Abstract: A bit breaker adapted to be fitted in the Kelly drive of a drill rig for detachably securing a rotary drill bit to the Kelly drive to enable the latter to rotate the bit relative to a drill string having an internally threaded lower end portion in one direction to effect a threaded connection between the threaded pin of the bit and the string, and in the other direction to disconnect the bit from the string. The bit breaker comprises a bottom engageable by the bottom of a drill bit for supporting the bit, a top having an opening therein through which the bit may be lowered into engagement with the bottom of the bit breaker and may be raised to remove the drill bit from the bit breaker, and a stop member for selectively securing the bit in fixed annular position in the said opening in the bit breaker.

Abstract: A backup tong incorporates a self-tightening feature to securely hold a string of tubing stationary while a spinning tong rotates a joint of tubing. The string of tubing is aligned between a moveable jaw and a body jaw of the backup tong. The moveable jaw is journaled for movement about a cam axis that is parallel to the tubing wall. The cam axis is eccentric to a curved face of the moveable jaw so that as the moveable jaw is moved the distance between the jaws changes. Prior to operations of the spinning tong, an air cylinder moves the moveable jaw into contact with the tubing. Rotation is begun and the induced movement of the tubing wall adjacent the moveable jaw toward a backer adjacent the jaws also moves the moveable jaw face toward the backer, thereby tightening the grip of the jaws on the tubing until the tubing is held stationary. A bracket attached to the spinning tongs has a slot therein parallel to the tubing.

Abstract: A chain-powered pipe tong device for spinning up and torquing drill pipe and casing when making up or disconnecting a string of tubular elements in the drilling and casing of oil wells, the tong device including a chain sprocket drivingly connected through a clutch subassembly to a gear train which drives an open centered main gear. The main gear is rotatably supported in a gear housing having an open center aligned with the open center of the main gear. The main gear and gear housing each have aligned radially opening pipe receiving slots at one side thereof. Pipe engaging dog subassemblies are mounted in the gear housing for radial reciprocation relative to the main gear and the gear housing. Each dog subassembly includes a cam rod which has one edge bearing against a V-shaped cam surface defined by the main gear.

Abstract: A coil spring compressor for compressing a coil spring during the assembly of subassemblies of automotive suspension systems, having a head plate positioned above a base and movable with respect to the base. The coil spring compressor is provided with a pair of guide bars suspended from the head plate and on which a slidable carriage is mounted. The carriage carries a pair of compressing assemblies facing each other and positioned at both sides of the coil spring. Each assembly comprises a pair of compressor arms interconnected with each other. Each compressor arm is provided with a finger mount to which a compressing finger is adjustably attached. The fingers are introduced between two successive turns of the coil spring by operating handles provided on the compressor arms.

Abstract: A tool for automatically mounting the halves of a split valve stem key in the bore of a spring-retaining washer and around the stem of a valve in a combustion engine. A tool is primarily intended to be used in combination with a handling robot. It comprises a pressure element for compressing a valve spring, magazines for the valve stem key halves, a transportation channel and a transportation member to bring the halves to the required position for assembly around the valve stem and in the washer.

Abstract: A boiler pipe assembly tool that has separate one-piece gripping jaws engaged with the pipe sections or tubes to be connected, an operating lever and short flexible chains connecting the lever and jaws to move adjacent ends of the tube sections into aligned relation and into engagement with an interposed chill ring used to provide resistance necessary to allow the tool to function in the alignment of and welding of the tube sections. The separate gripping jaws include a structure enabling the point of connection of the chains to be adjusted thereby varying the force moment arm on each jaw.

Abstract: A power tongs for threadedly connecting together pipes which are to constitute casings for boreholes has a platform for a reciprocable slide which supports a power-driven threading clamp and a counter device. The clamp and the counter device are connected to each other by several level compensating hydraulic cylinders each of which is movable horizontally within limits relative to the slide against the opposition of resilient support elements. The upper end portions of the cylinders are connected to a holding plate for the clamp.

Abstract: In instances where it is necessary to install a pipe or cable under a road or sidewalk without forming an open topped trench through the road or sidewalk, it is desirable that the operating trench in which the installing device is positioned be as narrow as possible. This is desirable to avoid disrupting the ground adjacent the road or sidewalk more often than is necessary. The installing device is positioned in the bottom of the operating trench, and clampingly engages the actuating rod and forces it axially under the road or sidewalk. Short installation rod segments are threadedly connected into the installation rod in the narrow and deep trench as the installing device pushes the installation rod under the road or sidewalk. To threadedly connect the short rod segments into the installation rod an elongated rod segment threader successively engages the rod segments and is positioned in the ditch and aligns them with the actuating rod at the bottom of the operating trench.

Abstract: A friction mechanism and a fixture-securing and releasing mechanism, disclosed in the context of a stepless, free-wheeling wrench with thumb-actuated reverse mechanism, speed-wheel, and socket release. The wrench includes a driving member in the form of a wrench head. Mounted for relative rotational movement within a cavity provided in the head is a driven member in the form of a friction wheel assembly which terminates in a drive tang for releasably receiving a hollow socket member. The wrench also includes a speed-wheel forming part of the friction wheel assembly. The speed-wheel is conveniently located on the side of the wrench opposite to that of the drive tang. Concentric with the speed-wheel is a plunger, which together with a disc located in the drive tang, forms a part of a quick release mechanism that allows a socket to be simply pushed into position with relatively low force, while requiring relatively high force to pull the socket off the tang prior to pushing a release button.

