Abstract:
A quick release coupler is disclosed herein for selectively joining the end of a wrench extension shaft and a socket which includes a resiliently mounted push button actuator carried on the shaft operably engageable by high and low points to hold or move a drive train between a lock and a release position with respect to a detent in the cavity of the socket. The drive train moves in a linear mode which is translated into a lateral movement so as to move in and out of locking relationship with the detent of the socket.

Description:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 191,330 filed May 9, 1988 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of quick release couplers and more particularly to a novel quick release means for interconnecting or coupling the end of a wrench extension shaft with a detented cavity in a socket so that the socket may be readily engaged or released with the shaft without removal or actuation of the wrench with respect to the extension shaft. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, it has been the conventional practice to connect extension shafts to ratchet wrenches by means of a quick disconnect means usually incorporating a lever for directionally engaging connecting means between the wrench and the shaft so that the shaft will rotate in a selected direction. Other means are provided, usually in the form of a ball and detent, which permits push button release of the extension shaft from the ratchet wrench. The push button release generally takes the form of a linear actuation of a plurality of balls arranged in a row so that the end ball will move in and out of connection with the detent in the end of the extension. Although such a construction is operable and useful for its intended purpose, no means are provided for quick release of the coupling between the end of the extension shaft and the socket itself. Therefore, in tight spaces where movement is extremely limited, it is difficult to attach and detach the socket from the end of the extension shaft with ease and convenience. Most couplings include a resilient ball which moves in and out of a detent; however, it is only with great force that the workman can pull the two pieces apart since no easy or quick release device is available. 
     Some attempts have been made to provide a quick release for the end of an extension rod or shaft with respect to a socket, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,493. However, such a device is complex and is difficult to manufacture since it requires insertion and assembly of a hairpin spring mechanism which includes installation of a steel ball constituting a detent serving as a fulcrum. Such a device is not only difficult to manufacture, assemble and use, but is readily rendered inoperative by accumulation of dirt or grease in the cavity through which the hairspring is moved. 
     Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a quick release mechanism for locking and unlocking a socket with respect to the end of an extension rod or shaft which is easy to assemble, convenient to manufacture, and which will not be rendered inoperable due to accumulation of dirt or foreign matter. Also, it is important that the release should be in a manner whereby lateral movement of a push button is translated into movement in a normal direction followed by lateral movement to effect release or lock. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention which provides a novel quick release coupler for releasably joining a socket with the end of a wrench extension or rod which comprises a socket having an internal cavity open at one end and formed with a latching detent into which the end of a formed extension rod or shaft is inserted. The rod or shaft includes an elongated passageway connected at its opposite ends to lateral openings that open through the side of the shaft or rod. One opening serves to mount a resilient push button having high and low points, while the other opening serves to mount a latch in the form of a ball or sphere. The latch ball or sphere is held in position with respect to the detent in the socket when the actuating means is in its high position and released therefrom when the actuator is in its low position. 
     In one form of the invention, the motion translating means between the actuator and the latch may take the form of a series of balls arranged in end-to-end relationship within the passageway or in another form of the invention, the drive train may take the form of an elongated rod with rounded ends occupying the passageway. 
     Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel push button release and locking mechanism for coupling a ratchet wrench extension rod with a socket that replaces the spring-loaded ball extension bars of all sizes. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel quick release coupler for joining the end of a wrench extension shaft or rod with a detented socket that permits the pushing of an actuator in one direction to operate a drive train in a direction perpendicular thereto for final translation into lateral movement of a latch in the same direction as the actuator. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel quick release mechanism for yieldably retaining the end of an extension shaft or rod with a socket that is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble and which will not be rendered inoperable when operated in an environment having dirt or foreign matter. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved extension shaft and socket connecting means which employs a push button quick release for spring-loaded socket-engaging latch and for a related extension shaft or rod for locking the socket thereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded side elevational view illustrating a ratchet wrench extension rod or shaft preparatory for coupling with a socket incorporating the quick release means of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the quick release mechanism used in the extension shaft or rod shown in FIG. 1 with the latch in its lock position; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 2 illustrating the locking mechanism in its release position so that the latch is unlocked in response to depression of the actuator; 
     FlG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another embodiment incorporating the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is still another version of the present invention wherein the actuator takes the form of a pair of balls. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the novel quick release coupler of the present invention includes an elongated ratchet wrench extension shaft or rod 10 having a. hexigon-shaped end 11 adapted to be insertably received into a cavity 12 opening through one end of a socket 13. The cavity 12 includes a detent 14 into which a latch 15 is intended to be placed in order to lock the socket to the end 11 of the extension 10. An actuator 16 is employed for moving the latch 15 between its lock and unlock position with respect to the detent 14. As illustrated, the actuator 16 is outwardly disposed with respect to the external surface of the rod or shaft 10 and the latch 15 is similarly outwardly disposed. However, when the actuator 16 is depressed against a resilient bias, the latch 15 is released from its rigid position so as to disengage with the detent 14 for removal of the socket from the end 11. 
