COMBINATION HANDLE AND HAND LEVER FOR SCREWDRIVERS

• US 3,863,693 A
• Filed: 02/04/1974
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roy I. Carriker
• Original Assignee: Roy I. Carriker
• Inventors: Carriker, Roy I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Al Lawrence
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davidson, Marc R.
• Application Number:
  US05/439,230
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 145/61L,5R 81/73,177E,177ST,177.8
• US Class Current: 81/177.6
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 15/02 operated by rotating the handle
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/005 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners with additional levers, e.g. for increasing torque

Abstract

A handle and hand lever for screwdrivers comprises an elongated handle body having a semi-cylindrical lever pivotably mounted thereto for movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the handle. The lever is movable between a closed position wherein a magnet mounted within the handle engages and releasably holds the lever against or adjacent to the handle, and an open position wherein said lever is extended outwardly substantially perpendicular to the handle. In the open condition, the lever may be utilized to exert torsional force about the handle axis.

Claims

1. A combination handle and hand lever for a screwdriver comprising:

an elongated handle body of electrically non-conductive material having a continuous semi-cylindrical peripheral surface extending between ends of said handle along one side of a central longitudinal handle axis and a hand-grip surface extending along the remaining handle surface on the other side of said axis;

socket means at one end of said handle for rigidly mounting a screwdriver shank coaxially with said handle axis;

a semi-cylindrical lever of magnetic metal pivotably mounted to the handle for free pivotal movement about a pivot axis perpendicular to and intersecting the handle axis and having a concave inner surface formed about a lever axis complementary to the semi-cylindrical peripheral surface of the handle and a convex outer peripheral surface concentric to the inner surface;

an abutment surface on the lever radially spaced from the pivot axis;

whereby the lever is pivotable to a closed position wherein the concave inner surface is located adjacent to and partially overlapping the semi-cylindrical peripheral surface of the handle with the lever axis and handle axis coaxial, and to an open position wherein the abutment surface is pivoted to engage the semi-cylindrical peripheral surface and the lever axis is substantially perpendicular to the handle axis; and

magnet means adjacent a remaining end of the handle for releasably securing the lever in the closed position;

said pivot axis being defined by a wrist pin extending through a complementary aperture in the handle body at a location thereon clear of the socket means to thereby electrically insulate the lever from a screwdriver shank.