Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

There is disclosed a direct acting lock mechanism to secure a tool within a driver which is useful for securing open channel sockets used to securing aerospace fasteners in a driver. These sockets have a flatted shank, typically hexagonal in cross section, and are received in a socket receptacle of the driver which has a cross section matching that of the shank. In the preferred embodiment, the flatted surfaces of the shank are formed to have substantially coextensive flats which are displaced through an angular increment of at least about 15 degrees. The flats do not extend the entire length of the shank, however, thus providing a thin shelf which has a cross section which matches the internal flatted surface of the socket receptacle of the driver. The driver has an annular internal groove on the inside wall of its socket receptacle and that groove is located at an intermediate height in the socket receptacle to align with the thin shelf of the shank when the socket shank is placed in the socket receptacle of the driver. The shank of the tool is received in the driver receptacle with the shelf received in the groove and locks in the tool upon a slight degree of rotation.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim