US 6,668,685 B2 · Multi-lug socket tool

Abstract

A device for simultaneously removing all of the lug nuts on a vehicle's wheel, thereby reducing the amount of time required to remove the wheel from the vehicle. The device has multiple sockets that fit over each lug nut. Each socket is turned by a lug gear and all of the lug gears are turned by a single central gear. The central gear has a hole or slot in its center for receiving a hand tool or power tool that provides the rotational force. The lug gears are positioned around the circumference of the central gear and the teeth of the lug gears engage with teeth of the central gear. An outer ring gear surrounds all of the lug gears providing an inward pressure that maintains the connection between the teeth of the lug gears and the central gear. When the central gear is rotated each of the lug gears rotate in an opposite direction thereby allowing each lug nut to be turned simultaneously. The device can be mounted on a dolly to aid in movement and the dolly may include a jack for raising and lowering the device to desired height.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A device for simultaneously removing or replacing all lug nuts from a vehicle's wheel wherein a turning force provided at one location causes multiple lug nut sockets to rotate thereby simultaneously screwing or unscrewing all of the lug nuts attached to the wheel, the device comprising:

a lug nut interface plate that rotatively holds multiple lug nut sockets around a perimeter of the lug nut interface plate, the sockets being positioned so that there is a one to one correspondence between lug sockets and lug nuts to be removed or replaced;
a turning force interface plate with a large central gear that when rotated transfers a rotational force to each lug nut socket of the lug nut interface plate, wherein the turning force interface plate comprises the large central gear with a slot in a middle of said central gear for receiving a turning tool that provides the rotational force and teeth on a circumference of the central gear that mesh with teeth of smaller lug gears that are positioned around a circumference of the central gear and interface with the lug sockets of the lug nut interface plate;
and,
a release pin that when pushed facilitates connection and disconnection between the lug nut interface plate and the turning force interface plate.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-lug socket tool

Life of this patent

Multi-lug socket tool

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16