Abstract:
An open ended, adjustable, ratcheting wrench comprising an extendable handle, a fixed upper jaw attached to the handle and a moveable lower jaw containing a sliding protrusion. One of the upper jaws and the lower jaw has a generally V-shaped recess. The other of the upper or lower jaws contains the sliding protrusion aligned with a center line of the V-shaped recess.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to hand tools. Particular embodiments of the invention provide hand tools for turning fittings such as nuts, bolts, flare nuts including specialty and security fasteners. The invention may be embodied, for example, in an open ended style, adjustable, ratcheting wrench configuration. 
         [0002]    The invention relates to ratchet wrenches, including ratchet wrenches that are open-ended and/or adjustable to engage workpieces with different sizes. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Open ended wrenches are often used by tradespeople because a quality open ended wrench that has tight tolerances makes for a perfect fit when it comes to tightening or loosening fasteners. Fixed wrenches do not become more difficult to operate if they become dirty or gritty as adjustable wrenches do. Fixed wrenches are also more compact in overall appearance and design which allows them to perform better in tighter work spaces. 
         [0004]    The most popular type of open ended wrench contacts the fitting on only two surfaces. One disadvantage of this design is that the wrench contacts only two sides of a fitting typically the opposite faces. Often this design has a tendency to round off the edges of a fitting especially if softer alloy fittings such as copper, aluminum, brass when greater torque is required to either tighten or loosen a fitting. Once a fitting has been “rounded off”, it can also become out of round and is considered damaged goods. If this fitting happens to be a flare nut on the end of a fuel line or hydraulic fitting, this can account for further costs and additional man hours to replace. Also, a rounded fitting can cause personal injury to the tradesperson if slippage occurs suddenly. 
         [0005]    Adjustable wrenches or spanners are another tool often used by tradespeople to turn fittings. Open ended wrenches are designed to fit a specific fitting or fastener. They normally require that the wrench be placed onto a fastener, turned, then lifted off of the fastener, repositioned and turned once again. The embodiment of this invention allows for a secure, slip-resistant placement of the wrench onto a fastener and the ability to turn the fastener and reposition the handle of the wrench back to its starting position without removing wrench head from the fastener. Occasionally, a product manufacturer may wish to use specialized security fasteners to deter others from tampering with a piece of equipment, however, a tradesperson with the proper tools and equipment knowledge can remove those types of fasteners quickly and easily. 
         [0006]    Several types of open ended adjustable ratcheting wrenches are known. Some examples are: 
         [0007]    Publication Number: US20090193939 
         [0008]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,459 
         [0009]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,077 
         [0010]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,404 
         [0011]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,412 
         [0012]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,464 
         [0013]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,139 
         [0014]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,298 
         [0015]    Patent Number: U.S. D0463233 
         [0016]    Patent Number: U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,221 
         [0017]    The inventor has identified a need for hand tools that address these issues associated with typical wrenches that are currently available today. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0018]    The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools, and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described challenges have been overcome, reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a wrench according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting wrench of  FIG. 1  with outer portion of its lower jaw extended away from the handle allowing the fitting to slip and reposition the handle of the wrench. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting wrench of  FIG. 1  gripping a security fastener between its jaws. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting wrench with nut N held between the outer portions of the wrenches jaws. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting wrench of  FIG. 1  gripping a security fastener between its jaws with the handle portion extended for more leverage. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting wrench of  FIG. 1  gripping a security fastener between its jaws with the handle portion extended for more leverage. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  shows an open ended adjustable ratcheting type wrench  10  according to a specific embodiment to the invention. Wrench  10  has a head  12  attached to a handle  14 . 
         [0028]    Upper jaw  16  is characterized by a V-shaped recess  30  defined in its side facing toward the lower jaw  18 . Recess  30  has opposite sides  31  and  32  that are disposed at an angle  0  to one another. Angle  0  is typically in the range of 55-65 degrees and is preferably approximately 60 degrees. 
