Adjustable socket

An adjustable socket including a housing designed on a longitudinal axis, with a series of grooves extending longitudinally along the interior wall. A disc with drive channels intruding obliquely off-center from the perimeter is locked into position within the housing. Jaw members with drive rods are mounted in the disc drive channels, free to move laterally along fixed paths. An axially rotatable drive core with a drive surface is positioned within the housing, engaging the drive rod of each jaw. Rotation of the drive core forces the jaws to travel inwardly along the disc drive channels as dictated by the drive elements of the drive surface, to be forced against a fastener within the jaws. A locking mechanism holds the jaws in position on the fastener. Release of the locking mechanism allows rotation of the drive core in the opposite direction to release the fastener.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An adjustable socket that can fit varying sizes of fasteners (nuts, bolts, etc.) can replace several fixed-size sockets, reducing the components of a socket set into a minimal number of tools. An adjustable socket allows for streamlining of workflow, as time is no longer spent finding and selecting the correct fixed-size socket from a set. An adjustable socket may also more tightly grip a damaged or worn fastener than a fixed-size socket.

Several adjustable sockets exist in the prior art which are manually adjustable to fit varying sizes of fasteners, by means of a plurality of jaws which are moveable along a fixed path. However, despite the basic functionality of these devices, they are susceptible to inherent design restrictions that limit their effectiveness and range of operation.

The operating range of an adjustable socket with jaws whose pathways travel in a direct radial path toward the fastener is inherently limited. To allow for a wider direct radial contraction of jaws on the head of a fastener, these devices must either have a limited number of jaws, or jaws much narrower than the faces they are intended to grip. These conditions result in decreased shared surface area between the sockets and fasteners, which results in reduced force potential and increased slippage.

In U.S. Pat. No. 8,893,592, there is disclosed an adjustable socket that is manually operable by means of a drive core, which moves jaw members along fixed paths oblique to the center of the socket, and is locked in place by a biased indexing collar. Although this socket allows a user to grip hexagonal fasteners of a wide range of sizes, the features designed to restrict unwanted movement of the jaws are not sufficient, and the drive interface between drive core and jaws restricts the range of available locking sizes for the unit.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An adjustable socket with jaws that travel along paths oblique to the center of the socket can overcome the limitations presented by adjustable sockets with radially-moveable jaws. These oblique pathways can be longer than a corresponding radial pathway, thereby increasing the operable range of the socket. Jaws that travel along oblique pathways may slide past one another rather than contract together, allowing for a jaw of maximum possible width. This in turn creates more shared surface area between socket and fastener, increasing force potential and reducing slippage.

A well-designed adjustable socket is a simple, convenient, cost-effective alternative to a socket set, allowing for a wide range of adjustable sizes, providing the ability to apply and maintain significant force to a fastener without slipping or failing, while maintaining a sleek, aesthetic design. These qualities are included in the embodiments of the adjustable socket described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description contains concise, exact details to provide any person skilled in the art a clear and thorough understanding of the instrument described herein. Well-known elements may not be described in detail, however, to avoid unnecessary complication of the description and associated illustrations. Furthermore, the described embodiments and associated illustrations are intended to be exemplary and not restrictive, as modifications or refinements to the preferred embodiments may occur.

FIGS. 1 and 2A-2Ddepict an adjustable socket8comprising a housing1, a disc2, a plurality of jaws3, a drive core4, an indexing collar5, a wave spring6, and a retaining plug7.

Housing1(also shown separately inFIGS. 3A-3C) is generally circular in cross-section, and possesses a generally cylindrical internal shape aligned along a longitudinal axis X. Two vertical locking grooves10, sized and shaped to couple with disc2, extend longitudinally along an interior housing wall11, terminating at a distance from a top housing lip12. Support channels13installed through an exterior housing wall14are sized and shaped to accept moveable jaws3. Locking slots15are installed in the interior housing wall11which, along with a bottom housing lip16, are sized and shaped to couple with retaining plug7. Two longitudinal apertures17installed in exterior housing wall14are adapted to accept an indexing collar5which, when assembled with a wave spring6and retaining plug7, is biased toward the top housing lip12of housing1.

Disc2(also shown separately inFIGS. 4A-4C) is generally circular in cross-section with a series of six oblique horizontal drive channels20, open to the perimeter and angled at approximately a 60 degree differential from the adjacent drive channels. Locking tabs21extend out radially from the perimeter of disc2, to allow for coupling with the locking grooves10of housing1. Three locking slots22installed through a bottom lip23are sized and shaped to accept a drive core4.

Each jaw3(one of which is shown separately inFIGS. 5A-5E) has a flat inward face30, a flat beveled face31, two flat side faces32, a convex outward face33, a flat flare face34, and a flat bottom face35. For the purpose of this description, “inward” means facing toward axis X, and “outward” means facing away from axis X as shown inFIG. 1. Extending downward from flat bottom face35is a stem36, connected to a generally cylindrical horizontal drive rod37. Drive rod37has a flat bottom face38, within which tapered grooves39extend upward toward stem36.

Stem36and drive rod37are sized and shaped to fit snugly within the drive channels20of disc2, and to restrict rotation of jaw3within drive channel20relative to axis X. Bottom faces35and38are sized and shaped to restrict vertical motion or tilting of jaw3within drive channel20relative to axis X. The aforementioned motion restrictions allow jaw3to move laterally through drive channel20while not excessively tilting or rotating relative to axis X.

