Ratchet wrench and method for using same, and method for adjusting the length of an expansion joint device

Abstract

The purpose of this invention is to improve the efficiency of tightening and loosening nuts, etc., without complicating the structure of the ratchet wrench. [Solution] A ratchet wrench comprising a rod-shaped handle (2), a head (3) attached to one end of the handle (2) in the longitudinal direction, a socket (5) held by the head (3) so as to be rotatable about a rotation centerline (O1) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle (2), and a ratchet mechanism that transmits only one-directional rotational force about the rotation centerline (O1) of the handle (2) to the socket (5), in which the head (3) has an opening (1) larger than the outer diameter of a bolt (63) onto which a nut (65) to be fitted into the socket (5) is threaded, and the socket (5) is detachable from the head (3). Preferably, the socket (5) is composed of a pair of partial cylindrical members (5a, 5b).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench that fits onto the head of a nut or bolt to tighten or loosen them, and a method for using the same, and further relates to a method for adjusting the length of an expansion joint device using a ratchet wrench. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a ratchet wrench has a rod-shaped handle, a head at one end of the handle, a socket rotatably held in a socket holding hole in the head, and a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism is basically designed to transmit the rotational force of the handle to the socket in only one direction, and to rotate freely in the other direction. By swinging the handle back and forth, the nut or bolt head can be continuously rotated to tighten or loosen. Therefore, even in situations where the space for operating the handle is limited, by reducing the swing range, nuts, etc. can be continuously rotated. Prior art documents include Patent Document 1.

[0003] The socket of a ratchet wrench is usually cylindrical and closed all around, and the socket holding hole is also closed all around. Therefore, if, for example, connected members are connected to both ends of the stud bolt in the longitudinal direction, the cylindrical socket cannot be fitted to the nut, and it has been necessary to use a wrench with a U-shaped opening at the head instead of a ratchet wrench. When using a wrench, the wrench must be removed from the nut and reinserted every time the nut is turned slightly, making tightening and loosening operations time-consuming.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a ratchet wrench in which openings 210, 211 are formed in a head 202 and a socket 203, respectively, as shown in Figure 26. With this configuration, even in a device in which connected members are connected to both ends of a stud bolt, the socket can be placed radially outside the stud bolt and the ratchet wrench can be fitted to the nut by moving the ratchet wrench in the axial direction of the bolt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-44829 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 7-7869 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As mentioned above, the ratchet wrench disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot allow the socket to access the nut from the radial outside of the bolt, and cannot be used in cases where both ends of a stud bolt or the like are blocked by connected members.

[0007] 26 has an opening 210 formed in the head 202 and an opening 211 also formed in the socket 203, but the socket 203 is not completely cylindrical, and ratchet teeth 205 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the socket 203 have blank spaces corresponding to the openings 211. Therefore, in order to enable continuous rotation of the socket 203, two intermediate gears 212 and 213 that mesh with the ratchet teeth 205 and a large operating gear 214 that meshes with both intermediate gears 212 and 213 are provided. In other words, three gears 212, 213, and 214 must be provided between the ratchet teeth 205 and the ratchet pawl 215, which increases the number of parts in the ratchet mechanism and causes the ratchet mechanism to become complicated.

[0008] The present invention was conceived in light of the above circumstances and aims to provide a ratchet wrench that can be easily operated to continuously rotate nuts, etc., even in situations where working space is limited, without complicating the structure of the ratchet mechanism. Another aim is to provide a ratchet wrench that allows the appropriate method of accessing the nut to be selected depending on the placement of the nut being worked on. A further aim is to provide a ratchet wrench that allows the socket to be easily placed over the bolt from the radial outside and fitted onto the nut, even for nuts that thread onto stud bolts with closed ends. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the ratchet wrench of the present invention is a ratchet wrench comprising a rod-shaped handle, a head provided at one end of the handle in the longitudinal direction, a socket held on the head so as to be rotatable about a rotation center line substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle, and a ratchet mechanism that transmits only one-directional rotational force about the rotation center line of the handle to the socket, wherein the head has an opening larger than the outer diameter of a bolt onto which a nut that is to be fitted into the socket is threaded, and the socket is detachable from the head.

