US 5,626,061 AGranted

Composite ratchet

AssigneeStanley Mechanics Tools

InventorLowell B. Whitley

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Abstract

The present invention comprises a reversible drive ratchet wrench (10). A formed metallic insert (50) is provided. The reversible drive ratchet wrench (10) has a length, a head (14), including a ratchet mechanism (36) and a handle (16). A formed metallic insert (50) has an opening (28) for insertion of a ratchet mechanism (36). The formed metallic insert (50) also extends along the handle (16) of the wrench (10). A non-metallic covering (13) is molded around the metallic insert (50), encapsulating the head and entire length of the metallic insert (50), except for the interior of the opening (28). The non-metallic covering (13) is injection-molded around the metallic insert (50). The non-metallic covering (13) has a low dielectric value and may comprise glass fibers distributed longitudinally and/or nylon or copolymers. A non-metallic covering (13) may be of uniform thickness or varying thickness. The reversing lever (18) may also be made of the composite material.

Claims60

Dependent claims

A reversible drive ratchet wrench having a head and a handle which are connected together by an intermediately disposed unitary body, comprising:

a single piece insert formed of a singular piece of metal and extending substantially the full length of said ratchet wrench, from the distal end of said handle to said head, to define a supporting handle portion of said handle, a neck portion of said unitary body and a supportive head portion of said head, said singular piece of metal having a thickness which is substantially less than an overall thickness of said handle prior to forming said singular piece of metal into said single piece insert;
said supportive head portion of said single piece insert defining a peripheral wall portion and a base portion of a cup having an opening which is disposed within said wall portions and adjacent to said base portion;
a ratchet mechanism disposed in said cup;
a clamp plate extending across said opening of said cup, opposite of said base portion, with said ratchet mechanism disposed therebetween;
said single piece insert having a multiplicity of cross-sectional shapes which vary along said full tenth of said ratchet, from a wide cross-section at said supportive head portion which is widely sized relative to other cross-sections of said single piece insert, to a thin cross-section at said neck portion which is thinly sized relative to said wide cross section of said supportive head portion and to an intermediately widened cross-section at said supporting handle portion which is intermediately sized relative to said wide cross-section of said supportive head portion and said thin cross-section of said neck portion;
said thin cross-section of said neck portion of said single piece insert being formed into a first concave shape such that said neck portion provides the primary load bearing means between said head and said handle of said ratchet wrench;
said intermediately widened cross-section of said supporting handle portion of said single piece insert being formed into a second concave shape having a contoured exterior profile;
and
a non-metallic, moldable covering, said covering molded around said metallic insert and encapsulating said head and said full length of said metallic insert except for said opening for said ratchet mechanism, and said covering molded around said supporting handle portion of said single piece insert to have a substantially uniform thickness along at least one side of said contoured exterior profile of said supporting handle portion to define an ergonomic style grip for said handle.

6 more elements

A method for forming a reversible drive ratchet wrench having a head and a handle connected together by a unitary body portion, comprising the steps of:

providing a singular piece of metal, a non-metallic covering and a ratchet mechanism;
forming the singular piece of metal into a single piece insert which extends with a multiplicity of cross-sectional shapes substantially along the full length of the ratchet wrench, wherein a supportive head portion of the head is formed having a wide cross-section which defines a cup having an opening, said wide cross-section being widely sized relative to other cross-sections of said single piece insert, a neck portion of said unitary body is formed having a thin cross-section relative to said wide cross-section, and a supporting handle portion of the handle is formed having an intermediately widened cross-section relative to said wide cross-section and said thin cross-section, wherein said singular piece of metal has a thickness which is substantially less than an overall thickness of the handle prior to forming the singular piece of metal into the single piece insert;
wherein said thin cross-section of said neck portion of said single piece insert is formed into a first concave shape such that said neck portion provides the primary load bearing means between said head and said handle of said ratchet wrench:
wherein said intermediately widened cross-section of said supporting handle portion of said single piece insert is formed into a second concave shape having a contoured exterior profile;
disposing a ratchet mechanism in the cup;
and
molding a non-metallic covering around the metallic insert and encapsulating the head and the entire length of the metallic insert except for the opening for the ratchet mechanism, wherein said non-metallic covering is molded around said supporting handle portion of said single piece insert to have a substantially uniform thickness along at least one side of said contoured exterior profile of said supporting handle portion to define an ergonomic style grip for said handle.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.