Patents Examined by Joni B. Danganan
  • Patent number: 6601254
    Abstract: A combination includes a foldable hand tool, an adapter, and an implement. The foldable hand tool provides a pair of handles that are connected with a pin to a pair of pivotally engaged gripping jaws. The implement includes a tool head, such as a ratchet wrench or screw driver, and a male adapter engagement portion. The adapter includes a female tool engagement chamber for receiving the implement; and the adapter includes a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending from the female tool engagement chamber. An interior surface of each of the sidewalls has a generally U-shaped depression on the interior surface of each of the sidewalls, each of the depressions being shaped to firmly engage one of the pins in the foldable hand tool. Once it has been assembled, the foldable hand tool is connected to the implement through the adapter. The foldable hand tool thereby provides leverage through the handle to manipulate the tool head of the implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventor: Matthias Walz
  • Patent number: 6550357
    Abstract: A wrench connector it is used to connect a driver which has a driving lug, and a wrench with opposing ends for engaging fasteners, one of which ends is a closed end. The connector has opposing ends with an aperture extending from one end toward the other end. The aperture is adapted to receive the driving lug with the one end of the connector positioned adjacent the driver handle. The connector has a multifaceted outer peripheral wrench engaging surface adjacent the one end of the connector and adapted to be received by and drivingly engage the closed end of the wrench. The connector also has a retaining surface spaced from the one end of the connector and extends peripherally outwardly of the multifaceted wrench engaging surface to retain the closed end of the wrench between the driver handle and the retaining surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 6530297
    Abstract: A wrench includes a fixed jaw formed on one end of a handle, a pivotal jaw pivotally secured to the handle and having one end for engaging with a fastener. The pivotal jaw has a middle cavity for receiving a spring-biased engaging member which may engage with the handle to force the pivotal jaw toward the fixed jaw. The fixed and the pivotal jaws each includes a flat engaging surface and a notch for alternatively engaging with the opposite flat surfaces and the opposite corners of the fastener and for allowing the handle to be rotated for only thirty degrees relative to the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: Frank McCann
  • Patent number: 6526850
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improved jack bit comprised of a tubular jack actuator for driving a scissor or screw type jack and a shaft having a curved latch end engaged within the jack actuator for effecting rotation of the jack actuator. The improvement resides in a centering barrel slidably carried on the shaft and within the jack actuator whereby on rotation of the shaft by a power driver, the centering barrel provides for smooth and continuous transfer of energy of the shaft engaged with the jack actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Inventor: Darrell Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6520053
    Abstract: A rotatable tool handle device includes a handle having a chamber for receiving a spring biased latch, a shank having one end rotatably secured to the handle with a pivot shaft and having two cavities. A latch is slidably engaged in the chamber of the handle, and guided to move relative to the handle, and has a tongue for solidly engaging into either of the cavities of the shank and for securing the shank to the handle at a selected angular position. A spring may bias the tongue of the latch to solidly engage with either of the cavities of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: Youn Chyuan Liao
  • Patent number: 6520054
    Abstract: A combination bicycle tool kit includes a case, the case having a receiving open chamber and a positioning groove for attaching to a tubular member, a first tool set receivable in the receiving open chamber, a second tool set detachably secured to the outside wall of the case, the first and second tool sets each having a tool holder base and a set of tools pivoted to a pivot shaft at one end of the tool holder base and turned in and out of the tool holder base between the operative position and the non-operative position, and an elastic band adapted to secure the case to one tubular member of the frame of a bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: Lo-Pin Wang
  • Patent number: 6520050
    Abstract: A finish carpentry nailing guard adapted for use in protecting workpiece surfaces from damage by hammers while driving nails and/or from nail pulling devices when removing nails, the guard comprising a unitary block having a centrally located aperture and/or slots. In its preferred embodiment the guard is transparent and fabricated from lexan or other hard plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: Grant Gildroy
  • Patent number: 6516691
    Abstract: A ratchet tool in which a receptacle is formed between the head section and the handle. A ratchet block and a spring are disposed in the receptacle. The top face of the receptacle is formed with a slot communicating with the receptacle and outward passing through the main body of the ratchet tool. The top face of the ratchet block is formed with an insertion section in which a driving block is inlaid. The driving block has a driving rod extending through and out of the slot to screw with a push button. By means of pushing the push button, the driving rod is linearly moved within the slot, whereby the driving block drives the ratchet block to change the wrenching direction of the ratchet tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventor: Hung Yin Wei
  • Patent number: 6516855
    Abstract: A wheel rim locking device for tire removal machines, comprising, for supporting the wheel rim, an upper plate provided with an axial hole and supported at the top of a hollow vertical rotary shaft, conical means to be inserted axially into said hole and into the cavity of said shaft to lock the wheel rim in a centered position, means driving said conical means towards the wheel rim and axially locking them, and means for rotatably locking said hollow shaft relative to said wheel rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: RGHI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Remo Corghi
  • Patent number: 6510765
    Abstract: An improved structure of a ratchet wrench is disclosed. The structure has a plurality of engaging teeth on a teeth member and a ratchet wheel, characterized in that at least a cavity hole is appropriately provided on the engaging teeth and is mounted with an elastic body therein, thereby, when the teeth member is engaged with the ratchet wheel, the elastic body of the engaging teeth produces a small gap, by the elastic force of the elastic body, between the teeth member and the ratchet wheel, allowing a smooth teeth-returning between the teeth member and the ratchet wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Chen Mu-Lin
  • Patent number: 6510766