[0010] With this configuration, the head with the socket removed can be placed over the bolt from the radial outside using the opening, and the socket can be moved in the bolt axial direction together with the socket to fit the socket onto the nut.

[0011] In one aspect of the above configuration, the socket is formed by detachably connecting a plurality of partial cylindrical members together.

[0012] With this configuration, even if the socket is removed from the head, it can be fitted onto the bolt from the radially outer side of the bolt to join it, and then moved in the bolt axial direction to fit onto the nut.

[0013] In one embodiment of the configuration having a plurality of partial cylindrical members, the socket is formed by a pair of the partial cylindrical members.

[0014] In one embodiment of the configuration having a pair of the partial cylindrical members, the pair of partial cylindrical members are formed to have the same shape. With this structure, the pair of partial cylindrical members can be manufactured efficiently.

[0015] In one embodiment of the configuration having a plurality of partial cylindrical members, the partial cylindrical members are positioned relative to one another by convex portions and concave portions, and are joined together in a state in which no misalignment occurs.

[0016] In one aspect of the configuration having a plurality of partial cylindrical members each having the protrusion and the recess, the protrusion and the recess are formed by a pin and a pin hole.

[0017] In one embodiment of the configuration having a plurality of partial cylindrical members, a head cover that covers the opening of the head is detachably attached to the head. Preferably, the head cover is formed in a U-shape.

[0018] In one embodiment of the configuration having a plurality of partial cylindrical members, a socket cover that covers the exposed portion of the socket protruding from the head is detachably attached to the socket. Preferably, the socket cover is composed of a pair of half-shaped partial annular members.

[0019] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, there is provided a method of using the ratchet wrench described in any one of the above, comprising the steps of: placing the socket, removed from the head, over the bolt onto which the nut is threaded; placing the head over the bolt so that the bolt passes through the opening in the head and is inserted into the head; bringing the head and the socket close to each other in the lengthwise direction of the bolt to hold the socket within the head; and fitting the socket held in the head into the nut.

[0020] In the process of placing the socket removed from the head onto the bolt, the multiple partial cylindrical members that make up the socket are arranged to surround the bolt from the radial outside, and the partial cylindrical members are joined together to form a cylindrical socket.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for adjusting the length of an expansion joint device in which connectable members are arranged at both ends of a bellows, and both connectable members are fastened to both ends of a stud bolt with a plurality of nuts, the method comprising using any one of the ratchet wrenches described above to adjust the width between the connectable members by rotating the nuts that screw into the part of the stud bolt between the connectable members. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, not only can nuts and the like be rotated with ease even in a small working space, but the ratchet wrench head can be accessed from the outside in the radial direction of a nut that is threaded onto a stud bolt with both ends closed, and can then be fitted onto the nut after it has been placed over the stud bolt.Furthermore, the method of accessing the nut with the ratchet wrench can be selected from the conventional method of accessing from the end of the bolt in the longitudinal direction, or the method of accessing from the outside in the radial direction of the bolt, improving work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a ratchet wrench 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view of the ratchet wrench 1 as seen in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the ratchet wrench 1 taken along line VV in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 8 is a front view (a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 7) of the head 3 with the socket 5 removed and the nut 65 which is the object to be operated. [Figure 7] 2 is a side view of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. 1, showing the head 3 and the socket 5 separated, and an expansion joint device 60 having a nut 65 as an operation object (however, the handle is in an upward position). FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a side view of the socket 5 in an exploded state. [Figure 9] 9 is a front view (view along the line IX-IX) of the socket 5 in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 9 is a plan view (view taken along the line XX) of the lower partial cylindrical member 5a of the socket 5 in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 11] 5A to 5C are explanatory process views showing a method of fitting the ratchet wrench 1 of the first embodiment to the nut 65. [Figure 12] 10 is a front view of a ratchet wrench 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a head cover 70 separated therefrom. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of the ratchet wrench 1 in the separated state shown in FIG. 12 along line XIII-XIII. [Figure 14] 13 is a rear view of the ratchet wrench 1 with the head cover 70 of FIG. 12 attached. [Figure 15] 15 is a plan view of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. 14 with the head cover attached. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a socket cover 80 according to a third embodiment in an exploded state. [Figure 17] 17 is a front view showing the socket cover 80 of FIG. 16 in an assembled state. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 17 is a plan view of the socket cover 80 of FIG. 16. [Figure 19] 17 is a plan view of the ratchet wrench 1 with the socket cover 80 of FIG. 16 attached. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a front view of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a front view of a modified example of the head 3. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a side view of a modified example of the socket 5. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a side view of another modified example of the socket 5. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a facility equipped with an expansion joint device 60. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is an enlarged side view of the expansion joint device 60 of FIG. [Figure 26] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional ratchet wrench. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] [First embodiment of the present invention] 1 to 11 show a first embodiment of a ratchet wrench of the present invention, and the first embodiment of the present application will be described based on these drawings. Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of the ratchet wrench 1. In Fig. 1, the ratchet wrench 1 is configured with an elongated rod-shaped handle 2, a head 3 formed at one end of the handle 2 in the longitudinal direction, and a cylindrical socket 5 rotatably held by the head 3.