     The end of the extension 10 from its end 11 is provided with a socket 17 for receiving the ratchet mechanism from a typical ratchet wrench. However, it is to be understood that the wrench does not form a part of the present invention and that the coupling and quick release mechanism normally associated with either the rotating couplers or any of the rectilinear couplers used for joining wrenches with extension rods does not apply to the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that an end 18 of the socket 13 may include a shaped cavity intended to be insertably placed over a bolt or other fastening device intended to be tightened or untightened at the selection of the workman. 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the end of the shaft or rod 10 is provided with an elongated internal passageway 20 having open ends terminating with lateral passageways 21 and 22 respectively. The longitudinal cavity 20 is substantially occupied by a plurality of balls or spheres, such as identified by numeral 23, that are adapted to move along the longitudinal axis of the shaft or rod 10. The latch 15 is represented by a sphere or ball having a portion thereof outwardly extending beyond the opening of the passageway 21 so as to enter into the detent 14 of the socket cavity 12 when the device or coupler is in its locking mode. The ball latch 15 cannot leave the lateral passageway 21 due to the fact that the opening of the passageway at the surface of the end 11 is reduced by means of an annular crimp 24 which permits only a portion of the latch ball 18 to protrude from the lateral passageway 21. The latch 15 is permitted to move back and forth within the lateral passageway 21 in response to the movement of the drive train made up of the plurality or multiplicity of balls 23. The actuator 16 is movably disposed within the passageway 22 so that a portion outwardly extends from the surface of the rod or shaft 10 in accordance with the bias of an expansion spring 25 carried at one end of the passageway 22. The spring is mounted against a shoulder 26 and bears against the underside of the actuator 16. The actuator 16 includes a high point indicated by the numeral 27 which, when in contact with the drive train made up of balls 23, forces the latch ball 15 to protrude from the end of lateral passageway 21 into the locked position. This is the normal biased position of the latch. However, when it is intended to release the latch 15 from the detent 14, the actuator is depressed as shown in FIG. 3. 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 3, it can be seen that depression of the latch 16 within the lateral passageway 22 against the expansion of spring 25 causes the low point 28 of the actuator 16 to relieve pressure on the plurality or series of balls 23 so that the balls move in the direction of the actuator, permitting withdrawal of the latch ball 15 into the lateral passageway 21 to effect unlocking of the latch with the detent. The actuator is manually depressed by the fingers or thumb of the user against the expansion of spring 25. A slight crimp of the opening leading into the lateral passageway 22 is illustrated by numeral 30 Which illustrates means for preventing the actuator from leaving the passageway under outward expansion of the spring 25. 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 4, another means is provided for a drive train between the actuator and the latch which takes the form of an elongated rod 31 having rounded ends 32 and 33 adapted to engage with the latch 15 and actuator 16 accordingly. Also, the actuator is provided with a centering means so that the actuator will ride within the passageway 22 in a straight manner. Such a means includes a pair of shoulders 34 and 35 which ride against the walls of the passageway. During operation, the shoulder 35 may bear against the end of the rod 31. In either embodiment, the shoulder 34 or the shoulder 35 provides the high spot of the actuator while the reduction in diameter of the actuator for both versions is indicated by numeral 28. 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 5, another version of the invention is illustrated wherein the actuator 16 takes the form of a pair of spheres or balls, indicated by numerals 36 and 37, that are arranged in line within the lateral passageway 27. Spring bias is provided by the spring 25, as previously described, and the ball 37 will bear against the end of the ball train 23 or the rod 31 in order to actuate the latch. 
     Therefore, it can be seen that the novel release mechanism of the present invention provides a novel quick release for latching and unlatching the end of a ratchet wrench extension rod or shaft with respect to a socket. The lateral movement of the actuator is converted into longitudinal movement of the drive train followed by lateral movement of the latch in and out of the lock and unlock position. Such a movement and translation thereof is entirely different from the prior art with respect to quick release mechanisms for wrenches and socket extensions. In construction, the plurality of balls forming the drive train may be readily inserted through the interconnecting passageways followed by crimping of the opening to maintain the balls in position. However, with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a plug is shown on the end of the passageway so as to permit the rod 31 to be inserted into passageway 22 during construction. The plug is indicated by numeral 38. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.