    Abstract: A hex wrench storage member includes a tubular body that has a recess defined in the body and communicating with an outer periphery of the body at a first opening and communicating with an end of the body at a second opening. The recess is defined by several stepped surfaces each of which receives respective one of two ends of the hex wrenches and the other end of the hex wrench protrudes from the recess so that the tubular body can be used as a T-bar handle. A plurality of holes are defined in an end of the body so as to respective receive the hex wrenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Chiang-Her Lin
  • Patent number: 6505532
    Abstract: A universal drain tool for use with shower and sink drains is provided. A representative drain tool includes a head containing a shaped aperture configured to engage the lock nuts of common shower and sink drains. The tool includes a handle attached to a head part. The handle allows the user to rotate the head part when the head part is engaged with the shower or sink drain. The head part can include an edge piece configured to insert into the internal lock nut slots of commonly available drop-in shower drains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Lawson Industries
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Lawson
  • Patent number: 6502484
    Abstract: A screwdriver with easily replaceable bits. It contains a body, a sliding element, a controlling element, a handle, and a rotatable bit case. The body includes a storage portion and a straight tube portion. The sliding element is disposed in the straight tube portion and a hook extends from the sliding element. A pair of protrusions are laterally extending from a bottom end of the sliding element. The controlling element is disposed on the straight tube portion. The rotatable bit case has a plurality of longitudinal slots for inserting the bits. Each bit has a circular recess. By simply rotating the bit case, the user can select a desired bit. Furthermore, it can be automatically pushed up or pulled back, to thus significantly increase the ease of use and the utility of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Inventor: Lee Pao-Hsi
  • Patent number: 6502483
    Abstract: A combination tool includes a first tool part and a second tool part. The first tool part includes a first cylindrical member connected to a handle. The said first cylindrical member has a pair of ends, at least one of which is formed to define at least a partial socket. The handle has a longitudinal bore with an open end. The second tool part includes a first rod that is insertable in the bore of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Tum Yeto, Inc.
    Inventors: Tod Swank, Matthew J. Barker, Joshua Z. Beagle
  • Patent number: 6502481
    Abstract: A safe and quick bottle opener for removing a cork stopper includes a hollow syringe in which a refrigerant can is disposed. A cap covers and is concealed in the syringe. The syringe has a slide sleeve sleeved thereon. The front end of the slide sleeve has an abutting seat for covering a bottle opening. The slide sleeve helps positioning a needle and conceals the needle to prevent slanting and breaking of the needle to thereby prolong the life of the bottle opener and protect the user's hand. After use, the bottle opener can be assembled as a whole to facilitate storage and carrying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Inventor: Chia-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 6499380
    Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench includes a ring-shaped head with first teeth defined in an inner periphery thereof and an engaging ring is rotatably received in the head. A pawl is movably engaged with a surface defined in an outer periphery of the engaging ring and has second teeth for being engaged with the first teeth in the head. A control disk is connected to the pawl and rotatably located on a second surface of the head. A fixing ring is engaged with a neck extending from the engaging ring to position the control disk in position. The pawl is shifted by rotating the control disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Ching Jih Hsiao
  • Patent number: 6499168
    Abstract: A drill adapter includes an elongate support holder and a generally elongate member fixed to one axial end of the support holder configured to be secured in a chuck of a drill to rotate the support holder. A reversible bit carrying member supports the drill bit at one end and a driver bit at the other end, and is receivable within the support holder. A magnet, formed of a permanently magnetized material having a high energy product, preferably equal to at least 7.0×106 gauss-oersteds, which may be in the form of a pill magnet embedded within the support holder or may be in the form of a sleeve of magnetizable material, surrounds at least an axial end portion of the support holder proximate to the end of the support holder that supports the driver bit in its operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Wayne Anderson
  • Patent number: 6494118
    Abstract: Insulation removal equipment for exposing conductors of a flat cable, having a vacuum table, a table drive, a milling tool drive and an advancing drive which is arranged on a carriage and which moves the milling tool drive together with the milling tool on the carriage. The carriage is guided by guide rails arranged at a housing table. The housing table is carried by a housing, at which the table drive is also arranged. The advancing drive moves via a pinion along a rack arranged at the housing and executes the movement of the carriage. The height-adjustable vacuum table is controlled in dependence on the advancing drive and in dependence on the direction of a conductor to be exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Claudio Meisser, Alois Lustenberger
  • Patent number: 6494119
    Abstract: A striking tool having a handle engaged in an eye in a head uses a metal strongback unit engaged in a slot the handle to secure the handle in the eye of the head. The metal strongback unit has openings in a web that fits in the slot in the handle that allow wedges to be driven into the handle in a manner that both the handle end and the web of the strongback unit are spread. Metal of the strongback unit urges against an inside surface of the head in the eye to form a secure fit. In a preferred embodiment the strongback unit has metal sides that may extend below the head and provide metal surfaces for overstrike protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Douglas Tool, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Douglas Coonrad
  • Patent number: 6490954
    Abstract: A generally cylindrical shaped tool handle holds multiple sizes of tools. The handle includes one or more holding slots each positioned on one of multiple outer surface faces into which tools are inserted and held. Each holding slot includes one or more contoured compartments in which tools rest when engaged with the handle. Each contoured compartment is of a size and dimension which corresponds to one or more tool sizes. In the preferred embodiment of the tool handle, three of its outer surface faces have a continuous holding slot with multiple receiving holes for inserting therein hexagonal wrenches of multiple sizes. The continuous holding slots of the preferred embodiment of the handle include multiple contoured compartments for holding an inserted hexagonal wrench. Each contoured compartment is formed about a corresponding receiving hole. A lock is positioned over the contoured compartment to irremovably confine the short leg of the hexagonal wrench within the contoured compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Allen-Pal LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Johnson, Robert L. Johnson, Ronald L. Johnson