초록 ▼

A short shaft has: a rear socket for coupling with a drive; a front drive for receiving a socket; and locking components for locking the rear socket to the drive and the front drive to the received socket. A central bore enters the shaft from the rear. A locking bolt and biasing spring go in the cen

A short shaft has: a rear socket for coupling with a drive; a front drive for receiving a socket; and locking components for locking the rear socket to the drive and the front drive to the received socket. A central bore enters the shaft from the rear. A locking bolt and biasing spring go in the central bore and are retrained by a set screw. The locking bolt front end engages a detent ball disposed in a radial cavity in the drive. A thumb lever, disposed in a bore, has an inner end including a bore for engaging the locking bolt rear section for moving the locking bolt and an outer end accessible to a user\s thumb for axial movement for moving the bolt from a locking position wherein the detent ball protrudes out of the drive so as to engage a drive socket and prevent its removal to a releasing position wherein the detent ball resides substantially within the front drive so as not to engage a drive socket. In an alternate embodiment, a universal joint is interposed between the rear socket and the locking/front drive apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

A locking adapter for use with a drive member of a socket wrench system; said locking adapter comprising: a shaft having: a rear end including: a rear free end surface; coupling means for coupling said rear end to a socket system drive; and a front end including: receiving means for torque-transferr

A locking adapter for use with a drive member of a socket wrench system; said locking adapter comprising: a shaft having: a rear end including: a rear free end surface; coupling means for coupling said rear end to a socket system drive; and a front end including: receiving means for torque-transferring engagement with a socket wrench system drive socket; and drive socket locking means for locking a drive socket onto said receiving means; said drive socket locking means being operable between a first position for positively locking a drive socket to said receiving means and a second position for releasing a drive socket; said drive socket locking means comprising: a central bore within said shaft extending from said shaft rear free end surface; a thumb lever bore extending radially from said central bore and exiting said shaft; a radial cavity from said central bore through said receiving means; a detent disposed in said radial cavity in said receiving means; when said locking means is in its locking position, said detent having a locking position wherein it protrudes out of said receiving means so as to engage a drive socket and prevent its removal from said receiving means; when said locking means is in its releasing position, said detent having a releasing position wherein it resides substantially within said receiving means so as not to engage a drive socket; a locking bolt within said central bore including: a front section; and a rear section; said bolt being axially moveable such that as said bolt is moved from a release position to a locking position, its said front section contacts and moves said detent from its release position to its locking position; retaining means releasably attached to said shaft for retaining a spring biasing means in said central bore; spring biasing means in said central bore for biasing said bolt in its locking position; said spring biasing means having: a fore end bearing against said locking bolt rear section; and an aft end bearing against said retaining means; and a thumb lever disposed in said thumb lever bore; said thumb lever having; an inner end including: engaging means for engaging said locking bolt rear section for moving said locking bolt to the releasing position; and an outer end accessible to a user\s thumb for axial movement for moving said bolt from its locking position to its release position.