Back to results
US 4,374,481 AGranted
Adjustable socket with detachable or lockable engaging handle component
OwnerMichael Brodieinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
OwnerMichael Brodieinventor
Estimating the term…
The adjustable socket comprises a plurality of fingers pivoted by one end thereof to a socket body and enclosed within a partially rotatable shell covering the socket body. A spiral slot in the shell is engaged by a pin or the like extending from the body so that when the shell is partially rotated, the shell extends or retracts axially relative to the body portion thus opening or closing the distal ends of the fingers due to the engagement of the outer surfaces of the distal ends of the fingers with the curved inturned end of the shell. This shell and fingers can be detachably locked in the desired position. This enables the fingers to adjust in order to grasp or grip a nut or bolt within the size range governed by design parameters. A spring reacts between the shell and the body portion normally retracting the shell so that the fingers are in the widest position. A handle assembly is secured to the inner end of the body and may be connected to the body by means of a clutch assembly connected when the handle assembly is pushed downwardly towards the body portion against spring pressure. Alternatively, the clutch assembly may be detachably locked in engagement between the handle component and the body portion.
An adjustable socket assembly for nuts and bolts comprising in combination a substantially cylindrical body portion, a plurality of bolt and nut gripping fingers pivoted by the inner ends thereof around said body portion and extending beyond the distal end thereof, an adjusting shell surrounding said body portion and said fingers, means mounting said shell for partial rotation around said body portion, said partial rotation extending and retracting said shell along said body portion, means cooperating between said shell and said body portion to extend and retract one relative to the other as said shell rotates, means cooperating between said fingers and said shell to close and open the distal ends of said fingers relative to one another, and spring means operatively extending between said shell and said body portion normally urging said shell to extend and rotate relative to said body portion whereby said fingers are in the full open position, said body portion including a shoulder formed on the inner end thereof, said spring means surrounding said body portion and reacting between the underside of said shoulder and the inner end of said, a handle component, a connector for connecting said handle component to the upper end of said body portion and further means selectively and operatively connecting said handle component to said body portion for detachably engaging said handle component to said body portion whereby rotation of said handle component in either direction, rotates said body portion and said shell in the same direction, said further means comprising a clutch member on the upper side of said shoulder, a clutch engaging member journalled for free rotation by said connector upon the upper side of said shoulder facing said clutch member, spring means normally urging said clutch member and said clutch engaging member apart, said handle component being operatively connected to said clutch engaging member, downward pressure of said clutch engaging member overcoming said last mentioned spring means and detachably engaging said clutch engaging member with said clutch member whereby rotation of said handle in either direction rotates said body portion and said shell in the same direction, and means selectively engageable between said clutch engaging member and said connector to selectively lock said clutch engaging member into engagement with said clutch member.
In an adjustable socket assembly for nuts and bolts, which includes a substantially cylindrical body portion a plurality of bolt and nut gripping fingers pivoted by the inner ends thereof around said body portions and extending beyond the distal end thereof, an adjusting shell surrounding said body portion and said fingers, means mounting said shell for partial rotation around said body portion, said partial rotation extending and retracting said shell along said body, and means cooperating between said shell and said body portion to extend and retract one relative to the other and further means cooperating between said fingers and said shell to close and open the other ends of said fingers relative to one another;
An adjustable socket assembly for nuts and bolts comprising in combination a substantially cylindrical body portion, a plurality of bolt and nut gripping fingers pivoted by the inner ends thereof around said body portion and extending beyond the distal end thereof, an adjusting shell surrounding said body portion and said fingers, means mounting said shell for partial rotation around said body portion, said partial rotation extending and retracting said shell along said body portion, means cooperating between said shell and said body portion to extend and retract one relative to the other said shell rotates, means cooperating between said fingers and said shell to close and open the distal ends of said fingers relative to one another, means to detachably lock said shell relative to said body portion in any one of a plurality of positions, said last mentioned means including a plurality of apertures formed through the wall of said shell in a line inclining downwardly and around said shell from adjacent the upper ends thereof to partially around said shell and a locking lever pivoted by the upper end thereof to said body portion, spring means between said locking lever and said body portion normally urging the disend of said locking lever outwardly and means on the distal end of said locking lever engageable within any one of said apertures through the wall of said shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.