Abstract
A Spline Wrench is disclosed for manually rotating clockwise and engaging a power take off (“PTO”) drive shaft of a tractor, truck, aircraft, or watercraft having six or more splines for aligning the PTO with a female coupling of a machine, tool, or equipment, such as a mower, tiller, combine, water pump, air pump, fuel pump, compressor, generator, or other similar machine, tool, or equipment. The apparatus is used to rotate clockwise and align the splines of a spline shaft manually without having to engage the engine and transmission and pulsing the shaft to rotate it into position. Various embodiments of the Spline Wrench are designed to engage the splines of a Type 1 540 RPM 1 3/8 in. diameter 6-spline shaft, a Type 2 1000 RPM 1 3/8 in. diameter 21-spline shaft, a Type 3 1000 RPM 1 3/4 in. diameter 20-spline shaft, and a Type 4 1300 RPM 2 1/4 in. diameter 22-spline shaft.
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: a handle; a head portion having two or more teeth for engaging the splines and grooves of a power take off shaft, the teeth and grooves of the apparatus having nearly equal widths as the teeth and grooves of the power take off shaft so that the teeth of the apparatus fit snugly in the grooves of the power take off shaft; and the handle and two or more teeth capable of rotating the power take off shaft in a clockwise direction by a user.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the teeth and grooves capable of engaging and rotating a 540 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 6-spline shaft.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the teeth and grooves capable of engaging and rotating a 1000 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 21-spline shaft.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the teeth and grooves capable of engaging and rotating a 1000 RPM 1 ¾ in. diameter 20-spline shaft.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the teeth and grooves capable of engaging and rotating a 1300 RPM 2 ¼ in. diameter 22-spline shaft.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the teeth and grooves capable of engaging a power take off shaft having six or more splines.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the apparatus being made of plastic.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the apparatus being made of metal.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the apparatus being made of wood.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Further details of the invention are described in the written specification below and in the drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a Type 1 Spline Wrench for removably engaging a Type 1 540 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 6-spline shaft;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of a Type 2 Spline Wrench for removably engaging a Type 2 1000 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 21-spline shaft;
[0019] FIG. 3 is an illustrative view of a Type 3 Spline Wrench for removably engaging a Type 3 1000 RPM 1 ¾ in. diameter 20-spline shaft;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an illustrative view of a Type 4 Spline Wrench for removably engaging a Type 4 1300 RPM 2 ¼ in. diameter 22-spline shaft;
[0021] FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of a Type 1 Spline Wrench engaging and rotating in a clockwise direction a Type 1 540 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 6-spline shaft;
[0022] FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of a Type 2 Spline Wrench engaging and rotating in a clockwise direction a Type 2 1000 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 21-spline shaft;
[0023] FIG. 7 is an illustrative view of a Type 3 Spline Wrench engaging and rotating in a clockwise direction a Type 3 1000 RPM 1 ¾ in. diameter 20-spline shaft; and
[0024] FIG. 8 is an illustrative view of a Type 4 Spline Wrench engaging and rotating in a clockwise direction a Type 4 1300 RPM 2 ¼ in. diameter 22-spline shaft.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0025] The following described embodiments are just some examples of how this invention may be implemented and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as a Type 1 Spline Wrench (10) for removably engaging a Type 1 540 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 6-spline shaft (15). The Spline Wrench (10) may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or any similar material. The Spline Wrench (10) has a head portion (11), a handle (12), teeth (13), and grooves (14). The Type 1 spline shaft (15) has teeth (16) and grooves (17) of equal width (c′), which as shown is approximately between 8.59 and 8.64 mm. Shaft (15) has an outer diameter (d′) of approximately 1 ⅜ inches or approximately between 34.87 and 34.82 mm and a radius (a′), which is approximately half the length of the outer diameter. Shaft (15) has an inner diameter (e′) of approximately between 28.14 and 27.99 mm and a radius (b′), which is approximately half the length of the inner diameter (e′). Teeth (13) and grooves (14) of the Spline Wrench (10) have the same width (c′) as the teeth (16) and grooves (17) of the spine shaft (15) for removably engaging the Spline Wrench (10) on spline shaft (15). The inner dimensions of the Spline Wrench (10) also have the same radii (a′, b′) as the spline shaft (15) to ensure a proper engagement between the Spline Wrench (10) and spine shaft (15). Once the head portion (11) of the Spline Wrench (10) and spline shaft (15) are removably engaged as shown in FIG. 5, a user may use the handle (12) to rotate the spline shaft (15) clockwise until the shaft aligns with the female coupling of the equipment, tool, or machine to be connected.
