Speed handle ratchet

A speed handle ratchet which can be used in either one of two distinct operating modes. The device includes an elongated handle having first and second ends, a head on one end of the handle, a hand grip on the other end of the handle, drive means connecting the hand grip to the head, ratchet means at the one end of the handle, and coupling means at the other end of the handle. The head is mounted for rotation about a first axis transverse to the handle and the hand grip is mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the handle. Rotation of the head in response to rotation of the hand grip is provided by the drive means. The handle is operatively joined to the head for rotation of the head in response to oscillation of the handle by the ratchet means, and the coupling means operatively joins the hand grip to the drive means. By utilizing this combination of elements, the coupling means transmits rotation of the hand grip through the drive means into rotation of the head for a first operating mode below a selected torque load level and prevents rotation of the hand grip by the drive means during rotation of the head in response to oscillation of the handle in a second operating mode above the selected torque load level.

BACKGROUND 
This invention relates to a speed handle ratchet and more particularly to a 
speed handle ratchet which can be used in either one of two distinct 
operating modes. 
A conventional ratchet wrench includes structure whereby oscillation of the 
handle of the wrench will cause rotation of the head of the wrench for 
driving an associated socket member of the like. It is well known that 
ratchet wrenches are useful for quickly tightening and loosening a nut or 
a bolt particularly in applications where other types of wrenches will not 
reach. It is equally well known, however, that ratachet wrenches are 
somewhat difficult to use in applications where oscillation of the handle 
is limited. With these problems in mind, those skilled in the art sought 
means whereby rotary movement could be imparted to the head independent of 
oscillation of the handle of the conventional ratchet wrench. More 
recently, speed ratchets have been developed to overcome the limitations 
of conventional ratchet wrenches. It has been common to provide means 
associated with the handle whereby rotary movement may be imparted to the 
head independent of oscillation of the handle. An example of such prior 
art speed ratchets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,893 illustrating a 
rotatable handle sleeve which may be rotated manually and without 
oscillation of the handle to rotate the head of the ratchet wrench to 
either tighten the associated nut or bolt until it becomes finger tight or 
remove the nut or bolt after it has been broken loose to a point at which 
it is no more than finger tight. It has been found, however, that the 
rotatable handle sleeve which must be manually disengaged in constructions 
heretofore available has proven to be a less than satisfactory feature. An 
example of the problems encountered includes disengagement difficulties 
with the extent of the problem depending upon the amount of gear stress 
which in turn is dependent upon the torque load applied during a 
tightening or loosening operation. It has also been found that the user 
will occasionally forget the required disengagement resulting in the 
handle sleeve slipping within the user's hands with the distinct 
possibility of causing injury or at the very least inconvenience. While 
the prior art has recognized the desirability and need for a speed 
ratchet, the present invention represents an improvement over all such 
prior art constructions. 
SUMMARY 
The present invention is directed to a speed handle ratchet which can be 
used in either one of two distinct operating modes. The device includes an 
elongated handle having first and second ends, a head on one end of the 
handle, a hand grip on the other end of the handle, drive means connecting 
the hand grip to the head, ratchet means at the one end of the handle, and 
coupling means at the other end of the handle. The head is mounted for 
rotation about a first axis transverse to the handle and the hand grip is 
mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the handle. Rotation 
of the head in response to rotation of the hand grip is provided by the 
drive means. The handle is operatively joined to the head for rotation of 
the head in response to oscillation of the handle, and the coupling means 
operatively joins the hand grip to the drive means. With these features of 
construction, the coupling means transmits rotation of the hand grip 
through the drive means into rotation of the head for a first operating 
mode below a selected torque load level and prevents rotation of the hand 
grip by the drive means during rotation of the head in response to 
oscillation of the handle in a second operating mode above the selected 
torque load level. 
In one embodiment disclosed, the coupling means includes a clutch assembly 
having a first portion connected to the drive means and a second portion 
urged into firm frictional engagement with the hand grip. The first 
portion of the clutch assembly includes a cylindrical insert element 
having a plurality of radially disposed circumferentially spaced apertures 
therein with a spring loaded pin extending from each of the apertures in 
the insert element. The clutch assembly is adjustable to vary the selected 
torque load level with the cylindrical insert element including a threaded 
central aperture to receive a screw passing through an aperture in the 
hand grip. 
The drive means includes a longitudinally extending rod having one end 
connected to the cylindrical insert element and having the other end 
connected to the head. The rod passes through a central bore in the handle 
with the end of the rod adjacent the head having a bevel gear secured 
thereto to mesh with a corresponding bevel gear fixed to the head. The 
drive means thereby connects the hand grip to the head for rotation of the 
head in response to rotation of the hand grip. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a speed 
handle ratchet which can automatically be used in either one of two 
distinct operating modes as a result of the unique coupling means 
operatively joining the hand grip to the drive means. The provision of the 
structure and the realization of the advantages to be derived therefrom 
constitute additional important objects of the present invention. Still 
other objects of this invention will be appreciated from a consideration 
of the details of construction and operation which are set forth in the 
accompanying specification, claims and drawings.

DESCRIPTION 
In the illustration given and with reference first to FIG. 1, the numeral 
10 designated generally a speed handle ratchet in accordance with the 
present invention. The ratchet 10 includes an elongated handle 11 having 
first and second ends 12 and 13, respectively, a head 14 on one end 12 of 
the handle 11, a hand grip 15 on the other end 13 of the handle 11, drive 
means 16 (as shown in FIG. 4) operatively joining the hand grip 15 to the 
head 14, ratchet means 17 at the one end 12 of the handle 11, and coupling 
means 18 at the other end 13 of the handle 11. The head 14 is mounted for 
rotation about a first axis 19 transverse to the handle 11 and the hand 
grip 15 is mounted for rotation about a second axis 20 parallel to the 
handle 11. Rotation of the head 14 in response to rotation of the hand 
grip 15 is provided by the drive means 16. The ratchet means 17 
operatively joins the handle 11 to the head 14 for rotation of the head 14 
in response to oscillation of the handle 11, and the coupling means 18 
operatively joins the hand grip 15 to the drive means 16. With this 
construction, the coupling means 18 transmits rotation of the hand grip 15 
through the drive means 16 into rotation of the head 14 below a selected 
torque load level and prevents rotation of the hand grip 15 by the drive 
means 16 during rotation of the head 14 in response to oscillation of the 
handle 11 above the selected torque load level. 
The coupling means 18 is a clutch assembly having a first portion 21 
connected to the drive means 16 and a second portion 22 urged into firm 
frictional engagement with the hand grip 15. The first portion 21 of the 
clutch assembly 18 is a cylindrical insert element having at least one 
aperture 23 and preferably a plurality of radially disposed 
circumferentially spaced apertures 23 therein (as shown in FIG. 7) with a 
spring loaded pin 24 extending from each of the apertures 23 in the insert 
element 21. The coupling means 18 is further characterized by the 
cylindrical insert element 21 having a threaded central aperture 25 (as 
shown in FIG. 6) to receive a screw 26 passing through an aperture 27 in 
the hand grip 15. 
The drive means 16 includes a longitudinally extending rod 28 having one 
end 29 connected to the insert element 21 of the clutch assembly 18 and 
having the other end 30 connected in the head 14. The end 30 of the rod 28 
adjacent the head 14 includes a bevel gear 31 to mesh with a corresponding 
bevel gear 31 in the head 14. The drive means 16 thereby connects the hand 
grip 15 to the head 14 for rotation of the head 14 in response to rotation 
of the hand grip 15. 
The ratchet means 17 includes a wheel 33 mounted for rotational movement 
about the first axis 19 in the head 14. It is particularly advantageous in 
most applications for the ratchet means 17 to be reversible. The ratchet 
means 17 also includes a pawl 34 engageable with the wheel 33 mounted for 
pivotal movement about an axis parallel to but spaced from the first axis 
19 in the handle 11. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, additional details of construction of the speed 
handle ratchet 10 can be appreciated. The handle 11 is an elongated member 
having a central bore 35 therethrough to carry the rod 28. The end 12 of 
the handle 11 is enlarged to accommodate the components of the drive means 
16 and the ratchet means 17 that operatively coact with the head 14. The 
enlarged end 12 of the handle 11 also adds strength to the speed handle 
ratchet 10 at the point where the head 14 is operatively joined to the 
handle 11. The end 13 of the handle 11 is merely a continuation of the 
main portion of the handle 11 telescopically extending into the hand grip 
15 with the handle 11 along the main body portion thereof preferably being 
cylindrical. 
The head 14 includes a casing 36 having a side portion 37 (as shown in FIG. 
