Abstract:
A safety block that includes a drive member on a lower face for attaching a socket or other tooling for applying torque to a screw, bolt, nut or other fastener. The safety block has a pair of drive pockets in an upper face of the block on opposed sides of a drive axis that passes through the drive member. The pair of drive pockets are sized and arranged to accept a square-shaped driver of a separately-provided wrench or breaker bar, to permit applying opposed, co-directional torque upon the socket or other tooling, thereby obviating the need to use a breaker bar or similar makeshift arrangement for breaking loose nuts and bolts in the field or on machinery.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/524,983, filed on Aug. 18, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A cheater bar or cheater pipe is an improvised tool made from a length of pipe and a wrench, including a standard socket wrench. A cheater bar is sometimes called a pipe extension or an extension pipe. Cheater bars are usually used to free screws, bolts, nuts and other fasteners that are difficult to remove with a ratchet or wrench alone. Cheater bars are also commonly used to operate valves. When the handle of a wrench or ratchet is inserted into a cheater bar, the additional length of the pipe makes it possible to generate a required amount of torque to loosen the screw, bolt, nut or fastener with a reduced amount of applied force. 
     Notwithstanding the advantages of cheater bars, there are industrial and workplace problems with their use. For example, if the fastener is loosened and freed suddenly, the worker can be thrown off balance and become injured. More of a concern, the cheater bar itself can slip off and become a projectile against other persons or property in the vicinity, which could resulted in falls, impacts, punctures, and other injuries. Further, cheater bars are often arranged and used ad hoc, and are usually improperly sized and weighted for the need. 
     As a result of such problems and risks to workers and property, federal regulations provides that the tools and equipment used by employees be in a safe condition, and that modified or mutilated hand tools are not permitted, including makeshift arrangements that overload a wrench by using a pipe extension (cheater bar) on the handle. Certain job sites are no longer allowed to use cheater pipes, notwithstanding the need for tools to help break loose nuts and bolts. 
     Consequently, there remains a need to provide mechanics and workers with devices that assist the removal of screws, bolts, nuts and other fasteners without the risks associated with cheater bars. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a safety block device that includes a socket drive member on a lower face for attaching a socket or other tooling for applying torque to a screw, bolt, nut or other fastener, and having a pair of drive pockets in an upper face of the block on opposed sides of a drive axis through the drive member. The pair of drive pockets are sized and arranged to accept a driver of a separately-provided wrench or breaker bar, to permit applying opposed, co-directional torque upon the socket or other tooling. 
     The present invention also provides a safety block device for applying opposed, co-directional torque upon a socket or other tooling, the safety block device including an elongated body having an upper face, a lower face, and a center portion, a drive post on the lower face of the center portion of the body, configured for attachment thereto of a socket or other tooling for engaging a screw, bolt, nut or other fastener for applying torque thereto, the elongated body having a first pair of drive pockets in an upper face on opposed lateral ends of the elongated body. 
     The device of the present invention provides a means for applying opposed, co-directional force onto opposed handles extending from the opposed lateral ends of the device. The extending handles increase the amount of torque applied by the user when force is applied at the distal end of the handles. The opposed handles can be, for example, a breaker bar or a socket wrench having a socket drive at one end, which socket drive is of the complementary size to fit securely into the respective drive pockets of the device. 
     The use of the device for breaking loose screws, bolts and nuts lessens the chance that the socket tool will slip off the end of the screw, bolt or nut, and gives the operator(s) better and greater control of the torque and forces around the drive axis, as well as the capability of providing a greater amount of torque than can be achieved with a single-handled drive wrench. 
     The drive member of the safety block device can be a removable element, which is releasably positionable within a drive cavity formed in the lower face of the block along the drive axis. The removable element and the drive cavity include a complementary means for releasable retaining the drive member within the drive cavity during use, while allowing easy removal therefrom. This feature permits the user to remove a first-sized socket drive and replace it with a differently-sized socket drive, or to replace it with the same sized socket drive for warranty purposes (i.e., the first-sized socket drive is damaged and rendered unsatisfactory for use). 
