Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: Drill Accessory
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tool for
receipt in a drill chuck of a power drill or other power
device. The tool is designed to releasably receive a
plurality of rotary implements such as a drill bits or
screw bits which can be moved from a storage position on
the tool to an aligned drive position received in a drive
shaft of the tool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Power drills and in particular power hand drills
are extremely convenient and are commonly used as a power
screwdriver. The chuck of the drill is often a keyless
chuck allows rapid securement and release of a screw bit
or drill bit as opposed to a conventional key drill
chuck. Various power drills have included adjacent the
hand grip a separate storage area for maintaining one
or more screw bits when not in use. It is also known
use screw bits that are reversible having different
screw bits at each end. It is also known to provide a
magnetic screw bit holder which is separately received in
the drill chuck. The holder has a socket at one end for
releasably engaging a cooperating bit. The screw bit is
typically slide inserted into the socket and is removable
by hand. This magnetic screw bit accessory reduces the
time required to attach the desired screw bit or to
replace screw bits. It is less desirable for drill bits
as the drill bits tend to pull out of the accessory when
the drill bit is being pulled out of the material.
This type of fast securement and release
arrangement has proven quite popular and screw bits and
drill bits have been sold in a kit form for easy
insertion in the drill bit accessory. Although such
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systems are more convenient than separate securement of
the drill bits or screw bits, the kit of the various bits
is not always immediately available or requires the user
to interrupt the task to allow selection and attachment
of the next bit. This attachment procedure is awkward
and time consuming and is a particular problem when the
replacement bit is not readily available or is dropped
during replacement. There are many tasks which are
completed by use of a power drill where the user is
constantly alternating between two different bits such as
a particular size drill bit and a particular screw bit or
between two different types of screw bits, etc. Some
workers faced with this problem use two different
drills.
The present invention provides a tool for a power
drill which overcomes a number of these disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A drill accessory according to the present
invention comprises an elongate drive shaft having an
implement receiving socket at one end thereof and a drive
end for engaging a drill chuck at an opposite end. The
drill accessory further includes an implement receiving
collar mounted on an intermediate portion of the drive
shaft to allow rotation of the drive shaft without
rotation of the implement receiving collar. The
implement receiving collar has at least three implement
Receiving recessor each sized for receiving and
temporarily storing an implement which is also receivable
in said implement receiving socket of said drive shaft.
The implement receiving collar has an outer hand
grip area which preferably shields the implements when
received in storage position. The collar due to its
bearing mounting on the drive shaft can be used as a
drill support. In this way, a user can support the drill
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adjacent the chuck by holding the implement receiving
collar.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the
implement receiving collar has an implement receiving
carrier associated with each implement receiving recess.
Each implement receiving carrier is movable from an
implement storage position to an implement in use
position.
Each implement receiving carrier in the storage
position locates an implement received therein to one
side of the drive shaft. Each implement receiving
carrier in the in use position, allows rotation of an
implement received in the carrier and aligns the
implement with said a drive shaft socket. The implement
is received in said socket and rotates with the drive
shaft without rotation of the implement receiving
carrier.
According to an aspect of the invention, each
implement receiving carrier is pivotally secured to the
implement receiving collar and is pivotally moved between
the storage position and the in use position.
According to a further aspect of the invention,
the tool includes a plurality of implements and each
implement is releasably receivable in any of the
implement receiving carriers.
According to yet a further aspect of the
invention, each implement is retained in said implement
receiving carrier by a releasable spring latch.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, each
implement received in any of the implement receiving
carriers, is slidably displaceable within the implement
receiving carrier.
