A hand tool for driving a fastener is provided. The hand tool includes gearing that interconnects a splined socket to a rotatable or trigger actuator and increases a rotational speed of the splined socket relative to the actuator. The hand tool may include a power tool receiver or an independent motor to drive rotation of the splined socket to advance or retract a fastener from a threaded shaft. By increasing the speed and conserving rotational inertia, the hand tool reduces the time to secure a fastener on a threaded shaft. A rotatable nut is provided. The rotatable nut can slideably orient along a first axis and threadedly orient along a second axis to fasten to an adjacent surface.

A ratchet tool including a handle housing including a grip, the handle housing defining a longitudinal axis. The ratchet tool also includes a ratchet assembly including a pawl and an output shaft. The pawl is moveable between a first position in which the pawl is operatively coupled to drive the output shaft in a first direction and a second position in which the pawl is operatively coupled to drive the output shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction. A switch is disposed in an aperture in the generally tubular surface of the handle housing, the switch having an external actuation surface for engagement with an operator's hand. The switch is slideable with respect to the handle housing in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. A linkage is disposed between the switch and the ratchet assembly configured to move the pawl between the first and second positions.

A powered ratchet tool includes a housing and an output member. The output member has an inner opening, an outer toothed surface, and an output member aperture extending through the outer toothed surface to the inner opening. The powered ratchet tool further includes a drive mechanism for driving the output member. The drive mechanism includes a yoke in which the output member is arranged. The yoke has a yoke aperture. The powered ratchet tool further includes a first pawl in the yoke that is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member and a second pawl in the yoke that is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member. When the output member is in a home position, the first pawl and the second pawl are engaged with the toothed surface of the output member and the output member aperture is aligned with the yoke aperture.

A powered ratchet tool includes a housing, an output member having a toothed surface, and a drive mechanism for driving the output member. The drive mechanism includes a yoke in which the output member is arranged. A first pawl is in the yoke and is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member and a second pawl is in the yoke and is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member. A selection ring having a circumferential wall is arranged between the yoke and the toothed surface of the output member. The circumferential wall has a first window and a second window and the selection ring is moveable between a first position and a second position. The selection ring also includes a tab extending radially outward from the circumferential wall and the housing for moving the selection ring between the first and second positions.

A power tool having a handle extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the handle is configured to house a motor. A ratchet head is connected to a first end of the handle. The ratchet head supports an output shaft having a drive square or bit that is driven by the motor. The ratchet wrench includes an application-targeted lighting system disposed around a periphery of the handle that illuminates the ratchet head and a workpiece below the output shaft. The application-targeted lighting system may include an array of Chip-On-Board LED lights. The application-targeted lighting system illuminates the workspace in applications where socket extenders and/or deep sockets are used with the ratchet wrench.

A flexible head joint for a tool, such as a motorized ratcheting-type tool. The flexible joint also allows an output mechanism of the tool, such as a ratchet head, to be disposed at an angle with respect to a housing to the tool, which houses a motor. For example, the first shaft is pivotably coupled to a first connector, which may have a tongue shaped portion. The second shaft is pivotably coupled to a second connector, which may have a slotted portion adapted to receive the tongue portion. This provides two pivot points that have parallel axes.

The invention is an electric commutating ratchet tool comprising: a head; a ratchet mechanism with a rotating member and a latch member; the rotating member is capable of rotating, the latch member is capable of displacing and controlling rotation direction of the rotating member; and a commutating device with a commutating member, a magnetic driving member and a magnetic actuating unit; the commutating member is capable of displacing to abut against the latch member; the magnetic actuating unit is opposite to the magnetic driving member, either the magnetic actuating unit or the magnetic driving member is disposed on the commutating member; the magnetic actuating unit is at least one electromagnet; magnetic direction is changed through each of the electromagnets, so that the magnetic driving member is magnetically driven to change a position of the latch member.

A hand tool for driving a fastener is provided. The hand tool includes gearing that interconnects a splined socket to a rotatable or trigger actuator and increases a rotational speed of the splined socket relative to the actuator. The hand tool may include a power tool receiver 38 or an independent motor to drive rotation of the splined socket to advance or retract a fastener from a threaded shaft. By increasing the speed and conserving rotational inertia, the hand tool reduces the time to secure a fastener on a threaded shaft. A rotatable nut is provided. The rotatable nut can slideably orient along a first axis and threadedly orient along a second axis to fasten to an adjacent surface.

An illumination source disposed in a housing of a tool without the need for fasteners or snaps. The illumination source includes a number illumination elements, such as LEDs, disposed on a circuit board. A lens and the housing cooperatively direct light emitted by the illumination elements away from a user's eyes during use of the tool.

A powered ratchet tool includes a housing and an output member. The output member has an inner opening, an outer toothed surface, and an output member aperture extending through the outer toothed surface to the inner opening. The powered ratchet tool further includes a drive mechanism for driving the output member. The drive mechanism includes a yoke in which the output member is arranged. The yoke has a yoke aperture. The powered ratchet tool further includes a first pawl in the yoke that is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member and a second pawl in the yoke that is biased toward the toothed surface of the output member. When the output member is in a home position, the first pawl and the second pawl are engaged with the toothed surface of the output member and the output member aperture is aligned with the yoke aperture.