     The drive member is typically the size and shape of a standard socket drive, typically square in footprint, and having standard drive sizes including, but not limited to, ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, 1 inch, 1½ inch, and others. The drive member accommodates the attachment of the device to standard sockets and other tooling of complementary size. Socket extenders, wobble sockets, and ratcheting adapters can also be used, attached to the drive member. The drive member can include a means for quickly releasing the socket from the drive end of the drive member, by well known means. 
     The safety block device can be made of steel or any other machine metal, as well as advanced polymer and composite materials. 
     The use of the safety block device obviates the use of cheater pipes in order apply increased torque upon the socket drive. 
     Another advantage of the device is that the extending handles can be easily removed from the drive pockets of the drive, to allow easy rotational manipulation of the socket drive block for threading out the screw, bolt or nut once its bite has been broken loose. 
     The device of the invention is small and compact, and easy carried in a toolbar or tool box. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a safety block device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows an elevation cross-section view along the width of the safety block through line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows an elevation cross-section view along the length of the safety block through line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows the elevation cross-section view of the safety block of  FIG. 2  with a socket tool attached to a socket drive of the safety block, showing a means for quick-release of the socket tool from the socket drive, and a means for release of the socket drive from the safety block. 
         FIG. 5  shows an alternative embodiment of the safety block of  FIG. 4 , having an alternative means of release of the socket drive from the safety block. 
         FIG. 6  shows the use of a safety block of the present invention with two separately-provided breaker bars for applying opposed co-directional torque to a socket tool. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a safety block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows a top perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a safety block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows a bottom perspective view of the safety block of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  shows an elevation cross-section view along the length of the safety block through line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  shows an alternative embodiment of the safety block shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  shows a top perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a safety block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  shows an elevation cross-section view along the length of the safety block through line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  shows a top perspective view of still another alternative embodiment of a safety block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  shows a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a safety block of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  shows a front view of the safety block of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  shows a back view of the safety block of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 18  shows a top view of the safety block of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 19  shows a bottom view of the safety block of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 20  shows a right side view of the safety block of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 21  shows a left side view of the safety block of  FIG. 15   
     
    
    
     The appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, and are illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of apparatus as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations locations, and shapes of the various components, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened for clarity or illustration. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-5  show a first embodiment of the safety block of the invention. The safety block  10  includes a rectangular body  11  with an upper face  12  and a lower face  13 , and at least one pair of drive pockets, disposed in the upper face  12  on opposite ends of the body  11  at substantially the same distance from a centerline axis  100  normal to the lower face  13 . A first pair of drive pockets  14   a ,  14   b  are formed into the body through the upper face  12  at the opposite length ends of the block, each in the shape of a square aperture extending down into the body  11 . For illustration purposes, the drive pockets  14   a  and  14   b  accommodate a ½ inch socket drive. The drive pockets  14   a , 14   b  are shown in the center at the far ends, whereby a line passing through the center of each drive pocket  14   a , 14   b  passes through centerline  100 , so that the mass and forces that will be applied upon the block at the drive pockets are symmetrical about the centerline axis  100 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a second pair of drive pockets  15   a , 15   b  disposed in the upper face  12  on opposite ends of the body  11  at substantially the same distance from the centerline axis  100 . For illustration purposes, the drive pockets  15   a  and  15   b  accommodate a ¾ inch socket drive. 
