Socket insert adapter and method of use

A mechanical arrangement for electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically tightening, loosening or removing nuts and bolts of various sizes, the mechanical arrangement comprising:

• a socket driver configured to receive and to be rotatively driven by a torque force from at least one of electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means, wherein the torque force generated by the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means is greater than a torque force of 1,000 foot pounds;
• a driver body of the socket driver that includes one or more walls that define a driver cavity;
• a plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters that are configured to be rotatively driven by the socket driver, and to receive the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver, for tightening, loosening, or removing the nuts and bolts of various sizes, a given one hollow-shaped socket insert adapter of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters including at least:
• an outer configuration that has a shape and a size to conform to and to fit into the driver cavity, the outer configuration defining at least four outer flat walls that intersect to define a multi-sided closed polygonal shape, the intersections of the at least four outer flat walls defining a at least four non-protruding rounded outer corners that do not protrude beyond the intersections of the at least four outer flat walls, the outer configuration being shaped to allow the at least four outer flat walls of the outer configuration to contact and engage, and the at least four non-protruding rounded outer corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the one or more walls defining the cavity of the socket body of the socket driver, wherein the at least four non-protruding rounded outer corners of the outer configuration configure the outer configuration to fit into and to receive torque at least via a socket driver cavity that does not include rounded inner corners;
• and
• an inner configuration that:
• has a shape and size to conform to and to fit on a head portion of a given nut or bolt to be driven and wherein the shape of the inner configuration is a closed hollow shape;
• and
• includes at least four inner flat walls and at least four rounded inner corners, the inner configuration being shaped to allow the at least four flat walls of the inner configuration to contact and engage, and the at least four rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the head portion of the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• and
• wherein the flat walls and rounded outer and inner corners increase the ability of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver and to transmit the torque force to the given nut or bolt to be driven.

A method of driving nuts and bolts with a socket driver, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a nut or bolt to be driven;
• checking the size of the selected nut or bolt to be driven;
• selecting an appropriate socket insert adapter to fit the nut or bolt to be driven, wherein the socket insert adapter comprises rounded inner corners and rounded outer corners and the rounded inner corners and rounded outer corners configure the socket insert adapter, at least in part, to receive and transmit a torque force greater than 1,000 foot pounds;
• placing the socket insert adapter inside a cavity of the socket driver;
• mating the socket insert adapter with the socket driver without contacting the rounded outer corners;
• mating the selected nut or bolt without contacting the inner rounded corners of the socket insert adapter;
• and
• applying at least 1000 foot pounds of torque to the socket driver to drive the selected nut or bolt, torque being applied via at least one of electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic means;
• and
• wherein the socket insert adapter is mated to a cavity of the socket driver, the cavity defined by one or more flat walls that intersect at rounded inner corners that configure the socket driver, at least in part, to provide torque to the socket insert adapter without contacting the rounded outer corners of the socket insert adapter.

A mechanical arrangement for electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically tightening, loosening or removing nuts and bolts of various sizes, the mechanical arrangement comprising:

• a socket driver configured to receive and to be rotatively driven by a torque force from at least one of electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means, wherein the torque force generated by the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic means is greater than 1,000 foot pounds;
• a plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters that are configured to be rotatively driven by the socket driver, and to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver, for tightening, loosening, or removing the nuts and bolts of various sizes, a given one hollow-shaped socket insert adapter of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters comprising:
• an outer configuration that has a shape and a size to conform to and to fit into a cavity of a socket driver body of the socket driver;
• an inner configuration that:
• has a shape and size to conform to and to fit on a head portion, having outside corners, of a given nut or bolt to be driven and wherein the shape of the inner configuration is a closed hollow shape;
• and
• includes at least four or more inner flat walls and four or more rounded inner corners, the inner configuration being shaped to allow the at least four or more inner flat walls of the inner configuration to contact and engage, and the four or more rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the outside corners of the head portion of the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• wherein the flat walls and rounded inner corners increase the ability of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver and to transmit the torque force to the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• and
• wherein the cavity of the socket driver body is being defined, at least in part by a plurality of four or more flat inner walls that intersect at four or more rounded inner corners, the cavity of the socket driver body is shaped to allow the at least four or more flat inner walls of the cavity to contact and engage, and the four or more rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the outer configuration of the given one hollow-shaped socket insert adapter of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters.

A mechanical arrangement for electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically tightening, loosening or removing nuts and bolts of various sizes, the mechanical arrangement comprising:

• a socket driver configured to receive and to be rotatively driven by a torque force from at least one of electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means, wherein the torque force generated by the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic means is greater than 1,000 foot pounds;
• a plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters that are configured to be rotatively driven by the socket driver, and to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver, for tightening, loosening, or removing the nuts and bolts of various sizes, a given one hollow-shaped socket insert adapter of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters comprising:
• an outer configuration that has a shape and a size to conform to and to fit into a cavity of a socket driver body of the socket driver;
• an inner configuration that:
• has a shape and size to conform to and to fit on a head portion, having outside corners, of a given nut or bolt to be driven and wherein the shape of the inner configuration is a closed hollow shape;
• and
• includes at least four or more inner flat walls and four or more rounded inner corners, the inner configuration being shaped to allow the at least four or more inner flat walls of the inner configuration to contact and engage, and the four or more rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the outside corners of the head portion of the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• wherein the flat walls and rounded inner corners increase the ability of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver and to transmit the torque force to the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• and
• wherein the outer configuration defines at least four outer flat walls that intersect to define a multi-sided closed polygonal shape, the intersections of the at least four outer flat walls defining at least four chamfered outer corners;
• and
• the cavity of the socket driver body is defined by at least four flat inner walls that intersect to define at least four rounded inner corners, the cavity of the socket driver body being shaped to allow the flat inner walls of the cavity to contact and engage, and the at least four rounded inner corners of the cavity to avoid contacting and engaging, the at least four chamfered outer corners.

A mechanical arrangement for electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically tightening, loosening or removing nuts and bolts of various sizes, the mechanical arrangement comprising:

• a socket driver configured to receive and to be rotatively driven by a torque force from at least one of electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means, wherein the torque force generated by the electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic means is greater than 1,000 foot pounds;
• a plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters that are configured to be rotatively driven by the socket driver, and to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver, for tightening, loosening, or removing the nuts and bolts of various sizes, a given one hollow-shaped socket insert adapter of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters comprising:
• an outer configuration that has a shape and a size to conform to and to fit into a cavity of a socket driver body of the socket driver;
• an inner configuration that:
• has a shape and size to conform to and to fit on a head portion, having outside corners, of a given nut or bolt to be driven and wherein the shape of the inner configuration is a closed hollow shape;
• and
• includes at least four or more inner flat walls and four or more rounded inner corners, the inner configuration being shaped to allow the at least four or more inner flat walls of the inner configuration to contact and engage, and the four or more rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the outside corners of the head portion of the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• wherein the flat walls and rounded inner corners increase the ability of the plurality of hollow-shaped socket insert adapters to receive the electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic torque force via the socket driver and to transmit the torque force to the given nut or bolt to be driven;
• and
• wherein the outer configuration defines at least four outer flat walls that intersect to define at least four rounded outer corners;
• and
• one or more inner walls defining the cavity of the socket body of the socket driver that intersect at rounded inner corners, the cavity of the socket driver body being shaped to allow the one or more inner walls of the cavity to contact and engage, and the rounded inner corners to avoid contacting and engaging, the rounded outer corners of the outer configuration.