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In yet a further aspect of the invention, each
implement receiving carrier has a distal end with an
implement receiving port and a pivot securement end
opposite the distal end. The pivot securement end is
pivotally attached to the implement receiving collar.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, each
implement receiving carrier has an elongate shank
connecting the distal end and the pivot securement end
and the distal end has an outwardly extending flange
which includes the implement receiving port.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the
outwardly extending flange in the in use position of the
implement receiving carrier aligns the implement
receiving port with the implement receiving socket of the
drive shaft.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the
outwardly extending flange of each implement receiving
carrier in the storage position, positions the outwardly
extending flange generally perpendicular to a side of
said implement receiving caller and immediately adjacent
thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown in the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a partial sectional view showing
the drill accessory;
Figure 2 is top view of the drill accessory;
Figure 3 is partial sectional view of a carrier
and a releasably retained implement;
Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of
the holding spring on the carrier;
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Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a
carrier with an implement being inserted or released from
the carrier;
Figure 6 is the section view of the drill
accessory with a two spring lock;
Figure 7 is the top view of the drill accessory
with a two spring lock;
Figure 8 is the cross sectional view of the
first spring of the two spring lock on the drive shaft;
Figure 9 is the sectional view of the drive
shaft of the drill accessory with the two spring lock;
Figure 10 is a sectional view of the drive
shaft of the drill accessory with the two spring lock
with an implement in a holding position;
Figure 11 is a partial sectional view of the
drive shaft for a slide magnetic holding;
Figure 12 is an assembly drawing showing the
releasable lock spring lock system;
Figure 13 is a partial sectional view of the
drive shaft with the releasable spring lock system;
Figure 14 is a sectional view showing the drill
accessory with movable carriers;
Figure 15 is a top view of the drill accessory
with movable carriers;
Figure 16 shows the movement of the carrier
with a working implement to a drive position;
Figure 17 shows the working Implement received
in the drive shaft;
Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21 show movement of the
carrier from a retained storage position towards an
implement drive position;
Figure 22 is a partial sectional view of the
drive shaft showing the angled spring retaining slot;
Figure 23 is a sectional view of the drive
shaft of Figure 22 taken along line A-A;
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Figure 24 is a sectional view of the collar;
Figure 26 is a sectional view of a movable
carrier;
Figure 27 is a top view of the movable carrier
of Figure 26;
Figure 28 is a partial side view showing a
spring holding arrangement for maintaining the collar
against rotation;
Figure 29 is a partial view of the spring
l0 holding arrangement on a drill;
Figures 30 is a side view of a spring of a
spring latch arrangement for maintaining implements; and
Figure 31 is a top view of the spring shown in
Figure 30.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The drill accessory 2 is a revolver rack and can
be used with any power drill or power screwdriver having
a suitable means for rotating of the elongate drive shaft
4. It is particularly suitable for use with battery
powered hand drills having a keyless chuck. The revolver
rack 2 allows different implements to be received in the
revolver rack for fast replacement of one implement with
another implement. For example, a user may load the
revolver rack with a particular screw bit and a
particular screw drill and can alternate between these
two implements while both implements remain conveniently
available on the revolver rack.
The revolver rack 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has
an elongate drive shaft 4 with an implement receiving
socket 6 and a drive end 8 for insertion in a drill chuck
or for connection with a drive source. The implement
receiving socket 6 can be hexagonal in cross section for
receiving a similar shaped implement and allowing
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rotation thereof with rotation of the drive shaft.
Preferably the implements are slide inserted or removed
from the receiving socket 6. Preferably the implements
are held in the receiving socket by a magnetic attraction
between the socket and the implement. In a preferred
embodiment a spring latch retaining mechanism is also
provided.
The revolver rack 2 includes an implement
receiving collar 10 mounted by means of bearings 5 to
the elongate drive shaft 4. The two ball bearings allow
the collar 10 to be held against rotation during
rotation of the drive shaft 4. Thus the implement
receiving collar is not driven during rotation of the
drive shaft. With this arrangement any implements which
are received in the collar 10 do not rotate with rotation
of the drive shaft. Typically the user uses the collar
10 as a hand grip to steady the drill in use. In some
cases, as shown in Figure 30, a spring arrangement stops
any sympathetic rotation of the collar. The elongate
drive shaft 4 includes a stop collar 224 which cooperates
with the stop shoulder 244 of the implement receiving
collar 10. The collar 10 also includes fixed end cover
284. With the support barrel 246, the stop shoulder 244,
the stop collar 224 and the fixed end cover 284, the two
ball bearing 5 are maintained between the drive shaft 4
and the receiving collar 10. This allows the receiving
collar to be easily held regardless of the rotational
speed of the drive shaft 4. Thus the user can grip the
collar and use the collar as a support position during
use of the drill.
