Spanner wrench

Abstract

A spanner wrench assembly including a base plate having a gripping portion extending from a handle portion and defining an arcuate cavity with an open end. At least one support plate is secured to the gripping portion and substantially matches a configuration of the arcuate cavity. The support plate is of a lesser density material than the base plate. An engagement plate substantially matches the configuration of the arcuate cavity and is secured with respect to the at least one support plate. A cover defines one elongate aperture extending to an open mouth portion formed by an adjacent end of the cover, and another elongate aperture extending to a closed mouth portion dimensioned to accept a connector head which is wider than the elongate apertures.

Claims

1. A spanner wrench assembly for installing and removing components of a structure, comprising: a base plate having a gripping portion extending from a handle portion and defining an arcuate cavity with an open end; at least one support plate secured to the gripping portion and substantially matching a configuration of the arcuate cavity, the at least one support plate being of a lesser density material than the base plate; and an engagement plate substantially matching the configuration of the arcuate cavity, the engagement plate being secured with respect to the at least one support plate and providing locking engagement with the components, the engagement plate defining a plurality of slots each slidably receiving one of a plurality of engagement blocks, at least one of the slots being positioned with respect to at least one other slot at one of 180, 120, 90, 60 and 30 angles.

2. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 1 comprising a pair of the support plates each secured to the base plate and sandwiching the gripping portion therebetween, each of the support plates being of a lesser density material than the base plate, thereby reducing the total weight of the spanner wrench assembly.

3. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 1 further comprising a locking block secured within each of the slots and being adjustable such that the corresponding one of the engagement blocks is locked in a fixed position within the corresponding slot.

4. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 1 comprising a cover plate for closing the open end of the arcuate cavity, the cover plate defining a pair of spaced apart elongate apertures dimensioned to accept a stem of a corresponding one of a pair of connectors extending from one of the base and support plates, one of the elongate apertures extending to an open mouth portion formed by an adjacent cover-plate end, another of the elongate apertures extending to a closed mouth portion dimensioned to accept a connector head which is wider than the elongate apertures, thereby securing the cover plate with respect to the base and support plates.

5. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 4 further comprising a retainer at a cover-plate work surface, the retainer being pressable into the cover plate by abutment of the cover-plate work surface and end surfaces of the base and support plates during sliding of the cover plate in and out of engagement with the connectors.

6. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 5 wherein: the retainer is a spring-loaded protrusion from the cover-plate work surface; and the end surfaces of one of the base and support plates define a recess receiving the spring-loaded protrusion.

7. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 5 further comprising a holder securing the cover plate with respect to the base and support plates when the cover plate is disengaged therefrom.

8. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 1 wherein: the engagement blocks comprise pin-retaining blocks each defining a set of cavities with a retaining pin in each cavity; and a spring assembly within each cavity and including a spring depressed by the pin locked within the cavity such that unlocking of the pin releases the spring pushing the pin beyond a front face of the pin-retaining block for engagement with the component to be removed from the structure.

9. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 8 wherein the pin is locked within the cavity by a locking screw advanced through a lateral wall of the block into the cavity until engagement with the pin which is unlocked by retrieval of the locking screw from the cavity.

10. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 8 further comprising a locking block secured within each of the slots and being adjustable such that the corresponding one of the engagement blocks is locked in a fixed position within the corresponding slot.

11. A spanner wrench assembly for installing and removing components of a structure, comprising: a base structure having a gripping portion extending from a handle portion and defining an arcuate cavity with an open end; an engagement plate substantially matching the configuration of the arcuate cavity, the engagement plate being secured with respect to the base structure; and a cover for closing the open end of the arcuate cavity and a retainer at a work surface of the cover, the retainer being pressable into the cover by abutment of the work surface of the cover and end surfaces of the base structure during sliding the cover in and out of engagement with connectors extending from end surfaces of at least one support plate, thereby securing the cover with respect to the base and the at least one support plate.

12. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 11 wherein the cover defining a pair of spaced apart elongate apertures is dimensioned to accept a stem of a corresponding one of the connectors extending from the end surfaces of the at least one support plate, one of the elongate apertures extending to an open mouth portion formed by an adjacent end of the cover, another of the elongate apertures extending to a closed mouth portion dimensioned to accept a connector head which is wider than the elongate apertures.

13. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 12 wherein: the retainer is a spring-loaded protrusion from the work surface of the cover; and the end surfaces of one of the base and support plates define a recess receiving the spring-loaded protrusion.

14. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 13 further comprising a holder securing the cover with respect to the base structure when the cover is disengaged therefrom.

15. A spanner wrench assembly for installing and removing components of a structure, comprising: a base structure having a gripping portion extending from a handle portion; an engagement plate substantially matching the configuration of the gripping portion of the base structure and being secured with respect thereto; pin-retaining blocks secured with respect to an open face of the engagement plate defining a plurality of slots each slidably receiving one of the pin-retaining blocks, each block defining a set of cavities each retaining one pin; and a locking block secured within each of the slots and being adjustable such that the corresponding one of the pin-retaining blocks is locked in a fixed position within the corresponding slot.

16. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 15 wherein the pin is locked within the cavity by a locking screw advanced through a lateral wall of the block into the cavity until engagement with the pin which is unlocked by retrieval of the locking screw from the cavity.

17. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 15 wherein at least one of the slots is positioned with respect to at least one other slot at one of 180, 120, 90, 60 and 30 angles.

18. The spanner wrench assembly of claim 15 further comprising a spring assembly within each cavity and including a spring depressed by the pin locked within the cavity such that unlocking of the pin releases the spring pushing the pin beyond a front face of the pin-retaining block for engagement with the component to be removed from the structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved spanner wrench assembly, shown from the open face of the engagement plate.

(2) FIG. 2 is an engagement-plate side elevation view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a lateral side elevation view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is another side elevation view, opposite to the view of FIG. 2, of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 6 is another exploded view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1, shown with three sets of exemplary engagement blocks.

(7) FIG. 7 is another engagement-plate side elevation view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1, shown with one of the sets of the engagement blocks locked in the engagement-plate open face.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the other two sets of the engagement blocks with engagement portions of different sizes.

(9) FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the engagement-plate side of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 10 is a plan view of the engagement blocks of FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating positioning of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 7 for removal of a component part from a structure by utilizing the engagement blocks of FIGS. 6-10.

(12) FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a pair of pin-retaining blocks.

(13) FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating positioning of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1 for removal of a component part from a structure by utilizing the pin-retaining blocks of FIG. 12 with working pins extending from their storage cavities.

(14) FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating positioning of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1 for removal of a component part from a structure by utilizing the pin-retaining blocks of FIG. 12 with working pins positioned orthogonally to their storage cavities.

(15) FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spanner wrench assembly of FIG. 1 with an open arcuate cavity, showing end surfaces of the base and support plates.

(16) FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the work surface of the cover plate.

(17) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the open surface of the cover plate.

(18) FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the cover plate from the open surface, showing the connectors retained in the apertures.

(19) FIG. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the cover plate positioned for closing the open end of the arcuate cavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) FIGS. 1-11 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an improved spanner wrench assembly 10 for installing and removing components 12 of a structure 13 such as a cap and a hydraulic cylinder. FIGS. 5 and 6 best show spanner wrench 10 having a base plate 20 with a gripping portion 21 extending from a handle portion 22 and defining an arcuate cavity 23 with an open end 24. A pair of support plates 26 is secured to gripping portion 21 and has a configuration substantially matching that of arcuate cavity 23. Support plates 26 may be made of material different from the material of base plate 20. The support-plate material may be of a lesser density and therefore lighter weight than the material of the base plate, such as aluminum and steel. An engagement plate 30 is secured to one of support plates 26 and has substantially matching configuration to that of arcuate cavity 23. FIGS. 11, 13 and 14 show engagement plate 30 providing locking engagement with components 12. Base plate 20 and support plate 26 may be connected with bolts 19 and/or pins 11 or otherwise attached together to form a rotation member 200 with handle portion 22 serving as a lever for torquing components 12. A rectangularly shaped non-metallic plastic plate 84 is positioned within the middle of arcuate cavity 23 and is configured to span all three of base plate 20 and support plates 26.

(21) FIGS. 6-9 show spanner wrench assembly 10 having a plurality of engagement blocks 40a, 40b and 40c. Each block 40 is slidably received within a slot 32 formed in an open face 31 of engagement plate 30. FIGS. 2 and 9 best show slots 32 arranged such that slot 321 is positioned with respect to slot 322 at a 180 angle. Slot 323 is positioned with respect to slots 321 and 322 at a 90 angle. And slot 324 is positioned at a 60 angle with respect to slot 321, at a 30 angle with respect to slot 323 and at a 120 angle with respect to slot 322.

(22) FIG. 1 shows spanner wrench assembly 10 including a locking block 50 secured within each of slots 32. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 11, each locking block 50 is adjustable such that engagement blocks 40 may be substantially freely inserted into slots 32.

(23) FIGS. 1 and 2 show each of slots 32 as a substantially rectangular trough defined by a substantially flat bottom surface 33 with a pair of opposite lateral surfaces 34 extending substantially orthogonally to bottom surface 33.

(24) Each of engagement blocks 40 has an engagement portion 41 extending from a mounting portion 43 positionable within slot 32. Engagement portions 41 of different blocks 40a, 40b and 40c may be of different sizes to accommodate a variety of engagement cavities in components 12a to be removed. Mounting portion 43 has a pair of lateral surfaces 44 and 45 extending from a substantially flat mounting surface 46 positionable against less than the full width of substantially flat bottom surface 33 of slot 32. Lateral surface 44 of engagement-block mounting portion 43 is substantially orthogonal to mounting surface 46 for positioning against one of lateral surfaces 34 of slot 32. Lateral surface 45 of engagement block 40 extends from mounting surface 46 of block 40 at a sharp angle.

