Socket Fastener Removal Tool

Abstract

A device for rotating a work piece having a cavity includes a base with a polygonal opening for receiving a rotary tool to impart rotation to the base. A camshaft extends from the base and has jaws spaced around an axis. Each of the jaws has an outward facing drive surface configured to engage the cavity of the work piece and an inward facing cam surface in engagement by the camshaft. Each of the jaws has two side edges extending between the drive surface and the cam surface. Each of the side edges has an enter portion extending inward from the drive surface and an inner portion extending outward from the cam surface and joining the outer portion at an obtuse angle. A web of elastomeric material bonds to the inner and outer portions of each side edge and extends between adjacent ones of the jaws.

1 . An apparatus for rotating a work piece having a cavity, comprising:
 a base having a first end with a polygonal opening for receiving a rotary tool to impart rotation to the base;   a camshaft extending from a second end of the base along a longitudinal axis of the base for rotation with the base;   a plurality of jaws spaced around the camshaft, each of the jaws having an outward facing drive surface configured to engage the cavity of the work piece and an inward facing cam surface in engagement by the camshaft, wherein an increment of rotation of the base and the camshaft relative to the jaws causes the jaws to move radially outward into engagement with the cavity of the work piece;   each of the jaws having two side edges extending between the drive surface and the cam surface, each of the side edges having an outer portion extending inward from the drive surface and an inner portion extending outward from the cam surface and joining the outer portion at an obtuse angle; and   a web of elastomeric material bonded to the inner and outer portions of each side edge and extending between adjacent ones of the jaws.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outer groove located at an interface between the web and the outer portion of each of the side edges; and   an inner groove located at an interface between the web and the inner portion of each of the side edges.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an axially extending outer groove located at an interface between the web and the outer portion of each of the side edges; and   an axially extending inner groove located at an interface between the web and the inner portion of each of the side edges, the inner and outer grooves being parallel with each other.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an axially extending outer groove located in the outer portion of each of the side edges;   an axially extending inner groove located in the inner portion of each of the side edges; and   wherein each of the webs extends into and is bonded to both of the grooves on adjacent ones of the jaws.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 an inner portion line normal to the inner portion of each of the side edges extends inward of the inner portion of an adjacent one of the jaws; and   an outer portion line normal to the outer portion of each of the side edges extends outward of the outer portion of an adjacent one of the jaws.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer portion of each of the side edges is located in an outer portion plane;   the inner portion of each of the side edges is located in an inner portion plane;   the outer portion planes of adjacent ones of the jaws diverge from each other in an outward direction; and   the inner portion planes of adjacent ones of the jaws converge toward each other in an outward direction.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cam surface of each of the jaws from one of the side edges to the other of the side edges is configured at a single radius from the axis. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the camshaft and the base are formed of a single piece of metal. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the camshaft comprises three curved lobes separated from each other by curved valleys; each of the lobes being formed at a single radius; and   each of the valleys being formed at a single radius that is smaller than the radius of each of the lobes.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for rotating a work piece having a cavity, comprising:
 a base having a first end with a polygonal opening for receiving a rotary tool to impart rotation to the base;   a camshaft extending from a second end of the base along a longitudinal axis of the base for rotation with the base, the camshaft and the base being integrally formed with each other from a single piece of material;   the camshaft having three rounded lobes separated from each other by three rounded valleys, each of the lobes being symmetrical about a lobe midpoint, and each of the valleys being symmetrical about a valley midpoint;   each of the lobe midpoints being a greater distance from the axis than each of the valley midpoints; and   three jaws spaced around the camshaft, each of the jaws having an outward facing drive surface configured to engage the cavity of the work piece and an inward facing cam surface in engagement by the camshaft, wherein an increment of rotation of the base and the camshaft relative to the jaws causes the jaws to move radially outward into engagement with the cavity of the work piece.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a distance from each of the valley midpoints to the axis in the range from 60 to 80 percent distance from each of the lobe midpoints to the axis. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the lobes has a single lobe radius from a lobe center point to any place along each of the lobes between a junction with one of the valleys to a junction with an adjacent one of the valleys; and   each of the valleys has a single valley radius from a valley center point to any place along each of the valleys between a junction with one of the lobes to a junction with an adjacent one of the lobes.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the jaws has opposite side edges extending from the drive surface to the cam surface;   each of the side edges has an outer portion extending inward from the drive surface and joining an inner portion extending inward from the outer portion to the cam surface; and   an outer portion line normal to a midpoint along the outer portion diverges from an inner portion line normal to a midpoint along the inner portion.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 each of the jaws has opposite side edges extending from the drive surface to the cam surface;   each of the side edges has an outer portion extending inward from the drive surface and joining an inner portion extending inward from the outer portion to the cam surface;   an outer portion line normal to a midpoint along the outer portion diverges from an inner portion line normal to a midpoint along the inner portion; and   an elastomeric web extends between adjacent ones of the jaws and is bonded to the inner and outer portions of the side edges.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for rotating a work piece having a cavity with internal drive flats, comprising:
 a base having a first end with a polygonal opening for receiving a rotary tool to impart rotation to the base;   a camshaft extending from a second end of the base along a longitudinal axis of the base for rotation with the base;   a sleeve carried on the second end of the base with the camshaft extending through the sleeve, the sleeve having an annular internal groove that axially aligns with an annular external groove on the second end of the base;   a spring located in the internal and external grooves, the spring retaining the sleeve on the base and allowing the base and the camshaft to rotate an increment relative to the sleeve;   a shell of elastomeric material having a cylindrical portion extending into and bonded to a bore of the sleeve, the shell having an external portion exterior of the sleeve with a plurality of slots formed therein and spaced around the axis;   a plurality of metal jaws, each of the jaws being located in one of the slots, each of the jaws having an outward facing drive surface with external drive flats configured to engage the internal drive flats of the work piece, each of the jaws having an inward facing cam surface in engagement by the camshaft, wherein an increment of rotation of the base and the camshaft relative to the sleeve causes the jaws to move radially outward into engagement with the internal drive flats of the work piece;   each of the jaws having two side edges extending between the drive surface and the cam surface, each of the side edges having an outer portion extending inward from the drive surface and an inner portion extending outward from the cam surface and joining the outer portion at an obtuse angle greater than 180 degrees; and   wherein the elastomeric material of the shell at each of the slots is bonded to the inner and outer portions of the side edges and of adjacent ones of the jaws.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an axially extending outer groove located in the outer portion of each of the side edges;   an axially extending inner groove located in the inner portion of each of the side edges; and   wherein each of the webs extends into and is bonded to both of the grooves on adjacent ones of the jaws.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 an inner portion line normal to the inner portion of each of the side edges extends inward of the inner portion of the side edge of an adjacent one of the jaws; and   an outer portion line normal to the outer portion of each of the side edges extends outward of the outer portion of an adjacent one of the jaws.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , the cam surface of each of the jaws from one of the side edges to the other of the side edges is configured at a single radius from the axis. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the camshaft comprises three curved lobes separated from each other by curved valleys;   each of the lobes being formed at a radius; and   each of the valleys is formed at a radius that is smaller than the radius of each of the lobes.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 each of the lobes has a single lobe radius from a lobe center point at any place along each of the lobes from a junction with one of the valleys to a junction with an adjacent one of the valleys; and   each of the valleys has a single valley radius from a valley center point at any place along each of the valleys from a junction with one of the lobes to a junction with an adjacent one of the lobes.