Abstract:
A base carries a positionable hand grip. A cylinder is rotatably mounted on the base and carries multiple bits for driving various types of fasteners. An ejector rod on the base propels a selected bit from the cylinder through a drive tube to an exposed position. A base carried spindle imparts rotational movement to drive component and the drive tube. Magnetic components assist in positioning and retention of the screw driver bits.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention concerns tools having the capability of storing a collection of bits individually insertable into a drive component for driving of a threaded fastener.  
         [0002]     In the prior art are hand tools which have a hand grip having receptacles spaced thereabout in which screw driver bits of different sizes and shapes may be stored to provide the tool user with a selection for different fastener recesses. Such tools rely on manual removal of a bit from its receptacle, grasping of the bit end and installing the bit in the end of a member. Such hand tools may include a ratchet drive. When a number of different fastener types are to be driven the worker must individually remove a used bit which is then manually returned to a storage receptacle in the handle. As such fastener driving bits are quite small, the tasks require care in installation as well as in removal from a drive member.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention is embodied within a tool having an array of driver bits stowed therein with provision made for selection of a bit and subsequent repositioning of the bit in an operable position at the end of a drive.  
         [0004]     A main body member of the tool supports a bit storage cylinder. Each bit receptacle in the cylinder is rotatably positionable into alignment with a drive tube for subsequent positioning therethrough by an ejector carried by the base. Rectilinear positioning of the ejector ejects the driver bit for use and retracts the bit into a storage receptacle. A multipositionable handle or hand grip is swingably mounted onto the base and is positionable for use as a hand grip during driving of a fastener. The hand grip imparts rotational movement to the base and a base mounted spindle and ultimately the drive tube on which a bit is installed.  
         [0005]     Important objectives of the present tool is the storage capacity of a fastener driving tool to provide an array of different assortment of driving bits which are readily positioned for use as well as being readily retrieved to a storage receptacle in the tool; the provision of a hand tool having a multipositionable handle having both a stowed position as well as a first operable wherein the handle or hand grip acts as a stop for an ejector and a second operable position for imparting rotation to the bit retaining drive tube; the provision of a tool having a magnetic member to retract a driver bit into a storage receptacle; the provision of a hand tool which may be used, in optionable fashion, as a screwdriver driving a driver bit in an incremental or ratchet fashion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     In the accompanying drawings:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of the present tool;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  is plan view thereof;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a plan view thereof with parts repositioned from  FIG. 2A ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of an ejector rod of the present tool;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are similar to  FIG. 5  but showing different settings of a ratchet component;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary elevational view of the present tool in modified form;  
         [0015]      FIG. 9A  is a fragmentary elevational view of a further modified form of the tool; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 9B  is a view similar to  FIG. 9A  but with an ejector rod retracted.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  but showing modified bit retention means. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     With continuing attention to the drawings, the reference numeral  1  indicates a main body of block shape which swingably carries a handle  2  positionable about a pivot pin  3 . Flanges as at  1 A limit handle travel to the position shown in  FIG. 1 . Projecting forwardly from a wall of base  1  is a spindle  5  which carries a cylinder  4 . Cylinder  4  defines openings  4 A in the manner of a revolver cylinder as shown in  FIG. 4  with each opening receiving a driver bit  11  of a different size or type, e.g., Phillips, blade, hex, etc. The cylinder is disposed about a central magnetic sleeve which serves to retain each bit within its opening until ejected as later explained.  
         [0019]     Drive means, indicated generally at  12 , serve to impart rotation to a bit drive tube  10 . Arms at  13  and  15  receive drive tube  10  inner end in journaled manner and allow rotational movement between the arms and drive tube while retaining the tube end. Carried by the arms and a pivot pin  19  is a pawl  18  as best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Pawl  18  is manually settable to engage a ratchet wheel  17  affixed to drive tube  10 . Pawl  18  is carried by a cross-member at  19 . From the foregoing it will be seen that positioning of handle or hand grip  2  to a position perpendicular to an axis A of the drive tube, as shown in  FIG. 1  in broken lines, orbital movement may be imparted to spindle  5 , which in turn swings plates  13  and  15  about axis A. Pawl  18 , previously positioned relative wheel  17  for a driving operation, will move about axis A to drive wheel  17  and drive tube  10  in a fastener driving task.  FIG. 5  shows pawl  18  imparting clockwise rotation to wheel  17  for clockwise step-like rotation of the drive tube. Drive tube  10  has a hexagonal bore enabling a selection and use of various bits with hexagonal walls.  
