Socket wrench

• US 4,302,990 A
• Filed: 11/05/1979
• Issued: 12/01/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Hand Tool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Litton Industrial Products Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Levy, Edward D., Goodwin, David H., Cuff, George W., Chrichton, John P., Trebel, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Jr., James L.
• Application Number:
  US06/091,500
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 81/60, 81/62, 81/177 M, 81/177 G, 81/177 ST, 81/177.8, 81/177.9, 81/177 N, 81/121 B, 81/180 R, 81/58.1, 16/110.5, 206/378, 30/125, 145/62, 145/63, 220/20, 220/22
• US Class Current: 81/60
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/085 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners

Abstract

A socket wrench comprises a ratchet head which is removably held in an aperture in the forward end of a ratchet handle. A knurled drive ring allows the ratchet head to be used when detached from the handle and the handle itself is hollow and receives a tray which is dimensioned to hold a plurality of sockets. Access to the sockets is obtained by withdrawing the tray from the handle.

Claims

1. In a socket wrench comprising a handle and a driving stud which is adapted to receive a selected one of a set of sockets, the combination comprising:

a grip and a frame comprising said handle, the driving stud being mounted on said frame,

a bore formed along the length of the handle,

an elongated tray dimensioned to hold a plurality of stud mating sockets and adapted for a sliding fit within the bore,

a plurality of compartments formed in said tray, each compartment having an open top and being sized to receive an individual socket,

lip means surmounting said open top for preventing accidential removal of a socket from said compartments, and

friction means for releasably securing said elongated tray in said bore.

2. The socket wrench of claim 1 further comprising:

aperture means in the bottom of each of said compartments to facilitate ejection of a socket out of said compartments and past said lip means.

3. The socket wrench of claim 2 further comprising:

a head on one end of said tray, and

tab means on said head for withdrawing said tray from said bore, said head being dimensioned to prevent said tray from rolling on a flat surface.

4. The socket wrench of claim 1 further comprising:

a ratchet head for controlling the driving stud, said driving stud being mounted one one side of said ratchet head,

a knurled drive ring around the periphery of said ratchet head,

a relieved portion on another side of said ratchet head and being shaped to be received in an aperture in said frame, and

releasable means for locking said relieved portion in said aperture, said releasable means allowing said ratchet head to be removed from said handle and operated by means of said knurled drive ring.

5. A socket wrench comprising:

ratchet head means having a selectively dimensioned driving stud for matingly receiving any one of a selected set of sockets thereon,

elongated handle means comprising a hollow grip being open at one end,

means for securing said ratchet head means to one end of said handle means, and

an elongated tray comprising a plurality of selectively dimensioned aligned compartments for storing individual sockets, said elongated tray being slidably insertable into the open end of said grip,

lip means integrally formed in said handle tray at each compartment for releasably securing each socket of said selected set of sockets axially aligned with one another in said compartments,

friction means for releasably securing said tray within said hollow grip, and

frame means extending from said grip opposite said open end for securing said ratchet head means thereon.

6. A socket wrench according to claim 5 further comprising

aperture means in each of said compartments to facilitate ejection of a socket out of said compartments and past said lip means.

7. A socket wrench according to claim 6 further comprising

a head on one end of said tray, and

tab means on said head for withdrawing said tray from said grip, said head being dimensioned to prevent said tray from rolling on a flat surface.

8. A socket wrench according to claim 5 wherein said handle means includes five of said socket storing compartments and wherein a set of five graduated-sized sockets comprise said selected set of sockets and are stored in said compartments.