Ratchet and socket assembly
View Patent ↗A ratcheting tool has a drive tang with a socket retaining detent and a linkage to engage the detent. A locking element is disposed movably between a first position wherein the locking element engages the linkage when a first actuator is in a first position so that the locking element blocks movement of the linkage so that the detent remains in a socket-retaining position and a second position in which the locking element disengages the linkage. A storage device for retaining sockets has a frame and one or more docks attached to the frame, each dock having a first retainer member, a second retainer member, and a third retainer member, at least one of which is selectively movable with respect to a socket receiving space so that a socket is removable from the socket receiving space.
1. A ratcheting tool for driving a socket, the ratcheting tool comprising:
a body having a head that defines a cavity and having an elongated handle extending away from the head;
a ratchet member comprising an annular ratchet portion disposed in the cavity so that the ratchet portion is rotatable about an axis and a drive tang extending from the ratchet portion externally of the body and so that the drive tang rotates with the ratchet portion about the axis;
a pawl disposed in the body in communication with the ratchet portion selectively between
a first position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet portion in a first rotational direction with respect to the axis and ratchets with respect to the ratchet portion in response to torque from the body in a second rotational direction with respect to the axis opposite the first direction, and
a second position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet portion in the second rotational direction and ratchets with respect to the ratchet portion in response to torque from the body in the first rotational direction;
a detent disposed in the drive tang so that the detent is reciprocally movable in a direction transverse to the axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position of the detent extends further from the axis than does the second position of the detent;
a linkage extending through the drive tang to engagement with the detent, wherein the linkage is accessible at a surface of the ratcheting tool, wherein the linkage engages the detent so that when the linkage is in a first position, the detent is in its first position and so that actuation of the linkage to a second position causes the linkage to move the detent to its second position; and
a locking element that defines a flange and that is attached to the ratchet member pivotally about an axis that is offset from the ratchet portion axis and that passes through the ratchet portion, the locking element being pivotal between a first position wherein the flange engages a groove defined by the linkage when the linkage is in its first position so that the locking element blocks the actuation of the linkage and a second position in which the flange disengages from the linkage with respect to the locking element's first position.
2. The ratcheting tool of claim 1 , wherein the detent is a cylindrical pin.
3. The ratcheting tool of claim 1 , wherein the linkage comprises an elongated pin that extends longitudinally through the ratchet portion and the tang into engagement with the detent.
4. The ratcheting tool of claim 3 , wherein the elongated pin and the detent define opposed surfaces that are in abutment with each other at an oblique angle with respect to an axis of the drive tang.
5. The ratcheting tool of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator disposed on and movably with respect to the body in communication with the locking element so that movement of the actuator moves the locking element between its first and second positions.
6. A ratcheting tool for driving a socket, comprising:
a body having a head that defines a first compartment and having an elongated handle extending longitudinally away from the head, wherein the elongated handle defines a longitudinal first axis and wherein the body defines a second compartment that communicates with the first compartment;
an annular ratchet member disposed in the first compartment so that the ratchet member is rotatable about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the ratchet member defines a plurality of ratchet teeth on an outer circumference thereof;
a pawl disposed in the second compartment defined by the body so that the pawl is movable in the second compartment between
a first position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet member in a first rotational direction with respect to the second axis and ratchets with respect to the ratchet member in response to torque from the body in a second rotational direction with respect to the second axis opposite the first direction; and
a second position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet member in the second rotational direction and ratchets with respect to the ratchet member in response to torque from the body in the first rotational direction;
a drive tang extending from the ratchet member so that the drive tang rotates with the ratchet member about the second axis;
a detent disposed in the drive tang so that the detent is reciprocally movable between
a first position in which the detent extends beyond an outer surface of the drive tang a distance to engage a receiving structure in an internal surface of a socket when received on the drive tang and retain the socket on the drive tang from movement off of the drive tang in a direction along the second axis and
a second position inward of the distance with respect to the second axis so that the socket disposed on the drive tang is movable off of the drive tang in the direction along the second axis;
a linkage extending through the ratchet member and the drive tang from the detent to a surface of the ratchet member opposite the drive tang, wherein the linkage comprises a push member at the surface and a first resilient member in communication with the push member so that the first resilient member biases the push member to a first position, wherein the push member is linked to the detent through the linkage so that when the push member is in its first position, the detent is in its first position and so that actuation of the push member against the bias to a second position moves the linkage to drive the detent to its second position;
a locking element disposed pivotally with respect to the ratchet member;
a second resilient element disposed between the ratchet member and the locking element so that the second resilient element biases the locking element toward engagement with the linkage, wherein the locking element and the linkage are disposed and configured with respect to each other so that, when the locking element engages the linkage in response to bias from the second resilient element when the push member is in its first position, the locking element blocks movement of the push member from its first position to its second position; and
an actuator disposed at the surface movably with respect to the linkage and in communication with the locking element so that movement of the actuator moves the locking element away from engagement with the linkage.
