Abstract:
A compact cross lug wrench with a center drive opening connectable to a drive post of a breaker bar. The breaker bar coupled to the compact cross wrench can apply a substantial force to loosen or tighten a lug nut on a motor vehicle. The drive post may be pivotally attached to the breaker bar.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/088,784, filed Dec. 8, 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to wrenches and, more particularly, to lug wrenches for removing and securing lug nuts on a motor vehicle. 
         [0003]    Many have encountered the laborious and dreaded task of changing a tire with the inadequate tools provided with most passenger vehicles and light trucks. Some of the OEM supplied lug wrenches require extra parts that can be lost. Even more of the OEM lug wrenches in the art provide inadequate leverage for breaking loose the lug nuts, particularly where the vehicle has a high torque specification for the lug nuts. 
         [0004]    Alternatives to OEM supplied lug wrenches are well known, but have their own detractors. For example there are many after-market cross lug wrenches. These are a vast improvement over the OEM wrenches, however they are still limited in the torque that may be developed by the user&#39;s operation of the crossed arms of the wrench. In addition, they can be relatively large and there may be inadequate stowage compartments for containing the wrench while not in use. 
         [0005]    Another alternative is the use of power tools. While these are ideally suited for scheduled maintenance activities, they are generally unavailable to the user for a roadside emergency condition, such as changing a flat tire. Moreover, they are an expensive proposition, particularly for those who only need an adequate tool for a road side emergency condition. 
         [0006]    As can be seen, there is a need for a lug nut removal tool that is readily stored or stowed, permits the user to develop substantial torque, and does not require substantial training for the user to use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, a lug wrench comprises: a cross wrench comprising a hub portion with a plurality of socketed arms extending radially therefrom, a drive slot defined in the hub portion, the drive slot opening substantially perpendicular to the socketed arms; and an elongate bar comprising a first end and a second end and a drive attachment post extending from the first end, the drive attachment post operable with the drive slot opening to connect the elongate bar with the cross wrench. The socketed arm may further comprise a sized socket end and the sized sockets ends may have different internal dimensions. In certain embodiments, the hub portion further comprises a plurality of radially defined bores adapted to receive an attachment end of the socketed arms. The attachment end may be welded within the bores or alternatively, may be coupled with cooperating threads. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the invention, the elongate bar may comprise a handle. The drive attachment post is pivotally attached to the first end of the elongate bar and the drive attachment post may be substantially square shaped. In some embodiments, the drive attachment post further includes a pawl. 
         [0009]    Yet another aspect of the invention includes a cross lug wrench, comprising: a hub portion, a plurality of socketed arms radially disposed about the hub, a drive slot defined in a central portion of the hub, the drive slot opening substantially perpendicular to the socketed arms; and a sized socket defined at an end of the socketed arms opposite the hub portion. The sized socket may be defined with a different internal dimension on the socketed arm. In a preferred embodiment, the cross lug wrench of claim may include at least four socketed arms. The socketed arms may be threadingly coupled to the hub portion or are welded to the hub portion. 
         [0010]    A method of removing a lug nut is disclosed and claimed in yet another aspect of the invention. The method comprises: providing a lug wrench, comprising: 1) a cross wrench having a hub portion with a socketed arm extending radially therefrom, a sized socket defined at a distal end of the socketed arm, and a drive slot defined in the hub portion, the drive slot opening substantially perpendicular to the socketed arm; and 2) an elongate bar having a first end and a second end and a drive attachment post extending from the first end, where the drive attachment post is operable with the drive slot opening to connect the elongate bar with the cross wrench; coupling the cross wrench to the elongate bar; coupling the sized socket to a lug nut; applying a force to the elongate bar to rotate the lug nut. 
         [0011]    The method may further comprise uncoupling the cross wrench from the elongate bar. Other aspects of the method include rotating the cross wrench to rotate the lug nut, which may include rotation of the lug nut in a tightening direction or rotation of the lug nut in a loosening direction. 