[0025] The socket 5 is held in the socket holding hole 4 of the head 3 so as to be rotatable about a rotation center line O1 extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle 2. A ratchet mechanism capable of switching between forward and reverse rotation is built into the head 3, transmitting rotational force in only one direction about the rotation center line O1 of the handle 2 to the socket 3. The other end 2a of the handle 2 is formed in a tapered shape so that it can be used as a "shield." For ease of explanation, one side of the direction in which the rotation center line O1 extends will be referred to as the "front" of the ratchet wrench 1, and the other side will be referred to as the "rear" of the ratchet wrench 1.

[0026] Figure 2 is a front view (front view) of the ratchet wrench 1, Figure 3 is a rear view of the ratchet wrench 1, and Figure 4 is a plan view (viewed from the arrow IV in Figure 2) of the ratchet wrench 1. In Figure 2, the socket 5 is made up of a pair of half-shaped partial cylindrical members 5a and 5b, which are joined together to form a cylindrical shape. The inner surface of the socket 5 is formed with 12 V-shaped grooves so that the hexagonal head of a hexagonal nut or bolt can fit into them.

[0027] The head 3 has a circular socket holding hole 4, and an opening 10 is formed at the end opposite to the handle 2. The opening 10 will be described in detail later.

[0028] In FIG. 3, when the ratchet wrench 1 is viewed from the rear, some of the ratchet teeth 6 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the socket 5 are exposed within the opening 10.

[0029] In FIG. 4, the socket 5 is held by the head 3 so as to protrude in both the front and rear directions from the head 3. direction The amount of projection and the amount of rearward projection are set to be almost the same.

[0030] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Figure 4, showing the ratchet mechanism in detail. The ratchet mechanism includes the ratchet teeth 6 formed around the entire outer periphery of the socket 5, a switching lever 21 for switching between forward and reverse rotation and having first and second ratchet pawls 21a and 21b, and a biasing means consisting of a ball 24 and a coil spring 25 that biases (presses) either one of the first and second ratchet pawls 21a and 21b toward the socket 5.

[0031] The coil spring 25 is housed in the spring housing hole 23 and is compressed between the bottom surface of the spring housing hole 23 and the ball 24. The ball 24 abuts against a mountain-shaped protrusion 21c formed in the center of the switching lever 21. The switching lever 21 is supported by the head 3 via a lever shaft 22 so as to be able to swing freely, and extends like two wings from the lever shaft 22. The first and second ratchet pawls 21a, 21b are formed at both ends of the switching lever 21.

