Lockable torque-limiting driver and method
A lockable torque-limiting driver that includes, a body, a sleeve, a shaft carried by the body for rotation relative thereto and having a fastener-engaging tip at one end that projects from the body, a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to the shaft and housed within said body, a torque-adjusting mechanism within the body and coupled to the torque-limiting mechanism for adjusting the torque-limiting mechanism to a desired torque value, a torque-locking mechanism operably coupled with the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body or the sleeve for preventing movement of the torque-determining means and locking the settable torque-limiting driver at the desired torque value.
1. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising: providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body; setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism, wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug; and, engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body; wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a body-engaging portion.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said body.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said body.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular elongated key structure and the locking plate has a generally keyway diamond structure.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key T-shaped structure.
6. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising: providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body; setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism; wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug; and, engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism, wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the sleeve, and wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a sleeve-engaging portion.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key gear-shaped structure.