CLE A USAGES MULTIPLES

COMBINATION WRENCH

Abrégé français

Outil à usages multiples du type à clé comprenant une clé à molette à un bout du manche, et un mécanisme à cliquet à l'autre bout du manche. L'outil comprend des douilles externes et un étui, pour porter l'outil à usages multiples et lesdites douilles externes. Le mécanisme à cliquet est un cliquet à sens unique situé dans le corps du manche, et au ras de ce dernier, en permettant un emploi confortable de la clé à molette sans risquer les fortes obstructions causées par le mécanisme à cliquet.

Abrégé anglais

A combination tool of the wrench type which includes a crescent wrench at one end of the handle member and a ratchet mechanism at the other end of the handle member. The tool apparatus includes external sockets and a holster to carry the combination tool and said external sockets. The ratchet mechanism is a one- way ratchet drive and is housed in the body of the handle member making it flush with the handle member, thus allowing the comfortable use of the crescent wrench without any serious obstruction caused by the ratchet mechanism.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A hand operated tool, comprising:
a handle member having first and second axially opposite ends;
adjustable crescent wrench means provided at one of said first and second
ends of said handle member, said crescent wrench means including first and
second
opposed jaw members, said first jaw member being fixed in position and said
second
jaw member being laterally moveable relative to said first jaw member for
opening
and closing said wrench about a workpiece, said first jaw member including an
insert
removably connected thereto, said insert having teeth thereon for gripping
pipe in
cooperation with said second jaw member; and
ratcheted socket drive means provided at the other of said first and second
ends.
2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said ratcheted drive means are retained between
a pair of opposed flange members extending axially from said other end of said
handle member, each said flange member including therein a circular aperture,
said
apertures cooperating to rotatably receive therein a socket drive ring.
3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said socket drive ring includes on an outer
annular
surface thereof a plurality of ratchet teeth adapted to operatively engage
pawl means
permitting rotation of said socket drive ring in one direction only.
4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said pawl means are urged into operative
engagement with said ratchet teeth by a resilient member.
5. The tool of claim 4 wherein said ratchet drive ring additionally includes
box
means therein with points on an inner annular surface of said box means for
engaging fasteners or the drive members of variously sized sockets.
6. The tool of any of the claims 1 to 5 wherein said second jaw has teeth
thereon
arranged in opposition to said teeth on said insert for enhanced pipe
gripping.

Description

CA 02186081 2002-11-28
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a hand-operated tool and more specifically to a
universal wrench including a ratchet mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common particularly for miners and maintenance workers to carry both a
crescent wrench and a ratchet wrench on the person while attending to duties
in a
mine. Since the tools are carried on the person, weight and convenient storage
are
of great concern. The need to readily have both tools accessible without
restricting
the free movement of the person is also a concern that this invention
addresses.
This invention provides an easily stored and carried tool which includes and
combines the two types of hand tools most often needed by miners, and others,
to
do their duties.
Today, many miners are using 12 inch crescent wrenches. It is the size of
choice because of its relatively light weight and is easily carried on a belt.
Every
miner today wears a belt on which he/she carries a battery for a mine light, a
self-
rescuer and a wrench. In many cases, the miner must walk or climb hundreds of
feet
of ladderways to get to his work place. Once at the work site, to perform his
duties,
such as repairs to drilling equipment, pipe installation, hose repairs, etc.
the miner
requires a crescent/pipe wrench, and a ratchet wrench with a socket set. In
addition
to the excessive weight of carrying separate tools to accomplish one specific
task,
carrying these tools becomes awkward and cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These disadvantages may be overcome by having a tool system consisting of
a hand-operated tool ideally approximately twelve inches in length having a
crescent
wrench at one end of the handle member and a ratcheted socket drive mechanism
at the other end of the handle member. This tool combined with stackable
external
sockets that may be attached to the ratchet-operated socket to turn various
sized
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CA 02186081 2002-11-28
nuts and bolts and a holster to accept the tool and the said external sockets
provide
convenience to the miner's needs. The ratchet mechanism is incorporated in the
body of the handle member. Such a flush configuration of the ratchet mechanism
permits the use of the tool as a crescent wrench without the ratchet mechanism
being
an obstructing end-piece on the handle member. Also, this design of the
ratchet
mechanism will not obstruct or disturb the grip of the handle member when the
tool
is used as a crescent wrench.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate and mitigate
from
the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unitary tool
combining
the functions of a universally adjustable crescent-type wrench and a
ratchet/socket
wrench.
According to the present invention then, a hand operated tool, comprising: a
handle member having first and second axially opposite ends; adjustable
crescent
wrench means provided at one of said first and second ends of said handle
member,
said crescent wrench means including first and second opposed jaw members,
said
first jaw member being fixed in position and said second jaw member being
laterally
moveable relative to said first jaw member for opening and closing said wrench
about
a workpiece, said first jaw member including an insert removably connected
thereto,
said insert having teeth thereon for gripping pipe in cooperation with said
second jaw
member; and ratcheted socket drive means provided at the other of said first
and
second ends.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in
greater detail and will be better understood when read in conjunction with the
following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the present tool;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tool of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a partially sectional view of one end of the tool shown in Figure
2
through the line i-1;
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CA 02186081 2002-11-28
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the end of the tool shown in Figure 3 less
the
ratcheting mechanism;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of an external socket for use with the wrench of
Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a side view of the socket of Figure 5; and
Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the socket of Figure 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference initially to Figure 1, the present tool 50 comprises a handle
member 1 used to grip and operate the tool as either a pipe/crescent wrench or
as
a ratchet-operated socket wrench. A crescentlpipe wrench 2 is formed at one
end
of the handle with the socket wrench 16 being provided at the handle's
opposite end.
Crescent wrench 2 comprises a stationary upper jaw 3 which may include a
slidable
insert 10 including a plurality of teeth 11 functioning as pipe grips.
Opposite
stationary jaw 3 is a movable lower jaw 4. Movable lower jaw 4 is mounted for
lateral
movement in the manner of an adjustable crescent wrench. The movable lower jaw
4 is provided with a plurality of teeth 5 which are engaged by a worm gear 6
which
in turn is mounted for rotation on a laterally directed shaft 7. The worm gear
6 is
mounted in an opening 8 so that it is accessible for manual rotation from both
sides
of handle 1. The movable lower jaw 4 may also include a set of teeth 11 for
gripping
pipe.
At the other end of handle member 1 is as aforesaid a ratchet-operated socket
mechanism 16. Two flanges 12 and 13 respectively seen most clearly in Figure 4
extend from the body of handle member 1 at this end. The flanges provide
circular
apertures 14 and 15 respectively. Flanges 12 and 13 and their respective
apertures
14 and 15 form a cavity to receive ratchet-operated mechanism 16 including a
rotatable socket drive ring 17 having on its annular outer surface a plurality
of
incrementally spaced-apart ratchet teeth 18. These teeth are engaged by a pawl
19
(Figure 3) which is urged into operative relationship with the ratchet teeth
by a coil
spring 20. Drive ring 17 is held in place by flanges 12 and 13. As shown in
Figure
3, the ring 17 has an internal box 24 with points 34 to engage a fastener (not
shown)
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CA 02186081 2002-11-28
directly or to engage sockets of various sizes as will be described below. A
fastener,
such as a rivet 21, passes through a suitable aperture 31 in handle member 1
and
passes through an axially aligned bore 22 in pawl 19 to act as the pawl's
pivot.
Handle member 1 is provided with a slot 23 extending rearwardly from the pawl
to
form an opening enclosing coil spring 20.
Laterally opposite annular flanges 25 on ring 17 extend through circular
apertures 14 and 15 formed in flanges 12 and 13, respectively. This locks the
drive
ring in place but also allows its rotation relative to the tool's handle.
As previously mentioned, socket drive 17 includes a box that can be sized to
directly engage fasteners of the same size. For greater flexibility, box 24 is
adapted
to engage variously sized sockets 26, an example of which is shown in Figures
5, 6
and 7. Sockets 26 may be conventional in shape and construction and are of
course
adapted to engage and drive various sized hex headed nuts or bolts. Socket
member 26 includes a male hex drive 27 to releasably engage box 24 in drive
ring
17. Each socket also includes a bowl 29 into which is formed a hex socket 30
of a
predetermined size and of course there will be a plurality of such sockets to
span a
predetermined size range for hex headed nuts and bolts. An annular shoulder 28
between male drive 27 and bowl 29 will bear against either of flanges 25 when
the
socket is fully engaged into drive ring 17.
The main elements of the present tool are castings or are formed by powder
metallurgy methods. The external sockets are preferably made from forged
steel.
The design of the elements is readily extrapolated to smaller and larger sizes
without
difficulty to provide a wide range of wrenches.
Handle member 1 is so formed that it can accomplish three functions relative
to the socket drive.
1. It acts as a housing bearing and raceway to limit and confine the
operation of the pawl relative to drive ring 17 as well as the rotation of the
ring itself
within the planar embrace of the handle.
2. When a socket is engaged with a fastener, the handle member 1 acts
as a lever to actuate the captive pawl through a slip movement about pin 21 to
a
selected locked position on the teeth of the ratchet; and
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CA 02186081 2002-11-28
3. While the pawl holds the drive ring 17 in a locked position, it acts as a
lever to rotate the socket enough to twist tight or loosen the fastener hex
head held
fixed in the grip of the socket. Obviously, the socket is inserted into one
side or the
other of drive ring 17 for alternately tightening or loosening the fastener.
In addition, the construction used in this invention assures that the chamber
containing the drive ring and pawl mechanism may be periodically cleaned of
foreign
matter.
It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of
the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not
however
desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described,
but
it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.
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