Reversing Patents (Class 81/62)
  • Patent number: 6457386
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench has a main body, a drive shaft, a first annular gear, a second annular gear, a drive member, a pair of first pawls, a lpair of second pawls, a rotating wheel, a control member, and a coiled spring. The main body has a through hole to receive the drive shaft, a groove to receive the drive member, and a plurality of inner teeth. The control member has a pillar and a press disk. The drive member has a through aperture and a chamber to receive the first pawls and the second pawls. The first annular gear encloses one of the first pawls and one of the second pawls. The second annular gear encloses the other of the first pawls and the other of the second pawls. The pillar is inserted through the coiled spring, the rotating wheel, and the drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventor: Shui-Lai Chiang
  • Patent number: 6450067
    Abstract: A ratchet tool includes a housing having an internal gear, a shank rotatably secured in the housing and having two notches and two actuating surfaces for rotatably receiving two pawls, and a spring for biasing the pawls to engage with the internal gear. A control ferrule is rotatably engaged on the shank and includes two blocks for selectively disengaging the pawls from the internal gear. The actuating surfaces of the shank may be used for solidly engaging the pawls with the internal gear. The shank may be secured to various kinds of handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Inventor: Yung Chung Liao
  • Patent number: 6443037
    Abstract: A screwdriver grip structure including a grip and a ratchet mechanism. A rear section of the grip is formed with a differential hole having a profile complementary to the profile of the ratchet seat of the ratchet mechanism so that the ratchet seat is positioned in the differential hole and restricted thereby from rotating. A connecting rod of the ratchet mechanism forward extends in the grip. A sleeve is fitted into a central hole of the grip from front end thereof to connect with the connecting rod. The sleeve has a large diameter section and the central hole of the grip has an enlarged section corresponding to the large diameter section. The large diameter section is engaged in and leant against the enlarged section of the central hole of the grip so as to bear greater axial application force. The front end of the sleeve has a tool connecting section for connecting with various kinds of tool heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Inventor: Chen-Chi Chang
  • Patent number: 6431031
    Abstract: A ratcheting tool includes a handle and a head with a compartment. A drive member includes a first end extended beyond the compartment, a second end extended beyond the compartment, and a gear wheel formed between the first end and the second end. The gear wheel is rotatably mounted in the compartment and includes a toothed outer periphery. A pawl is mounted in the compartment and includes a toothed side facing the gear wheel teeth. A ring is mounted in the compartment and around the first end of the drive member. The ring is operably connected to the pawl such that the ring and the pawl are pivotable about a rotational axis of the gear wheel and that the pawl is movable in a radial direction relative to the ring. A reversing plate is mounted to the first end of the drive member and pivotable about the rotational axis of the gear wheel between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Bobby Hu
  • Patent number: 6393949
    Abstract: A ratchet screwdriver including a main body, two stop blocks, a switching block, a locating member, a recovery elastic piece. The main body is provided with an outer threaded portion having a hole for receiving a ratchet rod. A shell tube is fitted over the main body such that a switching ring is fitted over the shell tube. The switching ring is provided with a retaining groove for retaining a protruded block of the switching block. The shell tube and the switching ring are pressed against the main body by a pressing member having inner threads which are engaged with the outer threaded portion of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Yen Hsing Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Chi Ho
  • Patent number: 6389932
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench including a main body, a shaft rod having a protruded pillar and a gear, an insertion plate, two check plates, a dial seat, and a housing. The shaft rod is provided with a skidproof head pivoted thereto. The skidproof head has a toothed hole through which the gear of the shaft rod is positioned. The shaft rod is provided in the midsegment with a rear stepped edge which is slidably disposed in an inner fitting hole of the front segment of the skidproof head. The shaft rod is further confined by a bracing element which is disposed between the rear stepped edge and the toothed hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Yeh-Hsing Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Chi Ho
  • Patent number: 6349619
    Abstract: A ratchet tool includes a housing having an internal gear, a shank rotatably secured in the chamber of the housing and having two notches formed between a partition and two actuating surfaces for rotatably receiving two pawls, and a spring engaged between the pawls for biasing the pawls to engage with the internal gear. A control ferrule is rotatably engaged on the shank and includes two blocks for selectively disengaging the pawls from the internal gear. The actuating surfaces of the shank may be used for solidly engaging the pawls with the internal gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Inventor: Yung Chung Liao
