Fastener-driving hand tool having an angularly displaceable bit retainer

A hand tool of the type having a handle, a shank attached to the handle in fixed axial alignment therewith, and a working end mounted to the shank for angular displacement relative to the axis longitudinal of the handle and shank, wherein:

• the shank has an attachment end secured to the handle and an opposite distal threaded end;
• a ball joint is formed at the distal end of the shank in axial alignment with the shank;
• the working end includes a tool bit retainer mounted on the ball joint for selective angular displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank, the retainer including an annular rim and an opposite tool bit socket;
• a cylindrical locking and releasing sleeve mounted on the distal end of the shank for selective, reciprocal, linear movement thereon so that the locking and releasing sleeve can selectively engage the annular rim for locking the retainer in axial alignment with the handle and shank and selectively disengage the annular rim in order to release the retainer for angular displacement on the ball joint and about the axis of the handle and shank;
• the shank having at least one bore extending thereinto and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for receiving therein a compression spring and locking ball, the compression spring biasing the locking ball against the locking and releasing sleeve in order to prevent slippage of the locking and releasing sleeve from its linear disposition on the shank;
• a resistance spring mounted on the ball joint for providing a resistive force against the tool bit retainer for maintaining angular displacement of the retainer;
• and
• the ball joint being generally spherical in shape and including at least one aperture extending transversely therethrough and at least one retaining pin insertable through the aperture for retaining the working end on the ball joint.

A hand tool of the type having a handle, a shank attached to the handle in fixed axial alignment therewith, and a working end mounted to the shank for angular displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank;

• the shank having an attachment end secured to the handle and an opposite distal threaded end;
• a ball joint at the distal threaded end of the shank in axial alignment therewith;
• the ball joint having a uniformly arcuate outer surface to enable the working end to pivot in a multiplicity of separate lateral directions;
• the working end including a tool bit retainer mounted on the ball joint for selective angular displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank, the tool bit retainer including a tool bit socket, an oppositely-disposed ball joint receiving cavity into which the ball joint is disposed, and an annular rim adjacent the ball joint receiving cavity;
• resistive means mounted on the ball joint and cooperating with the working end to maintain angular displacement of the working end by providing a linear force against the working end;
• and
• a cylindrical locking and releasing sleeve mounted on the distal threaded end of the shank for selective linear-reciprocal movement toward the handle or the working end as a result of rotational motion of the sleeve whereby linear movement of the sleeve toward the handle causes the sleeve to disengage from the annular rim of the tool bit retainer in order to release the tool bit retainer for angular displacement on the ball joint.

A hand tool having an angularly displaceable working end, comprising:

• a handle;
• a shank attached to the handle and having an attachment end and an opposite distal end, the handle attached to the shank in fixed axial alignment, and the handle and shank defining a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of threads formed adjacent the distal end of the shank;
• swivel means on the shank's distal end permitting angular displacement of the working end relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank and handle;
• sleeve means manually rotatable on the threads for selectively locking the working end in axial alignment with the handle and shank and selectively releasing the working end for angular displacement;
• the swivel means including a ball joint on the shank's distal end and in axial alignment therewith;
• and
• the ball joint having a substantially spherical shape and at least one retaining pin projecting therethrough for connecting the working end to the shank.