Apparatus and method for testing torque wrenches
AssigneeRyeson Corporation
InventorTroy W. Livingston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Torque wrench testing apparatus and method that includes holding a torque wrench, applying a predetermined torque load to one end of the wrench while limiting movement of the other end of the wrench, and measuring the actual torque applied, for comparison with the reading on the wrench gauge. The essential feature of the invention resides in the idea of limiting the movement of the other wrench end by a pylon that is pivotally mounted so that when it engages a pivotally mounted wrench handle, the handle will stay coaxial to the one end of the wrench to avoid a handle end from contacting the wrench beam, which would cause a change in the working length of the wrench beam and result in an incorrect calculation of torque.
Claims20
Apparatus for automatically testing the accuracy of a torque wrench that includes an elongated beam having at one end a work engaging portion having a pivotal axis and having at the other end thereof a hollow handle pivotally mounted thereon about a pivotal axis and a calibrated torque measuring gauge also mounted thereon adjacent said handle for cooperation with a pointer arm of said wrench, comprising:
- (a) a housing presenting an external work station and a control/display panel;
- (b) means at said work station for holding said wrench in a horizontal plane;
- (c) means for applying a specific predetermined torque load to said one wrench end;
- (d) means for limiting movement of said other wrench end while said torque load is being applied to said one wrench end;
- (e) means for measuring the torque load being applied to said one wrench end for comparison with a torque load indicated on said wrench gauge;
- (f) said movement limiting means including at least one vertically disposed pylon presenting a narrow, elongated, flat, vertical surface arranged and disposed for engagement with a central portion of said wrench handle;
- (g) said pylon being mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, so that, when said handle is moved against said surface, free pivotal movement of the pylon will maintain said handle in coaxial relation with said other wrench end to prevent an end of said handle from contacting said beam and thereby changing a working length of said beam, the distance between the pivotal axes of said work engaging portion and said handle, used in calculating the torque applied.
Apparatus for automatically testing the accuracy of a torque wrench that includes an elongated beam having at one end a work engaging portion having a pivotal axis and having at the other end thereof a hollow handle pivotally mounted thereon about a pivotal axis and a calibrated torque measuring gauge also mounted thereon adjacent said handle for cooperation with a pointer arm of said wrench, comprising:
- (a) means for holding said wrench in a horizontal plane;
- (b) means for applying a specific predetermined torque load to said one wrench end;
- (c) means for limiting movement of said other wrench end while said torque load is being applied to said one wrench end;
- (d) means for measuring the torque load being applied to said one wrench end for comparison with a torque load indicated on said wrench gauge;
- (e) said movement limiting means including at least one vertically disposed pylon presenting a narrow, elongated, flat, vertical surface arranged and disposed for engagement with a central portion of said wrench handle;
- (e) said pylon being mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and presenting a flat surface arranged and disposed for engagement with said wrench handle, so that, when said handle is moved against said surface, free pivotal movement of the pylon will maintain said handle in coaxial relation with said other wrench end to prevent an end of said handle from contacting said beam and therebye changing a working length of said beam, the distance between the pivotal axes of said work engaging portion and said handle, used in the calculation of torque applied to the wrench.
A method for automatically testing the accuracy of a torque wrench that includes an elongated beam having at one end a work engaging portion having a pivotal axis and having at the other end thereof a hollow handle pivotally mounted thereon about a pivotal axis for movement about an axis and a calibrated torque measuring gauge also mounted thereon adjacent said handle for cooperation with a pointer arm of said wrench, said method comprising holding said wrench in a horizontal plane, while at the same time:
- (a) applying a specific predetermined torque load to said one wrench end;
- (b) limiting movement of said other wrench end, while said torque load is being applied to said one wrench end, by contacting said handle intermediate its ends with a surface of a member mounted for movement about an axis parallel to and aligned with the pivotal axis of said handle, so that, when said handle is moved against said surface, the position of said handle will be maintained in coaxial relation with said other wrench end to prevent an end of said handle from contacting said beam and therebye changing a working length of said beam, the distance between the pivotal axes of said work engaging portion and said handle, used in the calculation applied to the wrench;
- (c) measuring the torque load being applied to said one wrench end for comparison with a torque load indicated on said wrench gauge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.