  • Patent number: 6345559
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench having a labor saving structure includes a drive shank provided with a fixed plate defining a first circular hole and a rivet hole; a drive arm pivotally mounted on the fixed plate and defining a second circular hole and an elongated arcuate hole; a drive head mounted in the circular hole of the drive arm; a rivet extending through the elongated arcuate slot of the drive arm and secured in the rivet hole of the fixed plate; and C-shaped snap rings snapping and securing the fixed plate, the drive arm and the drive head together. When the drive shank is driven to rotate, each of the rivets can push the drive arm along the elongated arcuate slot, thereby forming a deflective leverage labor saving effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Inventor: Yen-Huet Wang
  • Patent number: 6330843
    Abstract: A ratchet screwdriver comprises a handle, a ratchet seat body, a rotary shaft rod, a stop plate, an anti-reverse plate, a dial knob seat, a recovery spring, a housing, a lock member, and a screw tip. The ratchet seat body is provided with a slide slot which is in turn provided with two slide edges capable of sliding back and forth along with the anti-reverse plate to support two gears mounted on the rotary shaft rod, thereby making the assembly of the ratchet screwdriver relatively simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Inventor: Chang-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 6311584
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench includes a handle having an internal gear formed in a head. One or more ring gears are rotatably received in the head and engaged with a bevel gear which is received in the handle for rotating the ring gears. A seat is rotatably received in the head and has a driving stem and includes two rotatable pawls each having two end teeth for selectively engaging with the internal gear and for selectively driving the driving stem. One or more rods are engaged between the ring gears and the seat to drive the seat and the driving stem with the ring gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventor: Te Chen Chu
  • Patent number: 6308594
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench structure includes a wrench head defining a receiving hole, the receiving hole having one side defining a receiving chamber, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the receiving hole and having an outer periphery provided with a plurality of engaging teeth, a pawl pivotally mounted in the receiving chamber to rotate through a small angle and having a first side provided with a first tooth meshing with the engaging teeth of the ratchet wheel and a second side provided with a second tooth meshing with the engaging teeth of the ratchet wheel, a first locking plate mounted in the receiving chamber and rested on the first side of the pawl, a first elastic member mounted in the receiving chamber and pressed between the first locking plate and an inner wall of the receiving chamber, a second locking plate mounted in the receiving chamber and rested on the second side of the pawl, and a second elastic member mounted in the receiving chamber and pressed between the second locking plate and the inner wal
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Chin-Shun Cheng
  • Patent number: 6305248
    Abstract: A ratcheting driver has a shaft rotatable relative to a handle, and a ratchet mechanism between the handle and the shaft. The ratchet mechanism has a body fixed to the handle. A spur gear coaxial with the shaft is mounted in the body so as to be rotatable about a common rotation axis of the shaft and the spur gear. First and second pawls are mounted on the body so as to be tiltable about axes parallel to the rotation axis and on opposite sides of an imaginary plane containing the rotation axis. Each pawl has a free end between its tilting axis and the said plane, and is tiltable between an engaging position, in which its free end intersects the tip cylinder of the spur gear and can abut against the flank of a gear tooth to prevent rotation of the gear in one direction relative to the body, and a non-engaging position, in which its free end lies outside the tip cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: The Stanley Works Limited
    Inventor: Stephen Rowlay
  • Patent number: 6282990
    Abstract: A low profile substantially flat head power ratchet comprising a pair of spaced shells joined together to for a housing which is tubular at one end for attachment to a pneumatic motor and flat at the other end for operating use in confined areas, said ratchet comprising a gear journaled on a post in the upper shell and a boss on the lower shell, a yoke disposed about the gear and pivotally journaled about the boss, a pair of spaced pawls confined primarily in the yoke but projecting slightly upwards therefrom, and a reversing plate pivotally disposed about the post and lying on the yoke between the pawls, said reversing plate being shaped and sized such that only one of the two pawls may be selectively engaged with the gear at any one given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Inventor: Montie H. Miner
  • Patent number: 6260446
    Abstract: A screwdriver locking structure including a handle, a socket, a ratchet wheel, a pair of blocks with springs, a bearing and a ring, the handle comprises a barrel at one end to receive the socket which then connects to the ratchet wheel. The barrel further receives the blocks and springs which urge the blocks meshing with the ratchet wheel in an opposing direction. The ring comprises a board and a side wall, the plate comprises a pair of protuberances at inside which engage with the blocks when the ring rotates, and the side wall comprises recesses, one of which remains contact with the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Michael Hu
