US2746331A - Reversible ratchet wrench with supplementary drive means - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1956 AN 2,746,331

REVERSIBLE RATCHET WRENCH WITH SUPPLEMENTARY DRIVE MEANS Filed Aug. 11, 1954 25 g 4 47 Q 34 g 35 O O 57 O O 9 3i t /'23 -H 52 42 INVENTOR; Hare/a Andersen. 72 I 2 BY 6/ b2 ATTORNEYS.

REVERSIBLE RATCHET WRENCH KIITH SUPPLE- This invention relates to a reversible ratchet wrench or similar. tool, provided with supplementary drive means, for running-up and tightening fastening devices, for ex ample the nut on the threaded shank of a bolt, and has for its principal object to provide a tool of this character adapted for remote operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a ratchet wrenchor similar tool with rotatable means for turning a fastening device and means for remotely actuating the rotatable means in cooperation with theratchet mechanism; to provide a ratchet wrench with means for eifecting rotation of a fastening device in a continuous direction when desired; to provide a wrench. that maybe ni States P ent '0' operated in either direction to quicklyrun-up and tighten a fastening device or to loosen and eflectrapid removal thereof; to provide a ratchet wrench with means for over-running the ratchet mechanism for quick running-up or removing the fastening device; and to provide a wrench of this character that is of simple construction and easily manipulated.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein: i

Fig. lis a view illustrating use of a wrench constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the wrench with the figure shortened for convenience.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the wrench with the head of the wrench shown in section to better illustrate the construction. r i p i Fig. 4 is a section through the head of the wrench taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

1 designates a wrench constructed inaccordance with the present invention and which includes a substantially elongated arm or staff 2 having a head 3 on one end thereof. The head 3 may be of any convenient shape but is shown in the drawing as having substantially flat face sides 4 and 5 and a rounding end 6 terminating in sides 7 and 8' converging slightly toward the juncture of the head with the staff or arm 2. Opening inwardly of the head from theface side 5 is a substantially cylindrical recess 9 terminating in a flat bottom 10 having a coaxial opening 11 extending through the opposite face side 4 of the wrench head. Rotatably mounted within the recess 9 is a ratchet wheel 12 having a hub 13 journalled within the opening 11 with theend face 14 of the hub extending slightly beyond the plane of the face 4. The

opposite face 14' of the ratchet wheel carries a hub 15 that is rotatably mounted within an opening 16 of a cover plate 17 which covers the open side of the recess 9 and a similar intersecting recess 18 which contains a pawl 19. The pawl 19 has an arcuate face 20 terminating on one diametrical side in laterally spaced teeth 21 and 22 which are adapted to engage alternately the teeth 23 on the ratchet wheel. The pawl 19 is fixed to a pin 24 having its ends journalled in an opening 25 at the 2,746,331 Patented a 22, 1956 Q2 bottom of the recess 18, and an opening 26 in the cover plate 17 as best shown in Fig. 3. One end of the pin 24 projects from the head of the wrench and carries a lever 27 by which the pawl may be turned to its respective positions. The pawl is yieldingly retained in its respective positions by a pin 28 slidable within a bore 29 that is formed within the wrenchhead as best shown in Figs. land 4. The pin 28 has a rounded end 30 adapted to engage in one or the other of recesses 31 and 32 that are provided in the arcuate face 20 of the pawl. The pin is yieldingly retained in position. with respect to therecesses 31 and 32 by a coil spring 33 having one end bearing against .the. bottom of the bore 29 and the other end bearing against the pin 28.

The cover plate17 is retained in position on the wrench head by fastening devices such as screws 34 and 35 that extend through openings in the cover plate and into threaded openings of the wrench head on the respec: tive sides of the recess 18.

, The hub 15 carries a coaxial polygonal shaped shank h or lug 3 6 for removably attaching a wrench socket 37.

The wrench socket 37 has a hub 38 provided with an axial recess 39 of the same cross sectional shape as the a: the like.

