Chucks or sockets – With magnetic or electrostatic means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-10-16
Bishop, Steven C. (Department: 3722)
Chucks or sockets
With magnetic or electrostatic means
C279S014000, C279S143000, C408S23900A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302409
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to accessories for rotating hand tools and more particularly to removable tool elements including an magnetic component.
Rapid tool change on rotating hand tools such as drills is a desirable feature because often several successive operation are required to complete a particular work sequence. For example to fasten a hard wood work piece with a screw might require the drilling of a pilot hole, and a clearance hole, reaming a countersink chamfer and finally driving the screw. All this while aligning and holding two work pieces,
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
One method of rapid tool change is the use of a hand-tightening chuck However, users have found that the forward and backward action of repeated operations loosens the jaws' grip. It is very annoying to have work interrupted because a tool bit fell out of the chuck. Often it is also permanently lost. Also, there is the time required for the repeated change-over and tightening operations because one tool has to be removed to be able to insert the other. A variety of reversible tools have been proposed where an adaptor is held in the chuck and a dual ended tool with a screwdriver bit and a drill bit is alternately used by flipping the tool end over end. As an example is here cited U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,015 to Pankow. A version where the flip-over tool is detached from the adaptor is marketed by several manufacturers. All share the disadvantage of adding to the length of the overall system. Usually only one end of the tool holder is changeable and fully magnetized. Rodin in U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,114 endeavors to drive a tool with the holes of the chuck with a second tool held ready in the jaws. A number of attempts have been made to drive a second drill by means of the screw driver bit in the chuck. Two such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,784 to Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,111 to Gutsche and U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,805 to Giffin, the latter using the familiar spring loaded blocking plate previously used in caulking guns and pipe clamps to secure the second tool and having four moving parts made up of seven components. The tools based on U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,937 to Gutsche and sold under the trade name Chuck-Mate use the sides of the chuck jaws to drive the second tool, in effect fitting two tools into the chuck at the same time. All these prior art devices have been cited to show how the here disclosed invention can enhance their performance. The present invention synergistically improves the above tools in the following manners: It shortens the length of dual-ended tools fitting into an adaptor by making the adaptor shaft hollow right to the end and thereby allowing the tool to reach deep into the chuck. The present invention's magnet combined with its two magnetized bits allows the tool to be held by magnetic force in the chuck, even if the jaws happen to have somewhat loosened, thus eliminating the possibility of unexpected tool loss. The Rodin, Giffin and other devices can be simplified by synergistically using the magnet's force to accomplish the above mentioned tasks and simultaneously helping to actuate the retaining mechanism of the additional tool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a quick-change tool element wherein at least two or more working tools are simultaneously attracted, held and served by one magnet.
A further object of the invention is to prevent loss of tool elements from the chuck of a hand drill where the grip of the jaws has somewhat slackened by bringing a magnetized bit into contact with the interior of the drill, while simultaneously holding a screw or other object by magnetism at the other, exposed end of the tool element.
A further object of the invention is to economically provide a strongly magnetized element for a tool system that will synergistically fulfill five magnetic functions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shortened quick change tool system by devising a hollow-shafted adaptor with a deep or through hole that allows longer tool elements to disappear deep into the chuck.
A further object of the invention is to provide a quick change tool system with a reduced number of loose bits by using a dual-ended, dual-magnetized basic element.
A further object of the invention is to provide a magnetic bit holder with an electro-magnet, giving the operator the possible choice to activate or de-activate the retaining means of the various elements by use of a switch operated by the one hand also holding the drill.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hand drill that is adapted to allow the operator to selectively retain slide-on tools by means of current provided from the hand drill.
Another object of the invention to provide both the fastest, most versatile and least costly tool change systems for hand drills.
The objects of the present invention are accomplished by the following preferred embodiments:
In one embodiment there is provided an first element for a tool system with an elongated member that is adapted to be gripped by the jaws or holding means of a tool holder or chuck, has at least one magnet disposed to be exposed to the ends of the elongated member, the magnet is disposed and adapted to simultaneously to attract the retaining means of second tool elements, hold two working bits, attract the band drill machine at one end and selected objects on the other end of the fist element.
In another preferred embodiment a second tool element is provided that slides over the first element of a tool system and is adapted to receive torque forces from the chuck of the drill machine.
In one embodiments the second tool element is equipped with tongues or prongs that are adapted to receive torque forces from the jaws and synergistically act as magnetically attractable retaining means.
In another preferred embodiment the outer surface of the first element for a tool system is shaped to transmit torque forces to a second tool element, and the second tool element is adapted to receive torque forces from the first element for a tool system and has means to be retained or locked on the first element for a tool system.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention the functioning of the retaining or locking means of the second tool element is at least in part helped by the action of the magnet of the first element of a tool system
In one embodiment of the second tool element, the retaining means that is magnetically assisted is at least one tongue or prong.
In another embodiment the retaining means that is magnetically assisted is a sap-in ball.
In another embodiment of the second tool element the retaining means is a magnetically activated loose washer.
In another preferred embodiment there is provided a third adaptor element that has a deep or through hole and is adapted to fit into —and to receive torque from— a chuck and is adapted to receive the first element of a tool system inside the deep hole and to transmit torque forces from the chuck to the first tool element.
In another preferred embodiment the third adaptor element has a cylindrical or round hole and at least one T-shaped slot that engages at least one pin on a first element of a tool system that,—upon rotation—, locks, and together with a magnet synergistically serve as retaining and torque transferring means.
In another embodiment the deep hole of the third adaptor element is of non-circular or hexagonal cross section and can transfer torque forces to a first element of a tool system that has a non circular or hexagonal shaped cross section.
In another embodiment the third adaptor element has retaining means in the form a ball and sliding sleeve arrangement to positively hold a first element of a tool system.
In another embodiment the magnet of the first element of a tool system is an electro-magnet, that either automatically works during the rotation a hand drill or is triggered separately and allows the operator to selectively activate the magnetically attractable retaining means of the various elements of this in
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