a central bore with
spline-like teeth 19 formed therein.
The ratchet plug assembly 13 (see Figures 3 and 4) includes ratchet
plug 21, ratchet pawl 23, ratchet pawl pivot pin 24, control knob 25,
ratchet reversing pin 27, reversing pin bias spring 29, first socket ejector
pin 31, second socket ejector pin 33, ejector pin retainer plate 35,
control knob return conical spring 37 and ratchet plug assembly retainer
ring 39.
The ratchet plug 21 comprises a generally cylindrical body
portion 41 and a drive stud portion ~3. The cylindrical body portion 41
comprises a cylindrical exterior portion 45, a retainer ring groove 477
a bearing shoulder 49, a spinner control flange 51, a con~rol knob recess
53, a control knob bore 55, a ratchet pawl slot 57, first and second ejector
pin bores 59, 61, and a drive stud end surface 62.
The cylindrical exterior portion 45 has a diameter that is
slightly less than the minor diameter of the spline-like tee~h 19 of
the handle head portion 17 and a length that is substantially equal to
that of the spline-teeth 19. The cylindrical exterior portion 45 merges
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at one end with the retainer ring groove 47 and at the otheI end with the
bearing shoulder 49 which in turn merges with the spinner control flange
51. The ratchet pawl slot 57 has parallel side faces that are spaced a
distance slightly greater than the width of the ratchet pawl 23 and bottom
surfaces that lie in a plane parallel to and passing near the central
axisof the ratchet plug 21. The ratchet pawl slot 57 is closely adjacent
the retainer ring groove 47, which in turn is closely adjacent the body
portion drive stud end surface 62. The end surface 62 is generally planar
and is perpendicular to the ratchet plug central axis.
The control knob has a head portion 63 and a stub shaft portion
65. The head portion 63 has the shape of a disc, the top surface of which
merges with an integral generally rectangular boss 67. The stub shaft
portion 65 is cylindrical and is coaxial with the head portion 63.
The control knob recess 53 is cylindrical; is coaxial with the
ratchet plug 21; has a diameter slightly greater than that of the control
knob head portion 63; and has a planar bottom surface 69 that is perpendicular
to the ratchet plug central ax;s. I'he control knob bore 55 is cylinclrical;
is coaxial with the ratchet plug 21; has a cliameter slightly greater than
that of the control knob stub shaft portion 65; and merges at its c~pen end
with a circular depression 68 located in the control knob recess bottom
surface 69. The first and second ejector pin bores 59, 61 are cylindrical;
have the same diame*ers, which are slightly greater than those of the ejector
pins 31, 33; are disposed on opposite sides of the control knob bore 55;
have their axes parallel to that of the control knob bore 55; open at one
end to the control knob recess bottom surface 69 and at the other end
to the drive stud end surface 62 of the cylindrical body portion 41. A
plane containing the axes of the ejector pin bores 59, 6] is parallel to
a plane containing the bottom surfaces of the ratchet pawl slot 57.
The drive stud portion 43 of the ratchet plug 21 is integral
with the cylindrical body portion ~1; extends outwardly from the drive
stud end surface 62; is coaxial with the ratchet plug 21; has the conventional
generally square transverse section shape; is dimensioned to receive
the sockets of a set having the corresponding drive size; and is provided
with the conventional detent ball 71 and spring (not shown).
The ratchet pawl 23 has a generally arcuate outer surface having
a set of axially extending spline-like teeth 73, 74 at each end portion
thereof; an inner surface having an axially extending center notch portion
75 with a respective planar portion 77, 79 extending outwardly from each
side of the notch portion; a rocker bore 81 extending axially of the
ratchet pawl 23 and opening to respective parallel planar pawl side faces
83, 85 with the rocker bore axis being parallel to said spline-like
teeth 73, 7~ and lying in a plane that bisects the ratchet pawl 23.
The first and second ejector pins 31, 33 are alike and each
have a cylindircal exter:ior surface portion 87 and an annular groove 88
adjacent a hcad portion 89. 'I'he ejector pin retainer plate 35 has a generally
circular peripheral shape, with a pair o~ oppositely disposed side slots
91 and a center slot 93.