[0032] When the first ratchet pawl 21a is engaged with the ratchet teeth 6 as shown in Figure 5, the ball 24 presses the switching lever 21 clockwise in Figure 5 via the protrusion 21c. When the handle 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ra in this state, the rotational force is transmitted to the socket 5, and the head 3 and socket 5 rotate together in the direction of the arrow Ra. Conversely, when the handle 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Rb, the first ratchet pawl 21a overcomes the ratchet teeth 6 against the elastic force of the coil spring 25, and the socket 5 does not rotate together with the head 3. In other words, the head 3 rotates freely around the socket 5 while making a rattling sound.

[0033] When the switching lever 21 is switched so that the second ratchet pawl 21b engages with the ratchet teeth 6, the rotational force of the handle 2 is transmitted to the socket 5 when the handle 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Rb. When the handle 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Ra, the head 3 rotates freely relative to the socket 5.

[0034] 6 is a front view of the head 3 with the socket 5 removed. In the figure, a nut 65 and a stud bolt 63, which are the work objects, are shown on the side of the opening 10 of the head 3. The nut 65 is a hexagonal nut having an outer diameter that can fit the socket 5 of the ratchet wrench 1 of this embodiment. The socket holding hole 4 of the head 3 has a small diameter portion 4a that fits onto the outer peripheral surface of the socket and a large diameter portion 4b that houses the ratchet teeth 6 (see FIG. 5).

[0035] The opening 10 is formed at the end of the head 3 opposite the handle 2 side, and the circumferential opening width W1 of the opening 10 is set to a dimension that allows the stud bolt 63 to pass through, which is to be threaded into the nut 65 of the workpiece. Specifically, the opening width W1 of the opening 10 is formed to be approximately 1 to several millimeters larger than the outer diameter dimension D1 of the stud bolt 63. This allows the stud bolt 63 to pass through the opening 10 from outside the head 3 and be stored in the socket holding hole 4. Of course, the stud bolt 63 can also be removed from the socket holding hole 4 to the outside of the head 3 through the opening 10. The opening width W1 of the opening 10 need only be large enough to allow at least the bolt 63 to pass through, and does not need to be larger than necessary.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a side view (with the handle facing upward) of the ratchet wrench 1 of FIG. 1 , showing the head 3 and socket 5 separated, and an expansion joint device 60 having a nut 65 as an operating object. In FIG. 7 , ratchet teeth 6 are formed around the entire outer periphery of the socket 5, approximately at the center in the front-to-rear direction. A flange 7 having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ratchet teeth 6 is formed integrally with the socket 5 at the front end of the ratchet teeth 6. The socket 5 is insertable into and removable from the socket holding hole 4 of the head 3 from the front. When the socket 5 is inserted into the socket holding hole 4, the ratchet teeth 6 and flange 7 are housed in the large-diameter portion 4b of the socket holding hole 4, and the rear half of the socket 5 protrudes rearward from the small-diameter portion 4a. When the socket 5 is inserted into the socket holding hole 4, the step at the boundary between the large-diameter portion 4b and the small-diameter portion 4a of the socket holding hole 4 faces the rear end face of the ratchet teeth 6, preventing the socket 5 from slipping rearward from the head 3. The expansion joint device 60 will be described in more detail below.

[0037] Figure 8 is an exploded side view of socket 5. In Figure 8, socket 5 is composed of a pair of half-shaped partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b as described above, and pin holes 51 are formed in the flanges 7 of both partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b for positioning when joined. A positioning pin 52 that protrudes toward the other partial cylindrical member 5b is press-fitted into the pin hole 51 of one partial cylindrical member 5a. By inserting the pin 52 of one partial cylindrical member 5a into the pin hole 51 of the other partial cylindrical member 5b, misalignment between the two partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b can be prevented when the two partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b are joined into a cylindrical shape.

[0038] 9 is a front view of the socket 5 (view taken along the arrows IX-IX in FIG. 8), in which a pair of pin holes 51 are provided at both ends of the flange 7 of each of the partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b. A pair of pins 52 are also press-fitted into the pin holes 51 at both ends of one of the partial cylindrical members 5a.

[0039] FIG. 10 is a view taken along the line XX in FIG. 8, and shows that the V-shaped groove on the inner peripheral surface of the socket 5 is formed over the entire length of the socket 5. As shown in FIG.

