Quick release mechanism for socket wrench

A socket wrench includes a housing disposed in a driving head and having one or more protruded portions and one or more recessed portions, a gear rotatably received in the housing and having a driving stem, a detent slidably received in the driving stem and extendible into and out of the driving stem, a shaft slidably and rotatably received in the gear and having an actuating end for engaging with the detent, a follower attached to the shaft and having one or more protruded portions and one or more recessed portions for engaging with the protruded portions and the recessed portions of the housing and for actuating the actuating end of the shaft to engage with or to be disengaged from the detent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a socket wrench, and more particularly to a socket wrench including a quick release mechanism for detachably or quickly and effectively attaching or securing a socket member to the driving stem of the socket wrench.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical socket wrenches comprise an aperture formed through the driving head for slidably receiving a detent which may be used to lock a socket to the driving head, and a push bar attached or coupled to the detent and movable to allow retraction of the detent and release of the socket.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,747 to Pawlow, U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,127 to D'Oporto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,043 to Dempsey et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,227 to Stasiek disclose four of the typical quick release mechanisms or reversible ratchet mechanisms for attaching or coupling to the socket wrenches, and a push bar or release shaft slidably received or engaged in a driving head of the socket wrench for detachably attaching or securing a socket member to the socket wrench.

However, the push bar or release shaft of the typical quick release mechanisms or reversible ratchet mechanisms may only be moved for a limited distance and may not be used to effectively actuate or operate the detent.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,245 to Smyers et al. discloses another typical quick release mechanism or quick release and speeder for attaching or coupling to the socket wrenches, and also including a push bar or release shaft slidably received or engaged in a driving head of the socket wrench for detachably attaching or securing a socket member to the socket wrench.

However, the push bar or release shaft of the typical quick release mechanism also may only be moved for a limited distance and may not be used to effectively or quickly actuate or operate the detent.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional quick release mechanisms or reversible ratchet mechanisms for the socket wrenches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a socket wrench including a quick release mechanism for detachably or quickly and effectively attaching or securing a socket member to the driving stem of the socket wrench.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a socket wrench comprising a driving head including a chamber formed therein, a housing disposed in the chamber of the driving head, and including a compartment formed in the housing, and including a central hole formed therein and communicating with the compartment of the housing, and including an upper portion, and including a curved surface formed in the upper portion of the housing and having at least one protruded portion and at least one recessed portion, a gear rotatably received in the compartment of the housing for being selectively rotated by the housing and the driving head, and including a driving stem extended therefrom, and including a bore formed in the driving stem, and including an orifice formed in the driving stem and communicating with the bore of the gear, a detent slidably received in the orifice of the driving stem and extendible selectively into and out of the driving stem, a shaft slidably and rotatably received in the bore of the gear, and including an actuating end for engaging with the detent and for selectively moving the detent into and out of the driving stem, and including a driven end provided thereon, a spring biasing device for biasing the actuating end of the shaft to engage with the detent, and a follower attached to the shaft and to be rotated relative to the housing by the shaft, and including a curved surface formed in the follower and having at least one protruded portion and at least one recessed portion for engaging with the protruded portion and the recessed portion of the housing respectively, the protruded portion of the follower is engageable with the recessed portion of the housing, and the recessed portion of the follower is engageable with the protruded portion of the housing for allowing the actuating end of the shaft to be biased to engage with the detent and to move the detent out of the driving stem, and the protruded portion of the follower is engageable with the protruded portion of the housing when the follower is rotated relative to the housing by the shaft, for allowing the actuating end of the shaft to be disengaged from the detent and to be selectively moved into the driving stem.

The housing includes a swelling extended upwardly from the upper portion of the housing, and the curved surface of the housing is formed in the swelling. The housing includes a central hole formed therein and located in the swelling, and communicating with the compartment of the housing for slidably and rotatably receiving the shaft.

The detent includes a cavity formed therein for receiving and engaging with the actuating end of the shaft. The cavity of the detent and the actuating end of the shaft include a cone-shape, or a frustum-shape or the like.

The shaft includes an anchor pin engaged through the driven end of the shaft and engaged with the follower for anchoring and positioning the follower to the shaft. The follower includes a depression formed therein for engaging with the anchor pin.