         [0020]     With attention to  FIG. 3  of the drawings, an ejector assembly is shown which serves to eject a selected bit from cylinder  4  to the end of drive tube  10  for driving a fastener in either direction of rotation. The ejector assembly includes a rod  6  with a finger grip at  7 . A magnetic member  21  is biased by a spring  22 . Magnet  21  is confined by a captured ball  23  in the rod end. Magnet  21  and ball  23  enable retraction of a bit  11  back to cylinder  4 . Ball  23 , upon rod retraction, serves as a detent acting on cylinder  4 . A magnetic sleeve  24  centrally disposed in the cylinder provides retention of bits stowed in their respective openings  4 A.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 10 a  modified bit retainer is indicated generally at  35  and includes flexible, curved spring fingers  36 , each finger projecting from a ring  37  lengthwise along an opening  4 A in cylinder  4  to frictionally engage and retain a bit in place until acted on by ejector rod  6 .  
         [0022]     In operation, handle  2  is opened up to the full line position in  FIG. 1 , the finger grip  7  grasped to extract ejector rod  6  from tube  10  and from cylinder  4  to permit rotation of the latter to align a selected bit with ejector rod  6  which is then advanced to move the selected bit to the outer end of tube  10 . Handle  2  is then swung 90 degrees to the broken line vertical position of  FIG. 1  whereat it becomes a means of imparting rotation to base  1 . Spindle  5  will orbit about axis A of drive tube  10  with the outer end of spindle  5  imparting motion to the joined drive plates  13  and  15  and to a pawl  18  to drive wheel  17  and the drive tube. Upon termination of driving a fastener, the ejector tube finger grip  7  is grasped and retracted toward the broken line position shown in  FIG. 1 , whereupon the magnetic body  21  will serve to return bit  11  to its cylinder receptacle. Should the user desire to drive a second fastener having a different head configuration, cylinder  4  is rotated to align another bit for driving the second fastener, whereupon ejector rod is again advanced from its broken line position of  FIG. 1  forwardly to eject the selected bit from cylinder  4 . Upon such advancement of ejector rod  6 , the selected bit is positioned in a partially exposed manner at the drive tube end.  
         [0023]     For storage of the present tool the ejector rod will be moved forwardly to the full line position of  FIG. 1  permitting handle  2  to be swung fully about pin  3  into the broken line or stowed position adjacent the drive tube.  
         [0024]     In  FIG. 8 a  modified form of the tool is shown wherein drive means at  12  dispenses with ratchet components. Earlier described corresponding parts are identified with prime reference numerals. Spindle  5 ′ drives an arm  26 , secured to drive tube  10 ′.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9A  discloses a further modified form of the present tool wherein double prime reference numerals indicate parts earlier identified with corresponding reference numerals. A drive tube  10 ″ is fixedly secured to a main body  1 ″ which is shaped to lend itself to be manually rotated about axis A of the drive tube. Cylinder  4 ″ is carried on spindle  5 ″ while an ejector assembly rod is at  6 ″ which is positioned in an operative position by a threaded segment  30  of a finger grip  7 ″. Rod  6 ″ serves as earlier described with partial extraction from main body  1 ″ permitting selected bit alignment with drive tube  10 ″ 
         [0026]     Drive means in this second modified form of the present invention is embodied in that structure such as a weld  31  securing drive tube  10 ″ to main body  1 ″. Drive means may be otherwise embodied as a threaded fastener securing the drive tube in place, the forming of the drive tube with at least one external planar wall for abutment with an internal walled opening in the main body, a set screw acting on the drive tube inserted end, a bonding agent between the drive tuve and main body, a lock nut on a threaded segment of the tube, to mention a few.  
         [0027]     In  FIG. 9B  ejector rod  6 ″ is shown retracted preparatory to advancing a bit  11  toward the outer end of drive tube  10 ″. Rod retention means including a ball element  27 , a spring  29  and a screw  28  serve to prevent accidental rod separation from main body  1 ″ by seating of the ball element in an annular groove  32  in the rod. Further, the retention means positions ball  23 ″, carried by the ejector rod, to act as a detent in locating a bit in alignment with the drive tube.  
         [0028]     While I have shown but a few embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.  
         [0029]     Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by a Letters Patent is: