Socket

A socket includes two open ends and each open end has a polygonal inner periphery. Three of the sides defining each polygonal inner periphery have a groove defined therein and two springs are received in the two open ends. Each open end has a frame received therein and contacts the spring. Each frame has three protrusions which is received in the grooves and extend radially into the open end. Each frame is retained by a retaining device. A small object can be engaged with the three protrusions in the open end, and a large object can be engaged with the polygonal inner periphery of the open end by pushing the frame and the spring.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a socket, and more particularly, to an 
improved socket having two open ends and each open end having a spring, a 
frame and a retaining member to retain the frame in the open end. The 
frame has a small inner periphery for engaging a small object and a large 
object is engaged with the inner periphery of the open end. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A conventional socket can only engage with an object having a fixed size. 
If the user chooses a wrong socket which has an incorrect size, a smaller 
object or a larger object cannot be engaged with the socket. Therefore, 
the user has to prepare many sockets with different sizes so as to tighten 
or loosen objects having various sizes. It is understandable that when 
facing many objects with different sizes, the processes of choosing 
correct sockets, engaging the sockets with the right objects, and removing 
the sockets from the objects are time-consuming. 
The present invention intends to provide a socket which has two open ends 
and each open end is able to engage with at least two objects with 
different sizes so that the user can only carry some sockets with him/her 
and can handle many situations of tightening or loosening objects. The 
present invention is able to mitigate the disadvantages of the 
conventional sockets. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 
socket comprising a first open end and a second open end. The first open 
end has a polygonal inner periphery and at least two of the sides defining 
the polygonal inner periphery each have a groove defined therein. A spring 
is received in the first open end. A frame is movably received in the 
first open end and contacts the spring. The frame has at least two 
protrusions extending laterally from the periphery of the frame and the at 
least two protrusions are engaged with the least two grooves. The at least 
two protrusions each have an outside which is engaged with the groove 
corresponding thereto and an inside which extends radially inward from the 
polygonal inner periphery of the first open end. A retaining means for 
retaining the frame is in the first open end. 
The object of the present invention is to provide a socket which has two 
open ends and each open end has a spring, a frame and a retaining means. A 
small object can be engaged with three protrusions extending from the 
frame and a large object can be engaged with the polygonal inner periphery 
of the open end by pushing the frame and the spring. 
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention 
will become more obvious from the following description when taken in 
connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of 
illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present 
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the socket 1 of the present invention comprises 
a first open end 11 and a second open end 12, a connecting portion located 
in the socket and between the first open end 11 and the second open end 
12. Each of the first open end 11 and the second open end 12 has a 
polygonal inner periphery which is hexagonal inner periphery in this 
embodiment. Three of the sides defining each hexagonal inner periphery 
each have a groove 111/121 defined therein. The connect portion has a 
square passage 13 defined longitudinally therethrough which communicates 
with the first open end 11 and the second open end 12. 
Two springs 2 are respectively received in the first open end 11 and the 
second open end 12, and respectively contact the connecting portion. Each 
of the first open end 11 and the second open end 12 has a frame 3 movably 
received therein so that the two frames 3 contacts the spring 2 
corresponding thereto. Each frame 3 has three protrusions 31 extending 
laterally from the periphery of the frame 3 so that the three protrusions 
31 are movably engaged with the grooves 111/121. The protrusions 31 each 
have an outside which is engaged with the groove 111/121 corresponding 
thereto and an inside which extends radially inward into the hexagonal 
inner periphery of the first open end 11 and the second open end 12. Each 
frame 3 has a square hole 32 defined therethrough. 
A retaining means 4 for retaining each frame 3 is a hexagonal plate and has 
three notches 41 defined in the periphery so that the three protrusions 31 
of each frame 3 are engaged with the notches 41 in the first open end 11 
and the second open end 12. Each retaining means 4 has a square hole 42 
defined therethrough. 
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a small object 5 can be engaged in the first 
open end 11 with the three sides of the object 5 engaged with the insides 
of the three protrusions 31. An L-shaped tool 60 as shown in FIG. 4 is 
inserted through the second open end 12 and securely engaged with the 
rectangular passage 13 in the connecting portion so that the object 5 can 
be tightened or loosened by rotating the tool 60. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a large object 50 can be engaged with the 
hexagonal inner periphery in the first open end 11 wherein the object 50 
pushes the three protrusions 31 of the frame 3 and compresses the spring 
2. The L-shaped tool 60 is inserted through the second open end 12 and 
securely engaged with the rectangular passage 13 in the connecting portion 
so that the object 50 can be tightened or loosened by rotating the tool 
60. In other words, the first open end 11 of the socket 1 can receive two 
objects 5, 50 with different sizes. Similarly, the second open end 12 can 
also receive another two objects with different sizes so that the socket 1 
may be engaged with objects having four different sizes. 
Referring to FIG. 6, the socket 1 has a polygonal flange 15 extending 
radially outward from an outside of the socket 1 so that the polygonal 
flange 15 can be clamped by a wrench (not shown) and the socket 1 can be 
rotated by the wrench. 
Referring to FIG. 7, the retaining means 4 is a C-shaped clip 40, and the 
first open end 11 and the second open end 12 each have a plurality of 
slots 110/120 so that the C-shaped clip 40 is engaged with the slots 
110/120. 
Referring to FIG. 8, the retaining means 4 includes two pins 400 which 
respectively extend radially through the wall of the socket 1 and retain 
the two frames 3. 
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with 
the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that 
further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and 
spirit of the present invention.