US 4,224,844 AGranted

Ratchet bolt drive apparatus incorporating bidirectionally operable reciprocating drive means

OwnerRonald W. Henrikseninventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A ratchet drive mechanism is disclosed. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, it includes a handle and ratchet drive mechanism for rotating a bolt. It rotates the bolt through torque applied to the handle. In addition, it incorporates a bidirectionally operable reciprocating means for driving the bolt. The handle supports a drive chain which rotates around a pair of sprockets. A push rod supports a lock means which engages the chain. It hooks against the chain, thereby enabling the chain to be pushed and pulled on alternate strokes. The chain is thus rotated around the sprockets, one of the sprockets being an idler and one of the sprockets being mounted on the exterior of the drive of the mechanism. When low torque is required, the push rod can be manipulated. When high torque is required, the handle can be used.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An improvement for a ratchet wrench which includes an elongate handle to be grasped by a user, a socket drive rotatably supported by the handle and a ratchet mechanism which selectively permits rotation of the socket drive in one direction and prevents rotation in the opposite direction, the improvement comprising:

(a) a sprocket connected to the socket drive for rotation therewith;
(b) an elongate, closed loop, flexible chain operatively engaged with said sprocket;
(c) an idler sprocket engaged with said chain, said idler positioned in said handle such that said chain is deployed in a pair of adjacent portions movable in parallel loci along said handle wherein said handle is hollow to receive said idler sprocket and wherein said chain portions are located therein;
(d) a hand operated reciprocable rod extending from within said handle;
(e) a movable pivoted lock means connected to and moved by said rod along a path adjacent to said chain portions;
and
(f) said lock means being within said handle and including a pair of similar chain engaging means deployed to engage both chain portions in the handle and further being constructed and arranged to engage one chain portion on movement of said rod out of the handle and further engaging the other chain engaging means with the remaining chain portion on movement into the handle, each of said chain engaging means positively holding said chain on movement in one direction, while the other chain engaging means does not positively hold said chain, said chain engaging means functioning alternately dependent on the direction of movement of said handle and further alternately not positively holding said chain such that said chain is rotated in a single direction relative to said sprockets.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.