Patent Publication Number: US-6662689-B1

Title: Adjustable socket wrench

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No. 60,289,122 filed May 8, 2001. 
    
    
     I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is that of a new and improved adjustable socket wrench that would attach to a ratchet wrench, a drill, or a driver. 
     II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,062, issued to Colvin, discloses a combination socket and ratchet wrench. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,820, issued to Newlin, discloses a ratchet tool with a socket attachment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 601,134, issued to Funk, discloses a ratchet wrench capable of rotating a plurality of nuts of various sizes. 
     III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns that of a new and improved adjustable socket wrench that would attach to a ratchet wrench, a drill, or a driver. The adjustable socket wrench would have two socket portions that would each be mounted on a threaded rod. The threaded rod would be located within a central channel and would be connected to adjustment means. Half of the threaded rod would have right-handed thread, while the other half of the threaded rod would have left-handed thread. The adjustment means would allow the two socket portions to be moved closer to or further away from each other for adjustment for different size bolts to be tightened or loosened. A top-mounted square hole would allow a ratchet end to be attached to the adjustable socket wrench. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of a adjustable socket wrench that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the adjustable socket wrench that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the adjustable socket wrench in detail, it is to be understood that the adjustable socket wrench is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The adjustable socket wrench is capable of other embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions 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 the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present adjustable socket wrench. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable socket wrench which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable socket wrench which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable socket wrench which is of durable and reliable construction. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable socket wrench which is economically affordable and available for relevant purchasing government entities. 
    
