Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Handle or shank
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-04-24
Meislin, D.S. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Handle or shank
C403S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220125
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a ratchet wrench, and more particularly to an angle adjusting device of the ratchet wrench.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the Taiwan Patent No. 82202299 discloses a ratchet wrench comprising a button
2
and a drive head
3
. The drive head
3
has a connection rod
4
which is received within an insertion hole
5
. The button
2
has a rack
1
, which is engaged with the insertion hole
5
in which a corresponding rack is provided. When the button
2
is pressed, the rack
1
of the button
2
is disengaged with the insertion hole
5
so as to enable the drive head
3
to be bent to form a predetermined angle with the handle
6
. As soon as the button
2
is relieved of the pressure exerting thereon, the button
2
is forced by the elastic force of a spring
7
to return to its original position. Such a prior art ratchet wrench as described above is defective in design in that the rack
1
of the button
2
is prone to displace and jam in the insertion hole
5
. In order to prevent the jamming of the rack
1
, it is necessary to turn the button
2
gently. The user of the prior art ratchet wrench is often annoyed by such inconvenience.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the Taiwan Patent Nos. 82210906 and 83206013 disclose respectively a ratchet wrench comprising a rod body
9
which is provided with a cam
8
for supporting an arresting member
10
so as to retain the drive head
11
. The rod body
9
is not provided with a means for causing the rod body
9
to return to its original position automatically. As a result, the user of such prior art ratchet wrenches must keep turning the rod body
9
at the same time as when the prior art ratchet wrenches are at work. In addition, the contact area of the drive head
11
and the arresting member
10
is smooth and is vulnerable to deformation.
Now referring to
FIG. 4
, the Taiwan Patent No. 8221506 discloses a ratchet wrench, which comprises a drive head
12
having two lugs
13
and a steel ball
14
located between the two lugs
13
. The steel ball
14
is intended to engage any one of the retaining slots
17
of the pivoting end
16
of the handle
15
. One of the two lugs
13
of the drive head
12
is provided with a hole
18
for receiving a spring pull member
19
which has a protruded rod
20
. The pivoting end
16
of the handle
15
is provided with a plurality of insertion holes
21
. The protruded rod
20
is inserted into one of the insertion holes
21
. In order to bend the drive head
12
, it is necessary to pull the spring pull member
19
so as to cause the protruded rod
20
to disengage the insertion hole
21
of the handle
15
. In the meantime, the steel ball
14
constantly supports any angle of any corresponding retaining slots
17
of the pivoting end
16
of the handle
15
.
It is therefore readily apparent that the prior art ratchet wrenches are complicated in construction and are therefore not cost-effective. In addition, the prior art ratchet wrenches can not be used with ease and convenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a ratchet wrench with an angle adjusting device which is free from the deficiencies of the prior art devices described above.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by an angle adjusting device comprising a drive head, a handle, and a button. The drive head has a pivoting end at one end thereof. The handle has two pivoting lugs for fastening the pivoting end of the drive head at one end thereof. The handle also has a receiving slot for disposing the button in conjunction with a spring and a steel ball at one end thereof. The button has an OFF center slot for receiving the spring, a notch corresponding in location to a ball slot of the pivoting end of the drive head, and an inclined plane. The button is supported by the spring such that the steel ball is forced by the inclined plane of the button to reside in the ball slot of the pivoting end of the drive head. As the button is pressed, the steel ball falls back into the notch of the button to enable the drive head to be adjusted angularly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2608894 (1952-09-01), Miller, Jr. et al.
patent: 4463632 (1984-08-01), Parke
patent: 4711145 (1987-12-01), Inoue
patent: 4794829 (1989-01-01), Mesenhoeller
patent: 4901608 (1990-02-01), Shieh
patent: 5862723 (1999-01-01), Rowlands
patent: 6000302 (1999-12-01), Chiang
patent: 6053076 (2000-04-01), Barnes
Harrison & Egbert
Meislin D.S.
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