Torquing device

Claim 2

A wrench comprising a socket member, a driving unit encircling the same, power means connected to said unit for oscillating the latter, a series of latch assemblies coupling said driving unit with said socket member as the former is rotated in one direction and providing lost motion between the socket member and unit as the latter is rotated in an opposite direction, said latch assemblies comprising opposed recesses in the adjacent faces of the socket and driving unit and a series of latch elements disposed within said recesses for movement therein, the latch assemblies of the driving unit being successively of larger size - when subjected to rotation by said power means with the socket member being under load - will be sequentially subjected to compression and tensioning such unit and thus equalizes the load on each latch assembly.

Claim 3

A wrench as in claim 1 in which the recesses of the latch assemblies are equally spaced in both the socket member and driving unit, the diameter of the recesses in the driving unit being progressively smaller in size.

Claim 4

A wrench as defined in claim 1 in which the elements move in an inward direction as the wrench comes under load.

Claim 5

A wrench as defined in claim 1, the latch elements being pins of gradually increasing diameter in the area of compression and gradually decreasing diameter in the area of tension.

Claim 6

A wrench as defined in claim 1, and springs for urging said latch elements inwardly into contact with surfaces of the recesses of said wrench socket member.

Claim 7

An improved torquing device comprising: a frame member; a reciprocating power source mounted on said frame member; a lever arm also rotatably mounted on said frame and coupled to said power source surfaces of said lever arm definIng a circular opening extending through the opposite end of said lever arm, and the surface of which is formed with a plurality of axially extending recesses; a cylindrical socket member disposed within said lever circular opening and having surfaces defining a plurality of recesses positioned to generally align with said lever arm recesses; a plurality of torque transmitting coupling elements for free movement within the recesses of the lever arm and socket member; whereby to provide a torque transmitting linkage between said lever arm and said cylindrical member and a second position wherein said linkage is interrupted; means for urging said element into said first position when a torque is applied to said lever arm in one direction and means for urging said element portion into said second position when a torque is applied to said lever arm in the opposite direction; and means for equalizing the load distribution on said coupling elements, said load equalizing means comprising the unequal dimensioning of at least one of said pluralities of lever arm recesses, socket member recesses, and coupling elements under no-load condition whereby to compensate for the compressive and tensile loadings on opposite sides of said ratchet assembly under load conditions.

Claim 8

An improved torquing device comprising: a frame member; a reciprocating power source mounted on said frame member; a lever arm also rotatably mounted on said frame and coupled to said power source surfaces of said lever arm definIng a circular opening extending through the opposite end of said lever arm, and the surface of which is formed with a plurality of axially extending recesses; a cylindrical socket member disposed within said lever circular opening and having surfaces defining a plurality of recesses positioned to generally align with said lever arm recesses; a plurality of torque transmitting coupling elements for free movement within the recesses of the lever arm and socket member; whereby to provide a torque transmitting linkage between said lever arm and said cylindrical member and a second position wherein said linkage is interrupted; means for urging said element into said first position when a torque is applied to said lever arm in one direction and means for urging said element portion into said second position when a torque is applied to said lever arm in the opposite direction; and means for equalizing the load distribution on said coupling elements, said load equalizing means comprising the unequal dimensioning of at least one of said pluralities of lever arm recesses, socket member recesses, and coupling elements under no-load condition whereby to compensate for the compressive and tensile loadings on opposite sides of said ratchet assembly under load conditions.

Claim 9

The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said torque transmitting coupling elements each comprise a cylindrical pin; each of said socket member recesses includes a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface spaced rearward of and in communication with said first surface; said means for normally urging each said elements to said first positions comprise springs biasing said elements toward said recess first surface; and said means for urging each of said elements to said second positions comprises a camming surface extending from each said lever arm recess and adapted to engage said elements and urge them to said second positions when a torque is applied to said lever arm in said opposite direction.

Claim 10

The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein said power source comprises a hydraulic cylinder and a reciprocating piston disposed for movement within said cylinder, said piston being pivotally coupled to said lever arm along an extension of a diameter of said lever arm circular opening, said lever arm transmitting a torque to said socket member when said piston is moving forwardly, and said lever arm recesses are unequally spaced apart from one another with the recesses forward of said diameter being spaced slightly greater apart than equi-spacing and the recesses rearward of said diameter being spaced slightly closer to one another than equi-spacing whereby when a torque is applied to said lever arm, the portion of said lever arm forward of said diameter will be in compression, tending to squeeze together said forward recesses into equal spaced relationship and the portion of said lever arm rearward of said diameter will be in tension, tending to separate said rearward recesses into equal spaced relationship so as to provide substantially equi-spacing between said recesses when a load is applied to said device to enable each of said torque transmitting coupling elements to carry an equal share of the load.

Claim 11

The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein said lever arm recesses are of equal area, the socket member recesses are of equal area and the coupling elements are of equal diameter.