Indexing square breaker bar
AssigneeSnap-on Incorporated
InventorsScott A. Bendorf, George R.R. Call, Mark E. Lewis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention includes a tool comprising a drive square with a splined portion, which may index and lock into a corresponding splined bore mounted on a drive handle. This arrangement allows the user to index and lock the square-to-handle orientation with an extended array of positions. The user is able to alternate the direction of torque applied without operation of a direction lockout lever, risk of unwanted rotation, and with a greater range of square orientations than conventional tools.
Claims9
A tool having a shaft with opposing first and second ends, the first end includes a handle and the second end includes a head, the tool comprising:
- a splined bore disposed in the head, the splined bore includes an inner splined surface;
- and
- a joint pin having opposing first and second ends, a smooth surface portion disposed adjacent to the first end, a lug portion disposed adjacent to the second end and that is adapted to releasably engage lugged aperture tools, and a splined portion disposed between the smooth surface portion and the lug portion,
- wherein the joint pin is axially movable in the splined bore between locked and unlocked positions, wherein when the pin is disposed in the unlocked position, the smooth surface portion is disposed adjacent to the inner splined surface and the joint pin is adapted to rotate relative to the splined bore, and when the joint pin is disposed in the locked position, the splined portion meshingly engages the inner splined surface so that the joint pin is rotatably fixed relative to the splined bore.
An indexing breaker bar tool including a handle with opposing first and second ends and a head disposed at the second end, the breaker bar tool comprising:
- a splined bore disposed in the head, the splined bore includes an inner splined surface, wherein the inner splined surface comprises gear teeth or ridges;
- and
- a pin having first and second ends and that is adapted to be axially movable in the splined bore, wherein the pin includes a smooth surface portion disposed adjacent to the first end, a lug portion disposed adjacent to the second end and that is adapted to releasably engage a lugged aperture tool, and a splined portion disposed between the smooth surface portion and the lug portion;
- wherein the pin is axially movable in the splined bore between locked and unlocked positions, wherein when the pin is disposed in the unlocked position, the smooth surface portion is disposed adjacent to the inner splined surface and the pin is adapted to rotate relative to the splined bore, and when the pin is disposed in the locked position, the splined portion of the pin meshingly engages the inner splined surface so that the pin is rotatably fixed relative to the splined bore;
- and
- wherein the smooth surface portion of the pin includes at least one smooth surface portion bore with a biasing spring and a ball disposed therein, the spring is adapted to bias the ball radially outwardly to selectively detain the joint pin in either of the locked and unlocked positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.