Abstract:
An air driven nut rotation device to rapidly advance a nut along a threaded rod. An apertured engagement disk is registerable about a nut threadably positioned on a rod. A plurality of radially positioned drive arms extend from said disk providing multiple spaced air impingement surfaces which when driven by a stream of air rapidly rotate the disk and nut engaged thereby advancing it along the threaded shaft in selected directional rotation depending on airstream directional engagement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to nut driving tools that are used to engage and rotate a nut on a threaded element. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art devices of this type have been directed to manual engagement and sequential rotation of a nut on a fastener element; see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,210 having a power arm and a reaction arm. 
     Other prior art patents disclose wrench configurations for engagement and rotation of a nut-like surface such as a turnbuckle, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,772,943 and 3,682,023, for example. 
     Finally, a linear drive unit can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,925. 
     It is believed that there are no known devices for rapidly rotating a nut along a threaded rod or shaft by use of a directed airstream. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An air driven tool for the engagement and rotational advancement of a threaded nut on an elongated threaded rod. A nut engagement driver having multiple spaced extending drive surfaces is registerably positioned on the outside surface of a threaded nut positioned on a threaded rod for advancement. A locking mechanism maintains nut engagement within the tool with an outside compressed airstream from a remote source being directed against the exposed drive surfaces sequentially so as to rotate the driver, thus advancing the nut along the threaded rod. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the nut runner of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the nut runner in position for use engaging a nut on a threaded rod. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of an alternate interchangeable size nut runner. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial sectional view of the alternate interchangeable size nut runner positioned on a nut to be advanced on a threaded rod. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged top plan view of an interchangeable size nut engagement insert. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged top plan view with the interchangeable nut engagement insert with a centrifugal safety retainment latch extended as in engaged use position during rotation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings, a nut runner  10  of the invention can be seen having a central annular body member  11  with a plurality of radially spaced drive arms  12  extending therefrom. The central body member  11  defines a disk configuration having a top surface  13 , oppositely disposed spaced parallel bottom surface  14  and a perimeter depending annular sidewall  15 . 
     An access slot  16  extends inwardly from the sidewall  15  terminating in a nut registration fitting opening  17  centrally therewithin. The nut registration opening  17  has multiple interengaging flat interior opposing wall surfaces  18  that corresponds with and provides registration with a threaded nut  19 , best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The access slot  16  has oppositely disposed spaced parallel side interengagement walls  16 A and  16 B defining a space dimension greater than that of the corresponding nut registration opening  17  to allow passage of a threaded rod  20  on which the nut  19  is engaged. 
     Each of the drive arms  12  is of equal transverse dimension and length providing multiple omni-directional drive flat end surfaces  12 A and  12 B thereon as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     An annular stabilization and support band  21  interengages and interconnects each of the respective arms  12  in spaced relation to the perimeter sidewall  15 . Each of the respective arms  12  has an end portion  22 , having the drive slot end surfaces  12 A and  12 B as hereinbefore described, that extends beyond the corresponding support band  21 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  of the drawings, the nut runner  10  of the invention can be seen “in use” engaged on the nut  19  threadably disposed on the corresponding threaded rod  20 . A U-shaped retainment clip  23  used in this example is positioned on the top surface  13  of the body member  11  having a mounting sleeve  24  with a spaced locking engagement fitting  25  allowing for the respective ends of the retainer clip to engage and frictionally snap and be held thereby. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that a variety of alternate clip retainment fittings may be used so as to position a clip and hold same in place. 
     It will be seen, as in use, a directed energy stream of air AS indicated by directional force arrows can be applied to the arms  12  which will thereby spin the nut runner  10  rotating about the rod  20  advancing the so engaged threaded nut  19  thereon indicated in this example by rotational arrows RA. 
     Corresponding energy airstream AS will preferably impinge and drive respective defined drive surfaces  12 A and  12 B dependent on rotation requirement orientation of the airstream when engaged thereon. 
     Referring not to  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the drawings, an alternate form of the nut runner  10  can be seen at  26  wherein a central annular disk  27  is provided with radially spaced drive arms  28  extending therefrom. An arm stabilization and support band  29  is also provided as illustrated in the hereinbefore preferred embodiment  10 . The alternate form  26  of the nut runner, however, has an enlarged central opening at  30  with tapered inner wall surfaces  30 A and indexing tab  30 B with a rod access slot  31  in communication therewith. The central opening at  30  defines a universal mounting fitting for plurality of interchangeable nut engagement inserts  32 , an example of which can be seen in  FIGS. 6-8  of the drawings. 
     Each of the nut receiving inserts  32  has a tapered body member  33  with oppositely disposed upper and lower surfaces  33 A and  33 B and a rod access slot  34  with determined size nut engagement registration opening at  35  therewithin. The respective inserts  32  are therefore wedgeably secured within the central opening at  30  as best seen in  FIG. 5  of the drawings providing by interchangeable inserts a number of different nut registration sizes therewithin. 
     Each of the inserts  32  have a centrifugal force activation safety so retainment bracket  36  which is slidably positioned on the top end surface  33 A by fasteners F and is of a generally annular dimension with a central aperture and a cut-out at  37 C extending therefrom. 
     The safety retainment bracket  36  has oppositely disposed elongated openings at  36 A and  36 B therewithin through which the fasteners F are engaged loosely retaining the bracket thereon. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 8  of the drawings, the relative position of the retainment bracket  36  can be seen at rest in  FIG. 6 , centered on the nut/rod central opening  30  and in  FIG. 8  illustrating the position achieved during rapid rotation sliding outwardly over the edge of the annular disk body member  27  represented, as noted, during rotation. 
     It will be seen that by having multiple interchangeable “size” inserts  32  replaceably and interchangeably inserted into the alternate nut runner  26  can as such be used as a universal unit with the size adaptable limitation determined only by the number and therefore the variety of different size inserts  32  available. 
     In use, both the primary and alternate form of nut runner is rotated by the use of an independent compressed air source AS indicated by broken arrows in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  of the drawings directed in a force stream against the hereinbefore described end portions  12 A and  12 B of the respective drive arms  12  and  28  selectively, repeatedly, and directionally to impart rotation of the respective nuts  19  and  34  engaged therewithin for rapid advancement along their engaged threaded rod  20 . 
     It will also be seen that the choice of materials will determine the requirement of certain structural aspects hereinbefore described. For example, the stabilization and support bands  20  and  29  would not be required for functionality when used with higher strength fabrication materials making the respective primary and alternate form of the invention arms  12  and  15  respectively strong enough to be self-supporting during a usable lifetime of the tool. 
     Additionally, given the advantages inherent of rotational mass kinetic energy the central annular body members  11  and alternate disk  27  may be enlarged to encompass the area defined by the support bands and its central spacing to be formed as a single continuous member indicated for illustration by the tri-broken lines SCM in  FIGS. 1 and 4  of the drawings. Such increased mass of these central areas would impart additional rotational duration and also eliminate the need for reinforcing band for stronger arms as hereinbefore described. 
     It will thus be seen that a new and useful nut runner has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.