  • Patent number: 6240810
    Abstract: A ratchet screwdriver including a ratchet shifter having a dial seat which is concealed by a housing. The dial seat is provided with a bar body and a position confining hole for disposing a tension member. The dial seat is provided at the front end with an urging portion which is juts out of the main body. The main body is provided with a circular rotation member which is provided with a rotating slot corresponding in location to the urging portion of the dial seat. The circular rotation member is provided with a neck portion having an insertion protrusion for pivoting with the main body. The main body is provided in an insertion circular edge with a notch for locating the insertion protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Yeh-Hsing Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Chi Ho
  • Patent number: 6209423
    Abstract: A ratchet spanner includes a spanner body with a head portion confined by a peripheral wall. Top and bottom flanges extend inwardly and radially from top and bottom ends of the peripheral wall. The top flange has a curved inner peripheral surface with an open-end slot. The bottom flange defines a bottom opening, and is formed with an inward flange extending from an inner peripheral surface thereof. An insert member is inserted into the head portion, and has a curved shoulder between upper and lower portions thereof. The upper portion of the insert member is formed with an open-ended slot. The curved shoulder abuts against the top flange of the head portion for preventing upward removal therefrom. A ratchet wheel is rotatably disposed in the head portion, and has an upper annular groove and a lower shoulder abutting against the inward flange of the head portion for preventing downward removal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Inventor: Hsuan-Sen Shiao
  • Patent number: 6209422
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench is designed to prevent overshooting and unintended switching of drive direction. The ratchet wrench has a wing member 44, which is biased by a spring 58 through a bushing pin 56, wherein an elastic member 66 formed of an elastic material, such as rubber, is incorporated into an axial internal space of the spring 58. Thereby, it is possible to strengthen a pressing force in a direction of holding engagement between a pawl of the wing member 44 and an internal gear 30 of an oscillating member 26. Thereby, in the case where a force is exerted on the wing member 44, in a direction tending to release the engagement between the pawl 46 of the wing member 44 and the internal gear 30 of the oscillating member 26, the spring 58 and of the elastic member 66 exert a reaction force, and the elastic member 66 functions as a stopper to prevent overshooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: K-R Industry Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kamiya, Toshiro Iritani
  • Patent number: 6151995
    Abstract: A ratchet mechanism housing assembly for a ratchet screwdriver includes a main body including a compartment defined by a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall opposite to the first end wall. A tool receiver has an end extended through the second end wall and received in the compartment of the main body. The end of the tool receiver has a ratchet wheel formed thereon. A first pawl includes two protrusions received in two first recesses in the first end wall. A recessed area is defined between the protrusions for fittingly receiving a protruded wall section between the first recesses of the first end wall. The first pawl further includes a first driving part having a first rectilinear edge that bears against a face of one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The first driving part further including a first arcuate engaging edge that is opposite to the first rectilinear edge and that bears against a first recessed wall section on the first lateral wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventor: Zu-Shung Shu
  • Patent number: 6145413
    Abstract: A tool includes a handle having a bore for slidably receiving a stop and a link. The link has one end pivotally coupled to the stop for allowing the link to be rotated relative to the stop when the link is extended outward of the handle. A driving stem is pivotally coupled to the link for allowing the driving stem to be rotated relative to the link when the link is extended outward of the handle. A ratchet mechanism is disposed in the handle and is selectively engaged with the stop for controlling the driving direction of the driving stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Ching Chou Lin
  • Patent number: 6125722
    Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench has a ratchet body with a cavity receiving the ratchet assembly. A pawl-engaging reversing lever is insertable through an opening in the ratchet body from the cavity and has a flange dimensioned to be trapped between the body and the pawl. A seal between the reversing lever and the ratchet body is provided by an O-ring seated in a groove in the outer surface of the reversing lever hub. A cover plate closes the cavity and cooperates with the pawl and the flange to retain the reversing lever in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Hopper, Jr., William A. Nurmi, Charles H. Heiligenthal, Kenneth E. Kessler
  • Patent number: 6082226