Drive core4(also shown separately inFIGS. 6A-6D) is generally circular in cross-section with a top drive surface40at a right angle to axis X, comprising six spiraling drive fins41each sized and shaped to be accepted by a tapered groove39of jaw3. Extending downward from surface40is a series of teeth42sized and shaped to be coupled with indexing collar5. Extending downward from teeth42is a generally cylindrical drive shaft43extending down to a lower drive core lip44, within the bottom of which is drive aperture45, sized and shaped to accept a ratcheting socket-driving tool81with ½ inch drive element82(shown inFIGS. 11A-11E). A sizing notch46is etched into lower drive core lip44. Three locking tabs47extend outward from an outer wall48, and are sized and shaped to be accepted by the locking slots22of disc2.

FIGS. 7A-7Dillustrate the partial assembly of adjustable socket8, comprising disc2, six jaws3, and drive core4. Inserting one jaw3into each drive channel20of disc2results in three pairs of diametrically-opposed jaws3, which create in their center a hexagonal shape to allow for acceptance of a standard hexagonal fastener80as depicted inFIG. 2D. Drive core4is coupled with jaws3, so that each drive fin41is inserted into a separate tapered groove39of a jaw3.

It is understood that for the purposes of clearly illustrating the drive action of the partial assembly depicted inFIGS. 7A-7Dthat housing1is not depicted, but that its presence would hold disc2in the fixed position shown. It is also understood that the partial assembly depicted inFIGS. 7A-7Dwould be held together by the coupling of housing1to retaining plug7, which is also not depicted for the sake of clarity.

As drive core4is rotated in the direction shown by arrow90(FIG. 7A), the drive fins41of drive core4engage the tapered gooves39of jaws3, contracting them into the center of drive core4toward axis X (shown inFIG. 1). The jaws3are forced to travel along the path prescribed by drive channels20, due to being locked into the pathway by stem36and drive rod37, which prevent vertical motion or tilting of jaw3within drive channel20relative to axis X. The angles of inward faces30and flare faces34are sized and shaped to allow jaws3to slide past one another during operation of the mechanism without touching or dragging, while holding inward faces30in fixed position to one another and parallel to the corresponding faces of a fastener within jaws3. A jaw3may travel inwardly along drive channel20until beveled face31meets side face32, at which point the smallest possible hexagonal shape is achieved.

FIGS. 8A-8Dare top plan views of theFIG. 1adjustable socket's drive mechanism, corresponding to the positions of the drive mechanism as depicted inFIGS. 7A-7D, illustrating the combined motions of jaws3in relation to one another. It is understood that for the purposes of clearly illustrating the drive action of the partial assembly depicted inFIGS. 8A-8Dthat housing1is not depicted, but that its presence would hold disc2in the fixed position shown. It is also understood that the partial assembly depicted inFIGS. 8A-8Dwould be held together by the mating of housing1to retaining plug7, which is also not depicted for the sake of clarity. As drive core4is rotated in the direction shown by arrow91(FIG. 8A), the drive fins41of drive core4engage the tapered gooves39of jaws3, contracting them into the center of drive core4toward axis X (shown inFIG. 1). The jaws3are forced to travel along the paths prescribed by drive channels20.

An indexing collar5is shown inFIGS. 9A-9D, comprising a collar ring50with a series of teeth51along the interior ring wall52, sized and shaped to couple with drive core4. Two asymmetrical tabs53are sized and shaped to allow insertion of indexing collar5into apertures17of housing1, which maintains fixed axial position of the indexing collar while the drive mechanism is operated. Two handles54allow for manual operation of the locking mechanism.

Retaining plug7(FIGS. 10A-10D) is generally cylindrical in shape, with two locking tabs70extending between a top face71and outer lip72, sized and shaped to couple with the locking slots15of housing1. A series of sizing indicators73are etched into a bottom face74, skirting the edge of an interior face75. When retaining plug7is completely locked into housing1, outer lip72is sized to enter into housing1so that bottom face74couples flush with bottom housing lip16(FIG. 3A) and lower drive core lip44(FIG. 6D). As drive core4is rotated the direction shown by arrow91(FIG. 8A), a sizing notch46(FIG. 6D) moves along sizing indicators73, indicating the size of fastener that jaws3are currently in position to accept. This process is best illustrated byFIGS. 12D and 13D.

FIG. 11Aillustrates adjustable socket8being affixed to a ratcheting socket-driving tool81with ½ inch drive element82, via the direction indicated by arrow92. A wave spring6(also shown inFIG. 1) is included within housing1and held in place by retaining plug7, to bias indexing collar5to a locked position yet allow manual release of drive core4when moved in the direction shown by arrow93inFIG. 11B, for operation of the adjustable socket8drive mechanism.FIGS. 11C-11Eillustrate the ratcheting socket-driving tool81being rotated in direction94, and the resultant action of adjustable socket8as it tightens down upon a ¼ inch fastener83.FIG. 11Eillustrates the action of indexing collar5, which is biased by wave spring6in the direction illustrated by arrow95into a locked position, holding jaws3into the fixed position shown.

FIGS. 12A-12Dshow adjustable socket8with jaws3in a fully open position, spaced to accept a 1 inch fastener as indicated inFIG. 12D.

FIGS. 13A-13Dshow adjustable socket8after complete rotation of drive core4in the direction shown by arrow94(FIG. 11B), drawing jaws3inward into a fully closed position, spaced to accept a ¼ inch fastener as indicated inFIG. 13D.