[0040] [How to adjust the length of the expansion joint device and use a ratchet wrench] In the expansion joint device 60 shown in the lower half of Figure 7, a front flange 61 and a rear flange 62, which are connected members, are fixed to the front and rear ends of a bellows 68 that is expandable and contractible in the front-to-rear direction. A long stud bolt 63 is interposed between the flanges 61 and 62 to adjust the front-to-rear distance between the flanges 61 and 62 and fix the desired distance. The rear end of the stud bolt 63 is threaded into an internal thread 62a of the rear flange 62 and locked by a locking bolt 64. The front end of the stud bolt 63 is inserted into a bolt insertion hole 61a in the front flange 61 so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction. The front flange 61 is fixed in a desired position by a pair of nuts 67, 67 arranged on the front side of the front flange 61 and a pair of nuts 65, 66 arranged on the rear side of the front flange 61. In other words, the front-to-rear distance between the flanges 61 and 62 is fixed to a desired dimension.

[0041] When adjusting the length of the expansion joint device 60 in the longitudinal direction, the ratchet wrench 1 according to this embodiment is used efficiently to rotate the nuts 64, 65, and 66 that are located mainly between the flanges 61 and 62. Of course, it can also be used to rotate the nuts 67 located in locations other than between the flanges 61 and 62.

[0042] 11(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) show an example of the work of moving and fixing the front flange 61 to a desired position in the longitudinal direction during the length adjustment work of the expansion joint device 60. The method will be described below.

[0043] In the uppermost step (a), the front pair of nuts 67, 67 are moved to a position far forward from the front flange 61, and the pair of nuts 65, 66 on the rear side of the front flange 61 are kept spaced apart. The separated partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b are placed radially outside the stud bolt 63 to cover the portion of the stud bolt 63 between the spaced apart nuts 65, 66. The partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b are arranged so that their mating surfaces (split surfaces) face each other.

[0044] In step (b), the pin 52 of one partial cylindrical member 5a is inserted into the pin hole 51 of the other partial cylindrical member 5b, thereby positioning the partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b and joining them into a cylindrical shape. Thereafter, the stud bolt 63 is inserted into the socket holding hole 4 of the head 3 by passing the stud bolt 63 between the socket 5 and the rear nut 66 through the opening 10 of the head 3.

[0045] In step (c), the head 3 covering the stud bolt 63 is moved forward and placed over the socket 5 from behind, and the socket 5 and the head 3 are integrated together.

[0046] In step (d), the head 3 is placed over the central position of the socket 5 in the front-rear direction and integrated with the socket 5 , and the integrated head 3 and socket 5 is then moved forward, and the socket 5 is fitted onto the nut 65 .

[0047] In step (e), with the socket 5 fitted to the nut 65, the handle 2 is repeatedly rocked to rotate the nut 65 and move it forward or backward. For example, to widen the gap between the flanges 61 and 62, the nut 65 is rotated to move forward, thereby pushing the front flange 61 forward. Conversely, to narrow the gap between the flanges 61 and 62, the nut 65 is rotated to move backward, and the flange 61 is also moved backward.

[0048] Next, the front flange 61 is brought into contact with the positioned nut 65, and the front nut 67 of the front flange 61 is tightened, and the lock nut 66 on the rear side of the nut 65 is tightened.

[0049] The front nuts 67, 67 of the front flange 61 can be rotated without using the ratchet wrench according to this embodiment.

[0050] After the work is completed, the head 3 and socket 5 are removed from the stud bolt 63 by reversing the steps of the above-mentioned mounting method.

[0051] [Effects of the first embodiment] According to the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 11, even when rotating a nut 65 that threads onto a stud bolt 63 closed at both ends by flanges 61, 62, the cylindrical socket 5 and head 3 can be easily placed over the stud bolt 63 from the outside in the radial direction of the stud bolt 63, and can be fitted onto the nut 65. Moreover, since the nut 65 can be rotated by reciprocating and rocking the handle 2, the nut 65 can be easily tightened or loosened even in a situation where the working space is narrow. In addition, the nuts 64, 65, 66 arranged between the flanges 61, 62 and the nuts arranged outside the area surrounded by the flanges 61, 62 can be easily tightened or loosened. To6 7, the operation method according to the arrangement situation, that is, the method of accessing each nut, can be selected, improving work efficiency.