    Abstract: A ratchet tool includes a shaft and a handle to which a direction selection collar is mounted and a ratchet member is received in the handle. The ratchet member has inner toothed periphery and two pawl members engaged with the inner toothed periphery. The ratchet member has three dents defined in one of two ends thereof and the direction selection collar has a positioning member embedded therein which is movably received in one of the dents when rotating the collar. The collar has a rod extending between the two pawl members, the rod pivoting one of the pawl member to disengage from the inner toothed periphery by rotating the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Jack Lin
  • Patent number: 6070499
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench comprises an output drive member (13,17) rotatable about a first axis, a drive housing (15) containing the output drive member, and a handle (14) on the drive housing for rotating the drive housing about the first axis. A rotary member (24) within the handle is rotatable about a second axis and a drive ring (21) extends around the output drive member. A coupling means (25) couples the rotary member to the drive ring so that rotation of the rotary member about the second axis causes rotation of the drive ring about the output drive member. The wrench also includes primary ratchet means (17, 42) for selectively unidirectionally coupling the output drive member to the housing, and secondary ratchet means (23, 43) for selectively unidirectionally coupling the output drive member to the rotary member through the drive ring whereby the output drive member (13, 37) can be rotated in a selected direction either by rotation of the handle 14 or by rotation of the rotary member (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Inventor: James Harry Wisbey
  • Patent number: 6070501
    Abstract: A ratchet tool has a ratchet body carrying a ratchet mechanism including a gear and a pair of pawls resiliently urged into engagement with the gear by spring-loaded balls. A handle is releasably received on a post which projects from one end of the ratchet body and is retained thereon by a spring-loaded ball receivable in a circumferential groove in the handle bore to accommodate free spinning thereof. A latching pin in the handle is selectively insertable in any of a plurality of recesses in the ratchet body to lock the handle to the body. A reversing sleeve is rotatably carried by the other end of the ratchet body for engaging the pawls to selectively control the direction of the ratcheting movement. The reversing sleeve has a tubular post which forms a part of an axial push-pull quick-release coupler for releasably retaining a bit in engagement in an axial bore of the ratchet gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: John A. Braun, Tomas B. Petruzzi
  • Patent number: 6067882
    Abstract: An improvement in a ratcheting driver of the type having a handle, a driver head connected to the handle, a driver stem, ratchet means contained in the head and including ratcheting direction selector means disposed on the head in axial alignment with and remote from the driver stem and operable to lock the driver stem against rotation in a direction which is preselected by the user by the limited rotation of the ratcheting direction selector means in a predetermined direction, consisting of a ratcheting direction control wheel disposed on the head in axial alignment with and remote from the driver stem and fixed to the ratchet means, and a control wheel cover disposed over the control wheel so as to be separated from the head thereby and locked to the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Alltrade Inc.
    Inventor: George Hillinger
  • Patent number: 6059083
    Abstract: A ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet gear rotatably received in a tool member. The tool member includes a cusp, and a spring blade engaged on the cusp. A pair of pawls are supported on the spring blade for engaging with the ratchet gear. The spring blade may bias one of the pawls to engage with the ratchet gear and to disengage the other pawl from the ratchet gear. An actuator is rotatably secured in the tool member and includes two actuating surfaces for disengaging the pawls from the ratchet gear and for effectively driving the tool member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Hung Kui Tseng
  • Patent number: 6053077
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench comprising a handle including a first end having a head formed thereon, a gear rotatably received in the head and including an upper portion having a first driving stem extended upward therefrom and including a lower portion having a second driving stem extended downward therefrom, a pair of pawls slidably received in the head for engaging with the gear, and means for selectively actuating the pawls to engage with the gear and to control and active direction of the gear and the driving stems, the head including a chamber formed therein and including a block received in the chamber of the head, the block including an opening for rotatably receiving the gear and including a slot tangent to the opening for slidably receiving the pawls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventor: Yung Hsu Huang
  • Patent number: 5983757
    Abstract: A laminated ratchet tool includes a laminated ratchet head defining an internal gear and a pawl mechanism carried by the ratchet head and including two laminated pawls arranged for ratcheting engagement with the gear teeth. Each of the laminated parts includes a plurality of plates arranged in a congruent stack and fixedly secured together, as by brazing. Each plate is formed by stamping and has plural orienting structures stamped therein, each such structure being a displaced portion which forms a recess at one side of the plate and a projection extending from the other side of the plate, so that the projections on one plate mate in the recesses of an adjacent plate to facilitate alignment of the plates. The ratchet head includes toothed inner plates which define the internal gear and untoothed outer plates which define bearing surfaces for the pawl mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard G. Blise, Edward S. Wahoski
