Reversible ratchet-type wrench
OwnerBobby Huinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wrench comprises a handle and a head extending from the handle. A peripheral wall defining a hole in the head includes a compartment. An annular groove is defined in an end of the peripheral wall defining the hole. The annular groove is partially coincident with the compartment. A pawl is slidably received in the compartment and biased to engage with a gear wheel in the hole. A switching member is partially mounted in the hole for moving the pawl when switching of the ratcheting direction is required. A retainer ring is partially engaged in an annular groove in the switching member and partially engaged in the annular groove of the head. The retainer ring is retained in place by a wall defining the compartment. The switching member is not moved when the pawl moves as a result of free rotation of the wrench.
Claims20
A wrench comprising:
- a handle (12);
- a head (11) extending from the handle (12) and including a hole (13), a peripheral wall defining the hole (13) of the head including a compartment (15), an annular groove (141) being defined in an end of the peripheral wall defining the hole (13), the annular groove (141) being partially coincident with the compartment (15);
- a drive member (20) rotatably mounted in the hole (13) of the head (11) and including a plurality of teeth (22) in an outer periphery thereof;
- a pawl (30) slidably received in the compartment (15) and including a first side having a plurality of teeth (31) and a second side opposite to the first side, the pawl (30) further including a first engaging member (34;
- 34′) formed thereon;
- a pressing member (62) mounted in the compartment (15);
- an elastic element (61) mounted in the compartment (15) for urging the pressing member to press against the second side of the pawl (30) for engaging the teeth (31) of the pawl (30) with the teeth (22) of the drive member (20);
- a switching member (40) having a first end mounted in the hole (13) of the head (11) and a second end outside the head for manual operation, the first end of the switching member (40) including an annular groove (43) in an outer periphery thereof, the switching member (40) further including a second engaging member (44;
- 44′) for engaging with the first engaging member (34;
- 34′) of the pawl (30);
- and
- a retainer ring (50) partially engaged in the annular groove (43) of the switching member (40) and partially engaged in the annular groove (141) of the head (11), the retainer ring (50) being retained in place by a wall defining the compartment (15);
- one of the switching member (40) and the retainer ring (50) including two retaining sections (431, 432;
- 52′), and the other of the switching member (40) and the retainer ring (50) including a third engaging member (52;
- 431′) for selectively engaging with one of the retaining sections (431, 432;
- 52′);
- wherein the second end of the switching member (40) being manually turnable to make the third engaging member (52;
- 431′) engage with one of the retaining sections (431, 432;
- 52′) and to move the pawl (30) through engagement between the first engaging member (34;
- 34′) and the second engaging member (44;
- 44′);
- wherein the first engaging member (34;
- 34′) and the second engaging member (44;
- 44′) are so configured that the switching member (40) is not moved when the pawl (30) moves as a result of free rotation of the wrench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.