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US 5,203,238 AGranted
Low profile rack and pinion wrench
AssigneeRaymond Engineering Inc.
InventorJohn H. Ferguson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid operated low profile wrench has a rack and gear drive system to provide an accurate lever arm. The gear is a gear segment which forms part of the output lever of the wrench. The wrench is capable of using a multiplicity of drive heads and/or a multiplicity of reaction elements.
Claims28
A wrench for applying torque to a fastener element, including:
- a housing;
- toothed rack means in said housing for transmitting an actuating force, said toothed rack means having a pitch line X;
- actuating means in said housing for delivering an actuating force to said toothed rack means;
- lever arm means for delivering an output from said wrench to a fastener, said lever arm means having a toothed gear segment which meshes with teeth of said toothed rack means, said toothed gear segment having a pitch line P;
- output ratchet means carried by said lever arm means at a location spaced form said gear segment;
- said output ratchet means having an axis of rotation about which said lever arm moves;
- said lever arm means having an effectively constant lever arm length L extending substantially along a line from said axis of rotation to said pitch line X substantially at the point of tangency of said pitch line X and said pitch line P and being at substantially an angle of 90.degree. to the said pitch line X, whereby the actuating force is delivered to said lever arm means at substantially 90.degree. to said line;
- and
- reaction means connected to said housing for providing a reaction member for the wrench.
6 more elements
A fluid operated wrench for applying torque to a fastener element, including:
- a housing;
- a fluid operated piston mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement in response to fluid pressure delivered to said piston;
- a piston rod extending from one end of said piston, said piston rod having an axis;
- a toothed rack attached to said piston rod, said toothed rack having a pitch line X along the axis of said piston rod;
- an output lever arm supported by said housing for delivering an output from said wrench to a fastener, said lever arm having a toothed gear segment which meshes with teeth of said toothed rack, said toothed gear segment having a pitch line P;
- an output ratchet mounted in said lever arm at a location spaced from said gear segment, said output ratchet having an axis of rotation about which said lever arm moves;
- said lever arm having an effectively constant lever arm length L extending substantially along a line from said axis of rotation to said pitch line X at substantially the point of tangency of said pitch line X and said pitch line P and being at substantially an angle of 90.degree. to the axis of said piston rod, whereby the actuating force is delivered to said lever arm means at substantially 90.degree. to said line;
- reaction means connected to said housing for providing a reaction member for said wrench in line with the housing of said wrench;
- and
- mounting means on said wrench for connecting to said wrench an offset reaction element for reaction offset with respect to the housing of said wrench.
7 more elements
A wrench for applying torque to a fastener element, including:
- a housing;
- toothed rack means in said housing for transmitting an actuating force;
- actuating means in said housing for delivering an actuating force to said toothed rack means;
- lever arm means for delivering an output from said wrench to a fastener, said lever arm means having a toothed gear segment which meshes with teeth of said toothed rack means, and said lever arm means having an effectively constant lever arm length;
- output ratchet means carried by said lever arm means at a location spaced from said gear segment;
- said output ratchet means having an axis of rotation about which said lever arm moves;
- and
- reaction means connected to said housing for providing a reaction member for the wrench.
5 more elements
A fluid operated wrench for applying torque to a fastener element, including:
- a housing;
- a fluid operated piston mounted in said housing for reciprocating movement in response to fluid pressure delivered to said piston;
- a piston rod extending from one end of said piston, said piston rod having an axis;
- a toothed rack attached to said piston rod;
- an output lever arm supported by said housing for delivering an output from said wrench to a fastener, said lever arm having a toothed gear segment which meshes with teeth of said toothed rack, and said lever arm having an effectively constant lever arm length;
- an output ratchet mounted in said lever arm at a location spaced from said gear segment, said output ratchet having an axis of rotation about which said lever arm moves;
- reaction means connected to said housing for providing a reaction member for said wrench in line with the housing of said wrench;
- and
- mounting means on said wrench for connecting to said wrench an offset reaction element for reaction offset with respect to the housing of said wrench.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.