Patent Publication Number: US-9844859-B2

Title: Multi-engageable tubing wrench

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/160,593 filed Mar. 16, 2009 which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The disclosed device relates to wrenches adapted to turn bolts and bolt-like fasteners. More particularly the disclosed device relates to handle-engaged open-end reversible wrenches configured for engagement over tubing for connector tightening. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Open-end reversible ratchet wrenches have become more popular in recent years as costs have declined. Such wrenches replace the static type open-end wrenches which require a constant removal and replacement of the wrench on a bolt, with a bolt-engageable cavity, which will rotate freely in one direction and not in the other. 
     Such open-ended wrenches conventionally employ a rotatable hub, having nut-engaging interior section communicating through a slot with an opening at the front area of the wrench housing. Rotation of the hub in one direction and a blocking of rotation in the opposite direction, is provided by a ratchet formed by teeth on the peripheral surface of the hub which engage a biased pawl. 
     However, as the hub rotates, because the open slot portion of the hub, which lacks engaging teeth, is brought into registration with the pawl, rendering it ineffective, two pawls are employed which are spaced apart further than the distance of across the slot in the hub. However, most such open-ended ratchet wrenches are permanently engaged to a single handle or adapted for an engagement at the end of a single handle. 
     As such, there is a continuing unmet need for an improved open-ended ratchet wrench. Such a wrench should be adaptable to many types of engagements and to multiple handles to allow a single open-ended ratchet head to either fixedly or rotationally engage multiple wrench handles or extensions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device and method herein disclosed and described achieves the above-mentioned goals through the provision of an open-ended ratchet wrench formed as a head portion for engagement to multiple handles. The device employs a housing to operatively engage a hub having an interior portion dimensioned to engage the head of a bolt. The hub has a periphery adapted to function as a ratchet with teeth on the hub circumference, adapted to engage two biased pawls. A casing provides the housing to hold the hub in a rotational engagement and the pawl in a biased translational engagement. 
     Unlike conventional ratchet open-end wrenches, in the disclosed device, the exterior of the casing is adapted for multiple engagement to multiple wrenches or components. 
     A first engagement allows for rotation of the wrench head at the distal end of a handle. This side-to-side rotation allows the wrench to engage bolts at odd angles and hard to reach positions. 
     A second engagement means allows the wrench to be engaged to a conventional ratchet wrench handle or extension, or to a conventional breaker bar or wrench handle. This engagement is provided by an aperture formed through the casing adapted for engagement to a square ratchet wrench head, or extension, or a handle having a square distal end. 
     As such, the disclosed wrench is multi-functional and mountable to a plurality of different wrenches and handles, to allow the user to adapt the engagement to the task at hand. 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an improved open-ended ratchet wrench that is adapted for rotational engagement at the end of a static handle. 
     It is an additional object of this invention to provide such a wrench that is concurrently adapted for engagement to a rectangular ratchet wrench or extension or handle. 
     These together with other objects and advantages which become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  depicts a side view with a partial cut-away showing the pawl engagement with teeth on the exterior circumference of the hub which is rotationally engaged in a casing. 
         FIG. 1 a    depicts the pawl and tooth engagement. 
         FIG. 1 b    shows a hub of the device having a open end with a diameter “D” and teeth formed about the exterior circumference. 
         FIG. 2  depicts the device of  FIG. 1  with a different bolt engaging interior edge surface, and shows the casing having both biased pin and square aperture engagement components. 
         FIG. 3  depicts the device having a hex shaped bolt engaging interior edge having an aperture in the casing configured for engagement to a conventional square ratchet wrench or extension engagement. 
         FIG. 3 a    depicts a function common to all modes wherein the open end of the rotating hub portion of the wrench will rotate to close the open end. 
         FIG. 4  shows a conventional open end wrench tightening hex fitting on a tube. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings of  FIGS. 1-4 , the modes of the device  10  are depicted therein. As noted,  FIG. 1  depicts a side view of the device  10  showing the head  11  having a partial cut-away of the casing  12  rotationally engaged with a hub  18 , and which reveals a biased pawl  14  in a ratcheted engagement with teeth  16  formed about the exterior circumference of the rotationally engaged hub  18 . The hub  18  is rotationally engaged in the casing  12  of the head  11 , in a conventional fashion with sidewalls of the casing  12  configured to allow the hub  18  to slide there between and rotate. Two pawls  14  are in biased engagements inside slots  20  formed in the casing  12 . The distal ends  15  of the pawls  14  are configured to operatively engage the teeth  16  to only allow one way rotation of the hub  18  within its engagement in the casing  12 . Means to bias the pawl  14  into the ratcheted engagement with the hub  18  is provided by a spring  30  or may be provided by other biasing means which provides sufficient biasing pressure to the pawl  14 . 
     The teeth  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 b   , are curved and positioned about the exterior circumference of the hub  18  such that both pawls  14  will normally engage the hub  18  concurrently. The distal ends  15  of the pawls  14 , are positioned to be slightly more than the diameter “D” of the open end  19  of the hub  18 . This is most important to maintain the ratchet engagement of at least one of the pawls  14  with the teeth  16 , when the hub  18  is rotated as in  FIG. 3 a   , to position the open end  19  surrounding one of the pawls  14 . Since the distance of the distal ends  15  of the pawls  14  is slightly more than “D”, one of the pawls  14  is always in the biased ratcheted engagement with the hub  18 . 
     In  FIG. 2  there is depicted the device  10  similar to that of  FIG. 1  having a casing  12  with two means for engagement to a wrench or extension. A first such means is provided by opposing biased pins  22  on opposite sidewalls  13  of the casing  12 . These pins  22  project to engage dents  23  on the forked end of a wrench handle  24  such as that of  FIG. 1 , and allow a side-to-side rotation of the casing  12 , during use with the handle  24  which may be included as a kit. The head  11  of  FIG. 2  also has a second means for engagement to a handle or wrench in the form of a rectangular aperture  26 . Such apertures  26  would be adapted to engage conventional ratchet wrench extensions commonly provided in ¼ inch and ½ inch and ¾ inch sizes. Of course any sized aperture  26  that will engage the distal end of the wrench or extension may be employed. Further, the handle  24  can be made integral to the casing  12  to make a unitary structure of handle and head  11  to form a wrench. 
     The most preferred mode of the device  10  employs a head  11  having both the rectangular aperture  26  combined with the pins  22  formed on the casing  12 . This provides a plurality of ways to engage a single head  11 , to multiple handles, extensions, and wrenches, depending on the intended use by the user. As such it is the most useful embodiment of the device  10 . 
       FIG. 3  which shows the head  11  formed by a casing  12  having solely the rectangular aperture  26  for engagement to a wrench or handle or extension. This mode of the device will still allow the head  11  to be engaged to multiple handles or ratchet wrenches or extensions having distal ends adapted for frictional engagement in the aperture  26 . The hub  18  as shown in  FIGS. 3-3   a , and typical of all modes of the device  10  herein, rotates 360 degrees in its engagement in the casing  12 , and at points along that rotation will block the wrench open end  19 . However, as noted, the spacing of the distal ends  15  of the pawls  14  is such that even when the open end  19  of the hub  18  surrounds one of the pawls  14  disengaging it, the other pawl  14  still is in a ratcheted engagement with the hub  18 . 
     In all modes of the device  10  the interior edge  17  of the hub  18  communicating with the open end  19  of the hub  18 , is configured to engage the connector  27  or hex bolt shape, or exterior edge, of the fitting to be turned by the device  10 . All modes of the device  10  also have an open end  19  having a minimum diameter distance “D” sized to slide over a tubing member  21 . Thereafter, the interior edge  17  is engaged on the tubing connector  27  or exterior surface of the fitting or other tube connector. Turning the connector  27  does not require removal of the head  11  or handle  24  as is normally required in prior art as shown in  FIG. 4  where a conventional wrench must continually be removed and re-engaged to turn the connector  27 . 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.