The driving head includes a knob rotatably attached to the driving head and attached to the driven end of the shaft for rotating the shaft relative to the housing and the driving head. The knob includes a stud extended therein and having a recess formed therein for slidably receiving the driven end of the shaft.

The driving head includes a casing attached to the driving head and having a peripheral flange extended radially and inwardly therefrom, and the knob includes a peripheral groove formed therein for engaging with the peripheral flange of the casing and for allowing the knob to be rotatably attached to the driving head. The driving head includes an upwardly extended barrel, and the casing is secured to the barrel of the driving head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially toFIGS. 1-2, a socket wrench1in accordance with the present invention comprises a driving head10formed or provided on one end portion of a handle member (not shown), and the driving head10includes a chamber11formed therein for slidably receiving a ratchet mechanism2therein, for example, the ratchet mechanism2includes a cartridge or housing20(FIGS. 1-5) disposed or engaged in the chamber11of the driving head10, and having a compartment21formed in the housing20, and having an internal gear22formed or provided in the compartment21or in the inner portion of the housing20, and a gear30rotatably received or engaged in the compartment21of the housing20and arranged for allowing the gear30to be rotated or driven by the housing20and the driving head10and the handle member (not shown).

The gear30includes an extension31extended downwardly therefrom, and a driving stem32extended downwardly from the extension31and having a non-circular cross section for engaging with the typical socket members (not shown) and for rotating or driving the typical socket members, and includes a bore33formed in the central portion of the gear30and/or the extension31, and includes a narrowed or diameter reduced passage34formed in the central portion of the extension31and/or the driving stem32and communicating with the bore33of the gear30for forming an annular or peripheral shoulder35between the bore33and the passage34of the gear30, and includes an orifice36laterally formed in the driving stem32and communicating with the bore33or the passage34of the extension31of the gear30for slidably receiving a rounded detent37.

The detent37is arranged to be selectively moved or extended out of the driving stem32for engaging with the socket members to be driven and for detachably attaching or securing the socket members to the driving stem32of the socket wrench1, and is also arranged to be selectively retracted or engaged into the orifice36of the driving stem32for being disengaged from the socket members and thus for allowing the socket members to be engaged onto or disengaged from the driving stem32. The detent37includes a cavity38formed therein, such as formed in the upper portion thereof for aligning with or directing toward or communicating with the passage34of the extension31of the gear30, and the cavity38of the detent37includes a cone-shape or frustum-shape having a peripheral or inclined surface formed therein (FIGS. 1-2,5). The above-described structure is typical and will not be described in further details.

The housing20includes a central hole23formed therein and communicating with the compartment21of the housing20for slidably and rotatably receiving a release or elongate shaft40, in which the shaft40includes a circular cross section for being slidably and rotatably received and engaged in the central hole23of the housing20and the passage34of the extension31of the gear30, and the shaft40includes an enlarged block41formed or provided on the middle portion of the shaft40and also having a circular cross section for being slidably and rotatably received and engaged in the bore33of the gear30for engaging with the shoulder35of the gear30and for limiting the block41and the shaft40to slide relative to the gear30and the detent37. The shaft40includes a bar or driven end42extended upwardly from the shaft40or provided on the upper portion of the shaft40and having a non-circular or square or rectangular cross section.

The shaft40includes a tapered or inclined or cone-shaped or frustum-shaped lower or actuating end43for engaging with the cavity38of the detent37and for selectively moving the detent37out to engage with the socket members or for selectively retracting or engaging the detent37into the orifice36of the driving stem32and disengaged from the socket members. A spring biasing means or member44is engaged onto the outer peripheral portion of the shaft40and engaged between the housing20and the block41of the shaft40for forcing or biasing the actuating end43of the shaft40to engage with the detent37and for selectively moving the detent37into or out of the orifice36of the driving stem32, and preferably for forcing the actuating end43of the shaft40to move the detent37out of the driving stem32and to engage with the socket members.

The housing20includes a bulge or swelling24extended upwardly from the upper portion25of the housing20(FIGS. 3,4), and preferably formed or provided above the central hole23of the housing20, or having the central hole23formed or located in the center portion of the swelling24of the housing20(FIGS. 1-2,5), and includes a wave-shaped or curved surface26formed or provided in the upper portion of the swelling24and having one or more (such as two) upper or higher or protruded portions27and one or more (such as two) lower or recessed portions28. A follower50includes a non-circular aperture51formed therein for slidably receiving the non-circular bar or driven end42of the shaft40and for allowing the follower50to be attached to the shaft40and to be rotated or driven relative to the housing20by the shaft40.

