Power driven wrench

摘要

A power driven wrench includes a rotatable drive rotor journalled between fixed arms of a yoke affixed to one end of a wrench handle containing a motor. Disposed between the yoke arms is a ratchet head which is driven in reciprocal angular motion by the motor. The ratchet head is engaged with the drive rotor by means of a pawl in the ratchet head and a ratchet gear on the drive rotor. A direction switching lever within the ratchet head permits the direction of rotation of the drive rotor to be manually selected. The switching lever extends from the sides of the ratchet head, such that the direction of rotation of the wrench can be easily changed even if the wrench is inadvertently backed up against an immovable object while removing a nut or bolt. The location of the switching lever enables it be actuated with the same hand holding the wrench, and also results in the wrench having a thin profile which is useful in confined spaces. In the preferred embodiment the drive rotor includes a hexagonal bore and a smaller diameter throughbore, which enable the wrench to function as a power driven box end wrench when used with suitable tool inserts.