Abstract:
Standard flex-head wrenches and other standard wrenches having a head or fastener end-working portion are improved by adding a second and even third joint within the handle portion of the wrenches. The additional joints may comprise the standard ball bearing detent and mated groove pinion portion alone in structure or in conjunction with a locking sleeve, which aids in biasing the handle in any number of predetermined positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention discloses an improvement of standard ratchet wrenches that have one joint or hinge mechanism at the head portion of the wrench. Though primarily used in ratchet wrenches, any number of different wrenches may utilize the structure. This original single hinge particular wrench embodiment is well known in ratchet wrench art and provides a useful movement of the whole handle to get around various obstructions encountered by a wrench user, while ratcheting in a restricted work environment. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     One patented ratchet that attempts to enhance handle movement is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,342, wherein various joints are disclosed that are integral to the wrench pawl or rotating gear. This design allows more 3-dimensional movement to the handle in tight ratcheting spaces, but still has limitations, since the handle cannot mechanically comprise another joint without becoming difficult to gain a fixed torque position. 
     Several hinged wrenches have been known in the prior art for many years that achieve more flexibility in the handle. A unique flexible head socket wrench is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,740, wherein a standard, hinge head ratchet comprising a single hinge is improved by adding a “sleeved” handle portion, whereby a user may “twist” the handle, and turn in and out fasteners. 
     Another hinge head handle is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,884, whereby a single hinge is fixed near the handle portion furthest from the head of the wrench. In all embodiments, the handle end portion is a sleeve itself and rotates on a second handle shaft “spindle.” It is to be clearly observed that the above wrench has a bore in the handle wherein a spring is inserted to simply “pull” the handle back to a “undetented” and “straight” handle position. The handle, since it possesses mating threaded ends, is then “screwed back together into one, straight fixed position—not only having only one joint, and, as the previous wrenches, is far different from the application, and multi-joint structure and “detenting” nature of the present invention. The above invention, though useful as a crank, has torque limitations, because of the sleeve-shaft feature. 
     A third ratchet wrench that includes a hinge is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,561, wherein the single hinge is located on a crank portion on the end of the handle. This wrench has the added feature of a bevel gear drive system, in addition to the fixed pawl mechanism. It enables the wrench user to wind the crank hinge handle without moving the whole entire ratchet handle and is useful tool, though it does not comprise the handle flexibility that the present invention is attempting to achieve. 
     From the above discussed prior art, it is evident that attempts, many successful, have been made to improve the standard ratchet wrench further by adding features and elements for greater tool use and accessibility for difficult to reach fasteners. It is an object of the present invention also to increase the flexibility of presently used wrenches, especially standard “hinge-headed” ratchet wrenches, but also various adjustable wrenches in present use, as well. This is achieved by including more than one hinge joint within the handle body, thereby increasing moveability, compactness and a greater overall usefulness, since the handle can be fixed into any number of predetermined positions. It is another object of this invention to have this additional handle joint or joints have a solid-fixed locking or detent, semi-fixed locking capacity. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is summarize as follows: A wrench handle, preferably of a standard ratchet wrench (but also a variety of different adjustable wrenches), as those in present use, that includes at least two hinges. One hinge is located at the known useful position of the upper neck portion of the wrench body. In the present invention, however, at least one additional joint is included at the lower neck portion or near the gripping portion of the handle. 
     It is preferred to have this new joint or joints, hereinafter referred to as the second joint, to include a locking mechanism, preferably in either the structure of the standard mated groove and ball bearing detent structure or in combination with, or in the stead of the structure of a biasing ring. The biasing ring may be made “fixed-position” locking or simply “semi-fixed locking” upon the handle. The biasing ring may include additional spring-loaded capacity and, as well, may be used on the traditional neck portion also, for the same locking or biasing effect. 
     To anyone skilled in the art, it can be seen that many combinations of handle positions may be derived from such a structure, by combining more than one joint in a fixed or semi-fixed position to the standard wrench handles in present use to construct the unique structure of what may be herein referred to as a “double-hinge” wrench handle. 
     The above summary is general and serves as an overview of the invention. Further features and modifications besides those summarized above will be described in the following description. It should be obvious to one skilled in the present art to see possible general modifications that may be substituted for those employed to achieve the purposes of the present invention, while not departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective, comprehensive, exploded drawing of the multi-hinge wrench handle, comprising two joints, including optional locking ring, and optional ratchet head. 
     FIG. 2 is an assembled, top view of the multi-hinge handle, with optional ratchet wrench head. 
     FIG. 3 is a side, cutaway view of the multi-hinge handle, with optional ratchet wrench head. 
     FIGS. 4 a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  a series of diagramatic views showing the various positions of the wrench of the inventions. No objections were made to the specification, nor to the insert to the bottom of page  4 . 
     FIG. 5 comprises three optional wrench heads that may utilize the multi-hinge handle. FIG. 5 b . illustrates the standard adjustable wrench head; FIG. 5 c . illustrates the newer adjustable clawing type wrench head; and FIG. 5 d . shows the cam-slipping adjustable wrench head, known in the art for over 25 years. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In describing the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings and summarized above, specific terminology will be resorted to for sake of clarity. However, it is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     With reference to the basic invention in FIG. 1., and also in both FIG.  2 . and FIG. 3, note wrench  50 , with wrench multi-joint handle portion “S”, a wrench handle means hereinafter referred to also as comprising ratchet wrench head “A,” comprising pawl switch  8 . Noting FIG. 5, same said MHP could comprise at least three other wrench heads in use. Said MHP could have hinge head-portion  32  that would support, in FIG. 5B the standard, adjustable wrench head depicted therein as easily as FIG.  5 D and the cam- slipping adjustable wrench head illustrated, or as well, the claw-type adjustable wrench head shown in FIG.  5 C. Said MHP is preferred to have only two joints, as depicted in the Figures above, however, three or more joints are possible and potentially beneficial on one wrench handle. 
     Said hinge head portion  32  connects to a first hinge means, also know as head yoke  54   a , using one of threaded rivets  7 , that nests in first yoke arms  5  by encasing and continually biasing ball bearing  9  and spring  10  against hinge head ratchet teeth  31 . These serve to enable the wrench user to “detent” the wrench head in various angular positions so that wrench user may gain access to hard to reach fasteners and this mechanical joint arrangement is known in prior art. However, intermediate handle portion, also known as a double yoke piece  6  comprises at opposite end the novel addition of a second hinge means handle yoke  54   b  which hingably joins handle end  20  through handle hinge portion  22  through said rivets  7 , nesting in second yoke arms  4 , encasing and continually biasing ball bearing  12  and spring  11  inside a bore (not shown) in said double yoke piece  6 , against handle hinge teeth  24  of said handle hinge portion  22 . This enables the said handle end  20  to be oscillated on said handle yoke  54   b  with the same range of freedom that said wrench head “A” or any of the said wrench head figures shown in FIG. 5 possess, on said hinge head portion  32 . 
     It is easily understood by one skilled in the art that the hinge and detenting action is identical on both ends of the said double yoke piece  6 , as described to this point. And that it is highly novel and useful to include this said additional handle yoke  54   b  at or near the location depicted in the above said Figures, since compactness and versatility are enhanced greatly, due to the increased “flexibility” of the said MHP. FIG. 4 depicts at least nine major wrench handle positions of the said MHP in FIGS. 4 a  through FIGS. 4I, but many other positions are possible within the internal ranges of these double-jointed “right-angle” fixed position configurations, that are also useful angles in which to ratchet a fastener. 
     Two additional features of the said MHP are described which involve the use of an optional, additional biasing or locking component, detent ring  14   a , (preferably with knurls  60  and with internal compression ring spring  18 ), which comprises biasing surface  30  that biases against detent surfaces  28  on said second yoke arms  4 , as said ring  14   a  rotatably nests on handle end shaft portion  47 . The angles of said handle hinge teeth match the said detent surfaces  28  to add the optional double detenting or combined detenting force of both said ring, though either detenting means described could accomplish the forces necessary to fix said MHP in any desired fixed position within the predetermined hinge range. 
     A locking feature, in addition to the biasing capability described in said detent ring  14   a , is included in locking-detent ring  14   b , which comprises indents  3  that mate with yoke prongs  5  that are shown as integral to alternate yoke portion  54   c . As said ring  14   b  is twisted and pulled back out of a locked (mated-said prongs  5  and said indents  3 ) position, toward the MHP end, yoke prong surfaces  15  “sprag” on the surfaces  17  of said ring  14   b  until it “click-locks” again back into a straight handle position, after approximately 180 degrees of ring spin. Other angles may by chosen in which to lock the wrench handle by simply changing the angle of the said yoke prongs  5  and their respective mating said ring indents  3 . As well, these said indents  3  can have a variety of shapes, such as v-shape or u-shape, that can serve to adequately supply locking capability to the mechanism purposes described. 
     Note also that at section “X,” which is approximately the midpoint of said double yoke piece  6 , that a third joint may be included to furnish the structure with even more flexibility, though two joints should be sufficient for most wrench user applications. 
     It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described above is to be taken as preferred embodiments. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangements of parts, for example: other equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and elements may be reversed and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as defined in the subjoining claims.