Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head

Details Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head Reversible ratcheting tool with a smaller head

1999-12-16

2002-08-13

Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)

Tools

Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor

Handle clutched to head

C081S062000, C081S063000, C081S063100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06431031

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reversible ratcheting tool having a smaller head for convenient use in a limited space.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,957,462 to Kress issued on May 8, 1934 discloses a ratchet wrench including a ratchet wheel
24
housed in a cylindrical recess
23
in the head
22
. A pawl
25
is mounted in a second cylindrical recess
26
in the head
22
for controlling movement of the ratchet wheel
24
. The pawl
25
is retained in place by a spring-biased plunger
41
. Upon rotation of a thumb-piece
58
connected to the pawl
25
, the pawl
25
is movable between two positions and thus provides driving and ratcheting of a socket in opposite directions. The pawl
25
is pivoted through a relatively long distance in the head
22
, i.e., the head
22
must be relatively large to allow pivotal movement of the pawl
25
. Furthermore, the pawl
25
engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel
24
by only two teeth, i.e., the wrench is not capable of bearing high torque.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,720 to Shiel issued on May 11, 1982 discloses a socket wrench including a drive ring
30
, a pawl
50
mounted in a recess
52
in the head
21
of the socket wrench and having two toothed portions
56
and
57
, and an external latch handle
53
for controlling position of the pawl
50
, thereby optionally causing a desired one of the toothed portions
56
and
57
to engage with a ratcheted outer peripheral portion
48
of the drive ring
30
and thus changing the ratcheting direction. Nevertheless, there are too many components in this socket wrench, and the head
21
is relatively large, as it has to receive the components. Processing and assembly for the components are both troublesome and time-consuming. In addition, transmission between the elements for changing the ratcheting direction is not reliable, as the latch handle
53
does not directly actuate the pawl
50
. Furthermore, each toothed portion
56
,
57
has only two teeth, i.e., the socket wrench is not capable of bearing high torque.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,062 to Colvin issued on May 6, 1997 discloses a ratchet wrench including a drive gear
48
mounted in a head
44
thereof. A reversing pawl
60
is mounted in the head
44
and has teeth
62
for engaging the drive teeth
50
of the drive gear
48
to provide driving and ratcheting of the socket
22
in opposite directions that are reversible by movement of the reversing pawl between two positions under control of a reversing lever
102
. The reversing pawl
60
is pivoted through a relatively long distance in the head
44
, i.e., the head must be large enough to allow pivotal movement of the reversing pawl
60
. Furthermore, the pawl
60
engages with the teeth
50
of the drive gear
48
by only two teeth, i.e., the wrench is not capable of bearing high torque.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,033 to Chow issued on Aug. 9, 1988 discloses a ratchet wrench including a drive head
30
with inner ratchet teeth
42
. A core assembly
34
is rotatably mounted in the drive head
30
and has a tool-coupling stud
56
. Mounted in the core assembly
34
is a pawl
46
that engages with the teeth
42
. Upon rotation of a control plate
60
, the pawl
46
is movable between two positions and thus provides driving and ratcheting of a socket in opposite directions via transmission of an intercoupling, resilient, spring-like wire
104
that is mounted in the core assembly. The pawl
46
engages with the teeth
42
by about five teeth and thus may bear higher torque. Nevertheless, the user must use both hands to switch the ratcheting direction. In addition, there are too many components in this wrench, and the head must be relatively large for receiving the components and allowing movement of the pawl
46
. Processing and assembly for these components are both troublesome and time-consuming. Furthermore, the wire
104
tends to malfunction as a result of fatigue and thus fails to provide the required switching direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,697 to Moetteli issued on Jun. 4, 1985 discloses a ratchet wrench including a holed head
22
′ having inner ratchet teeth
30
′. Mounted in the head
22
′ is a drive member
32
′ with a hexagonal drive portion
36
′. Also mounted in the head
22
′ is a pawl
54
′ having a first set of ratchet teeth
58
′ and a second set of ratchet teeth
60
′ for selectively engaging with the teeth
30
′. A reverser plate
70
′ is mounted on top of the drive member
32
′ and includes two reverser pins
74
′ for connection with the pawl
54
′. The ratcheting action is reversible by merely moving the reverser pins
74
′. Nevertheless, there are too many components in this wrench, and the head is large, as it has to receive the components. In addition, processing and assembly are both troublesome and time-consuming. Furthermore, the pawl
54
′ engages with the teeth
30
′ by only two teeth, i.e., the wrench is not capable of bearing high torque.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,014 to Sandrick issued on Aug. 22, 1967 discloses a ratchet wrench including a head
10
provided with internal periphery ratchet teeth
15
. Mounted in the head
10
is a double-ended pawl
26
that is pivotable by a spring pressed plunger
38
. Upon rotation of a finger piece
36
, the pawl
26
is movable between two positions and thus provides driving and ratcheting of a socket in opposite directions. Nevertheless, there are too many components in this wrench, and the head is large, as it has to receive the components. In addition, processing and assembly are both troublesome and time-consuming. The pawl
26
engages with the teeth
15
by only three teeth, i.e., the wrench is not capable of bearing high torque. Furthermore, the user must use both hands to switch the ratcheting direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,869 to Chow issued on Sep. 8, 1992 discloses a ratchet wrench including a handle with two box ends each having a ratchet wheel
12
mounted therein. A pawl
20
is engaged with each ratchet wheel
12
. A knob
30
is mounted in a middle of the handle and receives a disc
40
that is connected to each pawl
20
by two resilient members
26
. When the knob
30
and the disc
40
are rotated, the first toothed section
22
and the second toothed section
23
of each pawl
20
are caused to engage with the associated ratchet wheel
12
via transmission by the resilient members
26
, thereby controlling the torque transmission direction of the ratchet wheel
12
. Nevertheless, the resilient plates
26
tend to malfunction as a result of fatigue. In addition, position of each pawl
25
cannot be precisely controlled. The handle structure is weak, as it must be machined to provide a space for receiving the knob
30
, the resilient members
26
, and the pawls
25
. Furthermore, each pawl
25
engages with the ratchet wheel
12
by only two teeth, i.e., the wrench is not capable of bearing high torque.
FIG. 18
of the drawings illustrates a conventional ratcheting tool
10
′ including a head
11
′ having a first compartment
121
′ for receiving a drive member
20
′ with a ratchet wheel
21
′, a second compartment
122
′ for receiving a pawl
30
′, and a third compartment
123
′ for receiving a switch block
40
′. The pawl
30
′ includes teeth
31
′ formed on a first side thereof for engaging with teeth of the ratchet wheel
21
′. The switch block
40
′ includes a first side having two operative sections
416
′ for selectively bearing against a second side of the pawl
30
′. A second side of the switch block
40
′ includes two arcuate grooves
414
′. A thumb piece
42
′ includes a stem
421
′ that extends through a hole
13
′ in the head
11
′, a vertical hole
413
′ in the switch block
40
′, and a hole
71
′ of a cover
70
′. A spring
61
′ is mounted in a cavity
14
′ i

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