The structurethus far described follows the construction of aratchet wrench and is operated by placing the socket over the nut 42 and oscillating the arm or staff 2 in back-and-forth directions to cause a tooth of the pawl to ride idly over the teeth of the ratchet wheel when the arm 2 is moved in one direction and to engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel for partially turning the nut when the arm is swung in the opposite direction. The nut is thus applied to the bolt ina step-by-step rotation of the socket 37 through the ratchet wheel 12 and consequently the arm requires many oscillatory movements to run-up the nut 42 on the shank of the bolt prior to tightening thereof.

,The present invention therefore contemplates provi-. sion 'of the wrench with asupplementary drive means for effecting rotation of the ratchet wheel 12 in overrunning relation with the pawl 19 whereby the socket is turned continuously in a direction to run the nut on the shank of the bolt after which the arm of the-wrench may be operated in a conventional manner to tighten the nut. The invention also contemplates operation of the rotating means from the end of the staff 2 opposite the head 3 whereby the nut rotating means may be remotely operated so as topermit use of the wrench in running-up and tightening fastening devices which are ordinarily out of reach of the workman.

In accomplishing these objects, a driven member 44 is connected with the end face of the hub 13 of the ratchet wheel 12 by fastening devices such as screws 45 and 46. In theillustrated instance, the driven member comprises a sprocket having teeth 47.. The inner-face side of the sprocket has: a hub 48 to spacethe teeth from the side face of the wrenchhead. The screws 45 and 46 extend through diametrically spacedopenings 49 in the sprocket end into internally threaded openings 50 in the hub of the ratchet wheel as shown in Fig. 3..

Adjustably mounted on the handle end 51 of the arm, that is, the end opposite the wrench head, is a sleeve 52 carrying a lug 53 that mounts a stub shaft 54. Rotatable upon the stub shaft 54 in alignment with the teeth of the sprocket 47 is a driving member or sprocket 55 having teeth 56.

Operating over the respective sprockets is a flexible connection such as an endless chain 57.

In order to tighten the chain, the sleeve 52 has a laterally extending lug 58 carrying a threaded rod 59 extending through a lug 6t) projecting from a ring 61 on the arm 2. The threaded rod 59 carries a head 62 by which the rod may be threaded through the lug 58. The ring 61 is sleeved over the terminal end of the arm and secured thereto by a fastening device such as a set screw 63. It is obvious that by rotating the head 62, the rod 59 will move the sleeve 52 on the arm 2 to and from the head of the wrench, depending upon the direction of rotation, to tighten or loosen the chain 57 as requred. After adjustment, the sleeve 52 is anchored to the arm 2 by means of a set screw 64.

The driving sprocket is turned by a crank 65 which is mounted on a reduced threaded extension 67 of the stub shaft 54 and retained thereon by a washer 68 and nut 69 applied to the threaded extension, the nut being secured against rotation by a cotter pin "iii. The crank is fixed to the face of the sprocket by fastening devices such as screws '71. The crank has a handle 22 to effect turning thereof on the staff.

In using the wrench constructed and assembled as described, a wrench socket 37 of the proper size is slipped onto the lug 36, and retained as in usual practice by a spring pressed latch 68. The Wrench is then gripped by the free end of the arm 2 and the wrench socket 37 is engaged over a nut 42 that is out of normal reach of the operator, as for example, when running-up and tightening the nuts on bolts securing together the sheets of a bolted tank as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The crank 65 is then rotated to turn the sprocket 55 and drive the sprocket 44 to effect rotation of the ratchet wheel 12 and socket 37 in a continuous direction for running-up the nut on the shank of the bolt. The arm 2 of the ratchet wrench is then oscillated in a manner of a conventional ratchet wrench to tighten the nut after which the wrench is removed and moved to the fastening device.

