US1977323A - Attachment for screw drivers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1934. J. c. MORGAN 1,977,323

ATTACHMENT FOR SCREW DRIVERS Filed May 10, 1930 f/Wf/WOR Jo/m C 772 mm ($548 Mffozvzqy.

Patented Get. 16, 1934 UNFTED STATES OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an attachment for screw drivers whereby a screw is securely held in relation to a screw driver while the screw is being started in position.

An object of the invention is to provide a screw holding attachment for screw drivers and which attachment may be conveniently and securely attached to, and removed from the shank of screw drivers now on the market and which while it is required for use will remain securely in the operative position, but which may, nevertheless, be

easily and quickly removed from the shank of the tool when its use is no longer required.

An object is to provide an attachment for a screw driver which has a superior screw engaging portion which may be depended upon to hold the screw driver slot therein in proper alignment and engagement with the screw driver blade at the beginning of the operation of screwing the same down as required and which may be so connected with the screw driver as to be readily removed so that it will be out of the way to permit the screw to be screwed completely into place.

Another object is to provide an attachment of the character stated which may be readily stamped out of sheet metal and can therefore, be manufactured at a very low cost.

Another object is to provide a screw holding attachment for screw drivers which is adapted to be manufactured from a single piece of sheet metal or wire and which will, therefore, be of such a simple and substantial character that it can be used for a long time without breaking or in any way becoming unfit for use.

Simplicity, cheapness and ease of operation are other objects and advantages.

A further object is to provide a novel attachment for screw drivers now in common use whereby a screw may be steadied for initially starting the screw in the mamrial to which it is to be applied, without requiring any change or modification to the screw driver itself.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detail description and the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention in some of the forms that I at present deem preferable.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screw driver showing the attachment secured thereto in position for use, a screw being shown in dotted lines to indicate the operative relation of the screw driver and attachment thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1, the handle and upper portion of the shank of the screw driver being broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line w-a, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective enlarged detail view of co. the attachment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective enlarged detail View of a modification of the attachment wherein the same is formed from a single piece of wire instead of from sheet metal.

Referring in detail to the drawing and describing first the form of invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 inclusive, the attachment A consists of a body portion 7, a bifurcated foot portion 8 and an upper or head portion 9, the latter being 70. provided with suitable securing means in the form of a pair of co-operating resilient arms 10 adapted to clamp between them the shank 11 of the screw driver 12.

Said spaced arms 10 are each curved inwardly toward the other, their outer edges normally being spaced apart a distance considerably less than the diameter of the shank 11 of the screw driver, so that when they are forced over the screw driver shank, they are firmly sprung thereagainst, thus preventing the attachment from being accidentally displaced during use.

When the attachment is made of sheet metal, the body portion 7 thereof will desirably taper somewhat from the foot portion 8 toward the 5 head 9 thereof. By thus forming the attachment, the foot portion 8 may be made sufiiciently Wide to provide ample room for a screw engaging recess 14 with which it is provided. The recess 14 is of a sufiicient depth and width to receive the screw shank and to permit the head of a screw when positioned therein, to come into contact with the adjacent end portion of the body of the attachment, so that the workmen may more effectively control the position of the screw while he is using the tool. At each side of the recess 14, the outer sides of the arms or fingers b of the foot portion 8 are preferably rounded as at 15 thus adapting it to be inserted into a relatively narrow space if necessary to engage the shank 10 of a screw 16 which is to be operated upon by the bit or blade 17 of the screw driver. Said foot portion 8 is bent up at a substantially right angle with relation to the body portion '7 of the attachment and is directed toward the same side thereof 5 as the pair of arms 10 at the other end of the attachment. This arrangement of the parts adds to the convenience of manufacture, because the foot portion 8 and arms 10 may be bent out from the body portion 7 of the attachment by the same movement or stroke of a die. The body portion 7 is preferably concaved so as to add to the rigidity thereof.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the attachment wherein the same is made entirely from a single piece of wire. In this form of the invention the two end portions of the wire are for a considerable distance, twisted upon each other, thus forming the shank or body portion 20 of the attachment, the free end portions of the wire forming the co-operative arms 21 which engage opposite sides of the screw with which it is to be used. These feet 21 are as in the form first described, directed outwardly from the body portion 20 at substantially right angles thereto. At the other end of the body portion 20, the wire is bent in such a manner as to form the attaching head 25 which corresponds to the attaching head 9 of the modification first described. In forming said head 25, the middle portion of the wire is bent to form an outwardly C-shaped curve 28, the cusps of this curve being at each side joined to a straight wire run 29 and each of these wire runs 29 being likewise joined to a corresponding 0- shaped curve 30 at that side of the device. The space between the parallel wire runs 29 is considerably less than the diameter of the shank of a screw driver for which the attachment is intended, in order that when sprung into place upon the shank, it may be depended upon to remain in operative position. In the form of the invention just described, the wire runs 29 together with the end portions of the curves 28 and 30, constitute spring arms or fingers which function similarly to the resilient arms 10 of the form first described.

The feet 21 in the wire form of the device should be spaced apart from each other so as to properly fit the screw, the space between these feet being substantially the same as the space across the recess 14 in the foot portion of the sheet metal form of the device.

The operation of the device is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 where the attachment is shown in proper position for holding steady the shank of the screw, for example a wood screw, while being operated upon by the screw driver. The position shown in said Figures 1 and 2 is that which the appliance will ordinarily assume when a screw is associated therewith for use or when screwed down near to its head in the material to which it is being applied. After the screw has been inserted a sufficient distance to steady itself, the operator pulls upwardly on the screw driver and the attachment will slide upon the screw driver shank 11 by reason of the arms I) engaging under the screw head. The screw driver and attachmentare then moved to one side so as to free the foot portion 8 from under the screw head and then the attachment may he slid upwardly on the shank 11 or completely removed so that it will not interfere with further operations in screwing the screw toits desired position.

The arms forming the head portions 9 or 25 will engage the shank of the screw driver to frictionally secure said head portion to the screw driver shank in any position to which said attachment may be slid along said screw driver shank.

From what has been said with regard to the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the operation of the modified form thereof will be readily understood.

I claim:

A screw holding attachment for screw drivers, wholly formed of wire, comprising a driver-shankembracing spring portion, a shank-paralleling portion of twisted wire and a screw holding portion, formed from the free ends of the wire, said ends being formed as cusps directed substantially at right angles to the twisted wire portion, said cusps being adapted to straddle a screw shank.

JOHN C. MORGAN.-

Images