  • Patent number: 5927158
    Abstract: A combination ratchet wrench includes a work end at one end of a handle, a ratchet wheel mounted in the work end, a stop block forced by a spring and a ball into engagement with the ratchet wheel to limit the turning direction of the ratchet wheel for permitting the ratchet wheel to be turned with the handle in one direction to fasten up or loosen a workpiece, wherein the work end has a recessed polygonal hole remote from the handle, the recessed polygonal hole having two angled lateral side walls, and two smoothly arched side walls respectively extended from the angled lateral sides toward the handle; the ratchet wheel has an eccentric coupling rod at one side; a crank pivoted to one side of the ratchet wheel and partially projecting into the recessed polygonal hole for stopping an inserted workpiece in the recessed polygonal hole for turning with the wrench, the crank having a constraint block at one end moved with the crank in the recessed polygonal hole for stopping the inserted workpiece in the recessed
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Inventor: Yuan-Ho Lin
  • Patent number: 5921158
    Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench includes a ratchet body having a round head portion with a cylindrical, internally toothed opening therethrough forming a ratchet gear and defining a cavity. A ratchet mechanism, including a drive body, a pawl assembly and a reversing member, is disposed in the cavity, with the reversing member secured to the drive body for confining the pawl assembly therebetween. The head of the ratchet body has annular shoulder surfaces thereon respectively at opposite ends of and coaxial with the cavity, and respectively facing annular shoulder surfaces on the drive body and reversing member, for cooperation therewith to define first and second annular spaces, in which are respectively disposed annular seal members, each having a pair of radially inwardly extending and axially diverging flexible and resilient lips, respectively engageable with the shoulder surfaces defining the associated space for cooperation therewith to seal the cavity and center the ratchet mechanism on the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Company
    Inventors: Randall J. Slusar, Jeffrey H. Hoff
  • Patent number: 5913954
    Abstract: A hand tool having a pawl with a flange formed on the bottom surface. A bore is formed axially in the pawl. A reversing lever is connected to the pawl. The pawl is received in an opening which has an annular shoulder, the flange on the pawl abutting the annular shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Hand Tool Design Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L. Arnold, Dana L. Delaney, Derek Richner, James A. Van Lenten
  • Patent number: 5910197
    Abstract: A plurality of circumferentially-spaced driving lugs are formed on the improved square-drive tang of a wrench, such as a ratchet wrench; and these driving lugs cooperate with a corresponding plurality of recesses or pockets formed in the top portion of an improved interchangeable square-drive socket, thereby providing for improved torque transmission which is supplemental to, and not a substitute for, the square drive. The improved wrench is compatible with conventional sockets, and the improved socket is compatible with conventional wrenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Hand Tool Design Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Constantine Chaconas
  • Patent number: 5873288
    Abstract: A ratcheting mechanism and a process for making same, including a tool handle and a gear and pivotal pawls which are urged into gear engagement by means of springs which can be assembled with the handle before a final cap or actuator is assembled over the end of the handle to enclose the pawls and the springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Gauthier, Christopher J. Martin
  • Patent number: 5857390
    Abstract: A light-weight, low-profile socket wrench system includes a set of cylindrical thin-walled sockets, each having a through axial opening sufficiently large to allow a bolt engaged by a nut of a size corresponding to that of the nut-receiving opening to pass through the axial opening and extend beyond the nut, and a ratchet wrench releasably engageable with the socket for applying rotational torque directly to a peripheral surface of the socket. In a preferred embodiment, the socket has a round peripheral surface around which a multiplicity of teeth are distributed, and the head of the ratchet wrench has a circular cylindrical opening in which the socket is releasably maintained with its teeth directly engaged by teeth on a pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Carlton L. Whiteford
  • Patent number: 5848680
    Abstract: A tool with ratcheting mechanism having two pawls and a gear mounted on a tool handle. A cap encloses the ratcheting mechanism and serves as an actuator for moving the pawl into and out of engagement with the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Rinner
  • Patent number: 5832791
