Patent Publication Number: US-2019176304-A1

Title: Torque wrench adapter

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2017/056335, filed on Mar. 17, 2017. Priority is claimed on German Application No. 10 2016 215 989.5, filed Aug. 25, 2016, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a torque wrench adapter and an arrangement consisting of a torque wrench adapter, an insert open-end wrench, and a torque wrench. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Torque wrenches as well as insert open-end wrenches that can be coupled to a torque wrench are thoroughly known from practice. Accordingly, an insert open-end wrench can be inserted into a recess of a torque wrench via a projection connecting the insert open-end to the torque wrench. 
     From practice, a multiplicity of application cases are known, in which screw connections have to be manipulated with a torque wrench or with an insert open-end wrench inserted in a torque wrench, which are difficult to access. Screw connections have to be manipulated on ships&#39; engines with a torque wrench or with an insert open-end wrench connected to the torque wrench, which are accessible with conventional torque wrenches only after prior disassembly of fuel pipes so far that the same can be securely manipulated with a conventional torque wrench. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of one aspect of the present invention is based on creating a torque wrench adapter. 
     The torque wrench adapter according to one aspect of the invention serves for connecting an insert open-end wrench to a torque wrench. The adapter comprises a first section, which serves for connecting the torque wrench adapter to an insert open-end wrench, and a second section, which serves for tying the torque wrench adapter to a torque wrench, wherein the first section and the second section are connected to one another via a joint in such a manner that the same can be moved relative to one another about a pivot axis of the joint. 
     With the invention present here, a torque wrench adapter is proposed for the first time, which can be placed between an insert open-end wrench and a torque wrench, and which allows a relative displacement about a pivot axis of a joint between the insert open-end wrench and the torque wrench. By way of this, screw connections in particular with difficult access can also be securely manipulated or handled, in particular even without prior disassembly of otherwise interfering components. 
     According to an advantageous further development, the first section comprises a main body which at a first end comprises a recess for an insert open-end wrench, and which at a second end is connected to the second section in an articulated manner via the joint. The second section comprises a main body, which at a first end comprises a projection for a torque wrench, and which at a second end is connected to the first section in an articulated manner via the joint. The joint is formed between the second end of the first section and the second end of the second section. Such a torque wrench adapter allows a simple attachment of the insert open-end wrench to the torque wrench adapter and a simple attachment of the torque wrench to the torque wrench adapter. 
     According to an advantageous further development, leg-like projections located opposite one another are formed at the second end of the first section, between which the second end of the second section is positioned, wherein the pivot axis of the joint extends through the two legs of the second end of the first section and through the second end of the second section arranged between the same. The pivot axis of the joint preferentially runs perpendicularly to the second end of the second section arranged between the legs. By way of this, forces or moments to be exerted via the torque wrench can be securely transmitted to the insert open-end wrench, namely by bracing on the leg-like projections of the first section of the torque wrench adapter according to one aspect of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred further developments of the invention are obtained from the subclaims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by way of the drawing without being restricted to this. There it shows: 
         FIG. 1 : is a perspective view of a torque wrench adapter; 
         FIG. 2 : is a plan view of the torque wrench adapter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3 : is a lateral view of the torque wrench adapter of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4 : is the torque wrench adapter of  FIGS. 1 to 3  together with an insert open-end wrench and a torque wrench. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention relates to a torque wrench adapter and to an arrangement consisting of a torque wrench adapter, an insert open-end wrench, and a torque wrench. 
       FIGS. 1 to 3  show different views of a torque wrench adapter  10  according to the invention.  FIG. 4  shows an arrangement consisting of the torque wrench adapter  10  of  FIGS. 1 to 3 , an inset open-end wrench  11  connected to the torque wrench adapter  10 , and a torque wrench  12  that is likewise connected to the torque wrench adapter  10 . 
     The torque wrench adapter  10 , which serves for the attachment of the insert open-end wrench  11  to the torque wrench  12  subject to the intermediate arrangement of the torque wrench adapter  10 , comprises sections that are connected to one another in an articulated manner, namely via a first section  13  and a second section  14 , which are connected to one another in an articulated manner. 
     The first section  13  serves for attaching the torque wrench adapter  10  to the insert open-end wrench  11 , whereas the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  serves for attaching the torque wrench adapter  10  to the torque wrench  12 . The first section  13  and the second section  14  are connected to one another in an articulated manner via a joint  15 , namely in such a manner that the same are displaceable relative to one another about a pivot axis  16  of the joint  15 , i.e. in the manner of a hinge. 