To assemble the ratchet plug assembly 13, the ratchet pawl 23
is positioned in the ratchet pawl slot 57 with its center notch portion
75 facing inwardly and the ratchet pawl pivot pin 2~ is inserted and positioned
within first and second aligned bearing bores 102~ 10~ which are formed in
the ratchet plug 21, and also within the ratchet pawl rocker bore 81.
The ratchet pawl pivot pin 24 is secured in position by crimping or staking.
The aligned bearing bores 102, 104 have their central axes lying in a first
plane that is perpendicular to a second plane that contains the central
axes of the ejector pin bores 59, 61.
Next, the respective ejector pins 31, 33 are mounted in the
retainer plate side slots 91 which conform with the annular grooves 88
and space the ejector pins at their head portions 8g in alignment with
the ejector pin bores 59, 61. The retainer plate 35 is then mounted to
the control knob 25, with the side slot 93 being conformingly received
by a peripheral groove 97 at the inner end of the control knob stub shaft
portion 65. The retainer plate 35 has a slight curvature in the directions
perpendicular to ~he central axis of the center slot 93, so as to minimi~e
friction between the ejector pin head portions 89 and the inner face 99
of the control knob head portion 63 and to reduce the required depth of
the control knob recess 53 (see Figure 4).
Next, the control knob return conical spring 37 is placed on
the control knob stub shaft portion 65 with its smaller end facing
the inner face 99 of the control knob head portion 63. Then, the ratchet
reverse pin 27 and its bias sprlng 29 are inserted in a transverse bore
101 in the control knob stub shaft portion 65. Next, the control knob
25, wi.th attachments, is inserted in the ratchet plug control knob recess
53 (see Figures 3 and 4); with the ejector pins 31, 33 being guided so
as to begin entry into the ejector pin bores 59, 61, and the control knob
return conical spring 37 having its large end seated in the circular
depression 68, and with the control knob stub shaft portion 65 being guided
to begin entry into the control knob bore 55, and with the central axis of
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the ratchet reversing pin 27 lying in a plane that is substantially perpen-
dicular to the plane containing the central axes of the ejector pins 31, 33
and with ratchet reversing pin 27 abutting the bottom surface of the
circular depression 68.
An assembly access opening 106 is provided that communicates
between the interior of the control knob recess 53 adjacent its bottom
surface 69 and the exterior of the ratchet plug 21. The central axis
of the assembly access opening 106 is perpendicular to and intersects
the central axis of the ratchet plug 21 and is perpendicular to and intersects
the central axis of the aligned bearing bores 102, 104. Consequently,
the assembly access opening is also substantially aligned with the central
axis of the ratchet reversing pin 27 at its present stage of assembly.
Next, the ratchet reversing pin 27 is depressed sufficiently, by means of
a suitable tool (not shown) inser-ted in the assembly access opening 106,
to permit its entry into the control knob bore 55.
A plane containing the bottom surfaces of the ratchet pawl
slot 57 will intersect the control knob bore 55 (see ~igure 5~ to form
a rectangular opcn:ing that will be disposed opposite the ratchet pawl
center notch portion 75. Thus, when the control knob stub shaft portion
65 has been moved a sufficient distance into the control knob bore 55,
the reversing pin 27 will enter the above-mentioned rectangular opening
at which time it will be extended by the force of its bias spring 29
to bear against the ratchet pawl underside or notch pOTtiOn 75. When
pressure on the control knob 25 is released the return conical spring
37 will move the control knob outwardly until the ratchet reversing pin
abuts a side face of the ratchet pawl slot 57~ at which time the outer
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surface of -the control knob head 63 is substantially flush with the outer
extremity of the control ]cnob recess 53.
To assemble the ratchet plug assembly 13 onto the handle 11,
the ratchet plug cylindrical exterior portion ~5 is inserted into the
bore of the handle cylindrical head portion 17 until the bearing shoulder
49 abuts a shoulder 105 of the handle cylindrical head portion 17, at which
time the retainer ring groove 47 will extend outwardly just beyond the side
face 107 of the handle cylindrical head portion 17. The ratchet plug as-
sembly retainer ring 39 is then installed in the retainer ring groove ~7.
