Torque wrench

• US 3,958,469 A
• Filed: 10/14/1975
• Issued: 05/25/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Meese, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Jr, James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/621,739
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 81/52.4 R, 81/58, 81/58.1, 81/58.3, 81/58.4, 81/60
• US Class Current: 81/58.3
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/466 the ratchet parts engaging in an axial direction

Abstract

In a ratcheting torque wrench of the I-type in which an axially movable locking cup is mounted on and around a shaft and an end of a housing from which the shaft extends and in which the shaft is mounted for rotation and limited axial movement. The shaft having stubs projecting diametrically from it, stop members are provided on an outer face of the locking cup to engage the stubs when the locking cup and shaft are moved apart axially to a place at which the stubs clear the cup and the shaft is rotated relative to the cup in the ratcheting direction.

Claims

1. In a torque wrench of the type in which a shaft carrying ratchet teeth is axially aligned with and biased by a shaft spring toward a torque sleeve with complementary ratchet teeth, both said shaft and sleeve being mounted in a housing, said wrench shaft being supported in said housing for axial movement against the bias of the spring to permit said teeth to clear when the wrench is rotated in one direction, said wrench having a locking cup mounted on an end of said housing, said locking cup being spring biased toward a free end of said wrench shaft by a spring weaker than said shaft spring, said cup being mounted around said shaft and for axial movement with respect to said housing and shaft and having means cooperating with said housing when in an axial position close to said housing for restraining said locking cup against rotation relative to said housing and when in an axial position more remote from said housing, releasing said cup for rotation relative to said housing, said locking cup having an outer radial surface remote from said housing and a channel extending axially through said surface and adjacent said shaft, and said shaft having a substantially radially directed projection normally axially slidably seated in said channel, the improvement comprising said projection being positioned axially relative to the locking cup at a place at which when said locking cup is in said axial position close to said housing and the said shaft is moved axially in a direction to clear the ratchet teeth the said projection clears the outer radial surface of said locking cup, and a stop member having a stop face extending substantially axially from said radial surface at a place offset from said channel, said stop face being offset from said channel sufficiently to provide between said stop face and said channel a supporting area on said radial surface to support said shaft projection against axial movement toward said housing when said projection bears against said supporting area, and projecting axially sufficiently to engage positively the said shaft projection and prevent rotation of the said shaft relative to said housing in one direction.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the said stop member is wedge shaped, with an inclined surface extending from said stop face toward said radial surface.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein two projections are provided and two correspondingly located stop members.