Multiple socket and multiple socket wrench

Claim 2

A multiple socket device having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and being releasably fixed so as to move axially within said first member between two fixed positions without protruding from said first member.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 further comprising means for releasably fixing said second member at two different positions within said first member.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 wherein said four different conventional socket sizes are four consecutive sizes.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of metric sizes.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of standard American sizes.

Claim 7

The device of claim 2 wherein said means comprises a spring-loaded mass protruding from an inside surface of said first member and two indentations on the outer surfaces of said second member.

Claim 8

A multiple socket device having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member.

Claim 9

A multiple socket device having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7 further comprising means for releasably fixing said second member at two different positions within said first member.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 wherein said four different conventional socket sizes are four consecutive sizes.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of metric sizes.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of standard American sizes.

Claim 14

The device of claim 8 wherein said means comprises a spring-loaded mass protruding from an inside surface of said first member and two indentations on the outer surfaces of said second member.

Claim 15

The device of claim 7 wherein said lower portion of said second member is substantially equal in length to said lower portion of said first member.

Claim 16

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidabley mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said second member is releasably fixed so as to move axially within said first member between two fixed positions without protruding from said first member.

Claim 17

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidabley mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said second member is releasably fixed so as to move axially within said first member between two fixed positions without protruding from said first member.

Claim 18

The wrench of claim 14 further indicating an elongated handle wherein said two multiple socket devices are located at opposite ends thereof.

Claim 19

The wrench of claim 14 further comprising means for releasably fixing said second member at two different positions within said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.

Claim 20

The wrench of claim 14 wherein each of said four different conventional socket sizes are four consecutive sizes.

Claim 21

The wrench of claim 17 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of metric sizes.

Claim 22

The wrench of claim 17 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of standard American sizes.

Claim 23

The wrench of claim 16 wherein said means comprises a spring-loaded mass protruding from an inside surface of said first member and two indentations on the outer surfaces of said second member.

Claim 24

The wrench of claim 14 wherein said second member is slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis so as to move between two fixed positions and from one to the other by being manually tapped.

Claim 25

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four differenet conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.

Claim 26

An eight-socket wrench comprising two multiple socket devices connected to one another, each of said multiple socket devices having four different conventional socket sizes about a single axis, each of said multiple socket devices comprising: (a) a first member being an outer member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration about said single axis, said first member having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first inside diameter corresponding to the largest of said four different conventional socket sizes, and the lower portion having a second inside diameter corresponding to the second largest of said four differenet conventional socket sizes, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having an array of angular longitudinal grooves around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof; (b) a second member being an inner member and having a generally hollow, cylindrical configuration, about said single axis, said second member having an upper portion and a lower portion the upper portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those on the inside surface of said upper portion of said first member, said upper portion further having a third inside diameter corresponding to the second smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inside surface and extending for the entire length thereof, the lower portion having an outside diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the lower portion of said first member and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its outside surface corresponding to those of the inside surface of said lower portion of said first member, said lower portion further having a fourth inside diameter corresponding to the smallest of said four different conventional socket sizes and having an array of angular longitudinal grooves spaced around its inner surface and extending for the entire length thereof, said second member being slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis and wherein said upper portion of said second member is no more than half the length of said upper portion of said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.

Claim 27

The wrench of claim 22 further indicating an elongated handle wherein said two multiple socket devices are located at opposite ends thereof.

Claim 28

The wrench of claim 22 further comprising means for releasably fixing said second member at two different positions within said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.

Claim 29

The wrench of claim 22 wherein for each of said two multiple socket devices, said four different conventional socket sizes are four consecutive sizes.

Claim 30

The wrench of claim 25 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of metric sizes.

Claim 31

The wrench of claim 25 wherein said different conventional socket sizes are consecutive sizes selected from the group consisting of standard American sizes.

Claim 32

The wrench of claim 24 wherein said means comprises a spring-loaded mass protruding from an inside surface of said first member and two indentations on the outer surfaces of said second member.

Claim 33

The wrench of claim 22 wherein said second member is slidably mounted within said first member along said single axis so as to move between two fixed positions and from one to the other by being manually tapped.

Claim 34

The device of claim 22 wherein said lower portion of said second member is substantially equal in length to said lower portion of said first member of each of said two multiple socket devices.