Rotary torque adapter

• US 4,436,005 A
• Filed: 03/10/1982
• Issued: 03/13/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan R. Hanson
• Original Assignee: Alan R. Hanson
• Inventors: Hanson, Alan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schmidt, Frederick R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meislin, Debra S.
• Application Number:
  US06/356,711
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 81/177 R, 81/177 A, 81/177 G, 81/177 UJ, 81/177 ST, 81/177 PP, 81/177.8, 81/436, 81/439, 81/460, D 8/29, 411/403-408, 411/410
• US Class Current: 81/177.75
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/481 for operating in areas having limited access
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 15/001 characterised by material or shape of the tool bit
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0014 Screwdriver- or wrench-heads provided with cardan joints or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0035 Connection means between socket or screwdriver bit and tool

Abstract

An adapter device for transmitting rotary energy by means of various drive end portions adapted to fit openings of torque drive tools such as socket wrenches and the like and transfer torque from a rotary torque power source such as a reversible variable speed electric drill for in-line coincident centerlines as well as for non-coincident angularly disposed centerlines such as in a universal joint coupling type action, whereby rotary energy is transmitted to tighten or loosen fastening components such as bolts, nuts, screws, threaded components and the like.

Claims

1. A tool adapter device having an integral hexagonal cross sectional drive shaft with a drive end, said drive end comprising a first and a second square cross-sectional drive end portion, wherein said first drive end portion is disposed between the drive shaft and said second drive end portion, and said first drive end portion is of constant cross-sectional area and said second drive end portion is comprised of a frustrum of a quadrangular pyramid which decreases from a cross-sectional area equal to the cross-sectional area of the first described drive end portion to decreasing cross-sectional areas decreasing in size in the direction toward and fixedly joined to said first described nonreducing cross-sectional area drive end portion, said first drive end portion operating cooperatively with the largest and equal-size square area of the second drive end portion which is placed on the opposite end of the device from said drive shaft to align coincidentally the centerlines of said adapter device and a socket tool when both drive end portions are slidably inserted into a square aperture or said socket tool to enable in-line rotational motion at low and relatively high speeds, of clockwise and counterclockwise direction, of continuous and noncontinuous rotation of said adapter device and said socket tool each about their respective coincident centerlines, whereby said frustrum of the quadrangular pyramid of said second drive end portion operating to transmit rotational motion at low and relatively high speeds, of clockwise and counterclockwise direction, of continuous and noncontinuous rotational motion of said tool adapter and the socket tool mated thereon, when said frustrum portion of the second drive end portion is partially slidably inserted into the square aperture of said socket tool thereby creating a hold-on force means and a "universal-joint" type swivel action allowed by the spatial clearance between said socket tool square aperture and said frustrum of the quadrangular pyramid, said second drive end portion and said socket tool each rotating about its own respective centerline with the centerlines of said second drive end portion and said socket tool being non-coincident and angularly disposed to each other.