     The first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10  comprises a main body  17 . The main body  17  comprises a recess  19  for the insert open-end wrench  11  at a first end  18 . At a second end  20  of the first section  13 , the same is connected to the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  in an articulated manner via the joint  15 . 
     The second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  likewise comprises a main body  21 , which at a first end  22  comprises a projection  23  for a torque wrench, wherein via this projection  23  the torque wrench adapter  10  can be coupled to the torque wrench  12 . At a second end  24 , the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  is connected to the second end  20  of the first section  13  in an articulated manner, namely via the joint  15 . 
     Accordingly, the joint  15  is formed between the two second ends  20 ,  24  of the two sections  13 ,  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  adjoining one another and located opposite one another. 
     At the second end  20  of the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10 , leg-like projections  25  located opposite one another are formed. The second end  24  or a projection  26  of the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  formed at the second end  24  is positioned between the leg-like projects  25 . The two legs  25  of the second end  20  of the first section  13  located opposite one another delimit a recess  27 , into which the project  26  of the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  formed at the second end  24  engages. 
     The pivot axis  16  of the joint  15 , via which the two sections  13 ,  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  are connected to one another hinge-like in an articulated manner, extends through the two legs  25  of the second end  20  of the first section  13  and through the projection  26  formed on the second end  24  of the second section  14 , which is arranged between the two legs  25 . Here, this pivot axis  16  of the joint  15  runs perpendicularly to the two legs  25  at the second end  20  of the first section  13  and perpendicularly to the projection  26  formed at the second end  24  of the second section  23 . The pivot axis  16  of the joint  15  runs perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction  34  of the two sections  13 ,  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10 . 
     As is best evident from  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an engagement recess interacting with an engagement element of the insert open-end wrench  11  is formed on the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10 . In particular when the insert open-end wrench  11  is inserted with a corresponding projection into the recess  19  in the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10 , this engagement element of the open-end wrench  11  engages in the engagement recess  28  at the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10 , in order to thereby detachably fix the insert open-end wrench  11  in place on the torque wrench adapter  10 . 
     On the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10 , namely in the region of the projection  23  formed at the first end  22  of the same, an engagement element  29  is formed, which interacts with a corresponding engagement recess in the torque wrench  12 , namely in particular when the torque wrench adapter  10  with the projection  23  at the first end  22  of the second section  14  is inserted into a corresponding recess in the torque wrench adapter  12 . In this case, the engagement element  29  then engages in a corresponding engagement recess of the torque wrench  12 . The engagement element  29  is a spring-actuated ball. For disconnecting the connection between the torque wrench adapter  10  and the torque wrench  12 , the engagement element  29 , namely the ball of the same, merely has to be moved against the spring force of a spring element acting on the ball downwards and out of the corresponding engagement recess in the torque wrench  12  in order to subsequently be able to disconnect the torque wrench adapter  10  from the torque wrench  12 . 
     Because of the fact that the torque wrench adapter  10  comprises the hinge-like joint  15 , the insert open-end wrench  11  in the arrangement of  FIG. 4  can be displaced in its relative orientation to the torque wrench  10  in a single degree of freedom which is defined by the pivot axis  16  of the joint  15 , so that with the arrangement of  FIG. 4  screw connections with difficult access can also be handled. 
     When tightening or unscrewing a screw connection with the help of the arrangement of  FIG. 4 , a force or a moment is exerted on a handle  30  of the torque wrench  12  in the direction of the arrow  31 . This force or this moment  31  braces itself on the legs  25  of the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10  and can thus be transmitted from the second section  14  of the torque wrench adapter  10  to the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10  and thus ultimately to the insert open-end wrench  11 , in order to provide a moment  32  on the same. The bracing of the moment exerted on the handle  31  on the legs  25  of the first section  13  of the torque wrench adapter  10  is visualised in  FIG. 4  by arrows  33 . 
     Accordingly, a torque wrench adapter  10  is proposed with the invention, which can be connected between the insert open-end wrench  11  and the torque wrench  12  in order to thus allow a hinge-like or articulated displacement of the insert open-end wrench  11  relative to the torque wrench  12 . By way of this, even screw connections with difficult access can be easily and securely manipulated, namely in such a manner that on the same a torque for tightening or unscrewing the same can be reliably exerted, namely without prior disassembly of assemblies which restrict the accessibility of the screw connection to be manipulated. 
     Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.