EP0099200A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ratchet handle
Assignee: Stanley Works
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Filing: 1983-06-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A ratchet handle (10) for a hand tool employs pairs of opposing pawls (74, 76; 75, 77) which are biased by a spring (80, 100) and selectively engage teeth (38) at the interior of a cylindrical housing structure (18) to provide for a three direction mode ratchet drive. A shifter (26) engageable at one of three positions has ears (52) which selectively interact with the pawls (74-77). In one embodiment three pairs of opposing pawls (75, 77) are biased by a garter spring (100). Another embodiment employs an integral serpentine spring/ pawl assembly (74, 76, 80).
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph P. Decarolis
- 👤 Lawrence L. Billings
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:29
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25B; B25B13/00; B25B13/46; B25B13/461; B25B13/462; B25B13/468; B25B15/00; B25B15/02; B25B15/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A ratchet handle (10) for a rotary tool (12), the ratchet handle (10) comprising a housing (18), a drive means (28) for drivably engaging the tool (12), a pawl mechanism (32,33) for transmitting drive from the housing (18) to said drive means (28) selectively in one rotary direction and/or in the opposite rotary direction by virtue of engagement between pawls (74-77) of the pawl mechanism (32,33) and ratchet teeth (38), the pawls (74-77) being spring-biased by spring means (82,100) into such engagement, and a three-position shifter (26) inter-acting with the pawl mechanism (32,33) for selecting between bi-directional drive and unidirectional drive in the two rotary directions, characterised in that the pawl mechanism (32,33) comprises a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed pawls (74-77) mounted to the drive means (28), the ratchet teeth (38) being arranged on an inside cylindrical wall of the housing (18), and in that a single unitary spring (82,100) common to all of the pawls (74-77) forms said spring means (82,100).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A ratchet handle (10) for a rotary tool (12), the ratchet handle (10) comprising a housing (18), a drive means (28) for drivably engaging the tool (12), a pawl mechanism (32,33) for transmitting drive from the housing (18) to said drive means (28) selectively in one rotary direction and/or in the opposite rotary direction by virtue of engagement between pawls (74-77) of the pawl mechanism (32,33) and ratchet teeth (38), the pawls (74-77) being spring-biased by spring means (82,100) into such engagement, and a three-position shifter (26) inter-acting with the pawl mechanism (32,33) for selecting between bi-directional drive and unidirectional drive in the two rotary directions, characterised in that the pawl mechanism (32,33) comprises a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed pawls (74-77) mounted to the drive means (28), the ratchet teeth (38) being arranged on an inside cylindrical wall of the housing (18), and in that a single unitary spring (82,100) common to all of the pawls (74-77) forms said spring means (82,100).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the shifter (26) inter-acts with the pawl mechanism (32,33) by means of a plurality of portions (52) of the shifter (26) being selectively engageable with the pawls (74-77) to disengage them selectively from the ratchet teeth (38) for unidirectional drive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that each said portion (52) of the shifter (26) is selectively engageable with one or other of two oppositely directed pawls (74-77) for unidirectional drive in the two directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that each said portion (52) of the shifter (26) is an ear (52) extending from a collar (50).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that the number of said portions (52) of the shifter (26) is equal to the number of pairs of oppositely directed pawls (74-77).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to any preceding claim, characterised in that a detent (58) of the shifter (26) is engageable with formations (92,94) on the drive means (28) for maintaining the shifter (26) in any selected one of its three positions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A ratchet handle according to claim 6, characterised in that said formations are two projections (92,94) in relation to which the detent (58) can be selectively positioned to one or other side of or between the two projections (92,94).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to any preceding claim, characterised in that there are three such pairs of oppositely directed pawls (74-77).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A ratchet handle according to any preceding claim wherein said drive means (28) comprises a shaft (60) and a hub (62) circumferentially projecting from said shaft (60), said pawl means (32,33) being received in said hub (62).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A ratchet handle according to any preceding claim wherein said shifter (26) further comprises a detent (58) engageable with a pair of projections (92,94) on said drive means (28).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A ratchet handle according to any preceding claim wherein said spring means (80) is a spring (80) having a serpentine form, said spring (80) being integral with said pawls (74,76).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A ratchet handle according to claim 11 wherein each of said pawls (74,76) comprises a substantially cylindrical shoulder (78), said spring (80) connecting at each of said shoulder (78).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A ratchet handle according to claim 12 wherein said drive means (28) comprises a hub (62) having channels (66), said shoulders (78) being received in said channels (66) and rotatable therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A ratchet handle according to claim 12 or 13 wherein said spring (80) urges said pawls (74,76) to engage said ratchet teeth (38) by means of a rotatable bias exerted by said spring (80) on said shoulders (78).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A ratchet handle according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said spring means (100) is a garter spring.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
A ratchet handle (10) according to claim 15, characterised in that each pawl (75,77) has a cylindrical shoulder (79) which is received in a corresponding channel (66) of drive means (28), and in that a portion (81) of each pawl (75,77) has a groove (83) to accommodate a portion of the garter spring (100) and is oriented so that the garter spring (100) exerts the requisite bias on the pawl (75,77).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
139 words
A ratchet handle (10) for a rotary tool (12), the ratchet handle (10) comprising a housing (18), a drive means (28) for drivably engaging the tool (12), a pawl mechanism (32,33) for transmitting drive from the housing (18) to said drive means (28) selectively in one rotary direction and/or in the opposite rotary direction by virtue of engagement between pawls (74-77) of the pawl mechanism (32,33) and ratchet teeth (38), the pawls (74-77) being spring-biased by spring means (82,100) into such engagement, and a three-position shifter (26) inter-acting with the pawl mechanism (32,33) for selecting between bi-directional drive and unidirectional drive in the two rotary directions, characterised in that a detent (58) of the shifter (26) is engageable with formations (92,94) on the drive means (28) for maintaining the shifter (26) in any selected one of its three positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
139 words
A ratchet handle (10) for a rotary tool (12), the ratchet handle (10) comprising a housing (18), a drive means (28) for drivably engaging the tool (12), a pawl mechanism (32,33) for transmitting drive from the housing (18) to said drive means (28) selectively in one rotary direction and/or in the opposite rotary direction by virtue of engagement between pawls (74-77) of the pawl mechanism (32,33) and ratchet teeth (38), the pawls (74-77) being spring-biased by spring means (82,100) into such engagement, and a three-position shifter (26) inter-acting with the pawl mechanism (32,33) for selecting between bi-directional drive and unidirectional drive in the two rotary directions, characterised in that a detent (58) of the shifter (26) is engageable with formations (92,94) on the drive means (28) for maintaining the shifter (26) in any selected one of its three positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A ratchet handle according to claim 17, characterised in that said formations are two projections (92,94) in relation to which the detent (58) can be selectively positioned to one or other side of or between the two projections (92,94).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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