Flex-head tool with locking feature
AssigneeEasco Hand Tools, Inc.
InventorsRobert L. Arnold, Kenneth J. Taggart, James D. Diffenderfer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking flex-head wrench has a handle pivotably connected to a tool head, and an improved locking mechanism comprising a unitary locking spool seated within the handle and conveniently manipulated to lock or unlock the tool head at a desired angular position with respect to the handle. The locking mechanism is of simple design and can be manufactured, assembled, and repaired at minimum expense.
Claims28
A locking flex-head tool, comprising:
- a handle formed with an integral yoke at one end;
- a tool head coupled to said yoke at a pivot, said tool head having a toothed hub facing rearwardly of said pivot into said yoke;
- a locking spool rotatably carried in said yoke opposite the toothed hub such that its axis of rotation is orthogonal to the hub teeth, the locking spool further comprising,
- a plurality of spool teeth geared to said hub teeth and extending around a portion of said spool, and
- whereby said spool may be rotated into a first position in which said spool teeth engage said hub teeth to lock said tool head in a selected angular position with respect to said handle, and said spool may be rotated into a second position in which said planar section faces said hub to allow pivoting of said tool head.
A locking flex-head tool, comprising:
- a handle formed with an integral yoke at one end;
- a tool head pivoted at said yoke, said tool head having a toothed hub extending into a hollow of said yoke;
- a locking spool rotatably carried in said hollow of said yoke, said spool having an axis of rotation orthogonal to the hub teeth, the locking spool further comprising,
- a top flange and a bottom flange for maintaining said spool within said yoke,
- a plurality of spool teeth geared to said hub teeth and extending around a portion of said spool,
- a planar section interrupting said spool teeth;
- and
- a detent means carried by said handle for spring-biasing said locking spool against said toothed hub;
- whereby said locking spool may be rotated into a first position in which said spool teeth engage said hub teeth to lock said tool head in a selected angular position with respect to said handle, and said spool maya be rotated into a second position in which said planar section faces said hub to allow pivoting of said tool head.
A locking flex-head tool, comprising:
- a handle formed with a yoke at one end defined by laterally extending legs and a hollow therebetween, said hollow being partially covered on one side by a shelf;
- a tool head pivoted at said yoke, said tool head having a toothed hub extending into said hollow;
- a resilient washer seated on said shelf;
- a locking spool rotatably carried in said hollow of said yoke and having an axis of rotation orthogonal to the hub teeth, said washer being interposed between said locking spool and shelf and biasing said locking spool, the locking spool further comprising,
- a plurality of spool teeth geared to said hub teeth and extending around a portion of said spool, and
- a planar section interrupting said spool teeth;
- whereby said spool may be rotated into a first position in which said spool teeth engage said hub teeth to lock said tool head in a selected angular position with respect to said handle, and said spool may be rotated into a second position in which said planar section faces said hub to allow pivoting of said tool head.
In a flex-head tool comprising a handle including a bifurcated yoke having a pair of legs forwardly of the handle, and further comprising a tool head having a hub portion pivotably mounted between the legs of the yoke, such that the tool head may be pivotably adjusted about a first axis and in a plurality of desired positions relative to the handle, the improvement which comprises locking means for rigidly securing the tool head to the handle in a selected adjusted position, said locking means comprising a locking spool received within the yoke rearwardly of the hub portion of the tool head, thereby trapping the locking spool against movement longitudinally of the handle and forwardly out of the yoke, means on the locking spool and cooperating with means on the yoke for precluding movement of the locking spool laterally of the yoke, the locking spool being rotatably disposed within the yoke about a second axis which is substantially at right angles to the first axis about which the tool head is pivotably adjustable, means accessible externally of the handle for rotating the locking spool, the locking spool having an eccentric portion engaging the hub portion of the tool head when the locking spool is rotated in one direction, and said locking spool having a planar portion contiguous with the eccentric portion thereof for disengaging the hub portion of the tool head when the locking spool is rotated in another direction, and cooperating gear teeth on the hub portion and on the eccentric portion of the locking spool for rigidly locking the tool head to the handle to preclude inadvertent movement therebetween when the eccentric portion of the locking spool is engaged with the hub portion of the tool head.
In a flex-head ratchet wrench comprising a handle including a bifurcated yoke having a pair of legs forwardly of the handle, and further comprising a tool head having a hub portion pivotably mounted between the legs of the yoke, such that the tool head may be pivotably adjusted about a first axis and in a plurality of desired positions relative to the handle, the improvement which comprises locking means for rigidly securing the tool head to the handle in a selected adjusted position, said locking means comprising a locking spool received within the yoke rearwardly of the hub portion of the tool head, thereby trapping the locking spool against movement longitudinally of the handle and forwardly out of the yoke, a flange on the locking spool and a groove on the yoke for seating said flange and for precluding movement of the locking spool laterally of the yoke, the locking spool being rotatably disposed within the yoke about a second axis which is substantially at right angles to the first axis about which the tool head is pivotably adjustable, a lever formed integrally with the locking spool for conjoint movement in unison, said lever being accessible externally of the handle for rotating the locking spool, the locking spool having an eccentric portion engaging the hub portion of the tool head when the locking spool is rotated in one direction, and a planar portion contiguous with the eccentric portion thereof, and cooperating means on the hub portion and locking spool respectively, comprising respective gear teeth on the hub portion and on the eccentric portion of the locking spool, the respective gear teeth being substantially aligned with each other and interfering therebetween, whereby the eccentric portion of the locking spool may be engaged with the hub portion of the tool head to rigidly lock the tool head to the handle and preclude inadvertent movement therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.