Tool Socket

Abstract: A tool socket has a tool-associated first element (1) provided with first connecting means (2) formed to connect the first element (1) with a tool, a fastener-associated second element (3) provided with second connecting means (4) for connecting the second second element with a fastener to be tightened and loosened, the first element (1) and the second element (3) having faces directed toward one another, an engaging element for engaging the first and second elements with one another and including engaging means (5,7), e.g. gear teeth, provided on the faces of the elements (1,3), and a holding element (9,10,12) operative for holding the first and second elements (1,3) in engagement with one another and having a holding force limit such that when a resistance of a fastener exceeds a predetermined value the first and second elements disengage from one another and the first element (1) continues turning while said second element (3) remains stationary.

Description: This invention relates to a tool socket, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a tool socket for an impact wrench, the tool socket being according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a tool socket is known from document WO 98 14309 A. In industry impact wrenches are still very popular especially for use with smaller nut sizes. However, impact wrenches are extremely inaccurate for applying a given torque or for repeatedly applying a particular torque. Therefore, in many applications, a fastener, for example a nut, is impacted down using an impact wrench before being tightened by applying a specific torque using a torque wrench. This procedure is inconvenient since it requires the use of two tools for one job and consequently takes a relatively long time. It is known to provide a power tool having corresponding mechanisms which are built in the drive portion of the power tool. However such tools have the disadvantage that their multiple and repeated use weaken their mechanisms so that they become unreliable. In addition, since the drive portion of the power tool is usually contained in a housing, the gear teeth of such a mechanism require frequent replacement due to the limited square inch engagement possibilities. One known tool socket is disclosed in US-A-5,605,082. However in this known tool socket power or torque from a tool is transmitted through five separate elements before being transmitted to the fastener to be turned. It is an aim of present invention to provide a tool socket which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tool socket according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the holding means are mounted within said first and second elements. A tool socket in accordance with the present invention provides highly advantageous results, since it comprises two elements which are normally connected with one another but which are disengageable under certain conditions of operation. Known tool sockets are generally extremely rigid, high strength, integral elements which have to transmit tremendous torques to the fasteners. The present invention provides a tool socket construction which is both novel and highly advantageous. With the present invention each socket is normally used for one nut size only. Even if hex inserts are used, it is limited to a maximum of 3 hex or 12-point sizes due to radial application problems resulting from the size reduction. Therefore when in general use, a plurality of differently sized tool sockets will be used, with a given tool socket size being used much less frequently than the power tool that turns it. Since the gear teeth are located on the circumference of the inner walls of the tool socket and their depth is equivalent to the wall thickness of the socket, the square inch displacement is drastically improved. A further important advantage is that the tool socket becomes more accurate simply because, unlike the drive of a power tool which is subject to torsion and is subject to a drive engagement with a prior art socket, the tool socket of the present invention is in direct connection with the nut to be turned. A further advantage over the prior art is that a tool with such a tool socket can be manufactured relatively simply, thus reducing the cost over other torque-controlled tools. The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the independent claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a view showing a tool socket in accordance with the present invention. A tool socket in accordance, with the present invention has a tool-associated first element 1, forming a socket element and having first connecting means, for example a polygonal opening 2, for connectinon to a power tool, and a fastener-associated second element 3, forming a second socket element. The socket element 3 is provided with second connecting means, for example a polygonal opening 4, for engaging a fastener, such as a nut or the like. The inventive tool socket further has interengageable engaging means which, when interengaged with each other, provide engagement of the socket element 1 with the socket element 3. The engaging means include a first set of teeth 5 provided on a lower end face of a peripheral wall of the socket element 1 which surrounds a central opening 6 of the socket element 1, and another set of teeth 7 provided on an upper end face of a peripheral wall of the socket element 3 which surrounds a central opening 8 of the socket element 3. Holding means are provided for holding the teeth 5 and 7 in engagement with one another, thereby also holding the socket elements 1 and 3 together. The holding means include a central pin 9 which has a threaded shaft screwed in a bushing 10. The bushing 10 has a flange which is seated on a shoulder of the opening 2 of the first socket element 1. The head of the pin 9 is seated in a frusto-conical opening of a disk 11 which is accommodated in a further opening communicating with the polygonal opening 4 of the second socket element 3. Spring means 12, formed for example as a set of two plate springs, is located between the disk 11 and a shoulder 13 formed in the socket element 3. The spring means 12 urges the socket element 3 toward the socket element 1 and thereby urges the teeth 7 into engagement with the teeth 5. The spring means 12 has a predetermined force with which it acts on the socket element 3 to keep it in engagement with the socket element 1. The teeth 5 and 7, or other interengaging means, are designed so as to have inclined camming surfaces. When the socket element 1 is turned, with the socket elements 1 and 3 axially held or urged together by the holding means, confronting camming surfaces of the interengaged engaging means exert an axial force urging the socket elements 1 and 3 axially apart in opposition to the spring means 12. Provided that the spring means exert a sufficiently strong force urging the socket elements 1 and 3 together (or if the central pin is screwed so far into the bushing 10 as to prevent the engaging means from moving axially apart to disengage themselves), then turning of the socket element 1 will be transmitted directly to the socket element 3 so that the two socket elements turn together. However, if the pin 9 is not screwed fully into the bushing 10 and a sufficient turning force is applied to the socket element 1, the camming surfaces will push the socket elements 1 and 3 apart so that the socket element 1 is then able to turn relative to the socket element 3. Preferably the engaging means will, as described, be in the form of teeth 5 and 7 with angled side walls which are able to exert an axially separating force on the socket elements 1 and 3 when the element 1 is turned. However other interengageable means, e.g. ball-shaped members and hemispeherical recesses, could be provided to rotationally lock the socket elements together when the latter are axially held together but which, if sufficient turning force is applied, have coacting camming surfaces which urge the socket elements apart. The tool socket in accordance with the present invention operates in the following manner. When a power tool (not shown) is connected to the socket element 1 and turns the socket element 1 with a given force, the given force is transmitted to the socket element 3 and thereby to a fastener (not shown) engaged by the socket element 3. This is because the teeth 5 and 7 are interengaged with each other and the turning force of the socket element 1 is applied directly to the socket element 3. If however the force applied by the tool increases and, for instance, exceeds the afore-mentioned given force, the socket element 1 turns relative to the socket element 3 and the angled sides of the teeth 5 and 7 slide against each other and push the socket elements axially away from each other in opposition to the preset compression force of the spring means. Thus the teeth 5 and 7 disengage from one another and only the socket element 1 turns while the socket element 3 remains stationary. In the inventive tool socket, the force which holds the socket elements 1 and 3 in engagement during the application of a turning force or, in other words, the compression force of the spring means 12, can be regulated by screwing the pin 9 more or less into the bushing 10 which is held in the first socket element 1. Also, the gears 5 and 7 can be locked with one another and thereby the socket elements 1 and 3 can be disengagably connected with one another. This is achieved by screwing the nut 9 into the bushing 10 so that the spring means 12 is completely compressed. It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