2) integral with the end 12 of the handle 11 and a top portion 38 (as 
shown in FIG. 1) and a bottom portion 39 (as shown in FIG. 3) removably 
secured to the side portion 37 and the end 12 of the handle 11 by a 
plurality of fasteners 40 such as screws or rivets. The interior of the 
casing 36 includes a divider 41 which defines an upper compartment 42 and 
a lower compartment 43. The divider 41 is apertured as at 44 and the 
bottom portion 39 is apertured as at 45. The bevel gear 32 rides on the 
upper surface of the divider 41 in the upper compartment 42 being 
integrally associated with the wheel 33 through the aperture 44 by means 
of a connecting rod 46. The wheel 33 rides on the lower surface of the 
divider 41 and the upper surface of the bottom portion 39 being integrally 
connected through the aperture 45 to a lug 47 by means of a connecting rod 
48. The lug 47 has a non-circular transverse cross-section such as a 
square (as shown in FIG. 3) to receive a socket or the like having a 
similarly sized and shaped opening therein with suitable attachment means 
therebetween such as ball and socket (not shown) all of which is 
conventional being known to those skilled in the art. The head 14 
therefore includes operative elements in the form of the bevel gear 32, 
the wheel 33, and the lug 47. 
The drive means 16 is further characterized by the rod 28 extending into 
the upper compartment 42 of the head 14. The end of the rod 28 carrying 
the bevel gear 31 is apertured as at 49 and the bevel gear 31 is apertured 
as at 50 to receive a cotter pin 51 to positively connect the bevel gear 
31 to the rod 28. The rod 28 is normally so positioned that the bevel gear 
31 meshes with the corresponding bevel gear 32 mounted in the head 14. 
The pawl 34 is pivotally mounted on the pin 52 in the end 12 of the handle 
11. The pin 52 extends through a suitable aperture 53 in the pawl 34 and 
is anchored in axially aligned recesses 54 and 55, respectively, in the 
end 12 of the handle 11 and the bottom portion 39 of the casing 36. The 
pawl 34 can be better understood by referring to FIG. 15 where the 
reversible nature of the ratchet 17 is illustrated. The wheel 33 coacts 
with either one of two toothed projections 56 and 57 of the pawl 34. The 
projections 56 and 57 form an acute angle with the apex being defined by 
the aperture 53. The pawl 34 can be pivoted about the rod 52 at the apex 
until either the teeth of the projection 56 or the teeth on the projection 
57 are in contact with teeth on the wheel 33 depending upon whether 
counterclockwise or clockwise rotation of the lug 47 is desired. The 
ratchet means 17 also includes external means (not shown) for shifting the 
pawl 34 between these two operating positions. 
The hand grip 15 is an elongated tubular member open at one end having an 
inner diameter approximately the same as the outer diameter of the handle 
11. The closed end 58 of the handle 15 includes a cylindrical recess 59 
coaxial with the aperture 27. The recess 59 and the aperture 27 cooperate 
to receive the shoulder screw 26 with the head thereof in recessed 
relationship within the recess 59. The screw 26 serves to connect the hand 
grip 15 to the insert element 21 of the clutch assembly 18. 
Referring to FIGS. 6 through 8, the clutch assembly 18 can be better 
understood. The first portion or cylindrical insert element 21 includes a 
bore 60 therethrough transverse to the apertures 23 and the threaded 
aperture 25. The bore 60 is preferably located near the end of the insert 
element 21 remote from the closed end 58 of the hand grip 15. The rod 28 
of the drive means 16 has one end thereof extending slightly into the 
threaded aperture 25 with a bore 61 transverse to the axis thereof 
corresponding to and alignable with the bore 60 in the insert element 21. 
The bore 60 and the bore 61 cooperate to receive a cotter pin 62 (as shown 
in FIG. 6) for positively fastening the rod 28 to the insert element 21. 
The second portion of the coupling means 18 includes spring loaded pins 24 
having flat heads 63. The pins 24 also include long shanks 64 which extend 
through coiled springs 65 into the apertures 23 in the insert element 21. 
The heads 63 of the pins 24 are urged into firm engagement with the closed 
end 58 of the hand grip 15 by the springs 65. 