     The safety block  10  also includes a drive member  16  positioned on the lower face  13  of the block. The drive member  16  is typically a rectilinear bar of square lateral cross section, which serves as a socket drive for a separately-provided socket  101 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The drive member is typically the size and shape of a standard socket drive, and can come in standard drive sizes including, but not limited to, ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, 1 inch, 1½ inch, and others. The drive member accommodates the attachment of the device to a standard socket  101  or other tooling of complementary size. Socket extenders, wobble sockets, and ratcheting adapters (not shown) can also be used, attached to the drive member  16 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , the drive member  16  is removable from a drive cavity  17  formed into the lower face  13  of the body  11 , centered on the drive axis  100 . Typically, the drive cavity  17  is formed to a shape and dimension to accommodate the drive member  16  in a sliding engagement. The removable drive element  16  and the drive cavity  17  include a complementary means for releasable retaining the drive member  16  within the drive cavity  17  during use, while allowing its easy removal therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the drive member  16  includes a quick-release means shown as a spring-biased ball  18  retained in a spring hole  19  at one end of the drive member. The body  11  is configured with an aperture  20  formed into the sidewall of the block  11  which communicates with the ball  18  when the drive member  16  is positioned within the drive cavity  17 , where it is retained by the ball  18  that is biased outward by the spring so that a portion of the ball  18  extends into the aperture  20  of the block  11 . Axial force applied to the drive member  16  pinches the ball  18  down into the spring hole  19 , allowing the drive member  18  to be removed. This feature permits the user to remove a first-sized socket drive, such as the 1½ drive as shown, and replace it with a differently-sized socket drive, such as a 1 inch drive, or to replace it with the same sized socket drive for warranty purposes (i.e., the first-sized socket drive is damaged and rendered unsatisfactory for use). 
       FIG. 5  shows an alternative means for releasable retaining the drive member, consisting of a set screw  21  that can be inserted in through the aperture  20  to thread into tapped hole  22  in the drive member  16 . 
     In another embodiment, the drive member can be retained permanently by inserting a pin in through the aperture of the block and driving the pin into a friction-fitting bore in the side of the drive member. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show the drive end  24  extending down from the body  11 . The drive member  16  includes a means for quickly releasing the socket from the drive end of the drive member, preferably a quick-release means, shown as a spring-biased ball  24  disposed in a spring hole  25 , which engage an annular recess  102  in the inside of the drive end of standard socket  101 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the use of the safety block  10  in the field or on machinery for torquing a nut or bolt  103 . The socket  102  attached to the underside of the block  11  is positioned over the bolt. A first and second breaker bar  105 , 106  are positioned with their respective drive  107  inserted into respective drive pockets  14 . Once positioned, force F can be applied directionally to each handle end  108  to apply torque to the bolt. 
       FIG. 7  shows a second embodiment of the safety block  30 , similar to the block  10 , where the opposed pairs of the drive sockets  14   a , 14   b  and  15   a , 15   b  are positioned side-by-side at the opposed lateral ends of the elongated body  11 . As in the prior embodiment, a line passing through the center of each drive pockets  14   a , 14   b , or drive pockets  15   a , 15   b , passes through centerline  100 . 
       FIGS. 8-11  show a third embodiment of safety block  40 . A second drive member  46  is disposed on the upper face  12 , opposite the first drive member  16  disposed on the lower face  13 . In addition, two additional pairs of drive sockets  47   a , 47   b  and  48   a , 48   b  are disposed in the lower face  13  on opposite ends of the body  11  at substantially the same distance from the centerline axis  100 . The additional drive pockets  47   a , 47   b  and  48   a , 48   b  can be sized and dimensioned to accommodate separate-provided breaker bar drive s of various size, as described above. As shown in  FIG. 10 , each of the drive pockets can be formed into the body  11  to provide a bottomed hole. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the respective drive pockets on both the upper face  12  and lower face  13  can be formed to intersect, providing through-holes  49   a , 49   b  that pass all the way through the thickness of the body  11 . 
       FIGS. 12-13  shows a fourth embodiment of safety block  50 , similar to first embodiment safety block  10 , but where the drive member  56  extends from and is integral with the body  11 . 
       FIG. 14  shows a fifth embodiment of safety block  60 , similar to first embodiment safety block  10 , including drive member  66 , where the body  61  has an ergonomic shape for manual handling. 
       FIGS. 15-21  show various ornamental views of an embodiment of a safety block of the invention. 
     The safety block can fabricated of steel or any other machine metal, as well as advanced polymer and composite materials. A plastic, ceramic, composite coating can be applied over the outside surfaces of the block. 
     The present invention also includes methods and means for using the safety block to loosen bolts and other fasteners, by increasing the leverage or torque applied to the fastener, and by applying the torque through opposed, co-directional forces on opposite sides of the safety block, using a separate wrench or breaker bar. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.