Air ratchet hand tool with thermoplastic jacket

An improved exhaust system in a fluid-operated power hand tool including a housing having a handle portion and a fluid-operated motor in the housing and a fluid inlet passage through a distal end of the handle portion communicating with the motor, the improvement comprising:

• an outer surface on the handle portion and a distal end surface adjacent the fluid inlet passage intersecting the outer surface, the outer surface having an elongated channel formed therein and communicating with the motor and extending longitudinally of the handle portion to the distal end surface, and
• a detachable grip jacket formed of a flexible and resilient material covering said outer surface of the handle portion and having an inner surface that cooperates with said channel to define a fluid exhaust passage,
• said jacket having an open end defining an exit opening for said fluid exhaust passage and an end flange at said open end that engages the distal end surface of the handle portion to limit forward movement of the jacket on the handle,
• one of the handle portion and the jacket having at least one recess therein and the other of the handle portion and the jacket having at least one projection engageable in said at least one recess when the grip jacket is assembled with the handle portion to inhibit movement of the jacket relative to the handle portion.