The ratchet retainer ring may be a conventional commercially available
type made of spring strip material formed to have the shape of a circular
flat spiral, as shown. The retainer ring 39 can be expanded radially
to increase its inner diameter sufficiently to pass over the periphery
of the ratchet plug end surface 62 and then will relax so that its inner
diameter will substantially conform to the bottom of the retainer
ring groove ~7. When the retainer ring 39 is installed, its inner side
surface will bear against the adjacent side face 107 of the handle cylindrical
head portion 17 so as to substantially prevent axial movement of the
ratchet plug assembly 13. When inserting the ratchet plug assembly 13
~0 into the bore of the handle cylindrical head portion 17 it is necessary
to rock the ratchet pawl 23 slightly in a direction to compress the ratchet
reverse pin bias spring 29, which then permits the teeth 73, 74 of the
pawl 23 to pass into the bore of the handle cylindrical head portion 17.
When installing pressure on the pawl 23 is released, the bias spring 29
acting on the ratchet reversing pin 27 will rock the ratchet pawl 23 so
that its respective teeth 73 or 7~ are in proper engagement with the spline-
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like teeth 19 of the handle cylindrical head portion 17.
In operation, a socket 109 (shown in phantom in Figure 3) is
installed on the drive stud portion 43 and is held in place in a conventional
manner by action of the detent ball 71. The control knob 25 is then in
the ejector pin retracted position and the ratchet pawl 23 (as shown by
Figure 3) is in the drive clockwise and ratchet counter-clockwise
position. To drive counter-clockwise and ratchet clockwise the control
knob 25 is simply rotated to its extreme clockwise position, causing the
ratchet reverse pin 27 to shift its position on the inner surface of the
ratchet pawl 23 so as to pivot the ratchet pawl on the ratchet pawl pivot
pin 24 so as to disengage one set of pawl teeth 74 and engage the other set
73. To eject the socket 109, the control knob 25 is depressed to the
ejector pin extended position ~see Figure 4) and the socket 109 is
pushed by the ejector pins 31, 33 out of engagement with the detent ball
71 and off the end of the drive stud 43.
As stated hereinabove, ratchet drives of the present invention
incorporate improvements over those disclosed by the named pending
applications. These improvements will now be discussed.
In the pending applications, the central axes of the socket
ejector pin bores lie in a plane that bisects the ratche~c pawl slot, and
one of the ejector pins serves also as the ratchet pawl pivot. In
accordance with the present invention, the central axes of the socket
ejector pin bores 59, 61 lie in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane
that bisects the ratchet pawl slot 57 and a separate ratchet pawl pivot
pin 24 is provided. Since neither of the ejector pins 31, 33 serves as
a ratchet pawl pivot pin, the possibility of a malfunction of the ejector
mechanism due to bending of an ejector pin by the forces imposed on it
via the ratchet pawl is eliminated. Further, the size of the ejector pins
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is no longer dictated by forces imposed via the ratchet pawl and consequently
they can be made significantly smaller. In addition, the position of the
ejector pins makes possible an improved assembly technique as will be
presently described.
In the pending applications, the ejector pins each have a
flanged head portion which bears against the ejector pin retainer plate
to move the respective ejector pin in the retracting direction. In
accordance with the present invention the :Elanged head portions are eliminated
and the ejector pins are each provided with an a~mular groove 88 adjacent
a head portion 89. This configuration increases ejector pin quality while
reducing cost due to a significant reduction in the necessary machining.
The annular groove also provides positive control over longitudinal move-
ment of the respective ejector pin in both directions.
In the pending applications, in the assembling of the ratchet
plug assembly, difficulty was encountered in depressing the ratchet
reversing pin so that it could begin entry along with the control knob
stub sha.Et portion into the control knob bore. In accordance with the
present invention there is provi.ded an assembly access opening 106
disposed so that it is substantially in axial alignment with the central
axis of the ratchet reversing pin 27 when the latter is in contact with
the bottom surface of the circular depression 68 just prior to its entry
into the control knob bore 55. Since the ejector pins have been reposi.tioned
so as to be out of the way, it is possible to insert a tool via the
assembly access open-ing 106 and conveniently depress the ratchet reversing
pin 27 sufficiently to permit its entry into the control knob bore 55.
The foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawings
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are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not
to be interpreted in a limiting sense.
