# US 5,344,012 A · Socket caddy

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- Number: US 5,344,012 A
- Document ID: US5344012A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/116,578
- Filed: 1993-09-07
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-09-07
- Inventors: James R. Matthews
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344012A

## CPC

- B25H 3/06: Trays
- Y10S 206/818: Magnet
- B25H: WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, e.g. FOR MARKING-OUT WORK; STORAGE MEANS FOR WORKSHOPS (storing or packaging B65)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A caddy for organizing the storage of a plurality of wrench sockets is disclosed herein having a support member with a flat planar plate provided with a plurality of openings for insertably receiving a variety of sockets for storage. The plate openings are arranged in a predetermined order of socket sizes in rows and columns with raised dimensional values adjacent each opening corresponding to a particular socket size. A peripheral flange carried on the plate serves as a stand-off for raising the support member plate above a supporting tool box tray or the like. A magnetic pad or layer may be disposed on the tray below the plate for magnetically attracting the sockets for releasably holding the sockets in place. Each opening includes a pliable tab intended to releasably grip a respective socket in the opening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tool caddy apparatus for organizing a variety of different sized wrench sockets comprising:
a tool box having a tray therein, said tray having a bottom consisting a supporting surface;
a socket support member having a flat planar surfaced plate with a plurality of different sized openings provided within its perimeter;
said plate having a downwardly depending flange about its perimeter and terminating with an edge adapted to engage with said supporting surface;
retaining means associated with each of said plate openings for releasably holding a socket therein;
said retaining means includes at least three pliable elements carried on said plate at each of said openings and projecting in a plane defined by said plate into said openings to provide an interference fit with said socket;
said retaining means includes a magnetic layer disposed beneath said plate between portions of said flange and having a magnetic flux field occupying an area defined between the underside of said plate and said magnetic layer;
said plate includes indicia adjacent each of said openings for identifying that opening with a particular socket;
said indicia is raised above the upper surface of said plate augmenting its visual observance;
said plurality of openings are arranged substantially in rows and columns across said plate in fixed spaced-apart relationship.