Snap-on Inc.

University of Colorado

David T Ross

Daniel M Eggert

Christopher D Thompson

Steven R Wente

Gary S Wollert

Richard L Hopper

Anup A Gupte

Ottoleo Kuter-Arnebeck

Michael Fitzpatrick Wempe

Dan Theodorescu

Philip Reigan

Chao Yan

David T Doyle

Michael D Schoenbeck

Jeffery H Hoff

Colten W Burr

Mark T Gordon

A flex joint headed tool with a locking mechanism adapted to selectively retain the angle of the head relative to a handle. The locking mechanism may retain the head in at least one of two positions using a bias member and two detent balls disposed at opposite ends of the bias member. The bias member and detent balls may be disposed in a through hole disposed in a locking lever, with one detent ball engaging a joint tang and the other detent ball engaging a detent disposed in a tool body or handle, wherein the detent balls provide tactile response to a user. The locking lever may rotate between locked and unlocked positions, whereby in the locked position, the ratchet head is prevented from rotating relative to the handle, and when in the unlocked position, the head may rotate relative to the handle.

Ratchet flex joint locking mechanism

A ratchet mechanism of a ratchet wrench having a pawl carrier and first and second pawls. The pawl carrier includes a groove and is rotatable to cause selection of one of first and second drive directions. The first and second pawls are adapted to selectively engage with a toothed portion of a ratchet gear for selecting one of the first and second drive directions. Each of the first and second pawls includes a projection adapted to engage the groove when the pawl carrier is rotated to cause one of the first and second pawls to disengage from the toothed portion and the other of the first and second pawls to engage the toothed portion.

Dual pawl ratchet mechanism

The present invention relates broadly to pawl mechanism for a tool, such as a ratchet wrench. The pawl mechanism includes first and second pawls that are selectively engageable with a drive gear to provide first and second rotational drive directions. Each of the first and second pawls includes an outwardly protruding hook type projections that engage respective recesses or grooves in a pawl carrier to operably couple the pawl carrier to the first and second pawls. The pawl carrier includes first and second pawl pockets that receive the respective first and second pawls. The pawl carrier also includes first and second recesses or grooves proximate to the respective first and second pawl pockets, and that receive the hook type projections.

Pawl mechanism for ratchet tool

A tool with a handle indexably retained to a pin. The pin is coupled to a head of the tool. The pin allows an angle between the head and the handle to be adjusted, thereby allowing the tool to be used in hard to reach places. The pin is coupled to the head to limit axial movement without the need of a threaded fastener. The reduction of axial movement allows for smooth, consistent operation of the tool.

Indexable ratchet tool

A push button release mechanism for coupling together two portions of a tool, such as pliers. The push button release mechanism can include a push button and one or more balls pushed in a radially-outward direction by geometry of the push button to pivotally couple the two portions together. The balls are normally pushed outward by an engagement portion. Depressing a push button head axially downward causes the balls to align with a receiving portion, which allows the balls to descend into the interior of the mechanism. The push button release mechanism is also threadably coupled with a threaded opening of one of the portions. The threaded opening can have deformed threads to increase the retention torque required to rotate the push button release mechanism.

Push button release mechanism for pliers

A crimping tool with a crimping opening extending at an angle to the axial direction of the tool. The tool can include jaws with multiple crimping openings cooperatively defined thereby at different angles relative to the longitudinal axial direction of the tool. For example, the crimping openings can begin at a respective faces of the jaw and such faces can extend at different angles relative to the longitudinal axial direction of the tool. In this manner, the tool can allow crimping of connectors at a variety of different angles, reduce jaw length and width, and improve the leverage of the crimpers.

Pliers with angled crimping opening

A tool with a drive lug having groove formed on the drive lug to promote failure of the drive lug before internal component failure. The groove has a predetermined diameter and is formed on the drive lug or ratchet square to cause failure of the drive lug, due to a torsional ductile fracture, before any internal component failure of the tool, such as, for example, gear and/or pawl failure in a ratchet wrench.

Grooved drive for ratchet tools

A button lock that selectively retains the angle of an object relative to a handle. The button lock is rotatable between an engaged position, where the angle is retained, and a disengaged position, where the object is disengaged from the handle and can pivotally move about the handle to change the angle. In the engaged position, button teeth on the button engage with handle teeth on the handle. In the disengaged position, the button teeth disengage the handle teeth to space the button from the handle and therefore allow free movement of the handle about the button. The button therefore quickly and easily retains the angle between the object and the handle.

Flex joint lock button

A retaining structure for a drive gear of a ratchet wrench. The drive gear has a partial internal bore that receives a gear retainer that is coupled to the tool housing via screws. The gear retainer can further be rotatably coupled to the drive gear to retain the drive gear within the head of the tool without requiring a cover plate. By potentially avoiding the cover plate, the ratchet wrench head can be thinner compared to conventional ratchet wrenches and the ratchet wrench seal can be improved.

Internal gear retention mechanism

A dual-pawl ratchet wrench mechanism is disclosed having a pawl carrier for selectively engaging a ratchet gear in first and second drive directions. The pawl carrier is operatively coupled to at least one pawl. The pawl carrier including at least one recess that at least partially houses the at least one pawl. The at least one pawl being rotatable about a central portion thereof within the recess when the pawl carrier is operated between the first and second drive directions.

Dual pawl ratchet mechanism and reversing method

A tool that includes a wrench body a first drive end, and a ratchet gear disposed in an aperture in the first drive end. A first cavity is formed in the first drive end and in communication with the aperture. First and second pawls are disposed in the first cavity, and the first and second pawls each includes teeth adapted to engage the ratchet gear. A second cavity is formed in the first drive end and is in communication with the first cavity. The second cavity receives a reversing disc adapted to selectively engage the first and second pawls to cause engagement and dis-engagement of the first and second pawls with the ratchet gear. By orienting the pawls to allow the second cavity to have a minimum depth, the head of the wrench can be stiffened, thereby increasing fatigue strength and rigidity of the wrench.

Ratchet mechanism for ratchet wrench

A ratchet head uses a radially-locking retaining ring to secure a ratchet gear within the head, reducing the load on a cover plate. The retaining ring opposes off-axis force when the ratchet head is experiencing cantilever-type loads, such that the body of the ratchet head absorbs the force rather than the cover plate enclosing the head. With the ratchet head assembled with the retaining ring opposing off-axis force, rather than the cover plate, the weight and position of the screws securing the cover plate to the body are independent of the maximum torque rating of the head. This also improves the integrity of the seal provided by the cover plate.

Ratchet gear reinforcing ring

A spring component for a ratcheting mechanism, such as a ratchet wrench. The spring component is shaped to be retained in a recess without any special machining. For example, the spring component can be retained at three abutment points. A leaf of the spring component can abut a pawl, and a base portion opposite the leaf can abut the drive gear. Support arms can abut the sidewall of the recess to retain the spring component within the recess without the need for special machining or tooling.

Growing community of inventors

Beach Park, IL, United States of America

David T Ross