The implement receiving collar 10 includes six
implement receiving carriers 20. Each carrier 20 is
fixed by pins 301 to the receiving collar 10.
In Figures 1 and 2, one of these carriers includes
an implement 24 which could be a screw bit, drill bit,
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drill socket, etc. Each implement includes a tool end 28
and a drive end 26 for engagement with the implement
receiving socket 6. The implement 24 is slidably
displaceable in the receiving carrier 20.
Thus the user can select and insert the particular
implements he requires for a particular job and load them
into the tool.
To load an implement into the drive shaft, The user
removes the implement from the carrier by holding the
drive end 26 and overcoming the force of the holding
spring 40. The implement is then aligned with the drive
shaft and inserted into the implement receiving socket 6.
The implement 24 is basically releasably captured on the
carrier 20 by means of the holding spring 40 which moves
between an engaging position and a release position.
In Figure 3, the holding spring 40 is inserted
into the groove 25 of the implement 24 whereby the
implement is releasably captured on the carrier. The
holding spring 40 only extends slightly into the
implement receiving socket 24 allowing a user to easily
insert and remove an implement while providing
sufficient force to retain the implement in the drive
socket.
Figure 4 shows the releasable arrangement of the
holding spring 40 and the retention of implement 24 in
the carrier 20. The holding spring 40 has a retaining
portion 41 and two spring arms 43. Spring arms 43 engage
the outer portion of the carrier 20 and urge the
retaining portion 41 to a locked position shown in Figure
4. The insertion or removal of an implement causes a cam
surface of the implement to move the retaining portion 41
outwardly to a release position. Figure 3 shows the
retaining portion 41 received within the retaining groove
25 of the implement 24.
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As shown in Figure 2, the implement receiving
collar preferably has six implement receiving carriers
although three or four carriers may be suitable for many
applications. The revolver rack 2 allows quick
engagement and release of a particular implement carried
on the revolver rack. Thus the user can alternate
between one or more implements that he has preloaded into
the carrier for the particular application. The holder 3
includes 6 carriers 20 each having an implement
receiving port 32. Rotation of the holder 3 allows the
user to select the desired implement.
The revolver rack of Figures 1 and 2 is a
simplified arrangement where the user merely inserts
the particular implement 24 once the implement 24 has
been pulled out from its carrier and hand inserted of
into the drive socket. This action is reversed for
removal of the implement. Once removed from the drive
socket, the implement can be inserted into its carrier
and remains available in the storage position as shown in
Figure 1.
The collar of Figure 1 shows separate attachment
of carriers to the collar. It is also possible to have a
collar which includes implement receiving sockets. For
example, the collar could be injection molded and the
implements merely insertable in or removable from
sockets.
As can be appreciated, during actual use only one
implement will be moved to the drive position and the
five other implements will be in the storage position.
The actual holder 3 can be held by the user and the
receiving collar 10 will not rotate with the drive shaft.
This allows the user to operate the drill using both
hands for support. One hand is holding the grip of the
drill and the other hand is holding the collar 3 of the
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revolver rack. This two hand operation provides extra
stability.
The use of a magnetic force as the only
securement of the implement in the drive socket has
certain disadvantages particularly for drill bits. The
force of magnet does not have sufficient strength to hold
a drill bit in the drive socket when the drill bit is
being removed from a drilled hole. The drill bit has the
tendency of withdrawing from the drive socket and
remaining within the hole. A releasable spring latch
arrangement is used to hold the implement in the drive
socket and thereby overcome this problem.
The two spring retention arrangement shown in
Figures 6 and 7 overcome this problem.
As shown in Figure 6, the revolver rack 2
includes a releasable spring 60 and a holding spring 64.
The elongate drive shaft 4 has an angled slot 66 which
receives the bar end 601 of the releasable spring 60.
The revolver rack includes a releasing ring 68, which can
be pushed toward the angled slot 66. This action causes
the bar end 601 of the releasable spring 60 to be moved
along the angled slot 60 and out of the groove 69 on the
implement thereby releasing the implement (See Figure 11
and 12 for details). The compression force of spring 610
urges the implement out of the implement socket 6. The
movement of the releasing ring 68 towards the spring 60
causes the bar end 601 to be displaced in the angled
groove 66 and thereby be withdrawn from the retaining
groove 69 of the implement. The implement is then forced
by spring 610 to move towards a releasable position.
