Patent Publication Number: US-6698318-B2

Title: Wrench set

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Wrench sets generally include a plurality of wrenches with each wrench having a separate handle and a separate head. The heads are sized to engage different sized nuts or bolts. This takes up a large amount of space that is not a problem in many situations. However there are certain situations in which this is undesirable. In turn, a pair of pliers or an adjustable wrench is frequently substituted for the proper wrench. These are not as effective in engaging the head of a nut since there is generally some play in between the head of the nut and the head of the adjustable wrench or pliers. In particular, the pliers tend to strip the head of the nut. 
     Accordingly it is desirable to provide a compact wrench set. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is premised on the realization that a compact wrench set can be formed having a hollowed tapered handle with a plurality of different sized wrench heads within the hollow body of the wrench. More particularly the different size wrench heads can be held within the hollow interior or a wrench handle with the wrench heads nested upon each other and preferably held within a molded plastic tray which keeps all of the wrench heads together and easily available for use. 
     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 THE FIGURE 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wrench set of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a wrench set  10  which includes a tapered body or handle  12  having a hollow interior  14  which is rectangular in cross-section. Within the hollow interior  14  is a plurality of different size wrench heads  16 - 28 . 
     The wrench heads are respectively held in a molded plastic tray  30 . 
     The body  12  has a front opening  32  which leads into a rectangular passage  34  leading in to the hollow interior  14  of body  12 . A detent or ball  38  is located within a wall  36  in the rectangular opening  34 . 
     Each of the wrench heads  16 - 28  is a typical wrench head with the smallest wrench head  16  and the largest wrench head  28  and the remaining wrench heads having sizes adjusted there between. Each wrench head has a semicircular portion  40  and an opening  42  adapted to receive the head of a nut. Further, each wrench head includes a square stub  44 . Each of these square stubs includes a pair of grooves  46  which are adapted to be engaged by the ball or detent  38 . 
     Tray  30  includes a bottom wall  48  and a raised portion  49  that extends above the wall  48 . The raised portion has a plurality of indented areas  56 - 68  which mate respectively with wrench heads  16 - 28 . The tray further includes two side portions  70  and  72 . At each indentation  56 - 68  there are an openings  74  and  76  through sides  70  and  72  respectively which permit one to grasp the semicircular portion  40  of each wrench head and to remove it. 
     The tray  30  further includes outwardly extended tabs  78  and  80  which are adapted to extend through openings  82  and  84  in the side walls  83  and  85  of body  12 . The tray further includes a backwall  86  which engages a back edge  88  of the body  12 . 
     In use, the different wrench heads are placed within the tray  30 , the stub portion  44  of the smallest wrench  16  head nests in the open portion  42  of the next smallest wrench head  18 , and each subsequent wrench head nests in the same manner. This reduces the overall required size of the handle. To be used, one simply presses the tabs  78  and  80  inwardly and pulls the tray  30  from the hollow interior  14 . A wrench head is selected from the tray and with its stub pushed into channel  34  with the groove  46  engaging ball  38 . Ball  38  is designed to move slightly and can be spring based if desired. The wrench handle can then be grasped and is ready to be used. The wrench handle is relatively narrow and rectangular although it can be if desired rounded to provide a different feel or grasp. When the wrench head is no longer needed, it is placed back in its indented area in the tray and the tray placed back into the hollow interior. Thus, this keeps the entire wrench set together and takes a minimal amount of space. 
     This has been a description of the present invention along with the preferred method of practicing the present invention.