Abstract:
A wrench includes a tubular extension secured in the second jaw member by set screws. The tubular extension is connected on one side by the adjusting handle and is connected to the bored gear on the second side. When the handle is rotated, the internally threaded gear drives first jaw portion in and out and is also exposed for conventional hand adjustment.

Description:
This application claims benefit of Provisional No. 60/152,007 filed Sep. 1, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to a pipe wrench which can be adjusted from a rotatable handle and can be adjusted in the conventional way by turning the exposed gear. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Typical wrenches comprise a tubular handle that is threadedly engaged with the outside thread of the movable jaw portion. This restricts the free play of the movable jaw portion and decreases the effectiveness of the wrench. Maintaining the standard characteristics of a pipe wrench with the addition of a rotatable handle is not achieved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of this wrench is to provide a wrench having a rotatable handle for easy adjustment. The exposed internally threaded gear allows adjustment in the conventional manner of a standard pipe wrench. 
    
    
     DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the improved wrench of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the second jaw member body, viewed in a direction perpendicular to the gripping surface of the said jaw member taken along section line  3 — 3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view substantially taken along section line  4 — 4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a wrench, specifically to an adjustable wrench commonly known as pipe wrench. This wrench is much easier to adjust to size and can be inexpensively manufactured. 
     A conventional pipe wrench is provided with a knurled wheel rotatably mounted in the lower jaw portion of the wrench and engaged by threads with the other member of the wrench for moving the jaw portions toward and away from each other. This wheel is usually mounted in such a way that only the peripheral edge of the wheel is accessible to the person adjusting the wrench. This makes it necessary to use two hands to adjust the wrench. Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide an improved wrench construction for an adjustable wrench which can be manufactured more inexpensively than conventional wrenches and which permits the jaw portions of the wrench to be moved toward and away from each other by rotating the handle portion or by turning the rotator nut by hand. This enables the user two methods of adjusting, depending on the specific application. 
     Referring to the drawings, the improved wrench of this invention is shown to comprise of a first jaw member  10 , a second jaw member housing  12 , a tubular handle extension  13 , and a rotatable handle  14 . Member  10  has a substantially straight bar portion  15  and first jaw portion  16 . Bar portion  16  has an axis  17 , a generally rectangular cross sectional shape and opposite ends  18  &amp;  19 . Extending from end  19 , a partial length of bar portion  15  toward end  18  are threads  20 . Jaw portion  16  is secured to bar portion  15  adjacent end  18  with a gripping surface  21  facing the threads  20 . Gripping surface  21  is generally perpendicular to the axis  17 . 
     The second jaw member  12  is provided with an aperture  22  extending through the length of jaw member  12  and a second jaw portion with a gripping member  23  connected thereto. Gripping member  23  is shown in the drawing to be offset 7 degrees from perpendicularity to axis  17 . 
     Aperture  22  has a cross-sectional area having a rectangular shape which is geometrically similar to the overall shape of the cross section of bar portion  15 . (FIG.  3 ). However, the cross-sectional area of aperture  22  has a size slightly larger than the cross section of bar portion  15 , such that bar portion  15  can be inserted within the aperture  22  and the jaw member  12  can be slid relatively axially along bar portion  15  between end  19  and a position in which the gripping surfaces  21  and  23  are engaged. 
     When jaw member  15  is so mounted on jaw member  12 , the axis of the aperture  22  and the axis  17  of bar  15  are generally coincident, and thus the bar portion  15  and the aperture  22  are coaxial of each other. The relative sizes of the respective cross sections of the bar portion  15  and the aperture  22  prevent the jaw member  12  from being rotated about the axis  17  and the bar portion  15 . The gripping surface  23  will always be in registry with the gripping surface  21  as the bar portion  15  is slid relatively along the jaw member  12 . 
     Jaw member  12  further is provided with a hole  26  slightly larger than the diameter of tubular handle extension  13 . This hole  26  is open on the top side facing the nut-gear  27 . Tubular handle  13  is secured in jaw member  12  by set screw  28 . Nut-gear  27  has mating inside threads to  20  of jaw member  15 . The outside diameter is geared to mesh with lower gear  29 . 
     Rotatable handle  14  is drilled from one end to accept rod  30 . Rod  30  is supported in tubular handle extension  13  by bronze bushings  31  at both ends. Lower gear  29  is connected to rod  30  at opposite end of handle  14 . When handle  14  is rotated, the lower gear  29  turns the nut-gear  27  and subsequently moves jaw member  15  in or out. Handle  14  is bored on one end to accept rod  30  and is secured by set screw  33 . Lower gear  29  is bored likewise to accept opposite end of rod  30 . Lower gear  29  is attached to rod  30  by set screw  32 . Tubular handle extension  13  is bored on both ends to accept bronze bushings  31 , which in turn are bored slightly larger than the diameter of rod  30 . This enables easy rotation of handle  14  inside of handle extension  13  enabling jaw member  10  to be adjusted in and out respective to direction of handle rotation.