    Abstract: A tool handle assembly includes a barrel having a bore and a cap having a hole. An element has a front tube for engaging through the bore of the barrel and has a rear protrusion for engaging in the hole of the cap. The tube includes an annular rib for engaging with and for rotatably supporting the barrel on the tube, and for allowing the barrel and the element and the cap to be assembled together without additional tool. The element includes a curved upper and bottom portions for allowing the user to grasp comfortably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Inventor: Ching Chou Lin
  • Patent number: 5794496
    Abstract: A low profile ratchet wrench has an opening formed through the head of the wrench. A pawl module having a body, a detent mechanism, a reversing lever and a pawl is received in a portion of the opening. A socket having a first portion with circumferential gear teeth and an integral second portion having an axially formed opening, is removably received in the opening in the head adjacent to the pawl module. Teeth on the pawl in the pawl module cooperate with the gear teeth on the socket. The socket is removably retained in the opening in the head. A method of assembling and using the low profile ratchet wrench is described. The pawl module is used in a breaker bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Hand Tool Design Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Arnold
  • Patent number: 5778743
    Abstract: A ratcheting screwdriver with a handle and a gear rotatable therein and two pawls engageable between the handle and the gear, for selective ratcheting action. A ring is rotatable on the handle for removing the pawls from engagement with the gear, and springs yieldingly bias the pawls into engagement with the gear. The ring has recesses on a circular wall for receiving portions of the pawls in pivoting the pawls into engagement with the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Clair L. Tiede
  • Patent number: 5771760
    Abstract: A ratcheting screwdriver with a handle and a gear rotatable therein and two pawls engageable between the handle and the gear, for selective ratcheting action. A ring is rotatable on the handle for removing the pawls from engagement with the gear, and springs yieldingly bias the pawls into engagement with the gear. The ring has recesses on a circular wall for receiving portions of the pawls in pivoting the pawls into engagement with the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Clair L. Tiede
  • Patent number: 5749272
    Abstract: A ratchet screw driver 10 is provided which has a handle 20 secured to a primary shaft 40, which in turn is secured to a ratchet housing 50. The ratchet housing 50 selectively supports a secondary shaft 140 which supports driver tips 170 thereon. A switch 120 provides for selective operation of the ratchet screw driver 10 to operate only in a clockwise direction, only in a counterclockwise direction, or in a neutral position which operates in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The switch interacts with the ratchet mechanism in a manner such that toggling of the switch in a clockwise direction configures the ratchet screw driver 10 to then be utilizable in a clockwise direction. Toggling of the switch 120 in a counterclockwise direction causes the ratchet screw driver 10 to then be utilizable in a counterclockwise direction. The ratchet housing 50 includes a left pawl 100 and right pawl 110 supported upon a left shelf 70 and right shelf 80 within the ratchet housing 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Inventor: Tan Thanh Phan
  • Patent number: 5647252
    Abstract: The invention relates to reversible manually operated ratchets in which a yoke provided with separated pawl containing chambers is secured in a handle, a toothed gear and a reverse button are rotatably disposed in a large bore in the yoke and secured therein between opposing ears of the handle, separated pawls each pivotally mounted in the yoke are spring biased toward the teeth in the gear, a hexagonal chamber containing latching means in the gear secures a through hole socket open at both ends, and control faces on the periphery of the reverse button allow preselected pawl or neither pawl access to the toothed gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Inventor: Montie H. Miner
  • Patent number: 5622089
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch comprising: a shaft including a head with an essentially hollow interior and a handle, a circular gear being rotatably mounted within the head, a socket engagement block being coupled to the circular gear through the head, a ratchet assembly including two bevel arms pivotally coupled within the head, a half pinion being formed in a semicircular configuration with gear teeth and an upstanding biasing member, the half pinion being pivotally coupled within the head with the biasing member positioned between the bevel arms; and the handle including a rectangular bore and an elongated aperture extending into the head and in communication with the rectangular bore, a switch being coupled within the bore, the switch having a bar extending into the head, the bar having a forward end including a rack with a plurality of teeth, the rack meshing with the gear teeth of the half pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Inventor: Robert W. Gifford, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5619891
    Abstract: A ratcheting screwdriver with a handle and a gear rotatable therein and two pawls engageable between the handle and the gear, for selective ratcheting action. A ring is rotatable on the handle for removing the pawls from engagement with the gear, and springs yieldingly bias the pawls into engagement with the gear. The ring has recesses on a circular wall for receiving portions of the pawls in pivoting the pawls into engagement with the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Clair L. Tiede
  • Patent number: 5613585