The wrench may be used in a similar manner to loosen and rapidly remove the fastening devices by switching the pawl 19 to effect engagement of the other tooth thereof with the teeth 23 of the ratchet Wheel 12 so that oscillation of the arm 2 effects step-by-step turning of the socket to loosen the nut after which the crank is rotated in reversed direction to rotate the wrench socket until the nut is removed from the shank of the bolt.

While I have specifically illustrated the invention as carried out in a wrench, it is obvious that it may be used for turning valve spindles and other rotatable means out of reach of the operator. When other means is to be operated it is only necessary to substitute the proper shaped socket or grip for the wrench socket 40. When, for example, a valve stem is to be actuated the socket would fit a part of the valve spindle, The ratchet mechanism would be first used to start unseating of the valving member or to tighten the valving member and the intermediate movements would be accomplished by means of the crank.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A wrench of the character described, including a head having flat side faces and provided with a recess opening inwardly from one side face and terminating short of'the other side face to form a wall having a bearing opening therein, a ratchet Wheel in said recess and having a hub on one side rotatably mounted in said bearing opening and having a hub projecting from the opposite side of said ratchet wheel, a plate closing the open side of the recess and having a bearing opening in which the last-named hub is journalled, said ratchet wheel being of a width relative tothe recess for restricting axial movement of the ratchet wheel in said hub, a driven sprocket having a hub for engaging the end of the hub projecting through the bearing opening in said wall, fastening devices spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel and extending through the driven sprocket and into the hub of the ratchet wheel for clamping the driven sprocket to the hub of the ratchet wheel while maintaining a free rotating fit of the ratchet wheel in said recess of the head, a shank on the other of said hubs, a wrench socket removably mounted on said shank, a pawl in said head engagable with teeth of the ratchet wheel, an arm extending from the head and adapted to be oscillated on the axis of'the ratchet wheel to effect step by step rotation of the ratchet Wheel for turning the wrench socket, a driving sprocket, means for rotatably mounting the driving sprocket on the end portion of the arm opposite said head, a chain operating over the driving and driven sprockets, and a crank connected to the driving sprocket to effect continuous rotation of the ratchet wheel in over-running relation to the pawl to effect a continuous rotation of the wrench socket.

2. A wrench of the character described, including a head having fiat side faces and provided with a recess opening inwardly from one side face and terminating short of the other side face to form a wall having a bearing opening therein, a ratchet wheel in said recess and having a hub on one side rotatably mounted in said bearing opening and having a hub projecting from the opposite side of said ratchet wheel, a plate closing the open side of the recess and having a bearing opening in which the last-named hub is journalled, said ratchet wheel being of a width relative to the recess for restricting axial movement of the ratchet wheel. in said hub, a driven sprocket having a hub for engaging the end of the hub projecting through the bearing opening in said wall, fastening devices spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel and extending through the driven sprocket and into the hub of the ratchet wheel for clamping the driven sprocket to the hub of the ratchet wheel while maintaining a free rotating fit of the ratchet wheel in said recess of the head, a shank on the other of said hubs, a wrench socket removably mounted on said shank, a pawl in said head and engagable with teeth of the ratchet wheel, an arm extending from the head and adapted to be oscillated on the axis of the ratchet wheel to effect step by step rotation of the ratchet wheel for turning the wrench socket, a driving sprocket, a. sleeve slidable on the arm and having a laterally projecting stub shaft, a driving sprocket on the stub shaft, a chain operating over the sprockets, a crank connected to the driving sprocket to effect continuous rotation of the ratchet wheel in over-running relation to the pawl to effect a continuous rotation of the wrench socket, and arod having a headed end rotatable in a lug on the arm and a threaded end engaging in an internally threaded part of the sleeve to adjust the position of the sleeve on the arm for tightening the chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,801 McCarthy Dec. 26, 1939 2,600,177 Able et al lune 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 620,231 France Jan. 15, 1927 642,558 France May 6, 1928 695,128 Great Britain Aug 5, 1953 962,575 France Dec. 12, 1949

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