Torque measuring tool unit

Claim 2

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally drivingly engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holding each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said compressible spring means comprising compression springs and hollow pistons of elongated form in which said compression springs are supported, said pistons being closed at one end for support of the springs and bearing support on said pressure plate at circumferentially spaced points, the pistons being guided for reciprocation in circumferentially spaced bores provided in one of said housing sections parallel to the axis thereof and in which said springs are received, said pistons carrying balls with freedom to turn in bearing sockets provided in the closed ends of said pistons, said balls having antifriction rolling contact on a flat surface on said pressure plate.

Claim 3

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally drivingly engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holding each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion with a square socket in its outer end adapted to receive a drive member, the socket being in one end of an axial bore extending inwardly from said socket to near the inner end of said inner housing section where means is provided for an axial swivel connection between the two housing sections, the outer housing section having an axial drive extension coaxial with but extending in the opposite direction than the axial end portion of the inner housing section, the other end of said outer housing section being open, a closure for said open end having a center opening provided therein through which the reduced axial end portion of the inner housing section extends, said pressure plate also having a reduced axial extension swiveled on the aforesaid axial end portion and extending through the center opening in said closure, and a cylindrical cap fixed to the axial extension of said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer end of the outer housing section.

Claim 4

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally drivingly engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holding each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion with a square socket in its outer end adapted to receive a drive member, the socket being in one end of an axial bore extending inwardly from said socket to near the inner end of said inner housing section where means is provided for an axial swivel connection between the two housing sections, the outer housing section having an axial drive extension coaxial with but extending in the opposite direction than the axial end portion of the inner housing section, the other end of said outer housing section being open, a closure for said open end having a center opening provided therein through which the reduced axial end portion of the inner housing section extends, said pressure plate also having a reduced axial extension swiveled on the aforesaid axial end portion and extending through the center opening in said closure, and a cylindrical cap fixed to the axial extension of said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer end of the outer housing section.

Claim 5

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 2 including a friction washer in the center hole in said closure surrounding and resisting turning of the axial extension on said pressure plate to resist turning of said cap while still permitting manual adjustment of the pressure plate with said cap.

Claim 6

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 2 including detent means on the inside of said cap engageable in depressions provided on the outside of the outer housing section in a predetermined circumferentially and axially spaced relation for releaseably securing said cap and pressure plate in its adjusted position.

Claim 7

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 2 including detent means on the inside of said cap engageable in depressions provided on the outside of the outer housing section in a predetermined circumferentially and axially spaced relation for releaseably securing said cap and pressure plate in its adjusted position, there being a pointer on the inner end of said cap turning with said pressure plate in its adjustment, and graduation means relative to which said pointer moves in a circle in making the pressure plate adjustments, whereby to give a definite reading for each torque setting of the device.

Claim 8

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 2 including universally adjustable ball and socket means forming parts of a swivel connection between the housing sections preventing axial movement of one section endwise relative to the other.

Claim 9

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally driving engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holdiNg each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion on which said pressure plate is swiveled for rotation, a cylindrical cap fixed to said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer one of said housing sections, and means providing an axial swivel connection between the housing sections preventing axial movement of one section endwise relative to the other, the inner one of said housing sections having an axial bore, and said swivel connection comprising an axial bolt extending from said bore through a center hole in the end of the inner housing section and threaded in a center hole in the outer housing section, and bearing ball means receiving said bolt in center holes therein, said ball means being split through the center normal to the bolt, one ball half being universally received in a semispherical bearing provided in the end of the inner housing section and the other ball half being universally received in a semispherical bearing provided in the outer housing section.

Claim 10

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally driving engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holdiNg each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion on which said pressure plate is swiveled for rotation, a cylindrical cap fixed to said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer one of said housing sections, and means providing an axial swivel connection between the housing sections preventing axial movement of one section endwise relative to the other, the inner one of said housing sections having an axial bore, and said swivel connection comprising an axial bolt extending from said bore through a center hole in the end of the inner housing section and threaded in a center hole in the outer housing section, and bearing ball means receiving said bolt in center holes therein, said ball means being split through the center normal to the bolt, one ball half being universally received in a semispherical bearing provided in the end of the inner housing section and the other ball half being universally received in a semispherical bearing provided in the outer housing section.

Claim 11

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 7 including another half-ball with a center hole therethrough receiving the head end of said bolt, said half-ball being universally received in a semispherical bearing provided at the inner end of said bore.

Claim 12

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally drivingly engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holding each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion on which said pressure plate is swiveled for rotation, a cylindrical cap fixed to said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer one of said housing sections, the skirt portion of the cap that telescopes in relation to the outer one of said housing sections being radially flexible and resilient, and a detent projection provided on the inner side of the latter portion of said cap and arranged to engage under spring action releasably in depressions provided in the outside of the outer housing section in a predetermined circumferentially and axially spaced relation.

Claim 13

A torque responsive device of the character described comprising two coaxial relatively rotatable cylindrical telescoping housing sections, a plurality of drive transmitting balls disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in one of said housing sections normally drivingly engaging in circumferentially spaced recesses provided in the other of said housing sections, the balls and recesses being disposed concentric with and in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said housing sections, compressible spring means holding each of said balls engaged in its recess, and a single screw-threadedly adjustable pressure plate in one of said housing sections rotatable relative to the other housing section to simultaneously vary alike the spring loading on said balls for kickout of said balls at a higher or lower torque level depending upon the direction of screw adjustment, said balls and springs being in the inner one of said housing sections, which has a reduced axial end portion on which said pressure plate is swiveled for rotation, a cylindrical cap fixed to said pressure plate for rotary adjustment thereof and disposed in telescoping relation to the outer one of said housing sections, the skirt portion of the cap that telescopes in relation to the outer one of said housing sections being radially flexible and resilient, and a detent projection provided on the inner side of the latter portion of said cap and arranged to engage under spring action releasably in depressions provided in the outside of the outer housing section in a predetermined circumferentially and axially spaced relation.

Claim 14

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 9 including a pointer on the inner end of said cap turning with said pressure plate in its adjustment, and graduation means on the outside of the outer housing section relative to which said pointer moves in a circle in making the pressure plate adjustments, whereby to give a definite reading for each torque setting of the device.

Claim 15

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cap is of plastic material and has a radially springable peripheral wall, and the detent projection is defined by a metallic detent ball set in a recess provided in the inner side of said wall and is arranged in the turning of said cap to ride into and out of shallower recesses provided in circumferentially spaced relation in the periphery of said housing in a predetermined relationship to said graduation means and pointer to maintain a selected torque setting of said device.

Claim 16

A torque responsive device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said pressure plate is restrained frictionally against turning relative to said housing, whereby to hold the same against turning from adjusted position while still permitting manual adjustment of the pressure plate with said cap.