[0052] [Second embodiment] 12 to 15 show a second embodiment of the present invention, which has a structure in which a head cover 70 is added to the ratchet wrench 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a front view showing the head 3 with the head cover 70 removed. The head cover 70 is formed in a U-shape (horseshoe shape), and the dimension (diameter) W2 of the inner peripheral end face 70a is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter D2 of the socket 5. That is, the head cover 70 The dimensions are set to a degree that allows relative rotation of the socket 5. Stopper bolts 73 are threadedly engaged at both ends of the head cover 70 to lock the head cover 70 in place when it is attached to the head 3.

[0053] In FIG. 13, the cross section of the head cover 70 is formed in a U-shape, and can be placed over the head 3 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line O1.

[0054] 14 is a rear view of the head cover 70 attached to the head 3, and shows that the front and rear side surfaces of the head 3 and most of the radially outward surface are covered by the head cover 70. In particular, the opening 10 is completely covered from the radially outward surface and the front and rear surfaces, and as a result, the part of the ratchet teeth 6 exposed in the opening 10 is also completely covered by the head cover 70. In other words, it is possible to eliminate the exposed part of the ratchet teeth 6 and to protect the entire ratchet teeth 6.

[0055] Figure 15 is the XV arrow in Figure 14. way of seeing The plain seen across the street side view When the head cover 70 is attached, the socket 5 protrudes from both the front and rear of the head cover 70.

[0056] [Effects of the second embodiment] In addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the exposed portion of the head 3 in the opening 10, i.e., some of the ratchet teeth 6, can be protected from the outside. Also, the operator of the ratchet wrench 1 can be prevented from touching the ratchet teeth 6 in the opening 10 with his / her fingers or the like.

[0057] Furthermore, the front and rear walls of the head cover 70 can prevent the socket 5 from moving in the direction of the rotation center line O1 relative to the head 3. In other words, the socket 5 can be reliably prevented from coming off.

[0058] [Third embodiment] 16 to 20 show a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a socket cover 80 is added to the ratchet wrench 1 of the second embodiment described above. Fig. 16 is a front view of the socket cover 80 shown in an exploded state, and is made up of a pair of half-split partial annular members 80a, 80b. Bolt insertion holes 81 are formed at both ends of both partial annular members 80a, 80b, and bearing surfaces 85 on which the heads of nuts 83 and bolts 82 sit are formed at the open ends of the bolt insertion holes 81, respectively.

[0059] FIG. 17 shows the socket cover 80 in an assembled state, in which bolts 82 are inserted into the bolt insertion holes 81 and nuts 83 are screwed in, thereby forming the annular socket cover 80.

[0060] 18 is a plan view of the socket cover 80 alone, and the seating surface 85 on which the nuts 83 and other components are seated is formed in approximately half of the area on one side in the direction of the rotation center line O1. In other words, the portion where the seating surface 85 is not formed is formed completely in an annular shape.

[0061] 19 shows the state in which the socket cover 80 is attached to the socket 5, and in this embodiment, a pair of socket covers 80 is used. That is, since the socket 5 protrudes both in front and behind the head 3, a socket cover 80 is attached to each of the protruding portions in front and behind of each socket 5.

[0062] FIG. 20 is a front view of the socket cover 80 attached, which covers the entire periphery of the socket 5, and in particular completely covers the mating surfaces P of the two partial cylindrical members 5a, 5b of the socket 5. [Effects of the third embodiment] 20, socket cover 80 covers the entire outer periphery of socket 5, and can protect mating surface P of socket 5 from the outside. In other words, it prevents an operator from touching mating surface P. In addition, by attaching socket cover 80 to socket 5, the rigidity of socket 5 is increased.