Claims: A tool socket comprising a tool-associated first element (1) having a first end face and first connecting means (2) formed to connect said first element (1) with a tool for turning the first element; a fastener-associated second element (3) provided with a second end face confronting said first end face and second connecting means (4) for connecting said second element (3) with a fastener to be tightened and loosened; interengageable engaging means (5,7) for engaging said first element (1) with said second element (3) so that when said first element (1) is turned by the tool it turns said second element (3), said engaging means (5,7) being provided on said first and second end faces; and holding means (9,10,12) operative for holding said engaging means (5,7) and therefore said first and second elements (1 and 3) in engagement with one another and having a holding force limit such that when a resistance of a fastener exceeds a predetermined value said first and second elements disengage from one another and said first element (1) continues turning while said second element (3) remains stationary, characterised in that said holding means (9,10,12) are mounted within said first and second elements (1 and 3). A tool socket according to claim 1, characterised in that said engaging means comprise interengageable teeth (5,7) on said first and second end faces. A tool socket according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in said holding means include a pin-shaped element (9) connecting said first element (1) with said second element (3); and spring means (12) which spring biases said first and second elements (1,3) toward one another and provides said holding force. A tool socket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises means for regulating said holding force. A tool socket according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, characterised in that said regulating means is formed so as to change a compression force exerted by said spring means (12). A tool socket according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it further comprises means (9,10) for locking said first element (1) with said second element (3) so that they are unable to disengage from one another. A tool socket according to claim 6, characterised in that it further comprises spring means (12) which spring bias said first and second elements (1 and 3) toward one another, said locking means (9,10) being formed so as to completely compress said spring means. A tool socket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said end faces of said first element (1) and said second element (3) have openings (6,8) substantially corresponding to one another, and in that said engaging means (5,7) are provided, e.g. as peripheral teeth, on peripheral walls surrounding said openings (6,8).

Inventors: POGANSKI JOEL, POGANSKI, JOEL
Applicants: UNEX CORP, UNEX CORPORATION
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B25B13
IPC codes: B25B21, B25B13, B23P19, B25B23, B25B19