Manually operated impact tool

Abstract

A manually operated rotatable impact tool including: a driven member having means for retaining and driving a fastener about an axis, the driven member further having at least one impact stop offset from the axis; a driving member rotatably connected to the driven member for driving the driven member about the axis to loosen or tighten the fastener; an impact mass movable along a path in communication with the impact stop; a spring disposed in the path for storing energy upon rotation of the driving member; and an energy releasing mechanism for releasing the stored energy and allowing it to be at least partially transferred to the impact mass such that the impact mass accelerates and strikes the impact stop upon the release of the stored energy.

1 . A manually operated rotatable impact tool comprising: 
 a driven member having means for retaining and driving a fastener about an axis, the driven member further having at least one impact stop offset from the axis;    a driving member rotatably connected to the driven member for driving the driven member about the axis to loosen or tighten the fastener;    an impact mass movable along a path in communication with the impact stop;    a spring disposed in the path for storing energy upon rotation of the driving member; and    energy releasing means for releasing the stored energy and allowing it to be at least partially transferred to the impact mass such that the impact mass accelerates and strikes the impact stop upon the release of the stored energy.    
   
   
       2 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a hexagonal nut and the means for retaining and driving the hexagonal nut comprises a mating hexagonal recess for containing the hexagonal nut therein.  
   
   
       3 . The impact tool of  claim 2 , wherein the driven member is cylindrical and the driving member has a mating cylindrical recess for containing the driven member therein.  
   
   
       4 . The impact tool of  claim 3 , wherein the driving member further has a lever for applying a torque to the driven member and hexagonal nut contained therein.  
   
   
       5 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , farther comprising an abutment on the driving member, wherein the spring is a compression spring disposed in the path between the abutment and the impact mass.  
   
   
       6 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , farther comprising adjustment means for varying a predetermined angular rotation of the impact mass and thereby the amount of energy stored in the impact mass at the time of releasing the impact mass to strike the impact stop.  
   
   
       7 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the driving member in a first angular direction loosens the fastener.  
   
   
       8 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the driving member in a first angular direction tightens the fastener.  
   
   
       9 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the driving member in a first angular direction loosens the fastener and rotation of the driving member in a second angular direction opposite the first angular direction tightens the fastener.  
   
   
       10 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein the impact mass strikes the impact stop upon the rotation of the driving member in a first angular direction and the impact mass strikes the impact stop subsequently by rotation of the driving member in a direction opposite the first angular direction followed by rotation of the driving member in the first angular direction.  
   
   
       11 . The impact tool of  claim 1 , wherein the impact mass strikes the impact stop upon the rotation of the driving member in a first angular direction and the impact mass strikes the impact stop subsequently by continued rotation of the driving member in the first angular direction.  
   
   
       12 - 20 . (canceled)