    
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and appended claims. 
     IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the upper section of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view of the upper section of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the left socket, the fight socket, and the threaded rod of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the left cover and the right cover of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of all the parts of the present invention as they would be placed together. 
     FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of the present invention as it would be seen with all the parts fully placed together and the invention in a functional manner. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the present invention, showing the two sockets of the present invention slightly drawn open. 
     FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of various parts of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the upper section and fight cover of the second preferred embodiment after they have been pulled apart. 
     FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     V. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of upper section  2  of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, while FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view of upper section  2  of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Upper section  2  has a top-mounted square hole  4  which would allow a ratchet wrench to be inserted into square hole  4 . Upper section  2  is cylindrical in shape. 
     To the bottom of upper section  2  is attached center tube  6 , with center tube being having a hexagonal cross-sectional diameter for most of its length. Center tube  6  has two ends, a first end and a second end, and only at the second end of center tube  6  is there a small length of center tube  6  that has a circular cross-sectional diameter. Otherwise, the rest of center tube  6  is hexagonal in nature. The first end of center tube is open, while the second end of center tube  6  is primarily closed, except for small hole  7  which is centrally located at the second end of center tube  6 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of left socket  8 , right socket  10 , and threaded rod  12  of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Left socket  8  and fight socket  10  are essentially mirror images of one another. Left socket  8  and right socket  10  are essentially one-third (⅓)-cylindrical in shape. Left socket  8 , for descriptive purposes, can generally be divided into two portions: an upper half and a lower half. The lower half of left socket  8  is partially hollowed out and has two inner sides, a first inner side and a second inner side. The first inner side meets the second inner side at approximately a one-hundred twenty (120) degree angle, while both the first inner side and the second inner side of the lower half of left socket  8  meet the edge of the left socket  8  at a thirty (30) degree angle. 
     The upper half of left socket  8  is separated from the lower half of left socket  8  by a ridge  14  and has a centrally mounted hole  16  running through left socket  8 . In addition, left socket  8  also has a top-mounted socket piece  18  which is internally threaded with left-handed thread. 
     Right socket  10 , for descriptive purposes, can generally be divided into two portions: an upper half and a lower half. The lower half of right socket  10  is partially hollowed out and has two inner sides, a first inner side and a second inner side. The first inner side meets the second inner side at approximately a one-hundred twenty (120) degree angle, while both the first inner side and the second inner side of the lower half of right socket  10  meet the edge of the right socket  10  at a thirty (30) degree angle. 
     The upper half of right socket  10  is separated from the lower half of right socket  10  by a ridge  14  and has a centrally mounted hole  20  running through right socket  10 . In addition, fight socket  10  also a top-mounted socket piece  22  which is internally threaded with right-handed thread. 
     Threaded rod  12  is threaded along its entire length and has two ends, a first end and a second end. For the one-half portion of threaded rod  12  that includes the first end of threaded rod  12 , the threading would be right-handed thread. For the one-half portion of threaded rod  12  that includes the second end of threaded rod  12 , the threading would be left-handed thread. 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of left cover  24  and right cover  26  of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Left cover  24  is designed to be placed over the rounded outer surface of left socket  8 , while right cover  26  is designed to be placed over the rounded outer surface of fight socket  10 . 
     Left cover  24  is rounded and is divided into two sections, an upper half and a lower half. Left cover  24  is in the shape of approximately a half-circle. The upper half of left cover  24  is designed to be placed over the upper half of left socket  8 , while the lower half of left cover  24  is designed to be placed over the lower half of left socket  8 . The inner surface of the upper half of left cover  24  has a hollowed-out hole  28  located approximately at the midpoint of the upper half of left cover  24 , although hole  28  does not travel entirely through to the outer surface of left cover  24 . In addition, the lower half of left cover  24  has a hole  30  located approximately at the midpoint of the lower half of left cover  24 . 
     Right cover  26  is rounded and is divided into two sections, an upper half and a lower half. Right cover  26  is in the shape of approximately a half-circle. The upper half of fight cover  26  is designed to be placed over the upper half of fight socket  10 , while the lower half of fight cover  26  is designed to be placed over the lower half of right socket  10 . The inner surface of the upper half of fight cover  26  has a hole  29  located approximately at the midpoint of the upper half of fight cover  26 . In addition, the lower half of fight cover  26  has a hole  31  located approximately at the midpoint of the lower half of fight cover  26 , with hole  31  being threaded. 
     FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of all the parts of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention as they would be placed together. First, the first end of threaded rod  12  would be inserted through and screwed into the hole on the socket piece  22  of right socket  10 . Then, washer  32  would be screwed onto the first end of the threaded rod  12  until it would be flush with socket piece  22 . After this, socket piece  22  on fight socket  10  would be inserted into the first end of center tube  6  of upper section  2  and then slid all the way down center tube  6  to near the second end of center tube  6 . Once this would occur, the first end of threaded rod  12  would be sticking out of hole  7  on center tube  6 . 
     The next step would be to insert socket piece  18  of the left socket  8  into the first end of center tube  6  of upper section  2  and then slide it all the way down center tube  6  until the second end of threaded rod  12  would make contact with the socket piece  18  of left socket  8 . At this time, the second end of threaded rod  12  would be threaded through the hole on socket piece  18  of left socket  8 . To the second end of threaded rod  12  that would be sticking out of the other end of left socket  8  would be attached washer  36 , which would have left-handed thread. Washer  36  would be screwed onto the second end of threaded rod  12  until it would be flush with left socket  8 . 
     The next step would be for a user to place left cover  24  over the first end of center tube  6 . Hollowed-out hole  28  is designed to be directly over the first end of center tube  6 , effectively capping it off. A user would then take right cover  26  and cover the other half of upper section  2 , with the second end of center tube  6  being inserted through hole  29 . 
     To the first end of threaded rod  12  sticking out of hole  7  on center tube  6  would be attached adjustment knob  38 . Adjustment knob  38  would have a plurality of angled teeth  40 , with the angled teeth  40  being attached at a forty-five (45) degree angle. Adjustment knob  38  would be fixedly attached to the first end of threaded rod  12 , causing threaded rod  12  to rotate when adjustment knob  38  would rotate. 
     To the top of upper section would be attached adjustment knob  42 . Adjustment knob  42  would be kept in place by O-ring  44  and would have a plurality of downward facing angled teeth  46  that would be attached a forty-five (45) degree angle. When placed on ridge  48  on upper section  2 , the teeth  46  on adjustment knob  42  would be designed are designed to interlock with each other, causing adjustment knob  38  to turn when adjustment knob  42  is turned. 
     When the present invention is fully functional, left cover  24 , fight cover  26 , and upper section  2  are designed to be immobile when the present invention is in use. The turn of adjustment knob  42  causes adjustment knob  38  to turn, causing threaded rod  12  to rotate. Because of the difference methods of attachment for the two sockets, both sockets will either go in an inward direction or an outward direction upon the turning of adjustment knobs  38  and  42 . 
     Once all the parts would be attached, shaft  50  would inserted through holes  30 ,  16 ,  20 , and  31 , in that order. The tip of shaft  50  would be threaded, along with hole  31 . The threaded nature of the tip of shaft  50  and hole  31  would allow shaft  50  to be removably attached to hole  31  without the need for a bolt or nut, allowing shaft  50  to effectively secure the parts of the present invention shut. 
     FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention as it would be seen with all the parts fully placed together and the invention in a functional manner. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the two sockets of the present invention slightly drawn open. 
     In a variation of the first preferred embodiment, two separate shafts  50  would be used to hold the various parts of the present invention together once it would be installed as a whole. In this embodiment, the series of holes designed for each particular shaft  40  would not directly go through the center of the parts, but rather, would be parallel to one another when being inserted through the various parts of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, fully assembled. 
     FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of various parts of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, upper section  2  is shown with attached right cover  26 . In this second preferred embodiment, right cover  26  and upper section  2  would, in effect, be one piece. 
     In this embodiment, adjustment knob  38  would be on the outside of center tube  6  immediately adjacent to the first end of center tube  6 . Unlike the first preferred embodiment, however, adjustment knob  38  would not extend through left cover  24 —it would be located within left cover  24  and there would be hollowed-out hole  28 . The hole  28  does not travel entirely through to the outer surface of left cover  24 . The second end of center tube  6  is closed and there would be no hole  7 . On fight cover there would be no hole  29 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of upper section  2  and right cover  26  of the second preferred embodiment after they have been pulled apart. In addition to the previous description of the second preferred embodiment, this embodiment is notably different from the first preferred embodiment because there is no shaft  50  to be inserted through various parts of this embodiment. Therefore, left cover  24  would not have hole  30 , left socket  8  would not have hole  16 , right socket  10  would not have hole  20 , and right cover  26  would not have hole  31 . 
     FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. One markable difference between the first preferred embodiment and the second preferred embodiment is that in the second preferred embodiment, the teeth  40  on adjustment knob  38  and the teeth  46  on adjustment knob  42  are not visible. Teeth  40  of adjustment knob  38 , however, still are in immediate contact with the teeth  46  on adjustment knob  42  and function in the same way as present in the same as in the first preferred embodiment.