Patent Publication Number: US-2011072941-A1

Title: Hand tool with an adjusting device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hand tool with an adjusting device, and more particularly to a hand tool having an adjusting device for adjusting a tool head to a desired angle. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional pivot tip of a hand tool in accordance with the prior art comprises a hand grasp member, an elongated member aligned with said hand grasp member, a work piece shaft mounted in relation to the elongated member for relative movement therewith between a retracted position and an extended position, and a pivot tip member between a first working position and a second working position. The pivot tip member is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the work piece shaft in the second working position. First holding means hold said work piece shaft in said extended position, and second holding means hold the pivot tip member in the first working position in axial alignment with the work piece shaft. Therefore, the pivot tip member includes a socket member and an axial bore passing through the socket member. The axial bore is axially aligned with the work piece shaft in the first working position or the second position. A tool is received in the axial bore for abutting against the work piece shaft when in the first working position or the second position. 
     However, the prior art suffers from several disadvantages. Due to the connecting structure between the pivot tip and the elongated shank, the work piece shaft has the relative retracting or extending movement. So the work piece shaft is broken easily if a strong force is applied. Moreover, the pivot tip of a hand tool only has two work positions which are parallel and perpendicular to the hand grasp member. Therefore, the pivot tip a hand tool is inconvenient to be used. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional hand tool. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved hand tool with an adjusting device. 
     To achieve the objective, the hand tool with an adjusting device includes a tool head having a driving portion formed on one end thereof and an engaging portion formed on the other end thereof opposite to the driving portion. 
     A handle is pivotally connected to the tool head. The handle has a first ear and a second ear oppositely formed on a first end thereof and extending upwardly. The engaging portion of the tool head is located between the first ear and the second ear. The engaging portion of the tool head is pivotally rotatably connected to the first and the second ears. The handle has a chamber axially defined in the first end thereof and located between the first and the second ears. The handle has a connecting hole coaxially defined in a bottom of the chamber. An inner diameter of the connecting hole is relatively smaller than an inner diameter of the chamber. The handle has a cavity laterally defined in the first end thereof and communicates with the chamber via the connecting hole. 
     An adjusting device is received in the handle. The adjusting device includes an engaging member movably received in the chamber for engaging with the engaging portion of the tool head. The engaging member has an elongated portion extending from a bottom thereof and partially received in the connecting hole. A spring is compressibly received in the chamber and wound around the elongated portion for tending to urge the engaging member toward the tool head. The spring has two ends respectively abutting against the engaging member and the bottom of the chamber around the connecting hole. 
     Furthermore, the adjusting device includes a positioning member movably received in the cavity. The elongated portion passes through the connecting hole for engaging with the positioning member. The positioning member has a recess defined therein and facing the engaging member. The positioning member has an inclined surface located beside the recess and facing the engaging member. The inclined surface inclines downwardly to an edge of the recess. The positioning member has a receiving hole defined in a first end thereof. An elastomer is compressibly received in the receiving hole. The elastomer has two ends respectively abutting against an inner periphery of the cavity and the positioning member. 
     When the recess is aligned with the chamber and the connecting hole, the engaging member is able to be retracted. The tool head is free to pivotally rotate relative to the handle and adjusted to a desired angle. When the inclined surface on the positioning member is aligned with the chamber and engages with the elongated portion, the engaging member is urged upwardly to engage with the engaging portion of the tool head, such that the tool head is fastened. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of the hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4-5  are operational partial cross-sectional view of the hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view of the hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention when the hand tool with a tool bit is operated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a tool head  1  having a driving portion  11  formed on one end thereof for connecting a tool bit  4  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). The driving portion  11  is a ratchet head. The tool head  1  has an engaging portion  12  formed on the other end thereof opposite to the driving portion  11 . The engaging portion  12  is in a cylindrical shape. The engaging portion  12  has a fastening hole  121  defined therein and laterally extending therethrough. The engaging portion  12  has a series of first teeth  122  formed on an outer periphery thereof. 
     A handle  2  is pivotally connected to the tool head  1 . The handle  2  has a first ear  21  and a second ear  22  oppositely formed on a first end thereof and extending upwardly. Each of the first and the second ears  21 ,  22  has a through hole  211 ,  221  laterally defined therein. The engaging portion  12  of the tool head  1  is located between the first ear  21  and the second ear  22 . The fastening hole  121  is coaxial with the two through holes  211 ,  221 . A bolt  23  passes through the two through holes  211 ,  221  and the fastening hole  121 , such that the engaging portion  12  of the tool head  1  pivotally connects to the handle  2  and is able to rotate relative to the handle  2 . 
     The handle  2  has a chamber  31  axially defined in the first end thereof and located between the first  21  and the second ears  22 . The handle  2  has a connecting hole  311  coaxially defined in a bottom of the chamber  31 . An inner diameter of the connecting hole  311  is relatively smaller than an inner diameter of the chamber  31 . The handle  2  has a cavity  32  laterally defined in the first end thereof and communicates with the chamber  31  via the connecting hole  311 . 
     The hand tool with an adjusting device further comprises an adjusting device  3  received in the handle  2 . The adjusting device  3  includes an engaging member  33  movably received in the chamber  31 . The engaging member  33  has a series of second teeth  332  formed on a top thereof and extending toward the engaging portion  12  for selectively engaging with first teeth  121 . The engaging member  33  has an elongated portion  331  extending from a bottom thereof and partially received in the connecting hole  311 . A spring  35  is compressibly received in the chamber  31  and wound around the elongated portion  331  for tending to urge the engaging member  33  toward the tool head  1 . The spring  35  has two ends respectively abutting against the engaging member  33  and the bottom of the chamber  31  around the connecting hole  311 . 
     Furthermore, the adjusting device  3  includes a positioning member  34  movably received in the cavity  32 . The elongated portion  331  passes through the connecting hole  311  for engaging with the positioning member  34 . The positioning member  34  has a recess  342  defined therein and facing the engaging member  33 . The positioning member  34  has an inclined surface  343  located beside the recess  342  and facing the engaging member  33 . The inclined surface  343  inclines toward an edge of the recess  342 . The positioning member  34  has a receiving hole  341  defined in a first end thereof and a pressing plate  344  formed on a second end thereof opposite to the first end. The pressing plate  344  is in a round shape and projected from the cavity  32 . 
     An elastomer  36  is compressibly received in the receiving hole  341 . The elastomer  36  has two ends respectively abutting against an inner periphery of the cavity  32  and an inner periphery of the receiving hole  341  in the positioning member  34 . Therefore, when pressing the pressing plate  344 , the elastomer  36  is compressed and the positioning member  34  moves along the cavity  32 . 
     The operation of the hand tool with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention will be described in detailed below. As shown in  FIGS. 4-5 , first of all, the recess  342  in the positioning member  34  is aligned with the chamber  31  and the connecting hole  311  by pressing the pressing portion  344  of the positioning member  34 , and the tool head  1  is able to rotate relative to the handle  2 . When adjusting, the first teeth  122  disengage with the second teeth  332 . The engaging member  33  is retracted and the elongated portion  331  is downwardly inserted into the recess  342 . Because the spring  35  tends to urge the engaging member  33  toward the tool head  1 , the second teeth  332  engage with the first teeth  122  again. Therefore, the first teeth  122  contacts with the second teeth  332  to make a sound for reminding a user of the number of passed teeth. 
     As the tool head  1  is at a desire angle, the inclined surface  343  on the positioning member  34  is aligned with the chamber  31  and the connecting hole  311  for engaging with the elongated portion  331 . The second teeth  332  of the engaging member  33  are urged upwardly to engage with the first teeth  122  of the engaging portion  12 , such that the tool head  1  is fastened by the adjusting device  3 . 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.