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as a Type 2 Spline Wrench (20) for removably engaging a Type 2 1000 RPM 1 ⅜ in. diameter 21-spline shaft (25). The Spline Wrench (20) may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or any similar material. The Spline Wrench (20) has a head portion (21), a handle (22), teeth (23), and grooves (24). The Type 2 spline shaft (25) has teeth (26) and grooves (27) of equal width (c′), which as shown is approximately between 2.47 and 2.48 mm. Shaft (25) has an outer diameter (d′) of approximately 1 ⅜ inches or approximately between 34.85 and 34.88 mm and a radius (a′), which is approximately half the length of the outer diameter. Shaft (25) has an inner diameter (e′) of approximately 31.30 mm and a radius (b′), which is approximately half the length of the inner diameter (e′). Teeth (23) and grooves (24) of the Spline Wrench (20) have the same width (c′) as the teeth (26) and grooves (27) of the spine shaft (25) for removably engaging the Spline Wrench (20) on spline shaft (25). The inner dimensions of the Spline Wrench (20) also have the same radii (a′, b′) as the spline shaft (25) to ensure a proper engagement between the Spline Wrench (20) and spine shaft (25). Once the head portion (21) of the Spline Wrench (20) and spline shaft (25) are removably engaged as shown in FIG. 6, a user may use the handle (22) to rotate the spline shaft (25) clockwise until the shaft aligns with the female coupling of the equipment, tool, or machine to be connected.
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as a Type 3 Spline Wrench (30) for removably engaging a Type 3 1000 RPM 1 ¾ in. diameter 20-spline shaft (35). The Spline Wrench (30) may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or any similar material. The Spline Wrench (30) has a head portion (31), a handle (32), teeth (33), and grooves (34). The Type 3 spline shaft (35) has teeth (36) and grooves (37) of equal width (c′), which as shown is approximately between 3.29 and 3.30 mm. Shaft (35) has an outer diameter (d′) of approximately 1 ⅜ inches or approximately between 44.12 and 44.27 mm and a radius (a′), which is approximately half the length of the outer diameter. Shaft (35) has an inner diameter (e′) of approximately 39.21 mm and a radius (b′), which is approximately half the length of the inner diameter (e′). Teeth (33) and grooves (34) of the Spline Wrench (30) have the same width (c′) as the teeth (36) and grooves (37) of the spine shaft (35) for removably engaging the Spline Wrench (30) on spline shaft (35). The inner dimensions of the Spline Wrench (20) also have the same radii (a′, b′) as the spline shaft (35) to ensure a proper engagement between the Spline Wrench (30) and spine shaft (35). Once the head portion (31) of the Spline Wrench (30) and spline shaft (35) are removably engaged as shown in FIG. 7, a user may use the handle (32) to rotate the spline shaft (35) clockwise until the shaft aligns with the female coupling of the equipment, tool, or machine to be connected.
[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as a Type 4 Spline Wrench (40) for removably engaging a Type 4 1300 RPM 2 ¼ in. diameter 20-spline shaft (45). The Spline Wrench (40) may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or any similar material. The Spline Wrench (40) has a head portion (41), a handle (42), teeth (43), and grooves (44). The Type 2 spline shaft (45) has teeth (46) and grooves (47) of equal width (c′), which as shown is approximately between 4.28 and 4.29 mm. Shaft (45) has an outer diameter (d′) of approximately 2 ¼ inches or approximately between 57.475 and 57.500 mm and a radius (a′), which is approximately half the length of the outer diameter. Shaft (45) has an inner diameter (e′) of approximately between 50.93 and 51.18 mm and a radius (b′), which is approximately half the length of the inner diameter (e′). Teeth (43) and grooves (44) of the Spline Wrench (40) have the same width (c′) as the teeth (46) and grooves (47) of the spine shaft (45) for removably engaging the Spline Wrench (40) on spline shaft (45). The inner dimensions of the Spline Wrench (40) also have the same radii (a′, b′) as the spline shaft (45) to ensure a proper engagement between the Spline Wrench (40) and spine shaft (45). Once the head portion (41) of the Spline Wrench (40) and spline shaft (45) are removably engaged as shown in FIG. 7, a user may use the handle (42) to rotate the spline shaft (45) clockwise until the shaft aligns with the female coupling of the equipment, tool, or machine to be connected.
[0030] The matter set forth in the foregoing description and drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the inventor's contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
