Ratchet wrench having an internally reinforced handle
AssigneeNational Hand Tool Corporation
InventorGerald C. Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ratchet wrench in which the body and an integrally formed handle are of molded plastics material. The body includes a head formed with an opening which contains the ratchet mechanism. A metal bar embedded in the handle during the plastics molding process substantially enhances the physical strength of the wrench, and metal clamp plates overlying and seated in recesses in opposed principal surfaces of the wrench are bolted to each other, and are coupled to internal core components in the head of the wrench to secure the ratchet mechanism in place. The metal bar in the handle imparts structural stability and integrity as well as increased mechanical strength to the composite assembly.
Claims12
In a ratchet wrench having a tool head including a driving ring, a core rotatably journaled in said drive ring, selectively positionable pawl means coupled to said drive ring for controlling drive direction of said drive ring during use of said wrench, stud-like boss means connected to and extending downwardly from said core for attachment of interchangeable tool elements thereto, handle means extending from said tool head for manually transferring forces between said pawl and said drive ring for drivingly rotating said core and said boss means extending therefrom.
- the improvement wherein said wrench has a body having hand-grip handle means and body means extending between said handle means and a head integrally formed therewith, said body being molded of a high-strength plastics material with reinforcing means embedded therein for further strengthening said wrench,
- said body of said wrench being integrally formed at a driving end head zone of said wrench with a through opening for accommodating said core seated therewithin, and
- wherein said reinforcing means includes bar means embedded in and extending longitudinally in said body including said handle means for imparting enhanced mechanical strength thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.