It is preferable that the follower50further includes a depression52formed therein, such as formed in the upper portion thereof, and an anchor pin45is engaged through the bar or driven end42or the shaft40and engaged with the depression52of the follower50for anchoring or positioning the follower50to the bar or driven end42or the shaft40and for preventing the follower50from being disengaged from the shaft40, and the spring biasing member44may force or bias the follower50toward or to engage with the swelling24of the housing20. The follower50also includes a wave-shaped or curved surface53formed or provided in the lower portion thereof and having one or more (such as two) recessed portions54and one or more (such as two) protruded portions55for engaging with the protruded portions27and the recessed portions28of the swelling24or of the housing20respectively.

For example, as shown inFIGS. 1,3, when the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the protruded portions55of the follower50, the follower50may be moved upwardly or away from the swelling24of the housing20for a distance that doubles the height “h” of the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20or of the protruded portions55of the follower50. On the contrary, as shown inFIGS. 2,4, when the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the recessed portions54of the follower50, or when the recessed portions28of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the protruded portions55of the follower50, the follower50may be moved downwardly or toward the swelling24of the housing20for a distance that doubles the height “h” of the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20or of the protruded portions55of the follower50.

In operation, when the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the recessed portions54of the follower50, or when the recessed portions28of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the protruded portions55of the follower50, as shown inFIGS. 2,4, the shaft40may be forced or biased or moved downwardly by the spring biasing member44, and the actuating end43of the shaft40may be forced or actuated to engage with the detent37and to selectively move the detent37out of the driving stem32and to engage with the socket members. On the contrary, as shown inFIGS. 1,3, when the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20are engaged with the protruded portions55of the follower50, the shaft40may be caused or forced to move upwardly against the spring biasing member44to move the actuating end43of the shaft40upwardly or away from the detent37and to allow the detent37to be moved into the driving stem32and to be disengaged from the socket members.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the driving head10includes a barrel12extended upwardly therefrom and preferably formed integral with the driving head10, and a casing13attached or secured in the barrel12or the driving head10with such as fasteners or latches (not shown), adhesive materials, or by welding processes, and includes an annular or peripheral flange14extended radially and inwardly therefrom, and a hand grip or button or knob60is rotatably attached or engaged onto the barrel12of the driving head10, and includes a stud61extended therein and having a non-circular or square or rectangular recess62formed therein for slidably receiving the non-circular bar or driven end42of the shaft40and for allowing the shaft40and the follower50to be rotated or driven by the knob60and for allowing the bar or driven end42of the shaft40to be slid or moved up and down along or relative to the recess62of the stud61or of the knob60.

The knob60includes an annular or peripheral groove63formed therein for receiving or engaging with the peripheral flange14of the driving head10, and for allowing the knob60to be rotatably attached or engaged onto the barrel12of the driving head10, and for allowing the bar or driven end42of the shaft40to be rotated or driven by the knob60and thus for allowing the bar or driven end42of the shaft40and the follower50to be forced to slide or to move up and down relative to the swelling24of the housing20. It is to be noted that the follower50may be moved upwardly or away from the swelling24of the housing20, or downwardly or toward the swelling24of the housing20for a distance that doubles the height “h” of the protruded portions27of the swelling24or of the housing20or of the protruded portions55of the follower50, and thus for allowing the shaft40to be easily rotated or driven by the knob60.

Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 5, the driving head101may include a barrel15separated from the driving head101and attached or secured to the driving head101with such as fasteners or latches (not shown), adhesive materials, or by welding processes, and includes an annular or peripheral flange16extended radially and inwardly therefrom for receiving or engaging with the peripheral groove63of the knob60and for allowing the knob60to be rotatably attached or engaged onto the barrel15of the driving head101, and for allowing the shaft40to be rotated or driven by the knob60and thus for allowing the shaft40and the follower50to be forced to slide or to move up and down relative to the swelling24of the housing20.

Accordingly, the socket wrench in accordance with the present invention includes a quick release mechanism for detachably or quickly and effectively attaching or securing the socket member to the driving stem of the socket wrench.