Magnetic keeper accessory for wrench sockets

Abstract

An accessory (10) for a wrench socket (12) is disclosed including a generally cylindrical magnet (32) secured to a generally cylindrical, nonmagnetic, compressible disk (26). Specifically, the magnet (32) is received in a recess (46) formed in the disk (26) and secured to the disk (26) by a layer (60) of a size larger than and extending over the face (36) of the magnet (32) and integrally secured around its entire periphery to the face (44) of the disk (26). The disk (26) snuggly fits within the well (14) and magnetically insulates the magnet (32) from the socket (12). The magnet (32) has a size smaller than the well (14) and is generally concentric within the well (14), with an air space being created between the magnet (32) and the well (14) for magnetically insulating the magnet (32) from the socket (12) in the most preferred form. The accessory (10) is removably insertable into the socket (12) of any design and model and without need for modification of the socket (12) and captures a fastener (16) slideably received in the well (14) of the socket (12) to magnetically hold the fastener (16) captive in the well (14) as the socket (12) is moved to the fastening location while not magnetizing the socket (12) or the fastener (16) sufficiently to be detrimentally magnetically attracted to metal adjacent to the fastening location. In the most preferred form, the disk (26) further includes a second portion (54) of a size smaller than the first portion (52) for receipt in a connection passage (58) located intermediate the well (14) and the handle mounting end of the socket (12) and which is especially advantageous for sockets (12) having shallow depth wells (14).