If there is nothing to prevent the implement from
leaving the socket, the implement will be ejected out of
the revolver rack and may fall to the ground. This is not
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convenient for the user. In order to solve this problem,
a holding spring 64 is added.
Figure 8 shows the holding spring 64 secured
about the drive shaft 4. The spring has a bar segment 82
which is received in the holding groove 92 of the drive
shaft 4.
In figure 9, it is evident that the depth of the
holding groove 92 is less than the depth of the angled
slot 66, so the force of the holding spring 64 is less
and easily overcome by a user applied pulling force.
Thus a user can hand remove the implement from the
receiving socket. The spring 64 prevents the implement
being freely ejected out of the drive shaft and provides
a convenient catch position.
In Figure 10 the implement 24 has been released as
the bar end 601 has been forced outwardly due to movement
along the angled groove 66 whereby the implement is no
longer captured in the drive socket. The implement 24 is
forced by spring 610 to move out of the drive socket.
This outward movement is limited by the second holding
spring 64 which engages groove 69 as the implement is
being forced out of the drive socket. In the fully
receiving position of the implement 24, spring 64 is
forced radially outwardly and is biased against the
implement. The spring 64 engages the groove 69 as it
moves past the spring during release of the implement.
Thus spring 64 acts as a stop or catch during release of
the implement and allows hand removal of the implement.
Figure 10 shows the holding spring 64 preventing
the implement 24 from leaving the receiving socket of the
drive shaft by engaging the groove 92. The spring 64
only partially extends into the receiving slot and only
partially engages the edge of the implement and allows
hand withdrawal or insertion of the implement.
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By adding holding spring 64, the implement remains
in the receiving socket after initial release from the
spring latch 60. The partially released implement is
then removed from the socket by the user and stored in
the carrier or collar.
In Figure 11, there is another variation of the
holding spring. The holding spring is replaced with
magnet secured by a screw 110. The magnet will attract
the released implement in the receiving socket to hold it
within the socket.
Figure 12 and 13 is a detail of the releasable
spring 60 and its mechanism.
In Figure 12 the bar end 601 of the releasing
spring 60 is inserted into the angled slot 66 on the
drive shaft 4. When loading the implement, the bar end is
pushed along the angled slot outwardly and the implement
is locked by the bar end 601. When releasing the
implement, the releasing ring 68 is pushed along the
drive shaft, the bar end 601 is moved outwardly due to
engagement with the angled slot. The implement is urged
out of the receiving socket 6 by the spring 610,
Figure 13 shows a partial section view of the
releasable lock system.
Once releasing ring 68 is pushed along the drive
shaft 4, it forces the bar end 601 of the releasable
spring 60 to retreat along the angled slot 66 and move
out of the groove 69 on the implement 24. The implement
is then free to move out of the drive socket 6 and the
implement is preferably pushed by the spring 610.
The revolver rack 2 requires the user to move the
implement from storage position to the working position.
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This requires not dropping the implement and locating an
empty carrier for a used implement.
In Figures 14 and 15 a modified revolver rack is
shown with six movable carriers 80. The implement
receiving collar 10 holds the six implement receiving
carriers 80. Each carrier 80 is secured by a pivot
connection 82 to the collar. Each implement 24 is
slidably displaceable in the receiving carrier 80 and the
implement is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis
while being supported by the port 21 of the carrier 80.
To load an implement into the drive shaft, the
appropriate carrier is rotated about a pivot point 82 to
position the implement in line with the drive shaft and
then the implement and its carrier are moved downwardly
and the implement is moved into engagement with the
implement receiving socket 6. The carrier's pivot
connection 82 is moved along the long groove 162 (Figure
16), with both the carrier and its implement moving
downwardly together. The working position of a carrier is
shown in Figure 17. The carrier 80 has been rotated from
a storage position to an operative position and remains
attached to the particular implement.