7. The ratcheting tool of claim 6 , wherein the detent is a cylindrical pin.
8. The ratcheting tool of claim 6 , wherein the linkage comprises an elongated pin including the push member, the elongated pin extending longitudinally through the ratchet member and the drive tang into engagement with the detent.
9. The ratcheting tool of claim 8 , wherein the elongated pin and the detent include opposed surfaces that are in abutment with each other at an oblique angle with respect to an axis of the drive tang.
10. The ratcheting tool of claim 9 , wherein the detent is a cylindrical pin.
11. The ratcheting tool of claim 6 , wherein the second resilient element is a coil spring in communication at a first end of the coil spring with the actuator and at a second end of the coil spring with the locking element.
12. The ratcheting tool of claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises a cap disposed rotatably on the ratchet member at the surface, the push member extending upwardly through a center opening of the cap.
13. The ratcheting tool of claim 6 , wherein the push member is an elongated pin that defines a groove that selectively receives a portion of the locking element.
14. The ratcheting tool of claim 13 , wherein the locking element is pivotally attached to the ratchet member about an axis offset from and parallel to the second axis, and wherein the portion of the locking element that is selectively received in the groove of the elongated pin is a flange.
15. The ratcheting tool of claim 6 , wherein the push member is an elongated pin defining a groove extending into the elongated pin in a direction transverse to the second axis, the actuator comprises an annular member surrounding the elongated pin, the locking element is a C-shaped member that is pivotally received in a bore defined in the ratchet member about an axis offset from and parallel to the second axis, the C-shaped member including a radially extending flange, and the annular member engages the C-shaped member so that the annular member is rotatable between a first position in which the radially extending flange is received in the groove of the elongated pin and a second position in which the radially extending flange is removed from the groove of the elongated pin.
16. The ratcheting tool of claim 15 , wherein the annular member is rotatably secured to the ratchet member, and the annular member is biased into the first position of the annular member by the second resilient element.
17. A ratcheting tool for driving a socket, the ratcheting tool comprising:
a body having a head that defines a cavity and having an elongated handle extending away from the head;
a ratchet member comprising an annular ratchet portion disposed in the cavity so that the ratchet portion is rotatable about an axis and a drive tang extending from the ratchet portion externally of the body and so that the drive tang rotates with the ratchet portion about the axis;
a pawl disposed in the body in communication with the ratchet portion selectively between
a first position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet portion in a first rotational direction with respect to the axis and ratchets with respect to the ratchet portion in response to torque from the body in a second rotational direction with respect to the axis opposite the first direction, and
a second position in which the pawl transmits torque from the body to the ratchet portion in the second rotational direction and ratchets with respect to the ratchet portion in response to torque from the body in the first rotational direction;
a detent disposed in the drive tang so that the detent is reciprocally movable in a direction transverse to the axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position of the detent extends further from the axis than does the second position of the detent;
a linkage extending through the drive tang to engagement with the detent, wherein the linkage is accessible at a surface of the ratcheting tool, wherein the linkage engages the detent so that when the linkage is in a first position, the detent is in its first position and so that actuation of the linkage to a second position causes the linkage to move the detent to its second position; and
a locking element that defines a flange and that is disposed within the cavity and attached to the ratchet portion pivotally about an axis that is offset from the ratchet portion axis and that passes through the ratchet portion so that the locking element is pivotable between a first position wherein the flange engages a groove defined by the linkage when the linkage is in its first position so that the locking element blocks the actuation of the linkage and a second position in which the flange disengages from the linkage with respect to the locking element's first position.
18. The ratcheting tool of claim 17 , wherein the detent is a cylindrical pin.
19. The ratcheting tool of claim 17 , wherein the linkage comprises an elongated pin that extends longitudinally through the ratchet portion and the tang into engagement with the detent.
20. The ratcheting tool of claim 19 , wherein the elongated pin and the detent define opposed surfaces that are in abutment with each other at an oblique angle with respect to an axis of the drive tang.
21. The ratcheting tool of claim 17 , further comprising an actuator disposed on and movably with respect to the body in communication with the locking element so that movement of the actuator moves the locking element between its first and second positions.
22. The ratcheting tool of claim 17 , wherein the linkage engages the detent so that when the linkage is in its first position, the linkage positively maintains the detent in its first position.