Abstract: A powered wrench for transferring the power of a hand tool to work located in a relatively inaccessible location. The wrench comprises a thin, elongated housing with a sprocket rotatably journaled in each of its ends and coupled by a continuous apertured belt. The sprockets have axial openings for engagement with a hand tool and a work piece such as a nut or bolt.

Abstract: A turnbuckle ratchet tightening tool which is used in rapidly tightening and loosening barge turnbuckles used with lashing lines to lash a plurality of barges together. The tool has an extendable overcenter lock holder that fits over the turnbuckle that is resting on roller supports. The turnbuckle carrier body is free to rotate. A foot operated lever is ratchet connected to an enlarged actuator whose teeth engage the teeth on the turnbuckle carrier body. In this manner, downward movement of the foot operated lever rotates the actuator which in turn rotates the turnbuckle carrier body in its holder.

Abstract: An improved open throat power tong assembly is provided of the type useful for making up and breaking apart threaded pipe joints. The power tong assembly includes a cage plate assembly with a plurality of pipe gripping heads and a partial ring having a plurality of internal cam surfaces. The heads are forced into gripping engagement with the pipe by relative rotational movement between the cam surfaces and the heads mounted in the cage plate assembly. The cage plate assembly may be both supported by and rotationally guided by a plurality of ball bearing assemblies mounted to the cage plate assembly. The bearing balls are biased into engagement with an arc-shaped groove provided in the upper and lower surfaces of the partial ring. During operation of the tong, the ball bearing assemblies ride in the deepest depression track of the groove, but may purposefully ride up the groove sidewall during the final make-up and initial break-out operation.

Abstract: A coil spring compressor adapted for use in the assembly of automotive suspension systems, particularly, of the MacPherson type. The coil spring compressor includes a head plate movable vertically with respect to a base on which a MacPherson strut forming part of the suspension system to be assembled is held in position. A clamp carriage having a frontal opening is mounted to the head plate for vertical sliding movement relative to the head plate to adjust the vertical position of the clamp carriage. The clamp carriage is provided with four clamping arms, each of which is pivoted at its outer end to the carriage and has at its inner end a clamping hook engageable with the selected turn of the coil spring. Two clamping arms forming a pair are arranged along a side of the frontal opening and two clamping arms forming another pair are arranged along the opposite side thereof, the front and rear clamping arms in each pair being interconnected with each other so as to swing conjointly.

Abstract: A gearless squeeze torque wrench for use with a power means is provided comprising a wrench case, a fixed gripping jaw rigidly attached to said wrench case, a floating gripping jaw freely movable inside of said wrench case and a power transfer means connecting said floating gripping jaw to said power means.

Abstract: A tool for a programmed assembly machine reliably dispenses nuts into sockets which in turn drive the nuts onto screws. The nuts rest on thin gate blades and loosely engage guide pins projecting up from the drive sockets. To dispense, the blades are pivoted by an actuator pin on the gripper to slide from under the nuts which fall by gravity onto the drive sockets, guided by the projecting pins. Other small apertured fastener parts such as washers can be dispensed by the tool.

Abstract: A kelly spinner rotatable in opposite directions in which means are provided for preventing engagement of the jaws of the spinner with the pipe when rotated in one direction by a stop which may be removed by the operator to permit the jaws to engage when rotated in said direction.

Abstract: A hand tool for removing light bulb bases from conventional light bulb sockets is disclosed with a tubular central portion comprising a handle and one end of said tool comprising a light bulb base removal member. The light bulb base removal member is made of rubber or equivalent elastomeric material and comprises a cylindrical shank portion, a tapered conical portion, and a thin cylindrical flange portion insertable in a light bulb base for enclosing filament tubes and gripping and removing the base from a socket.

Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench (10) includes a wrench body (11) having a unitary head (12) including an opening (20) with circular driver and pawl portions (22,24). A driver (26) has a ratchet portion (28) received within the driver portion (22) of the opening and includes ratchet teeth (30) that extend between oppositely facing planar surfaces (16,18) of the wrench head (12). A pawl (38) is received within the pawl portion (24) of the opening (20) and includes teeth (40a,40b) that extend between the planar wrench head surfaces (16,18) and provide continuous uninterrupted engagement therebetween for selective locking of the driver in one direction and ratcheting in the other direction. Driver and pawl portions (22, 24) of the wrench head opening (20) have cylindrical shapes which facilitate manufacturing and the support of both the driver and the pawl upon assembling.

Abstract: A torque wrench comprising an elongate, straight tubular lever with open front and rear ends, a work-engaging head at the front end of the lever and having a lever arm projecting into and pivotally connected with the front end portion of the lever, an elongate crank projecting freely rearwardly into the lever, an elongate axially biased compression spring extending longitudinally in the lever rearward of the crank, cam means between the spring and the crank normally releasably holding the crank concentric in the lever and operating to allow the crank to pivot and strike a side of the lever when a predetermined set operating force is exerted between the head and the lever through and about the axis of the lever arm. The wrench next includes adjusting means to vary the bias on said spring to adjust the operating force. Said means includes a plug set in the lever rearward of the spring, an elongate screw is engaged through the plug. The front end of the screw engages the rear end of the spring.

Abstract: A wallboard positioning apparatus comprising a self locking wrench such as a Vice grip wrench or spring clamp which has been modified with the addition of two components; namely, a stop and an adjustable or non-adjustable proximity locating means creating a gap, the wallboard positioning apparatus utilized by as few as one man in the positioning of and retaining of wallboard during the installation thereof.