Wrench head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11229992-B2
Application number	US-201916659928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2019
Priority date	Oct 22, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A wrench head comprises a working axis, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a third jaw. The first jaw comprises first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces. The second jaw, is coupled with and pivotable relative to the first jaw, and comprises second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces. The third jaw, is coupled with and pivotable relative to the second jaw, and comprises third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench head, comprising:
a working axis;
a first jaw, comprising first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces;
a second jaw, coupled with the first jaw, pivotable relative to the first jaw, and comprising second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces; and
a third jaw, coupled with the second jaw, pivotable relative to the second jaw, and comprising third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces; and
wherein:
the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces are three or more in number;
a first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, and has a single point contact with each of the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, is centered about the working axis and is perpendicular to the working axis;
when the second jaw is in a closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces and has a single point contact with each of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces; and
when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in a closed third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces and has a single point contact with each of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

2. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces are three in number; and
when the second jaw in an open second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, has a single point contact with only one of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, and does not intersect any one of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

3. The wrench head according to claim 2 , wherein, when the second jaw is in the open second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw and the third jaw is in an open third-jaw orientation relative to the second jaw, the first-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, does not have a single point contact with any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces, and does not intersect any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

4. The wrench head according to claim 3 , further comprising a torsion spring, located between the second jaw and the third jaw and biasing the third jaw relative to the second jaw from the open third-jaw orientation to the closed third-jaw orientation, and wherein:
a second-jaw virtual circle is perpendicular to the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces and has a single point of contact with each of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces; and
when the third jaw in the closed third-jaw orientation, the second-jaw virtual circle has a single point contact with each of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

5. The wrench head according to claim 4 , wherein, when the third jaw in the open third-jaw orientation, the second-jaw virtual circle does not have a single point contact with any of the third-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces.

6. The wrench head according to claim 4 , wherein:
the third jaw further comprises a third second-jaw interface surface;
the second jaw further comprises a third-jaw interface surface; and
the third-jaw interface surface is configured to contact the third second-jaw interface surface when the third jaw is in the closed third-jaw orientation.

7. The wrench head according to claim 6 , wherein:
when the third jaw is in the closed third-jaw orientation, the third second-jaw interface surface is parallel with the third-jaw interface surface; and
when the third jaw is in the open third-jaw orientation, the third second-jaw interface surface and the third-jaw interface surface are oblique to each other.

8. The wrench head according to claim 1 , further comprising a compression spring, located between the first jaw and the second jaw, and wherein the compression spring biases the second jaw relative to the first jaw from an open second-jaw orientation to the closed second-jaw orientation.

9. The wrench head according to claim 8 , wherein:
the second jaw further comprises a first first-jaw interface surface; and
the first jaw further comprises a first second-jaw interface surface, configured to contact the first first-jaw interface surface when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation.

10. The wrench head according to claim 8 , wherein:
the second jaw further further comprises a second first-jaw interface surface; and
the first jaw further comprises a second second-jaw interface surface, configured to contact the second first-jaw interface surface when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation.

11. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein points of contact of the first-jaw virtual circle with two adjacent ones of the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces have a first angular separation about the working axis and points of contact of the first-jaw virtual circle with any other two adjacent ones of the first-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces have a second angular separation about the working axis; and
the first angular separation is identical to the second angular separation.

12. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
when the second jaw is in the closed second-jaw orientation relative to the first jaw points of contact of the first-jaw virtual circle with two adjacent ones of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces have a third angular separation about the working axis and points of contact of the first-jaw virtual circle with any other two adjacent ones of the second-jaw arcuate convex contact surfaces have a fourth angular separation about the working axis; and
the third angular separation is different from the fourth angular separation.

13. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first jaw further comprises:
a first first-jaw tine; and
a second first-jaw tine, extending parallel to the first first-jaw tine;

the second jaw is coupled to the first jaw between the first first jaw tine and the second first-jaw tine; and
the second jaw is configured to pivot relative to the first jaw.

14. The wrench head according to claim 13 , wherein the first jaw further comprises a first-jaw bridge, interconnecting the first first-jaw tine and the second first-jaw tine.

15. The wrench head according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second jaw further comprises:
a first second-jaw tine; and
a second second-jaw tine, extending parallel to the first second-jaw tine;

the third jaw is coupled to the second jaw between the first second-jaw tine and the second second-jaw tine; and
the third jaw is configured to pivot relative to the second jaw.

16. The wrench head according to claim 15 , wherein the second jaw further comprises a second-jaw bridge interconnecting the first second-jaw tine and the second second-jaw tine.

17. The wrench head according to claim 1 , further comprising a wrench coupler, coupled to the first jaw and movable relative to the first jaw.

18. The wrench head according to claim 17 , wherein:
the wrench coupler comprises a detent-interface surface; and
the first jaw further comprises a biased detent, extending toward and contacting the detent-interface surface.

19. The wrench head according to claim 18 , wherein:
the first jaw further comprises a second recess; the deten

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Coffland Donald W

Classifications

• B25B23/0028

  Angular adjustment means between tool head and handle · CPC title

• B25B13/28 Primary

  the jaws being pivotally movable · CPC title

• B25B13/46

  of the ratchet type, for providing a free return stroke of the handle · CPC title