Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Handle clutched to head
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-11
2002-10-01
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Handle clutched to head
C081S057290
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457386
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ratchet wrench which is easily assembled.
Referring to
FIGS. 1
to
3
, a conventional ratchet wrench
10
has a main body
11
, a drive shaft
12
, a handle
123
, a first annular gear
14
, a second annular gear
14
′, a drive member
13
having a first seat
131
and a second seat
132
engaging with the first seat
131
, a pair of pawls
15
, and a selector switch
18
. A handle
123
receives a portion of the drive shaft
12
. The drive shaft
12
has an inner threaded hole
121
. A bevel drive ring gear
122
is disposed on the drive shaft
12
. The main body
11
has a through hole
111
to receive the drive shaft
12
, a groove
112
to receive the drive member
13
, the first annular gear
14
and the second annular gear
14
′, an inner opening
113
to receive the bevel drive ring gear
122
, a plurality of inner teeth
114
, and the through hole
111
communicating with the groove
112
. The drive member
13
is disposed between the first annular gear
14
and the second annular gear
14
′. The first annular gear
14
has a plurality of one-sided serrations
141
. The second annular gear
14
′ has a plurality of one-sided teeth
141
′. Each of the pawls
15
has a curved notch
153
, a pivot hole
151
, and a plurality of outer teeth
152
. The first seat
131
has two round apertures
133
. The second seat
132
has a center hole
135
and two circular apertures
134
. The selector switch
18
has a post
181
having a through aperture
182
and an oblong recess
183
. The post
181
passes through the center hole
135
of the second seat
132
. Two pins Q pass through the circular apertures
134
of the second seat
132
, two pawls
15
, and the round apertures
133
of the first seat
131
. A spring
184
and two positioning balls
185
are inserted in the through aperture
182
of the selector switch
18
. The spring
184
is disposed between the positioning balls
185
. Two elastic plates
16
are disposed between the first seat
131
and the second seat
132
. Each of the elastic plates
16
has a pivot end
161
, and a recessed end
162
to receive a rolling member
17
. The outer teeth
152
of each pawl
15
engages with the inner teeth
114
of the main body
11
. The bevel drive ring gear
122
engages with the one-sided serrations
114
of the first annular gear
14
and the one-sided teeth
141
′ of the second annular gear
14
′. Each ball
185
is inserted in the corresponding curved notch
153
of each pawl
15
. The rolling member
17
clicks an inner periphery of the first annular gear
14
and an inner periphery of the second annular gear
14
′. However, a rolling friction will occur, so the rolling member
17
cannot click the inner periphery of the first annular gear
14
and the inner periphery of the second annular gear
14
′ efficiently. Furthermore, it is difficult to form the inner opening
113
of the main body
11
and to fasten the bevel drive ring gear
122
and the drive shaft
12
together with a screw P because of a narrow spacing of the inner opening
113
of the main body
11
. Referring to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,499 has provided another ratchet wrench. The ratchet wrench has a hollow handle
31
, a knurled sleeve
34
receiving a rear portion of the hollow handle
31
, a shaft
32
inserted in the hollow handle
31
, a drive housing
310
disposed on an end of the hollow handle
31
, the drive housing
310
having a groove
312
and a plurality of inner serrations
313
, a bevel drive ring gear
37
and a drive member
33
inserted in the groove
312
of the drive housing
310
, the bevel drive ring gear
37
having a plurality of outer teeth
372
engaging with the inner serrations
313
of the drive housing
310
and a plurality of inner teeth
371
, a pair of pawls
35
, and a selector switch
36
. The selector switch
36
has a finger grip
361
and a spindle
362
. The drive member
33
has a cylindrical axial aperture
332
, and two slots
331
to receive the pawls
35
. Each pawl
35
has a plurality of outer serrations
351
. The bevel drive ring gear
37
engages with one of the pawls
35
. The spindle
362
is inserted in the cylindrical axial aperture
332
of the drive member
33
. A pin Q fastens the drive member
33
and the pawls
35
together. The spindle
362
has two circular holes
363
, and each of the circular holes
363
receiving a spring S and a bearing pin
38
. The shaft
32
has a bevel pinion gear
321
. A screw P fastens the knurled sleeve
34
and the shaft
32
together. The hollow handle
31
has an undercut
311
. The bevel pinion gear
321
engages with the outer teeth
372
of the bevel drive ring gear
37
. The bevel drive ring gear
37
engages with one of the pawls
35
only, so the drive member
33
can be driven in one direction only.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a ratchet wrench which is easily assembled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ratchet wrench which has dual means of producing rotation of a drive member efficiently.
Accordingly, a ratchet wrench comprises a main body, a drive shaft, a handle, a first annular gear, a second annular gear, a drive member, a pair of first pawls, a pair of second pawls, a rotating wheel, a control member, a plurality of balls, a plurality of compression springs, and a coiled spring. The main body has a through hole to receive the drive shaft, a pair of pivot holes, a groove to receive the drive member, a plurality of inner teeth, and the through hole communicating with the groove. The drive member has a through aperture and a chamber. The handle has a blind hole to receive the drive shaft. The first annular gear has a plurality of inner periphery serrations and a plurality of one-sided serrations. The second annular gear has a plurality of inner periphery teeth and a plurality of one-sided teeth. Each of the first pawls has a plurality of positioning recesses and a plurality of outer teeth. Each of the second pawls has a plurality of periphery serrations and a plurality of one-sided serrations. The rotating wheel has an oblong center hole. The control member has a pillar and a press disk disposed on the pillar. The pillar has a plurality of circular holes. Each of the circular holes of the pillar receives the corresponding compression spring and the corresponding ball. A pair of studs pass through the pivot holes of the main body and an annular recess of the drive shaft. The chamber of the drive member receives the first pawls and the second pawls. The first annular gear encloses one of the first pawls and one of the second pawls. The second annular gear encloses the other of the first pawls and the other of the second pawls. The pillar is inserted through the coiled spring, the oblong center hole of the rotating wheel, and the through aperture of the drive member. The coiled spring is disposed between the press disk and the rotating wheel. Each of the balls engages with one of the first pawls and the second pawls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5058463 (1991-10-01), Wannop
patent: 6070499 (2000-06-01), Wisbey
patent: 6311584 (2001-11-01), Chu
Shakeri Hadi
Smith James G.
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