(25) Locking block 50 has one lateral surface 51 substantially orthogonal to a bottom surface 53 for positioning against lateral surface 34 of slot 32 opposite orthogonal lateral surface 44 of engagement block 40. Lateral surface 52 of locking block 50 extends at an obtuse angle which substantially equals the subtraction from 180 of the sharp angle of lateral surface 45 of mounting portion 43 of engagement block 40.

(26) In order to position engagement block 40 within slot 32, locking block 50 is moved away from bottom surface 33 of slot 32 by loosening fasteners 54 which secure locking block 50 to engagement plate 30. When engagement block 40 is in desired position, fasteners 54 are tightened such that angled lateral surface 52 of locking block 50 and mounting portion and angled lateral surface 45 of engagement block 40 are in tight abutment, thus holding the engagement block in the fixed position within the slot, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 11.

(27) FIGS. 12-14 illustrate a type of engagement blocks 30 which are pin-retaining blocks 60, each defining a set of cavities 61 with a retaining pin 62 in each cavity 61. As seen in FIG. 12, pin-retaining blocks 60 have a spring assembly within each cavity 61. The spring assembly includes a spring 64 positioned within cavity 61 between a pad 65 and a plug 66 which securely closes one cavity end 611. Pin 62 is positioned at the opposite open end 612 of cavity against pad 65. Spring 64 is compressed by pin 62 locked within cavity by a locking screw 67 which is advanced through a lateral wall 68 of block 60 into cavity 61 until engagement with pin 62. Pin 62 is unlocked by retrieval of locking screw 67 from cavity 61. The force created by the compression of spring 64 is released by the unlocking pin 62 and pushes pin 62 out of cavity 61 beyond a front face 69 of pin-retaining block 60 for engagement with component 12b to be removed from structure 13, as seen in FIG. 13. FIG. 14 shows pin 62 removed from storage cavity 61 and positioned onto an orthogonal cavity 63 to accommodate engagement with a component 12c that has a configuration requiring such engagement orientation.

(28) Spanner wrench assembly 10 includes a cover plate 70 for closing open end 24 of arcuate cavity 23. FIGS. 5, 6 and 15-18 show cover plate 70 defining elongate apertures 71 and 72. Each of apertures 71 and 72 is dimensioned to accept a stem 16 of a corresponding one of a pair of connectors 15 extending from support plates 26. Aperture 71 extends to an open mouth portion 74 formed by an adjacent cover-plate end 73. Elongate apertures 72 each have a key-hole shape and extend to a closed mouth portion 75 dimensioned to accept a connector head 17 which is wider than elongate apertures 71 and 72.

(29) FIGS. 15-18 show that in order to close arcuate cavity 23 and get a secure grip of component 12, cover plate 70 is secured with respect to rotation member 200. Cover plate 70 is slid against end surfaces 25 and 27 of base and support plates 20 and 26 such that connector head 17 is at an open cover-plate surface 76 which is opposite a work surface 77 abutting end surfaces 25 and 27 of rotation member 200.

(30) FIGS. 15, 17 and 18 show narrow elongate portions 78 of apertures 71 and 72 formed through less than the full thickness of cover plate 70 such that the remaining thickness defines an elongate cavity 79 dimensioned to accept connector head 17. Such configuration forms a ledge 82 within elongate cavity 79 with connector head 17 being recessed within cover plate 70 against ledge 82 when cover plate 70 closes arcuate cavity 23.

(31) FIGS. 5, 6, and 16-18 show a retainer 80 at cover-plate work surface 77. During sliding of cover plate 70 in and out of engagement with connectors 15, retainer 80 can be pressed into cover plate 70 beyond work surface 77 by abutment of cover-plate work surface 77 and end surfaces 25 and 27 of base and support plates 20 and 26 of rotation member 200. FIG. 16 shows retainer 80 as a spring-loaded ball 81 protruding from cover-plate work surface 77. FIG. 15 shows end surfaces 25 of base plate 20 defining a recess 28 receiving spring-loaded ball protrusion 81 to further secure the position of cover plate 70 closing arcuate cavity 23.

(32) When cover plate 70 is disengaged from rotation member 200, a holder 18 retains cover plate 70 with respect to base and support plates 20 and 26. FIGS. 2, 11, 13 and 14 show holder 18 as a wire rope with one end attached to cover plate 70 and the other end secured to a side surface 29 of base plate 20.

(33) FIGS. 11, 13 and 14 show spanner wrench assembly 10 on a piston rod 13 prior to engagement with the threaded cap member 12. Adjustable contact pins 141, 142 and 143 have been adjusted to center wrench assembly 10 on rod structure 13. Prior to applying a force to handle portion 22, contact pins are adjusted to keep the wrench assembly 10 square with the rod 13 and to keep the wrench assembly 10 from cocking or twisting. Some embodiments may include a leveling device such as those utilizing a bubble level or some other indicator mechanism that facilitates the centering of wrench assembly 10 on rod structure 13.

(34) While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.