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US 5,540,125 AGranted
Multi-position locking adjustable wrench
OwnerArthur Haskellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable wrench having selectable lockable positions. Selectable locking positions are obtained using a pair of locking ball bearings that engage a plurality of recesses located on both ends of the thumb wheel. The recesses on the end are offset to the recesses on the other end. The width of the recesses on one end is greater than the width of the recesses on the other end. The wrench retains its "locked" position even when jarred, yet can be easily moved to a new set position by rotating the thumb wheel to the next selectable notch.
Claims12
An adjustable jaw wrench with selectable lockable positions comprising:
- a handle including a fixed jaw;
- a moveable jaw including a rack with a plurality of teeth supported on said handle for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw;
- a thumb wheel having a first end and a second end;
- a worm, attached to said thumb wheel, and meshing with said rack;
- means supporting said thumb wheel on said handle for rotation and limited axial movement, rotation of said thumb wheel imparting movement to said moveable jaw;
- a plurality of engageable recesses on said first end and a plurality of engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel;
- wherein said first end recesses have a width that is greater than the width of said second end recesses;
- a first locking ball bearing and a first locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said first locking spring urges said first locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said first end of said thumb wheel, and
- a second locking ball bearing and a second locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said second locking spring urges said second locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel, wherein rotation of said thumb wheel causes said worm engaging said rack to move said movable jaw relative to said fixed jaw, providing releasably lockable and selectable positions corresponding to common nut dimensions within the adjustable limits of said wrench.
8 more elements
An adjustable jaw wrench with selectable lockable positions comprising:
- a handle including a fixed jaw;
- a moveable law including a rack with a plurality of teeth supported on said handle for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw;
- a thumb wheel having a first end and a second end;
- a worm, attached to said thumb wheel, and meshing with said rack;
- means supporting said thumb wheel on said handle for rotation and limited axial movement, rotation of said thumb wheel imparting movement to said jaw;
- a plurality of engageable recesses on said first end and a plurality of engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel;
- wherein said first end recesses are offset from said second end recesses by a number of degrees which corresponds to the number of recesses;
- a first locking ball bearing and a first locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said first locking spring urges said first locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said first end of said thumb wheel, and
- a second locking ball bearing and a second locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said second locking spring urges said second locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel, wherein rotation of said thumb wheel causes said worm engaging said rack to move said moveable jaw relative to said fixed jaw, providing releasably lockable and selectable positions corresponding to common nut dimensions within the adjustable limits of said wrench.
8 more elements
An adjustable jaw wrench with selectable lockable positions comprising:
- a handle including a fixed jaw;
- a moveable jaw including a rack with a plurality of teeth supported on said handle for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw;
- a thumb wheel having a first end, a second end, and a turning axis;
- wherein said thumb wheel further comprises a compression sleeve centered about the turning axis of said thumb wheel extending from one of said ends of said thumb wheel;
- a worm, attached to said thumb wheel, and meshing with said rack;
- means supporting said thumb wheel on said handle for rotation, rotation of said thumb wheel imparting movement to said moveable jaw;
- a plurality of engageable recesses on said first end and a plurality of engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel;
- a first locking ball bearing and a first locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said first locking spring urges said first locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said first end of said thumb wheel, and
- a second locking ball bearing and a second locking spring in said handle;
- wherein said second locking spring urges said second locking ball bearing against one of the engageable recesses on said second end of said thumb wheel, wherein rotation of said thumb wheel causes said worm engaging said rack to move said movable jaw relative to said fixed jaw, providing releasably lockable and selectable positions corresponding to common nut dimensions within the adjustable limits of said wrench.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.