Abstract:
A tool holder comprises an elongated body having a first end portion for receiving a handle and a second end portion with an adjustable tool retaining mechanism for holding a tool, an elongated handle releasably retained in the first end portion and being configured to be slideable between stop positions at opposite ends, and a release mechanism at the first end portion configured to enable the handle to be separated from the body when operated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to hand tools. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool holder for holding tools such as a tap for cutting threads in the walls of an opening in a work pieces. 
   Such tools are also commonly referred to as tap wrenches and a common design of tap wrenches have a cylindrical handle that slides back and forth to allow its use in tight spaces. This requires the user to slide the handle approximately every half turn, which is not an issue when the handle is needed for leverage but when removing the tap little leverages needed and sliding the handle back and forth becomes cumbersome. The capability of removing the handle completely allows the user to spin the assembly relatively easily during the removal. However, as the handle is easily removable, it may slide out of the body and fall to some inconvenient location. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A tool holder comprises an elongated body having a first end portion for receiving a handle and a second end portion with an adjustable tool retaining mechanism for holding a tool, an elongated handle releasable retained in the first end portion and being configured to be slideable between stop positions at opposite ends, and a release mechanism at the first end portion configured to enable the handle to be separated from the body when operated. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the tool holder; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the tool holder shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a view of the body of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  shown from either the front or the back thereof; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the portion of the release mechanism of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an alternative embodiment of the portion of the release mechanism shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is an alternative embodiment of the elongated handle, particularly illustrating a Philips-type end configuration. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Broadly stated, the various embodiments of the tool holder of the present invention have a T-handle-type tool holder configuration that has a slideable handle that fits in the body of the tool holder. The tool holder is designed to have stops at opposite ends so that the handle will not be separated from the body during normal operation, but which can be removed when desired by a user. This is accomplished by a release mechanism that when operated permits the handle to be separated from the body. It is accomplished by a pushing an exposed end portion at the top of the body that enables the handle to be pulled out of the body. 
   This facilitates easy removal of the tool holder after threads have been cut in an opening and the tap needs to be backed out of the opening. Since very little resistance to such unthreading action is generally experienced, it can almost be spun out of the opening. An advantage of the embodiments of the present invention is that the top of the exposed end portion is provided with a slot, or other noncircular recess that can cooperate with a complementary end portion of the elongated handle so that the end of the handle can be separated from the body and be used to engage the end portion and spin the body to back out the tap after a thread making operation has been completed. 
   Turning now to the drawings, and particularly  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the preferred embodiment of the tool holder is indicated generally at  10  which has a generally cylindrical body, indicated generally at  12 , and an elongated handle  14  that is removable attached to an upper end portion  16  of the body  12 . A lower end portion  18  has a tool retaining mechanism  20  for holding a cutting tap (not shown) and a release mechanism, indicated generally at  22 . 
   As is best shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , the body  12  has an elongated generally cylindrical shape, with a cylindrical opening  24  in its upper end portion  16 . Small openings  26  in the cylindrical wall provide access to the opening  24 , as do larger openings  28  which are sized to receive the handle  14 . The body  12  has a reduced diameter central portion  30  with an enlarged threaded portion  32  (the threads not being shown) that cooperates with the tool retaining mechanism  20 . The lower end portion  18  has a hollow interior chamber  34  for receiving cutting tap (not shown). The chamber  34  has a smaller diameter extension  36  for receiving the end of a tap tool and the center portion  30  and lower portion  18  have transverse slots  38  which define four flexible jaws  40  that are configured to retain a cutting tap placed in the chamber  34  when the tool retaining mechanism  20  is tightened. In this regard, the mechanism  20  is in the form of a collet nut having hexagonal faces  42 , an internally threaded opening  44  that is inwardly tapered toward its nose end  46 . This cooperates with a tapered end portion  48  on each jaw, which when the collet is tightened, forces the jaws toward one another to hold the tap in place. 
   As is best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the release mechanism  22  principally comprises a stop member  50  and a spring  52 , both of which fit within the opening  24  of the body  12 . As shown in the enlarged perspective view of  FIG. 5 , the stop member  50  has an opening  54  that is preferably approximately the same size as the opening  28 , i.e., it is sized to receive the handle  14 . The lower half of the stop member has portions of the cylindrical shape removed on opposite sides to present flat faces  56  on opposite sides of a relatively thin remaining portion  58 . The thickness of the portion  58  is sized to cooperate with a reduced diameter portion of the handle  14  to limit the sliding movement of the handle  14  relative to the body during normal operation. 
   The stop member  50  has axially directed recesses  60  on opposite sides thereof which cooperate with set screws  62  that are screwed into the openings  26  and are sized to extend inwardly into the opening  24  and penetrate into the recesses  60  for limiting the outward movement of the stop member caused by the biasing force applied by the spring  52 . Importantly, the set screws  62  also prevent rotation of the stop member relative to the body  12  so that the opening  54  maintains its alignment with opening  28  in the body enabling the handle  14  to be inserted and removed from the body  12 . 
   It should be understood that other fastening techniques and mechanisms could be used other than set screws. For example, dowel pins or roll pins could be used, and it is possible that the body could be crimped or staked to form a protrusion instead of using pins, screws or the like. 
   The length of the recesses  60  is preferably such that a top surface  62  of the stop member  50  extends outwardly beyond an end surface  64  of the body as shown in  FIG. 1  which facilitates easy manipulation by a user to separate the handle  14  from the body  12 . The stop member  50  also has a slot  66  in the outer end thereof for receiving a complementary configured end portion of the handle  14 . 
   The handle  14  has a reduced diameter portion  70  located at opposite ends thereof with the outer portion terminating in a transverse shoulder  72  and the inner end portion terminating in a ramped or inclined annular surface  74 . The length of the reduced diameter portion  70  is preferably greater than the thickness of the portion  58  of the stop member  50  so that when the handle  14  is pulled in either direction, when the reduced diameter portion  70  is co-extensive with the portion  58 , one of the faces  56  will engage the transverse shoulder  72  and prevent the handle from being completely removed from the body  12 . This happens because the spring  52  acts to push the stop member  50  outwardly. 
   While the handle  14  cannot be removed from the body  12 , it can be moved in the opposite direction at which time the stop member  50  can ride up the ramped or inclined portion  74 . This is achieved with only a slight increase in force necessary to overcome the force applied by the spring  52 . The outer ends of the handle  14  have a flat blade  76  which is sized to fit in the slot  66  of the stop member  50 . If the handle  14  is to be removed from the body  12 , the user merely presses on the top surface  62  of the stop member  50  so that the opening  54  is generally aligned with the handle and enables the transverse shoulder  72  to be cleared and the handle can be pulled further to separate it from the body  12 . If a thread making operation is completed and the tap is to be backed out of the newly threaded hole, the blade  76  can be inserted into the slot  66  if desired in order to facilitate rapid and easy removal of the tap. 
   It should be understood that the blade and single slot configuration of the preferred embodiment can be modified by using any of many other complementary noncircular configurations, such as the Philips type end portion  76 ′ shown in  FIG. 7  which cooperates with an alternative cross-shaped recess  66 ′ as shown in  FIG. 6 . It should be understood that other configurations such as an oval, star, box or hex configuration could be used if desired. In the alternative embodiments, numbers having a prime designation are intended to be similar to the parts that have been described with the same number corresponding to the preferred embodiment. 
   While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims. 
   Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.