         [0012]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1 : Is a perspective view of the invention shown in use 
           [0014]      FIG. 2 : Is a perspective view of the invention 
           [0015]      FIG. 3 : Is an exploded view 
           [0016]      FIG. 4 : Is a section view of the invention taken from  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1  illustrated without the hand for clarity 
           [0017]      FIG. 5 : Is an enlarged section view 
           [0018]      FIG. 6 : Is a top view 
           [0019]      FIG. 7 : Is a side view illustrating the movement of  10   
           [0020]      FIG. 8 : Is a bottom view 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0022]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a center drive compact cross lug wrench, operable with a breaker bar. The wrench of the present invention is 
         [0023]    As best seen in reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the compact center drive cross lug wrench and breaker bar of the present invention is shown in use to remove a lug nut from the wheel  40  of a motor vehicle. The wrench of the present invention may comprise an elongate breaker bar  10  and a compact cross lug wrench  20 . The breaker bar  10  is attachable to a center hub  18  of the compact cross lug wrench  20 . The breaker bar  10  may be a conventional breaker bar known in the art, having an elongate shaft with a handle  30  disposed at a first end and a pivoting joint  12  at a second end. In a preferred embodiment, a drive attachment post  16  is attached to the breaker bar  10  via a pivot pin  14 . Alternatively, the breaker bar  10  of the present invention may be formed with a fixed drive attachment post  16  disposed at the second end of the breaker bar  10 . 
         [0024]    As best seen in reference to  FIGS. 3-8 , the compact cross lug wrench  20 , comprises a central hub portion  18  adapted to receive a plurality of socketed lug arms  21 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26  radially disposed from the central hub portion  18 . The central hub portion  18  further comprises a drive slot  28 , which is adapted to receive the drive attachment post  16  of the breaker bar  10  therein. In a preferred embodiment, the hub portion  18  may comprise a recessed area  32  defined in a face of the hub  18  about the drive slot  28 , which is adapted to receive a cylindrical portion of the drive attachment post  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the drive attachment post  16  and drive slot  28  are square shaped, as with a conventional socket type wrench and breaker bar. More preferably, the drive slot  28  and drive attachment post are a ½ inch square drive, but may also be a 1″, ¾″, or ⅜ inch drive, depending upon the size and torque that may need to be applied to the lug nut. The drive attachment post  16  may further comprise a pawl or retractable ball protrusion to assist in retaining the breaker bar  10  in the drive slot  28 . 
         [0025]    The socketed lug arms  21 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26  have a shaft at a first end that is received within a bore  34  defined in the central hub portion  18 . In some embodiments the first ends are welded to the hub portion  18 . In other embodiments, the first ends may be threaded, to be received in a threaded bore  38  if the central hub  18 . The threads may further include left and right hand thread combinations so that the socketed lug arms  21 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26  may be removable, yet operable to tighten and loosen a lug nut. Since the cross wrench of the present invention may have strong a rotational force applied to the sized socket via the hub portion  18  and the breaker bar  10 , the length of the socketed lug arms  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  may be substantially shorter than those of a conventional cross wrench, thereby saving space in a stowage compartment. 
         [0026]    A sized socket is defined at a second end of the lug arms  21 ,  22 ,  25 , and  26  and may be defined with a plurality of differently sized sockets so as to be adaptable to a plurality of differently sized vehicle lug nuts. The sized sockets may also be formed to SAE or Metric dimensions. Alternatively, the sockets may be defined for a specified size corresponding to the lug nuts of a particular vehicle. 
         [0027]    To use the lug wrench of the present invention, the user would couple the breaker bar  10  to the cross wrench  20  via the attachment post  16  with slot opening  28 . Preferably, the breaker bar  10  is attached to the cross wrench  20  so that the pivoting movement about the pin  14 , illustrated in reference to  FIGS. 4  and  7 , is aligned with the axis of the socketed lug arm, such as  24  that is sized to correspond with the vehicle lug nut. The user may then couple the selected sized socket of the lug arm to the vehicle lug nut. The user may then apply a force to the breaker bar  10  so as to turn the lug nut in the desired loosening direction, depending upon the thread pattern of the lug nut. Preferably, the user may grasp the handle  30  to apply the force. Should the user desire additional stability in applying the force, the user may grasp an opposite lug arm with the user&#39;s other hand. Once the applied force has broken loose the torqued lug nut, the user may continue to apply force to the breaker bar  10  and continue to loosen the lug nut. Preferably, the user will remove the breaker bar  10  from the cross wrench  20 , which then permits the user to rotate the cross wrench  20  and remove the lug nut. 
         [0028]    Should the vehicle lug nuts be recessed within the fender well of the vehicle, the breaker bar  10  may be pivoted about the pivot pin  14  so as to provide a lateral clearance from the car body. The user may then apply force to the breaker bar  10 , as described above. 
         [0029]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.