Figure 16 shows the engagement ready position of
the carrier 80 with a typical implement 24. The pivot
connection 82 is free to move along the long groove 134.
Figure 17 shows the implement 24 engaged with the
drive shaft 4. The carrier 80 is in working position.
The user merely engages the particular implement
24 once the carrier has been positioned in front of the
drive shaft and forces the implement into engagement with
the drive socket. For removal of the implement, the user
actuates the pair of the releasing buttons 85. The
implement is automatically pushed out of the receiving
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socket with the carrier by the spring 610. Once removed
from drive shaft, the carrier with the implement can be
rotated approximately 180 degrees to the storage position
as shown in Figure 14.
To prevent the carrier and its implement from
accidentally spinning out its storage position, each
carrier has its own individual lock as shown in Figure
18,19, 20 and 21. A spring bias arrangement provides a
force maintaining this storage position.
In Figure 18, the collar 10 includes a recess 132
which holds the lock tip 304 of the carrier 80 to form a
lock system for the carrier. As shown in the lock tip 304
is pushed into the recess 132 of the collar 10 by the
lock spring 138 through the pivot connection 82. The
pivot connection is blocked by the welding pad 242 on the
collar 10. (see Figure 24 and 25).
Figure 19 shows the carrier 80 moved to the left
causing the pivot connection 82 to compress the spring
138 inside the elongate hole 135. The lock tip 304 is
moved out of the recess 132.
Figure 20 shows the carrier is rotated by the
pivot connection 82.
Figure 21 shows the spring 138 is reset and the
pivot connection 82 is pushed to the end of the elongate
hole 135. The carrier can be rotated around the pivot
connection 82.
To lock the carrier, the user compresses the
spring 138 and moves the carrier locking tip into the
recess hole 132.
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Figure 22 is a partial section view of the drive
shaft 4 with an angled slot 66. The drive shaft includes
a receiving socket 6 and a stop shoulder 224.
Figure 23 is a top view of the drive shaft shown
in Figure 22.
Figure 24 is the partial sectional view of the
collar 35 having a block pad 242. After the pivot pin 82
is received in the elongate groove 162 with its
associated carrier, the welding pad 242 can be welded
with the collar.
Figure 25 is a top view of the collar 35 with 2
welding pad 242.
Figure 26 and 27 shows a section view and a top
view of a carrier 80. The carrier 80 includes a pivot
position 135 at one end of the arm 272. An outwardly
extending flange 266 is angled generally at a
perpendicular direction to the arm 272. The outwardly
extending flange 266 includes the circular implement
receiving port 21 which allows the rotation of the
implement in the carrier. The groove 262 holds the
carrier holding spring 40(see Figure 3), thus the
implement can be secured with the carrier. The arm 272
has a central long hole 268 which retains a spring for
the carrier's lock system. The elliptical hole 135
retains the pivot connection 82 and allows the pivot
connection to move within the elliptical hole to compress
the lock spring in order to unlock or lock the carrier to
the storage position.
Figure 28 shows details of the accessory spring
holding system. There can be circumstances when it is
not convenient or desirable to have the user hold the
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collar against rotation. An accessory spring 282 is used
to address this possibility. The user places the
accessory spring 282 between the end cover 284 (see
Figure 1) of the revolver rack and the drill body 286.
The accessory spring 282 provides a friction force
opposing rotation of the collar.
The mounting of the accessory spring is shown
in Figure 29. The user installs the collar. The small
end 292 is located either side of the drive shaft. The
opposite end 296 engages the drill body. A spring arm
293 connects the two ends.
Figure 30 shows a front view of the releasable
spring.
Figure 31 shows a top view of the releasable
spring.
The revolver rack allows a user to select various
implements necessary for a particular task to be loaded
into the tool. Each implement is conveniently movable
from a storage position to an operative position. In a
preferred embodiment this movement of the implement
occurs while remaining captured on the tool. This
arrangement keeps all necessary implements readily
available and the user can quickly change from one
implement to a different implement. Problems associated
with dropping implements or difficulty in locating and
loading implements quickly are overcome.
The implement carrying collar is rotatably
supported on the drive shaft and is preferably held in a
stationary position during rotation of the drive shaft.
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Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail,
it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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