Abstract: A ratchet wrench is described which includes a cap-surmounted core having a rotatable body sleeved in a drive ring. A shiftable pawl intercouples the drive ring and the core for driving the core selectively in each of opposed annular driving modes. A shaft projecting axially from the core terminates in a stud for carrying a tool element. The wrench is characterized in that there is provided a washer-like locking plate having a central opening and positionable axially over the shaft of the core to overlie the body of the core. The plate is configured at its central opening for lockingly keying with the shaft releasably to couple the locking plate with the shaft and to secure the core in the drive ring.

Abstract: A pin assembly for securing a tool socket in place and for effecting quick release of the tool socket from a socket engagement tang or boss of a ratchet drive wrench. The mechanical structure is specially adapted for use in a ratchet drive wrench of the type in which the drive direction is conveniently changed by simply applying digital pressure to a pivotally-supported toggle element projecting upwardly of the head of the wrench. A wrench of the type referred to is described in K. K. Chow, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,379.

Abstract: A ratchet wrench including a handle-carried drive ring and driven core in which the core can be simply and readily removed, intact, for cleaning, repair and replacement without the use of tools. Additionally, the wrench includes a low-friction ratchet drive-reversing mechanism for simple, one-finger operation. The disassembly-facilitating structure includes a resilient ring-like band seated in a channel defined by radially communicating annular grooves in the drive ring and in the wrench core. A band displacing element serves to shift the band to effect a bridging of the band across the grooves defining the channel to effect a mechanical intercoupling between the core and the drive ring of the ratchet wrench.

Abstract: In a ratchet wrench of the type having a head which is manually rotatably shiftable for reversing the driving direction or torque-transmitting mode of a socket carried by the wrench and in which the head is also manually depressible to effect release of a socket carried by a drive stud of the wrench, an improved control bar or lever for rotating the head of the wrench to effect socket drive reversal. The control bar surmounts and is attached to the head for pivotal manipulation thereof. An integral end portion of the control bar extends radially beyond a bounding periphery of the head to provide increased torque forces and enhanced ease of manual annular shifting of the head and of the socket drive direction control components coupled thereof. A free end of the control bar is spaced from the wrench to permit depressing the head manually to effect the release of a wrench-carried drive socket.

Abstract: In a ratchet tool having a toothed driving, a complementary coaxial, generally cylindrical rotatable toothed core within the ring, and a core-carried pivotal toothed double-ended pawl secured within the core and selectively positionable to intercouple the driving ring with the core for positively driving a core-carried tool element in each of two opposite torque-transmitting modes, improved means for pivotally shifting the pawl to a selectable mode of torque-transmitting core rotation, the improvement comprising finger actuable pawl-shifting means responsive to finger pressure applied along a vector which includes a force component directed axially into the core to effect, through intercoupling linkage, pivotal radial shifting of the pawl, alternately, between first and second driving-ring-engaging operational positions, and in which the pawl shifting means is conveniently manipulable with the same hand used to hold and to operate the tool.

Abstract: A packaging assembly in which hardware items such as hand tools are secured in place on a supporting base or board by means of skin packing techniques, the final package to be inserted into a container such as a metal tool box. The invention is characterized in that the skin packing is carried out so that the bonding of the overlying film is effected in opposed marginal areas, these areas then being folded underneath the supporting board on which the tools are secured so that, in the final assembly, which is to be inserted in a tool box, there is no "waste" space, the entire floor area being occupied by tool elements.