Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Handle or shank
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2001-04-17
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Handle or shank
C081S177700, C081S177600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216567
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ratcheting tools of the type having a head that is finely adjustable in an angular position relative to a handle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 14 and 15
of the drawings illustrate a conventional ratcheting tool having a head
10
′ adjustable relative to a handle
20
′. The head
10
′ includes an extension
11
′ with a number of teeth
12
′ formed on an end thereof. An end of the handle
20
′ includes two walls having a compartment
21
′ defined therebetween. A pin
22
′ is extended through aligned holes (one of them is a screw hole) of the walls of the end of the handle
20
′ and through a hole (not labeled) in the extension
11
′ of the head
10
′. A longitudinal hole
26
′ and a transverse hole
27
′ are defined in the handle
20
′ and located below the walls, wherein an upper end of the longitudinal hole
26
′ communicates with the compartment
21
′ and the transverse hole
27
′ intersects the longitudinal hole
26
′ at a mediate portion of the latter. A spring
28
′ and a ball
29
′ are mounted in a lower portion of the longitudinal hole
26
′. A push pin
30
′ is extended through the transverse hole
27
′ and includes a positioning notch
31
′ in an underside thereof for engaging with the ball
29
′. The push pin
30
′ further includes an inclined face
32
′ in an upper side thereof. The push pin
30
′ has a length greater than that of the transverse hole
27
′ such that two ends of the push pin
30
′ are exposed outside the handle
20
′ for manual operation. A ball
33
′, a spring
34
′, and a catch
35
′ are mounted in an upper portion of the longitudinal hole
26
′, best shown in FIG.
15
. The catch
35
′ includes a receptacle
36
′ for receiving the spring
34
′ and a portion of the ball
33
′ that rests on the inclined face
32
′. The catch
35
′ further includes an inclined underside
37
′ having the same inclination as the inclined face
32
′. The catch
35
′ is biased upward by the spring
34
′ to engage with the teeth
12
′ of the head
10
′, thereby retaining the head
10
′ in a desired angular position with respect to the handle
20
′. When the push pin
30
′ is pushed, the lower ball
29
′ is lowered and the upper ball
33
′ is also lowered, as shown in FIG.
15
. The upper spring
34
′ and the catch
35
′ are also lowered such that the catch
35
′ disengages from the teeth
12
′ of the head
10
′. Thus, the head
10
′ may be pivoted to a desired angular position relative to the handle
20
′ and the push pin
30
′ is then released to thereby retain the head
10
′ in the desired angular position.
Nevertheless, such an arrangement is too complicated (two sets of balls and springs are required) and has limited angular adjustment, since there are only six teeth
12
′ on the head
10
′. The ratcheting tool cannot perform its function if the fastener to be tightened/loosened is located in a position that cannot be reached by the five angular positions of the head. The retaining function of the catch
35
′ by only one tooth is also too small and thus incapable of reliably retaining the head
10
′ in place. A further drawback of the complicated structure is that the catch
35
′ and the teeth
12
′ tend to disengage from each other when the balls
29
′ and
33
′ and the springs
28
′ and
34
′ are impinged.
FIGS. 16 through 18
of the drawings illustrate another conventional ratcheting tool having a head
110
′ adjustable relative to a handle
120
′. The head
110
′ includes an extension
111
′ with a number of teeth
112
′ formed on an end thereof. An end of the handle
120
′ includes two walls having a compartment
121
′ defined therebetween. A pin
122
′ is extended through aligned holes (one of them is a screw hole) of the walls of the end of the handle
120
′ and through a hole (not labeled) in the extension
111
′ of the head
110
′. A longitudinal hole
127
′ and a transverse hole
126
′ are defined in the handle
120
′ and located below the walls, wherein an upper end of the longitudinal hole
127
′ communicates with the compartment
121
′ and the transverse hole
126
′ intersects the longitudinal hole
127
′ at a lower portion of the latter. A turnknob
128
′ includes a stem
133
′ extended through the transverse hole
126
′ and having a stem
133
′ with a higher profile portion
135
′ and a lower profile portion
134
′. A ball
129
′, a spring
130
′, and a catch
131
′ are mounted in an upper portion of the longitudinal hole
127
′, best shown in FIG.
17
. The catch
131
′ includes a receptacle
136
′ for receiving the spring
130
′ and the ball
129
′ that rests on the stem
133
′. The catch
131
′ further includes a tooth
137
′ for engaging with the teeth
112
′ of the head
110
′. When the ball
130
′ rests on the higher profile portion
135
′ (FIG.
18
), the catch
131
′ is biased upward by the spring
130
′ to engage with the teeth
112
′ of the head
110
′, thereby retaining the head
110
′ in a desired angular position with respect to the handle
120
′. When the turnknob
128
′ is turned to a position in which the ball
130
′ rests on the lower profile portion
134
′, the ball
130
′ is lowered. The spring
130
′ and the catch
131
′ are also lowered such that the tooth
137
′ of the catch
131
′ disengages from the teeth
112
′ of the head
110
′. Thus, the head
110
′ may be pivoted to a desired angular position relative to the handle
120
′ and the turnknob
128
′ is then turned to the initial position to thereby retain the head
110
′ in the desired angular position.
Nevertheless, such an arrangement is still too complicated and has limited angular adjustment, since there are only six teeth
112
′ on the head
110
′. The ratcheting tool cannot perform its function if the fastener to be tightened/loosened is located in a position that cannot be reached by the five angular positions of the head. The retaining function of the catch
131
′ by only one tooth is also too small and thus incapable of reliably retaining the head
110
′ in place. In addition, the user must use both hands to proceed with such adjustment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a ratcheting tool having a head finely adjustable in an angular position relative to a handle, wherein the ratcheting tool is simpler in structure to allow easy manufacture and assembly and to reduce potential malfunction possibility. Adjustment of the angular position of the head relative to the handle is accomplished by pushing a push button to allow adjustment and then releasing the push button to retain the head in place.
A ratcheting tool in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a head including an end with an arcuate toothed face;
a handle including an end defining a compartment for pivotal connection with the end of the head, the handle including a longitudinal hole having an inner end and an outer end communicated with the compartment, the handle further including a transverse hole communicated with the inner end of the longitudinal hole;
a catch mounted in the longitudinal hole and including a first end with an arcuate toothed surface and a second end;
a push button mounted in the transverse hole and including a stem, the stem including a relativel
Berry Jr. Willie
Hail III Joseph J.
Kamrath Alan
Rider Bennett Egan & Arundel, LLP.
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