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US 5,687,623 AGranted
Reversible socket wrench
OwnerChih-Ching Hsiehinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reversible socket wrench including a socket having two radial through holes and an outside annular groove around the periphery, two locating devices respectively mounted in the radial through holes, a clamp mounted in the outside annular groove and moved between two positions to alternatively force the locating devices into the operative position, and a handle having a driving rod at one end inserted into the socket, wherein when the driving rod of the handle is turned in one direction, the locating device which is set in the operative position is forced into engagement with the driving rod, for permitting the socket to be turned with the driving rod, or disengaged from the driving rod, for permitting the driving rod to run idle.
Claims3
A reversible socket wrench comprising:
- a socket having an outside annular groove, two radial locating holes in said outside annular groove, and two through holes respectively disposed opposite to said radial locating holes;
- two spring pins respectively mounted in said radial locating holes of said socket and disposed in flush with a periphery of said socket;
- two locating devices respectively mounted in said through holes of said socket and alternatively movable between an operative position and a non-operative position, each of said locating devices including an inner steel ball and an outer steel ball respectively mounted in two opposite ends of one of said through holes of said socket, and a spring arranged between said outer steel ball and said inner steel ball;
- a clamp mounted around said outside annular groove of said socket and having two arched portions respectively curving outwards, said clamp being movable within said outside annular groove of said socket between a first position and a second position where one end thereof abuts a respective said spring pin for permitting one of said arched portions to be forced into alignment with one of said through holes of said socket so that one locating device is forced from said non-operative position into said operative position and said other locating device is released from said operative position and returned to said non-operative position;
- and
- a handle adapted for turning said socket, said handle comprising a circular driving rod perpendicularly disposed at one end and adapted for inserting into said socket, and a plurality of rounded recesses spaced around said periphery and adapted for receiving one said inner steel ball;
- wherein each of said through holes of said socket has an inner end defining first and second contact portions arranged on opposed inner surfaces to an edge of a respective through hole, said first contact portion having an axial length that is longer than a radius of said inner steel balls, and said second contact portion has an axial length that is shorter than said radius of said inner steel balls;
- said axial lengths extending along a longitudinal axis of a respective through hole said inner steel ball is disengaged from said driving rod of said handle when forced into contact with said second contact portion of said respective through hole and when said respective locating device is forced into said operative position and said driving rod of said handle is turned in one direction, thereby causing said driving rod of said handle to run idle;
- said inner steel ball is forced into engagement with said driving rod of said handle when it is forced into contact with said first contact portion of said respective through hole and when said respective locating device is forced into said operative position and said driving rod of said handle is turned in said reversed direction, thereby causing said socket to be turned with said driving rod of said handle.
6 more elements
A reversible socket wrench comprising:
- a socket having an outside annular groove, two radial locating holes in said outside annular groove, and two radial through holes respectively disposed opposite to said radial locating holes;
- two spring pins respectively mounted in said radial locating holes of said socket and disposed in flush with a periphery of said socket;
- two locating devices respectively mounted in said radial through holes of said socket and alternatively movable between an operative position and a non-operative position, each of said locating devices including a steel ball and a toothed member respectively mounted in two opposite ends of one of said radial through holes of said socket, and a spring arranged between said steel ball and said toothed member, said toothed member comprising a toothed oval body disposed inside said socket outside said corresponding radial through hole, and a rod raised from said toothed oval body and inserted into said corresponding radial through hole and coupled to said spring;
- a clamp mounted around said outside annular groove of said socket, having two arched portions respectively curving outwards, said clamp being movable within said outside annular groove of said socket between a first position and a second position so that one end thereof abuts against a respective said spring pin for permitting one of said arched portions to be forced into alignment with one of said radial through holes of said socket so that one locating device is forced from said non-operative position into said operative position and said other locating device is released from the operative position and returned to said non-operative position;
- and
- a handle adapted for turning said socket, said handle comprising a circular driving rod perpendicularly disposed at one end and adapted for inserting into said socket, and a toothed portion around said periphery adapted for engaging said toothed body of one said toothed members;
- wherein when one locating device is forced into said operative position and said driving rod of said handle is turned in one direction, said toothed body of said respective toothed member is forced into engagement with said toothed portion of said driving rod of said handle, permitting said socket to be turned with said driving rod of said handle, and said toothed body of said respective toothed member is disengaged from said toothed portion of said driving rod of said handle when said driving rod of said handle is turned in said reversed direction, thereby causing said driving rod of said handle to run idle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.