[0063] [Modification of head] 21 shows a modified example of the head 3, in which the size (width) W3 of the opening 10 of the head 3 is set to be approximately the same as the diameter of the small diameter portion 4a of the socket holding hole 4 of the head 3. In other words, the small diameter portion 4a has a diameter that fits into the outer circumferential surface of the socket, and the opening is of that diameter, so the head 3 can be placed directly radially outside over the socket 5 (see FIG. 7).

[0064] [First Modification of Socket] 22 shows a modified example of the socket 5, in which an auxiliary flange 91 with the same outer diameter as the flange 7 is formed at the rear end of the ratchet teeth 6 of the socket 5. With this structure, when the socket 5 is attached to the head 3 as shown in FIG. 5, the switching lever 21 is sandwiched between the flanges 7 and 91, and movement of the socket 5 relative to the head 3 in the direction of the rotation center line O1 can be restricted.

[0065] [Second variant of the socket] FIG. 23 shows a second modified socket, in which the socket 5 protrudes only rearward from the head 3.

[0066] [Example of a facility equipped with an expansion joint device] Figures 24 and 25 show an example of a facility equipped with the expansion joint device 60 described in Figures 7 and 11. Figure 24 is a side view of the main busbar portion of a gas-tight insulated switchgear. In Figure 24, the main busbar is equipped with a cylindrical first metal enclosure 101 and a cylindrical second metal enclosure 102 arranged on the same axial line C1, and an expansion joint device 60 according to the present invention connecting the two metal enclosures 101, 102 (distance Lw).

[0067] A container that houses, for example, a circuit breaker and the like is connected to the front end of the front-side first metal container 101. A metal container that houses a switch and the like is connected to the rear end of the rear-side second metal container 102. Three conductors 111 for three-phase AC through which high voltage flows are arranged in the first metal container 101, the expansion joint device 60, and the second metal container 102. An insulating gas such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is sealed in the first metal container 101, the second metal container 102, the expansion joint device 60, and each of the containers for circuits connected thereto.

[0068] Pairs of left and right sliding support members 105 are fixed to the bottom surfaces of the first metal container 101 and the second metal container 102. Each sliding support member 105 is supported on a pair of left and right common support beam members 106 arranged below them so that it can slide in the front-to-rear direction. The pair of left and right common support beam members 106 are attached to the foundation B by a plurality of mounts 108.

[0069] Figure 25 is an enlarged side view of the expansion joint device 60. The structure of the expansion joint device 60 is the same as that of the device shown in Figures 7 and 11, so the same parts are designated by the same numbers. Some of the explanation in Figure 25 overlaps with that previously described, but will be explained again. The expansion joint device 60 includes a metal bellows 68 that is expandable along the axis C1, a metal front flange 61 fixed to the front end of the bellows 68, a metal front flange 62 fixed to the rear end of the bellows 68, and multiple stud bolts 63 that adjust the spacing between the flanges 61, 62. The rear end of each stud bolt 63 is threaded into an internally threaded hole 62a in the rear flange 62. The front end of each stud bolt 63 is inserted into a bolt insertion hole 61a in the front flange 61 and is fixed at a desired position along the axis C1 by a pair of nuts 65, 66 and a pair of nuts 67, 67. The length in the direction of the axial line C1 indicated by the symbol Lo is the length of the expansion joint device 60 at the time of manufacture. The length in the direction of the axial line C1 indicated by the symbol Lmin is the length of the expansion joint device 60 when it is most contracted. The length in the direction of the axial line C1 indicated by the symbol Lmax is the length of the expansion joint device 60 when it is most extended.

[0070] The expansion joint device 60, which is set to the length indicated by the symbol Lo during manufacture, is then adjusted between the maximum length Lmax and the minimum length Lmin at the construction site of the gas-tight insulated switchgear so as to match the actual dimension Lw between the first metal enclosure 101 and the second metal enclosure 102 in FIG. 24, and is then connected between the two metal enclosures 101, 102. In this adjustment process, particularly in the rotation of the nuts 65, 66, and 64 between the two flanges 61, 62, the aforementioned ratchet wrench 1 can be used. The specific adjustment process has already been described with reference to FIG. 11, so a detailed description is omitted.