         [0029]    Movable lower jaw  18  has a slidable projection  23  on the lower jaw which is aligned with a centerline  34  of recess  30 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the slidable projection  23  of movable lower jaw  18  can slide or pivot away from handle  14  thereby allowing security fastener nut N to pass by the slidable projection  23  on the movable lower jaw  18  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As the handle  14  is pulled towards the wrench head, of movable jaw  18  away from the handle  14  thereby creating the space required in order for edges of nut N to slip past the projection  33  in order to reposition the contact surfaces  31 ,  32  and  33  of wrench  10  onto the flat surfaces of security fastener nut N in order to turn nut N once again. As the handle  14  is pulled towards the wrench head, the slidable projection  33  of movable jaw  18  the edges of nut N force the slidable projection  33  to protrude out of lower jaw  18  away from the movable lower jaw thereby compressing spring  9  in the spring housing by the spring pin  8 . As wrench  10  is repositioned on the flat surfaces of Security fastener nut N thereby decompressing spring  9  wherein the guide  5  of slidable projection  33  slides along the guide  7  of the lower jaw and returns to its original position back in to the receiving chamber of lower jaw  18 . As the handle  14  of wrench  10  is pulled towards the lower jaw  18 , slidable protrusion  33  binds against lower jaw  18  to turn security fastener nut N once the flat surfaces of security nut N is placed securely within the contact points  31 ,  32  and  33  of wrench  10 . 
         [0030]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , centerline  34  of V-shaped indentation  30  makes an angle O with the center line of handle  14 . The particular angle O may be selected to have any value in a wide range. In the illustrated embodiment O is approximately 105 degrees. This gives wrench  10  an offset of 15 degrees. However, wrenches could readily be made for which angle O is anywhere in the range of 0-180 degrees. 
         [0031]    Wrench  10  may be also be used to grip hexagonal fittings in various ways. Two of these ways are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  FIG. 3  shows wrench  1  gripping a hexagonal nut, N. The nut is received in recess  30  with two sides of the nut bearing against sides  31  and  32  of recess  30 . A third side of the nut is in contact with projection  33 . Nut N is therefore securely held between the jaws of wrench  10  and is prevented from rotating relative to the jaws of wrench  10  even if significant torque is applied to the nut by pulling the handle  14  of wrench  10 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , Wrench  10  engages every face of security fastener nut N. Since nut N is uniquely shaped, the faces of nut N against which wrench  10  bears are at angles of 60 degrees to one another. 
         [0032]    The handle configuration shown in  FIG. 5  is shown as a two piece whereas the tail section  12  of the handle slides overtop of handle  14  which is fixed to the head  12  of the wrench. Handles  12  and  14  may be any suitable length when collapsed. Handle  12  can extend outward away from the fixed head to provide for additional leverage. 
         [0033]    The jaw configuration shown in  FIG. 1  is not limited to cases where V-shaped recess  30  is defined in the upper jaw, although there are advantages to providing recess  30  in the upper jaw. It is also possible to provide recess  30  on the lower jaw and to provide slidable projection  33  on the upper jaw. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows a hexagonal nut N being gripped on two sides by the outer portion  31  of the upper jaw  16  and the outer portion of the slidable projection  39  of lower jaw  18 .  FIG. 6  shows a security fastener nut N positioned within the upper jaw  16  and lower jaw  18  of an open ended adjustable ratcheting type wrench  10  according to a specific embodiment to the invention. 
         [0035]    The thickness of jaws  16  and  18  may be selected for the intended application. For heavy duty applications jaws  16  and  18  may be made thicker, whereas for applications in which fittings need to be gripped in close quarters jaws  16  and  18  may be made thinner. This also applies for the handle  14  and the tail end of the wrench  10 . 
         [0036]    A wrench like wrench  10  may have any suitable surface finish. Handle  14  may be covered with rubber, plastic or any suitable material to provide for a comfortable grip, if desired. 
         [0037]    The jaws of wrench  10  may be made of or faced with non-marring material for use in turning fittings that are polished or have other ornamental surface treatments. Optionally a tool as described above may have jaw covers of non-marring material, such as a suitable plastic, leather, a soft metal, or the like. The jaw covers may be slipped over the jaws to cover at least portions of the jaws that contact a fitting when the jaws engage the fitting. 
         [0038]    Wrench  10  can be of any size. Metric, Imperial or otherwise. 
         [0039]    While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.