Patent ID: 7451674

Claim:
A torque wrench comprising: a drive head that defines a torque transfer axis and that is adapted to transfer torque to a workpiece; a shank connected to the drive head so as to lie in a plane substantially normal to the torque transfer axis, the shank having a free end spaced away from the drive head; a tubular lever disposed generally coaxially over the shank and connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to the shank about a pivot axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shank; a connection releasably interconnecting the shank to the lever so as to maintain the shank and the lever in substantially fixed relation to each other when force is applied to the lever in a direction to establish a torque less than a predetermined torque at the torque transfer axis, the connection being operative to enable relative movement between the shank and the lever when force applied to the lever effects a torque at the torque transfer axis greater than the predetermined torque; an elongate axially biased compression spring with front and rear ends extending longitudinally in the lever rearward of the connection so as to allow the connection between the shank and the lever to be maintained; a tubular handle mounted generally coaxially on the lever opposite its pivotal connection to the shank, the handle being rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the lever; and wherein the handle is operative upon rotation relative to the lever to increase the bias on the spring upon lengthening a distance between the head and the opposite end of the handle and decrease the bias on the spring upon shortening the distance thereby setting the predetermined operating force.