Multiple socket and multiple socket wrench

A multiple socket device having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, comprising:

• (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof;
• (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member.

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising:

• (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof;
• (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidabley mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said second member is releasably fixed so as to move axially within said first member between two fixed positions without protruding from said first member.

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising:

• (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four differenet conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof;
• (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.