With the above construction, the speed handle ratchet 10 is very simple to 
use. The desired socket is placed on the lug 47 and the ratchet means 17 
is set for either clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the lug 47 
and the socket relative to the axis 19 for either tightening or loosening 
a nut or bolt. The user can employ the speed handle ratchet 10 to tighten 
a nut or bolt by first slightly starting the nut or the bolt with his 
fingers. The socket can then be placed on the nut or bolt with the ratchet 
means 17 properly set to utilize the hand grip 15 to draw the nut and bolt 
into approximately finger tight relation. The hand grip 15 is rotated 
about the axis 20 which will, in turn, impart rotational movement through 
the clutch assembly 18 to the rod 28. The flat heads 63 of the pins 24 are 
in firm frictional engagement with the closed end 58 of the hand grip 15 
so that any rotation of the hand grip 15 is translated through the pins 24 
to the insert element 21. Since the insert element 21 is positively 
connected to the rod 28, the rod 28 will also rotate in response to 
rotational movement of the hand grip 15. The bevel gear 31 is in turn 
rotated by the rotational movement of the rod 28 causing the bevel gear 32 
which meshes with the bevel gear 31 to be driven thereby about the axis 
19. The rotational movement of the bevel gear 32 also causes the 
connecting rod 46, the wheel 33, the connecting rod 48, the lug 47, and 
the socket connected thereto to rotate. The hand grip 15 can therefore be 
rotated with the movement being transmitted through the clutch assembly 
18, the drive means 16, the head 14 and the socket to draw the nut and 
bolt up to approximately finger tight relation. 
After the nut and bolt have been drawn up to approximately finger tight 
relation, further rotation of the hand grip 15 will not be transmitted 
since resistance to further rotation imparted by the nut and bolt will be 
carried back through the socket, the head 14, the drive means 16 and into 
the clutch assembly 18. At the point at which a selected torque load level 
is reached, the hand grip 15 will slip relative to the clutch assembly 18 
since the torque being applied to the hand grip 15 will be greater than 
the frictional force holding the spring loaded pins 24 in firm engagement 
with the end 48 of the hand grip 15. Accordingly, the clutch assembly 18 
is effective to transmit rotation of the hand grip 15 through the clutch 
assembly 18, the drive means 16, the head 14 and the socket only at or 
below a selected torque load level. 
After the nut and bolt have been drawn up to approximately finger tight 
relation, the speed handle ratchet 10 can immediately be used in a 
conventional manner to further tighten the nut and bolt. The head 14 and 
the socket rotate in response to oscillation of the handle 11 to perform 
the further tightening operation. The rotation of the socket and the head 
14 relative to the handle 11 does not impart rotational movement to the 
hand grip 15, however, because of the clutch assembly 18. The rotation of 
the head 14 and the socket will be transmitted through the drive means 16 
to the clutch assembly 18 but the user will be holding the hand grip 15 to 
impart oscillation to the handle 11 relative to the head 14 with the 
holding force normally being well above the selected torque load level. 
The spring loaded pins 24 will therefore rotate relative to the end 58 of 
the hand grip 15 since the frictional force therebetween will have been 
overcome. The clutch assembly 18 therefore prevents rotation of the hand 
grip 15 by the drive means 16 during rotation of the socket and the head 
14 in response to oscillation of the handle 11 above the selected torque 
load level. 
If it is later desired to use the speed handle ratchet 10 to loosen and 
remove a nut and bolt, the operation above described is simply reversed. 
The ratchet means 17 is oppositely set so that oscillation of the handle 
11 will cause the head 14 and the socket to rotate in the opposite 
direction. The oscillation of the handle 11 will again not cause the hand 
grip 15 to rotate as the nut and bolt are being broken loose and loosened 
to approximately finger tight relation because of the operation of the 
clutch assembly 18 above the selected torque load level as described 
above. Once the nut and bolt have been sufficiently loosened, the hand 
grip 15 can be used to further loosen and remove the nut and bolt. The 
rotation of the hand grip 15 will then be imparted to the nut and bolt 
because of the action of the clutch assembly 18 below the selected torque 
load level as described above. With this construction, the speed handle 
ratchet 10 of the present invention effectively provides a device 
automatically operable in either one of two operating modes without the 
need for manual mode selection due to the unique automatic clutch assembly 
18 disclosed. 
The clutch assembly 18 is adjustable to vary the selected torque load level 
below which rotation of the hand grip 15 is transmitted into rotation of 
the head 14 and the socket and above which rotation of the hand grip 15 is 
prevented during rotation of the head 14 and the socket in response to 
oscillation of the handle 11. The adjustment can be made in a very simple 
manner by simply advancing or retracting the shoulder screw 26. The 
movement of the screw 26 will, of course, vary the spring force of the 
pins 24 since the springs 65 will either be compressed or explanded as a 
result of the screw 26 being advanced or retracted. With a slot being 
provided in the head of the screw 26, it is a very simple matter using a 
conventional screw driver to vary the selected torque load level. 
Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, an optional manual disengagement feature 
can be provided. The rod 28 is provided with a pair of longitudinally 
spaced annular grooves 66 and 67 near the end thereof adjacent the head 
14. The grooves 66 and 67 are provided to cooperate with a spring detent 
68 carried within a bore 69 in the end 12 of the handle 11. The spring 
detent 68 includes a helical coil spring 70 with balls 71 and 72 on 
opposite ends thereof. The ball 71 engages either one of the grooves 66 or 
67 depending upon whether the rod 28 is in a position of engagement or 
disengagement and the ball 72 engages either one of two depressions 73 and 
74 in the pawl 34 depending upon whether the ratchet means 17 is set for 
clockwise or counterclockwise rotation. With these additional structural 
features, the drive means 16 can be disengaged (as shown in FIG. 5) should 
it be desirable to do so although this is merely an optional feature which 
is not required due to the automatic operation of the clutch assembly 18. 
In another form of the invention (as shown in FIG. 16) the speed handle 
ratchet 110 includes a somewhat different coupling means 118 and drive 
means 116. The drive means 116 again includes a longitudinally extending 
rod 128 which is carried in a central bore 135 in the handle 111. The rod 
128 terminates, however, at the one end 112 of the handle 111 rather than 
extending into the head 114. The head 114 is then connected to the rod 128 
by a cable 175. The cable 175 has one end positively connected to the end 
of the rod 128 adjacent the head 114 and has the other end positively 
connected to the lug 147 in the head 114. With this construction, 
rotational movement of the rod 128 is transmitted through the cable 175 to 
the head 114. 
The coupling means 118 again includes a first portion 121 and a second 
portion 122. The first portion 121 of the coupling means 118 is a 
cylindrical insert element but the second portion of the coupling means 
118 is a spring loaded disc 122. The disc 122 (as shown in FIG. 9) is 
disposed between the insert element 121 and the end 158 of the hand grip 
115 being compressable and expandable to provide adjustability for varying 
the selected torque load level. The disc 122 preferably includes a central 
aperture 176 with a plurality of radially disposed circumferentially 
spaced upstanding tabs 177 constructed of spring steel. The hand grip 115 
is connected to the coupling means 118 by means of a shoulder screw 126 
which extends through a recess 159 and an aperture 127 in the closed end 
158. The screw 126 cooperates with a threaded aperture 125 in the insert 
element 121 and can be advanced or retracted to vary the selected torque 
load level in a manner very similar to that described above in connection 
with the first embodiment. The coupling means 118 is positively connected 
to the rod 128 by means of a pin 162 which extends through an aperture 160 
in the insert element 121 and an aperture 161 in the rod 128. With respect 
to the other structural details of the speed handle ratchet 110, such 
details of construction are either similar to those described in 
connection with the first embodiment or otherwise conventional and readily 
available and known to those skilled in the art with the operation thereof 
being identical to that described above. 
The present invention therefore provides a unique speed handle ratchet with 
a coupling means that engages and disengages automatically at a selected 
torque load level permitting the ratchet to be used in a conventional 
manner by oscillating the handle as well as in a second unique manner by 
rotating the hand grip. This eliminates the need for manual engagement and 
disengagement of the second mode of operation for tightening or loosening 
a nut or bolt as well as at burr stops. In the prior art, manual 
engagement and disengagement is required and depending upon the amount of 
stress, must either be done with two hands or in the event of extreme gear 
stress may not be accomplished at all. This leads to a reduction of gear 
teeth edge over a period of sustained heavy use with extreme friction 
stress sometimes resulting in strippage of the gear teeth themselves. With 
the present invention this is not possible because the coupling means 
disengages automatically above a selected torque load level. 
The present invention therefore provides a speed handle ratchet in which 
rotation of the nut or bolt may be achieved by simply rotating the hand 
grip about its own axis in the same manner as the handle of a screw driver 
is rotated as the nut or bolt is being threaded into place for final 
tightening or after it has been broken loose and is being unthreaded for 
removal. The device may be used in a conventional manner for exerting 
maximum force and may be used in screw driver fashion when only minimum 
force is required. A friction clutch assembly is provided to accomplish 
these objectives so that the hand grip will not rotate about its own axis 
in the user's hand during a normal ratcheting operation. The device is 
characterized by quickness and ease of operation in removing or tightening 
a nut or bolt from beginning to end since the speed handle ratchet does 
not have to be removed once it is placed on the nut or bolt until complete 
removal or tightening of the nut or bolt. With the features above 
described, the speed handle ratchet of the present invention fully 
accomplishes the objective of providing a device which can automatically 
be used in either one of two distinct operating modes in the manner 
described. 
While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of the inventio 
has been set forth for the purpose of illustration, variations of the 
details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.