Snap-on Technologies, Inc.

Snap-on Tools Company

Biach Industries

John A Braun

Bert Krivec

Joseph N Orban

Frank Occidentale

Thomas B Petruzzi

Tomas B Petruzzi

A ratchet tool has a ratchet body carrying a ratchet mechanism including a gear and a pair of pawls resiliently urged into engagement with the gear by spring-loaded balls. A handle is releasably received on a post which projects from one end of the ratchet body and is retained thereon by a spring-loaded ball receivable in a circumferential groove in the handle bore to accommodate free spinning thereof. A latching pin in the handle is selectively insertable in any of a plurality of recesses in the ratchet body to lock the handle to the body. A reversing sleeve is rotatably carried by the other end of the ratchet body for engaging the pawls to selectively control the direction of the ratcheting movement. The reversing sleeve has a tubular post which forms a part of an axial push-pull quick-release coupler for releasably retaining a bit in engagement in an axial bore of the ratchet gear.

Mini ratcheting screwdriver with latching swiveling handle

A miniature, adjustable torque limiting screwdriver includes an elongated hollow handle internally threaded at one end. A torque-limiting mechanism is disposed within the handle and includes a rigid shaft having a hex inner end and a plurality of flexible resilient fingers engageable with the hex. An adjusting collar encircles and engages the fingers and is threadedly engaged with the handle for axial movement to adjust the force with which the fingers grip the hex end of the shaft. The outer end of the shaft sockets a driver shank. When the handle is rotated it rotates the shank up to a predetermined torque, at which point the flexible and resilient torque members slip with respect to the drive surface portions of the shaft to prevent further torque application. The outer end of the shaft carries a gear member engaged by a spring-biased pin socketed in the handle, the gear teeth being arranged to accommodate a ratcheting rotation in one direction to permit relative rotation of the handle with respect to the shaft in one direction but to prevent relative rotation in the opposite direction.

Adjustable torque-limiting mini screwdriver

A reversible ratcheting driver handle has an axial cavity in one end receiving an insert which defines an axial compartment for receiving a ratchet mechanism including a rotatable gear and two pawls seated in recesses in the insert and for reciprocating movement along parallel paths between engaged and disengaged conditions relative to the gear, being spring-biased to the engaged conditions. A selector cap telescopes with the one end of the handle and has a recess non-rotatably receiving a control member which has a part-cylindrical actuator wall which fits part way around the gear and has opposite end engageable with the pawls for shifting them to their disengaged conditions in response to rotation of the cap. Roll pins secure the cap, the insert and the handle together while limiting rotational movement to the cap.

Miniature reversible ratcheting screwdriver

Screwdriver handle

A ratcheting screwdriver is operable in reverse ratcheting, forward ratcheting and locked non-ratcheting modes. The screwdriver includes a rotatable handle having along an end thereof a substantially cylindrical interior wall defining an annular base surface and an axial bore. The base surface includes two substantially arcuate grooves formed therein which communicate with the bore. An insert is received in the bore and includes longitudinally extending teeth equiangularly spaced around the outer periphery thereof. First and second balls are respectively positioned in the arcuate grooves and urged against the insert by first and second compression springs, respectively. In the locked mode, the first and second balls are wedged against teeth on the insert to prevent ratcheting of the handle relative to a bit regardless of direction of handle rotation. In each of reverse and forward ratcheting modes, a corresponding one of the balls is urged away from its wedged engagement with the teeth on the insert, to provide ratcheting of the bit in the associated direction of handle rotation, and rotation of the bit together with the handle in the opposite direction. In a second related embodiment, a left-right pawl/torsion spring assembly is used in place of the ball/compression spring assembly.

Ratcheting screwdriver

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for adapting standard threaded fasteners for use with a standard stud tensioner. An adapter has internal and external threads. The internal threads mate with the external thread of the stud to be tensioned. The external threads of the adapter engage the internal threads of a fastening nut having slots on the top thereof for engagement with a turning wrench of the tensioner. The adapter has a central threaded bore on the top portion thereof which is adapted to threadably engage the puller bar of a tensioning apparatus. The stud is elongated by actuation of the tensioner, via the puller bar, lifting the adapter as the stud is tensioned. When appropriate strain is achieved on the stud, the fastening nut is turned down to a fastened position and the stud then can be relaxed.

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Kenilworth, NJ, United States of America

John A Braun