Patent ID: 8250947
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: B25B

Abstract:
1. A ratchet wrench comprising, in combination: a head and a handle interconnected to the head, with the head including first and second sides, with the head further including a compartment defined between the first and second sides, with the compartment including a first compartment section and a second compartment section defined in an inner periphery of the first compartment section, with the first compartment section having an opening in the second side, with the first side of the head including a hole in communication with the first compartment section, with the first side of the head further including a switch groove in communication with the second compartment section; a drive member rotatably received in the first compartment section about a rotating axis, with the drive member including a coupling section, with an engaging portion extending from an end of the coupling section and having a portion beyond the head through the hole, with a drive column extending from another end of the coupling section beyond the head through the opening; first and second pawls slideably received in the second compartment section, with each of the first and second pawls including a toothed face releasably engaged with the coupling section of the drive member, with an elastic element being mounted between the first and second pawls to bias the first and second pawls away from each other to engage the toothed faces of the first and second pawls with the coupling section of the drive member; a switch including a pivotal portion rotatably received in the switch groove about a pivoting axis, with the switch further including a follower portion having a pin, with the pin having a spacing to the pivoting axis in a radial direction perpendicular to the pivoting axis; and a reversing plate including an end pivotably mounted to the portion of the engaging portion beyond the head between first and second operative positions about the rotating axis, with the reversing plate including a control section having a sliding groove extending in the radial direction, with the pin engaged in the sliding groove, with the switch pivoting in the switch groove with the pin sliding in the sliding groove when the reversing plate is moving between the first and second operative positions, controlling engagement between the coupling section of the drive member and the toothed faces of the first and second pawls, wherein when the reversing plate is in the first operative position, the toothed face of the second pawl is engaged with the coupling section of the drive member, the toothed face of the first pawl is disengaged from the coupling section of the drive member, allowing the handle and the drive member to rotate in a first direction driving a fastener in the first direction, and allowing the handle to rotate freely relative to the drive member in a second direction reverse to the first direction without driving the fastener, and wherein when the reversing plate is in the second operative position, the toothed face of the first pawl is engaged with the coupling section of the drive member, the toothed face of the second pawl is disengaged from the coupling section of the drive member, allowing the handle and the drive member to rotate in the second direction driving the fastener in the second direction, and allowing the handle to rotate freely relative to the drive member in the first direction without driving the fastener.