Abstract: A pneumatic rotary tool has a housing formed primarily from plastic so that the weight and price of the tool are substantially reduced. The air motor is formed for economic assembly while permitting greater structural stability should the housing deflect under an impact. The tool includes a torque selector which controls the amount of pressurized air allowed to enter the air motor, thereby controlling the torque output of the motor. The user may adjust the torque selector to a number of set positions which correspond to discrete torque values. The tool additionally incorporates early and late stage exhaust ports, so that backpressure within the air motor does not slow motor rotation or decrease tool power.

Abstract: Generally, a pneumatic rotary tool of the present invention comprises a housing formed of a plastic material and includes a motor receptacle having a front end and an open rear end. An air motor is disposed within the motor receptacle of the housing. An air inlet passage extends to the motor for delivering pressurized air to the motor to power the motor to drive an output shaft. An end plate of the motor has air passaging formed therein, at least part of the air passaging defining a portion of the air inlet passage. A torque selector is at least partially received in the end plate and includes a portion disposed in the air passaging defined in the end plate and at least partially blocking the flow of air in the air passaging except through the portion of the torque selector.

Abstract: A hand-held power tool for inhibiting uncalled-for rotation of the output shaft and for self-compensating for wear. The tool comprises a housing, a braking member fixedly mounted in the housing and an output shaft mounted in the housing for rotation. The output shaft has an outer end portion for reception of an attachment. A ratchet wheel on the output shaft is adapted to be driven in one direction or the other, has a side face facing a first surface of a wear member, and has a plurality of recesses extending inward from the side face. The wear member is keyed to the output shaft for conjoint rotation. A plurality of engagement members are received one in each recess and biased outward against the first surface to bias a second surface of the wear member against the braking member for holding the ratchet wheel against rotation opposite the driven direction.

Abstract: A pneumatic rotary tool has a housing formed primarily from plastic so that the weight and price of the tool are substantially reduced. The air motor is formed for economic assembly while permitting greater structural stability should the housing deflect under an impact. The tool includes a torque selector which controls the amount of pressurized air allowed to enter the air motor, thereby controlling the torque output of the motor. The user may adjust the torque selector to a number of set positions which correspond to discrete torque values. The tool additionally incorporates early and late stage exhaust ports, so that backpressure within the air motor does not slow motor rotation or decrease tool power.

Abstract: Generally, a pneumatic rotary tool of the present invention comprises a housing formed of a plastic material and includes a motor receptacle having a front end and an open rear end. An air motor is disposed within the motor receptacle of the housing. An air inlet passage extends to the motor for delivering pressurized air to the motor to power the motor to drive an output shaft. An end plate of the motor has air passaging formed therein, at least part of the air passaging defining a portion of the air inlet passage. A torque selector is at least partially received in the end plate and includes a portion disposed in the air passaging defined in the end plate and at least partially blocking the flow of air in the air passaging except through the portion of the torque selector.

Abstract: A hand-held power tool with improved means for inhibiting uncalled-for rotation of the output shaft that is relatively long-lived and self-compensating for wear. The tool comprises a housing, a braking member fixedly mounted in the housing and an output shaft mounted in the housing for rotation. The output shaft has an outer end portion projecting out from the housing for reception of an attachment for the tool. A ratchet wheel on the output shaft is adapted to be driven in one direction or the other. The ratchet wheel has a side face facing a first surface of a wear member (e.g., washer) and a plurality of recesses extending inward from the side face spaced at intervals. The wear member is keyed to the output shaft for conjoint rotation with the shaft.

Abstract: A pneumatic ratchet drive wrench of the present invention includes a pair of single springs that each bias a corresponding pawl into engagement with an output member and inhibit counter-rotation of the output member opposite the corresponding pawl. The pawl and spring construction allows the wrench head to be smaller than conventional pneumatic ratchet drive wrenches, providing better wrench access into small spaces. The spring is inexpensively formed as one piece of spring wire having independent spring coils for biasing the pawl and inhibiting counter-rotation of the output member.

Abstract: A pneumatic rotary tool including a housing and an output shaft projecting from the housing for transmitting torque to an object. An air motor drives rotation of the output shaft in the forward and reverse directions. Air passages extend from an air inlet to the motor for delivering pressurized air to the motor. A spring biases the lower portion of a valve within the air passage in a closed position, to restrict the flow of air through the air passage. The upper portion of the valve comprises a stem. When an operator squeezes a trigger on the pneumatic rotary tool, a deflector connected to the trigger deflects the stem to a first angularly deflected position, the valve thereby allows a relatively low rate of air flow to the motor for low-speed operation thereof. As the operator continues to squeeze the trigger, the stem is deflected to a second angularly deflected position, allowing a relatively high rate of air flow to the motor for high-speed operation thereof.

Abstract: A hand-held power tool includes a housing having spaced front and back walls, and an output shaft mounted in the housing for rotation in one direction or the other on an axis extending transversely with respect to the walls. The shaft has an outer end portion projecting out from the front wall for reception of an attachment for the tool. A ratchet wheel on the shaft in the space between the walls is adapted to be driven in one direction or the other for rotating the shaft in the one direction or the other. The ratchet wheel has a side face facing a fixed surface on one of the walls and a plurality of recesses extending inward from the side face spaced at intervals around the axis. Cylindrical pins are each engaged by a corresponding one of a plurality of coil compression springs for biasing the pin outward from the recess against said fixed surface for holding the ratchet wheel against rotation in a direction opposite the driven direction of rotation.

Abstract: A power ratchet wrench has a handle for gripping and holding the wrench and a head pivotally connected to the handle for pivoting movement relative to the handle about a pivot axis. A locking mechanism comprising a pivot assembly pivotally connects the head to the handle. The locking mechanism is configured to permit selective angular positioning of the head relative to the handle on the pivot axis and is operable between an adjusting mode in which the head is angularly positionable relative to the handle and a locking mode in which the head is locked in an angular orientation relative to the handle. The locking mechanism is rotatable about an axis transverse to the handle between the adjusting mode and locking mode of the locking mechanism.

Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic rotary drive tool having an adjustable exhaust. The tool has an elongate housing containing a pneumatic motor. The housing has an inlet passage for pressurized air at the rearward end of the housing and air delivery passaging for flow of pressurized air to the motor. A rotary connector on the housing at the inlet passage permits connection to an air hose. The housing also has an air exhaust passage for exhausting air from the motor. An air deflector for exhausting air exiting the exhaust passage is rotatable around the connector for deflecting exhaust air laterally outward in a selected direction away from a user holding the tool.

Abstract: A pneumatic power tool for reciprocating a blade to cut a workpiece. The power tool includes a body having a hollow interior and a passage extending through the body between the hollow interior and an opening in an exterior surface of the body. The interior has first and second ports spaced apart at first and second positions along a central axis of the interior for alternately admitting air into the interior. The tool also includes a connector to connect a pneumatic hose to the tool for delivering pressurized air to the tool. A throttle is positioned along the passage for selectively permitting pressurized air to flow through the passage, and a valve is also positioned along the passage for alternately directing air through one of the first and second ports to pressurize the interior at a corresponding one of the first and second positions.

Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic rotary drive tool having an adjustable exhaust. The tool has an elongate housing containing a pneumatic motor. The housing has an inlet passage for pressurized air at the rearward end of the housing and air delivery passaging for flow of pressurized air to the motor. A rotary connector on the housing at the inlet passage permits connection to an air hose. The housing also has an air exhaust passage for exhausting air from the motor. An air deflector for exhausting air exiting the exhaust passage is rotatable around the connector for deflecting exhaust air laterally outward in a selected direction away from a user holding the tool.