GB2176726A - Spanner - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a spanner which has a handle 1, two looped heads 2, 3 at each end of the handle 1 respectively, whore each head 2, 3 is 5 in an arrangement that the opposite flat end faces (21, 22), (31, 32) of each heads 2, 3 are inclined with respect to the axis of the handle 1 for manipulating two sizes of nuts so that protrusions or obstacles encountered while removing nuts or bolts may be overcome. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spanner The present invention concerns spanners, and more particulary those hand tools which are equipped with head portions of different dimensions for manipulating more than one size of nuts or bolts, and in which the two opposite flat end faces of each head portion are inclined with respect to the axis of the tool handle for practical convenience.

Among the spanners of this character which have been previously known is one in which there are two looped heads, one at each end, for manipulating two different sizes of nuts or bolts. One must have a large collection of different sized spanners for manipulating different sizes of nuts and bolts, which is inconvenient in practical use and costs more for the consumer due to the fact that he must buy a great number of tools.

Fig. 1 is an embodiment of a prior spanner 50 for manipulating a nut 301 which is tightly attached to a working surface 80. The spanner 50 includes a handle 52 and two head portions 53 for manipulating two different sizes of nuts or bolts.

The handle 52 further includes two inclined portions 54 with respect to the axis of the handle 52, each of which is connected to the head portion 53, wherein the two inclined portions 54 can form an inclined angle Oa with respect to the working surface 80 while removing the nut 21 for convenience if obstacles are encountered.

Fig. 2a is another embodiment of a prior spanner 60 disciosed in French Patent No. 1169857, comprising a handle 61, two looped head portions 62,63, one at each end of the handle 61 respectively, where both heads 62, 63 are in an arrangement such that each has two different cross-sections 621, 622 and 631, 632 of the looped portion for manipulating respectively two different sizes of nuts or bolts. Fig.

2b shows a nut 20 on the working surface 80 being manipulated by the spanner 60. The nut 20 is difficult to manipulate due to the fact that the spanner 60 has to be laid along the working surface 80 and, therefore, it is rather difficult to hold the handle 61.

If the head portions 62,63 are combined with the handle 11 of the embodiment which is shown in Fig.

1, neither of the head portions 62,63 can be used for manipulating two kinds of nut so that the user cannot apply the spanner advantageously.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the deficiences and disadvantages of the prior art by creating a tool which is simple in construction and convenient to use.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide at a reasonably low cost for the consumer a structure with a minimum of elements in which there are two separate spanners held with a single handle or body.

According to the invention, a spanner comprises a handle and two looped heads provided at each end of the handle respectively. Each of the looped heads has two opposite flat end faces and a looped inner surface extending from one of the opposite flat end faces to the other flat end face. The inner surface has a first looped portion of a first cross-section and a second looped portion of a second cross-section smaller than the first cross-section, so that each of the looped heads can be used for manipulating two diffrerent sizes of nuts or bolts. Because the first and second cross-sections of each looped head are designed with different dimensions, the invention can be used for manipulating four different sizes of nuts or bolts.

The spanner of this invention can be used conveniently in a situation where a screw projects through the nut or bolt because the tool has throughholes in its heads.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an embodiment of a prior spanner; Fig. 2a is another embodiment of a prior spanner; Fig. 2b shows a nut on a working surface being removed by the spanner of Fig. 2, wherein the spanner has to be laid along the working surface so it is rather difficult to hold the handle; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the invention; Fig. 4 is a side-section view of the invention showing each cross-section ofthe looped head according to the invention; Fig. 5 is a preferred embodiment of the invention appiied in manipulating a nut with the smaller crosssection portion of the first looped head where a screw projects upward from the nut; and Fig. 6 is a preferred embodiment of the invention applied in manipulating a nut with the larger crosssection portion of the first looped head where a screw projects upward from the nut.

The following is a detailed description of the best presently contemplated embodiment of the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 in conjunction with Fig. and Fig. 6, an improved spanner provides a handle 1 and two looped heads 2,3 provided at each end of the handle 1 respectively. Each of the looped hads 2, 3 has two opposite flat end faces (21, 22) and (31,32) and a looped inner surface extending from one of the flat end faces (21), (31) to the other flat end face (22), (32). The inner surface has a first looped portion (23), (33) which has a first crosssection (231), (331) and a second looped portion (24), (34) which has a second cross-section (241), (341) smaller than the first cross-section (231), (341) so that each of the looped heads (2), (3) can be used for manipulting two different sizes of nuts or bolts.

The looped heads (2), (3) also may be designed in a polygon shape according to the nuts.

Referring to Fig. 4, the two opposite flat end faces (21,22), (31,32) are inclined with respect to the axis of the handle 1 at an appropriate angle (01,02), (03, 04) respectively according to the various obstacles encountered while removing nuts or bolts. The angle 01,02,03 and 04 may be designed in an equal range or a different range according to the various obstaces encountered while removing nuts or bolts.

The above-described arrangement of the invention has advantages when protrusions or obstacles are on the working surface obstructing the manipulation of the nuts or bolts.

Referring to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the two looped heads (2), (3) are designed with a throughhole so that the spanner is convenient to use when manipulating the nut 5, 5' even if a screw 51, 51 ' is projected upward from it.

While this invention has been described with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures.

Claims (6)

1. A spanner comprising: a handle; and two looped heads provided at each end of said handle respectively, each said looped head having two opposite flat end faces, and a looped inner surface extending from one said flat end face to the other said flat end face, wherein said inner surface has a first looped portion of a first cross-section and a second looped portion of a second cross-section smaller than said first cross-section, and said flat end faces of each said looped head are inclined with respect to the axis of said handle for manipulating two different sizes of nuts or bolts when various protrusions or obstacles are encountered while removing said nuts or bolts.

2. A spanner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of said looped heads has throughholes of polygonal cross-section.

3. A spanner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of said looped heads has a toothed inner surface.

4. A spanner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of said first and second cross-section are of different dimensions for manipulating four different sizes of nuts or bolts.

5. A spanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said looped heads is designed with a throughhole for manipulating said nut with a screw projecting upward from it.

6. A spanner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.