Abstract:
A socket set includes a socket wrench having a tapered hollow handle. A tapered tray fits within said handle. The tapered tray holds a plurality of sockets resting on their sides. This enables one to combine the socket set with the wrench so the sockets are always present when needed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Socket wrenches, also referred to as ratchet wrenches, have a rectangular drive to rotate a socket which engages a nut or bolthead causing it to rotate A plurality of sockets are used, each socket having a different size opening to fit a different size nut or bolt. The drive for all the sockets is the same. Generally the sockets are stored separate from the wrench.  
           [0002]    However, there are many different types of socket wrenches which have been used which hold or house a plurality of sockets. None of these are particularly efficient. Either they lose a great deal of torque in the design of the overall wrench or the location of the sockets is very inconvenient.  
           [0003]    For example, in Martinmaas, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,356 and 4,352,306 disclose a socket set in which the sockets are held in an open handle of the wrench. When one grasps the wrench, they actually grasp the sockets which is particularly uncomfortable and would prevent one from applying a great deal of torque. Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,315 discloses a wrench socket combination in which the sockets are held in a tray. However the sockets are held in an upright position making the size of the handle very awkward and thus difficult to use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is premised on the realization that a socket wrench having a socket wrench and a set of sockets can be formed wherein the socket wrench simply has a tapered hollow handle which is adapted to hold a plurality of sockets laying on their side and supported in a tray which is also tapered and adapted to fit within the handle. A cap is placed at the end of the handle to hold the tray and the sockets in position. Preferably the tray has a plurality of pairs of fingers which are adapted to grasp the sockets positioned on the tray leaving enough room for an individual to grasp the socket to remove it from the tray. Thus, the present invention is easy to use. It keeps the sockets together and most importantly the socket wrench itself is not so altered as to make it difficult to use.  
           [0005]    The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed description and drawings in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention partially in elevation taken at lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tray used in the present invention;  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]    As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the present invention is a socket wrench set  12 . The set  12  includes a socket wrench  14  which has a handle  16  and a ratchet drive mechanism  18 . The set also includes a plurality of different sockets  22  which are stored together in a plastic tapered tray  24  which fits within the hollowed portion  26  of the handle  16 . In turn this is maintained in the handle  16  by a plastic cap  28  which is threaded into an open end  32  of the socket handle  16 .  
         [0010]    More particularly as shown in the present invention, the tapered handle  16  of socket wrench  14  terminates in a neck  34  which connects to the drive mechanism  18  in the head  36  of the socket wrench  14 . Each of the sockets  22  in turn has an opening which corresponds to the size of drive  38  as is typically the case with socket wrenches.  
         [0011]    Each of the different sockets has a different diameter permitting them to be stacked on their sides and positioned in the tray  24 . (See FIG. 2.) Thus the socket with the smallest cross-sectional diameter is in a front portion  42  of the tray whereas the socket with the largest cross-sectional diameter is in the rear portion  44  of the tray and the remaining sockets are positioned based on size from front to back. The handle  16  further includes a rubber or plastic grip  46  which encases the outer portion of the handle making it easier to grip.  
         [0012]    As shown in FIG. 3, the tray  24  has a rounded tapered lower portion  48 . The lower portion is arcuate and is preferably less than 180° radius so that the lower portion is not actually holding the individual sockets. The bottom  49  of the tray is flat so that when the tray itself is removed from the handle, it will rest on a flat surface without rocking. Extending from the bottom portion which is slightly tapered (from bottom to top) are pairs of fingers  52 . Each pair of fingers is adapted to grasp one of the sockets so that again the pair of fingers at the front end  42  of the tray  24  are closest together designed to grasp a small socket and the pair of fingers at the far end  44  of the tray  24  are farthest apart adapted to grasp the largest socket. Again the remaining fingers are positioned accordingly to grasp the different size sockets.  
         [0013]    When the socket wrench is not being used, the sockets will be snap-fitted on their sides in the tapered tray  24  and positioned in the hollow portion of the handle  16 . The cap  28  will close the end of the handle keeping the tray  24  in position. When the socket set is needed, cap  28  is pulled off and the tray  24  pulled out and the necessary socket  22  removed from the tray  24 . This will then be put on the drive  38  of the socket wrench  14  and used. When finished, the socket  22  would be placed back in the tray  24 , the tray back in the handle and the socket wrench will be ready for storage with all the sockets very neatly held within the wrench.  
         [0014]    Thus, the present invention provides a very unique way to hold the sockets with the socket wrench. But most importantly it does not cause an extreme deviation of the shape of the socket wrench. Thus it basically has the same feel as a normal socket wrench because of the shape of the socket handle i.e., tubular.  
         [0015]    This has been a description of the present invention along with the preferred method of practicing the present invention.