    Abstract: A ratcheting mechanism utilizing a driven central gear and two pawls which are movable into and out of driving relation with the gear. An actuating mechanism moves the pawls out of driving relationship, and a resilient member is employed for urging the pawls into contact with the gear. An elastomer covered handle is connected with the mechanism for optimum gripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Beere Precision Medical Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Clair L. Tiede
  • Patent number: 5603393
    Abstract: A ratchet head assembly has a reversing knob with a metal shaft coupled to the pawl assembly of the ratchet mechanism and an enlarged-diameter plastic head insert molded around the outer end of the shaft and having a diameter two to three times that of the shaft and a density no greater than about one-fifth that of the shaft. Thus, the reversing knob has a low inertia so that it is not susceptible to self-reversing or self-locking during operation of the ratchet mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil P. Ghode, Martin S. Scolaro
  • Patent number: 5537899
    Abstract: A ratcheting assembly around which is coaxially coupled a ratchet head of the type having internal teeth, the latter imparting rotational movement to the ratcheting assembly. The ratchet assembly includes a drive body having recessed grooves for receiving pivotably mounted first and second elongated pawls. Each pawl includes teeth on opposite ends thereof for engagement with the teeth on the ratchet head. A reversing knob assembly is coupled to the drive body and includes a reversing knob and pins for pivotally rotating said pawls between first and second conditions. Pawl positioning pins coupled to the drive body operate to maintain the pawls with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to each other so as to prevent them from jamming relative to the teeth on the ratchet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Snap-On Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Diedrich
  • Patent number: 5501124
    Abstract: An open end reversible ratchet wrench has only two pawls, only one of which is engaged with the ratchet at any one time. In a first embodiment, two multitooth pawls are pivoted on a common pivot pin. The design and spacing of the pawl teeth and the location of the pivot pin make it possible to use pawls with at least three and no more than four pawl teeth. For every rotational position of the jaw, at least one pawl tooth is engagable with the ratchet irregardless of the position of the slot. The pawls are biased towards engagement with the ratchet. A reversing switch operates a cam to select clockwise rotation of the jaw, counterclockwise rotation thereof or a neutral mode in which the jaw rotates freely without ratcheting to facilitate easy removable of the wrench. The position of the reversing switch is latched by a detent ball cooperating with locking notches on the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Inventor: Earl T. Ashby
  • Patent number: 5329833
    Abstract: The invention presented relates to an apparatus for applying rotational force to a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Inventor: Anthony J. Sergan
  • Patent number: 5201255
    Abstract: This invention relates to a socket wrench which is capable of loosening or tightening a nut or bolt by either rotation of the wrench in a direction conducive to effect such tightening or loosening in a conventional manner or by rotation of the wrench handle along its longitudinal axis. The wrench provides a ratcheting action so that the initial positions of the wrench or the wrench handle can be reachieved during tightening or loosening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Inventor: Michael J. Gegg
  • Patent number: 5178047
    Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench has a handle portion and a head portion. The head portion includes a drive member having teeth thereon and a pawl having teeth which selectively engage the teeth on the drive member. The head portion has two partially overlapping cavities formed therein, the cavities being formed from the bottom of the head portion. The top of the head portion has two spaced-apart openings formed therein, each opening communicating respectively with one of the two cavities. The drive member is disposed in the larger cavity and the pawl is disposed in the smaller cavity. A one-piece lever means is provided having a non-cylindrical stem depending therefrom. The stem is received in a cooperating bore in the pawl. A multi-sided shelf is formed on the stem, the shelf being received in a cooperating cavity in the top of the pawl. The top of the head portion of the wrench is received between the top portion of the lever means and the shelf on the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: EASCO Hand Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Arnold, Richard P. Folkenroth, James A. VanLenten, Kenneth J. Taggart, James Gurzenski
  • Patent number: 5174176
    Abstract: A reversible ratchet wrench has a housing containing a ratchet wheel and a reversing pawl unit which includes two pawls respectively connected by leaf springs to a pivotally mounted reversing cam, all in a unitary one-piece construction. The reversing pawl unit is pivotally movable by a reversing lever between first and second conditions, wherein the two pawls respectively engage the ratchet wheel for accommodating rotation thereof in opposite directions. The reversing lever has a cam follower which cammingly engages a cam surface on the housing to resiliently hold the reversing lever in the selected one of its two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Snap-on Tools Corporation
    Inventor: Bert Krivec