[0071] [Other embodiments] (1) Instead of the pin holes 51 and pins 52, a protrusion and a recess may simply be formed as a means for aligning the partial cylindrical members 5a and 5b with each other.

[0072] (2) The socket 5 can be divided into three or more partial cylindrical members.

[0073] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 ratchet wrench 2 handles 3 heads 5 sockets 5a Partial cylindrical member 5b Partial cylindrical member 6 Ratchet teeth (component of the ratchet mechanism) 10 aperture 21a Ratchet claw (component of ratchet mechanism) 21b Ratchet claw (component of ratchet mechanism) 24 Ball (component of ratchet mechanism) 25 Coil spring (component of ratchet mechanism) 21 Switching lever (component of ratchet mechanism) 51 Pin hole (recess) 52 Pin (protruding part) 60 Expansion joint device 61 Front flange (connected member) 62 Rear flange (connected member) 63 Stud bolt 64, 65, 66, 67 Nuts 68 Bellow 70 Headcover 80 Socket Cover 80a Partial annular member 80b Partial annular member

Claims

1. A rod-shaped handle and a head provided at one end of the handle in the longitudinal direction; a socket held in the head so as to be rotatable about a rotation center line substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle; a ratchet mechanism that transmits only one-directional rotational force around the rotation center line of the handle to the socket, The head has an opening larger than the outer diameter of a bolt onto which a nut to be fitted into the socket is screwed, The socket is made up of a plurality of partially cylindrical members that can be separated and connected to each other and have ratchet teeth on their outer surfaces, and when connected to each other to form a cylindrical shape, the socket can be removed from the head by moving relative to the head.

2. 2. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1, wherein the socket is formed so that its length in the direction of the rotational centerline is longer than that of the head in the direction of the rotational centerline.

3. 2. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1, wherein said socket is formed by a pair of said partial cylindrical members.

4. 4. The ratchet wrench according to claim 3, wherein the pair of partial cylindrical members are formed to have the same shape.

5. 5. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of partial cylindrical members are positioned and connected to one another by means of protrusions and recesses.

6. 6. The ratchet wrench according to claim 5, wherein the protrusion and the recess are formed by a pin and a pin hole.

7. 5. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1, wherein a head cover that covers the opening of the head is detachably attached to the head.

8. 8. The ratchet wrench according to claim 7, wherein the head cover is formed in a U-shape.

9. 5. The ratchet wrench according to claim 1, wherein a socket cover that covers an exposed portion of the socket protruding from the head is detachably attached to the socket.

10. 10. The ratchet wrench according to claim 9, wherein the socket cover is formed of a pair of half-annular members.

11. A method for using the ratchet wrench according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: a step of placing the socket removed from the head onto the bolt onto which the nut is threaded; placing the head over the bolt so that the bolt passes through the opening in the head and is inserted into the head; bringing the head and the socket closer together along the length of the bolt to hold the socket within the head; fitting the socket held by the head into the nut; How to use a ratchet wrench.

12. In the step of placing the socket removed from the head onto the bolt, 12. The method of using a ratchet wrench according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of partial cylindrical members constituting the socket are arranged so as to surround the bolt from the outside in the radial direction, and the partial cylindrical members are joined together to form a cylindrical socket.

13. A method for adjusting the length of an expansion joint device, in which connectable members are disposed at both ends of a bellows, and both connectable members are connected to both ends of a stud bolt by a plurality of nuts, 3. A length adjustment method for an expansion joint device, comprising: using the ratchet wrench according to claim 1 or 2 to rotate the nut that screws onto the portion of the stud bolt between the two connected members, thereby adjusting the width between the two connected members.

14. 14. The length adjusting method of an expansion joint device according to claim 13, wherein the expansion joint device is an expansion joint device of a gas-sealed insulated switchgear that connects metal containers filled with insulating gas.

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