Abstract:
In one embodiment, a specialty wrench has a handle that is movable from a first position where the wrench acts as a conventional pipe or Stillson wrench and a second position where the handle is inclined, perhaps as much as 90°. The wrench can be used to start rotation of a valve wheel. After the valve wheel has been broken or started, the wrench handle is pivoted to a position where the valve wheel may be continuously rotated to either its open or closed position. In another embodiment, the jaw end of the wrench is angularly adjustable about a longitudinal axis so the wrench has another mode of operation, i.e. where the wrench may be used on conventional threaded connections.

Description:
This application is based on Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/897,470 filed on Jan. 26, 2007 from which priority is claimed. 
   This invention relates to a wrench and more particularly to a wrench having a pivoted handle to change the mechanical advantage of the wrench. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Large valves often have a substantial sized wheel that is turned to open or close the valve. Sometimes, these valves are so hard to turn that a wrench is needed to turn them. Conventionally, an adjustable pipe wrench, often called a Stillson wrench, is used to turn the wheel operators of large valves. In the alternative, a fixed jaw wrench is often used to turn the wheel operators of large valves. 
   When using a conventional pipe wrench, having either fixed or adjustable jaws, to open or close a wheeled valve operator, a series of repeated actions are necessary: engage the wrench on the perimeter of the wheel, turn the wheel in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction until further movement of the wrench handle is obstructed, lift the wrench off the wheel, return the wrench to the point of origin and repeat the same series of actions. This is repeated until the valve reaches the open or closed position or it loosens up enough to turn the wheel without the wrench. 
   It is known in the prior art to provide wrenches having pivoted handles for changing the mechanical advantage of the wrench as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 964,067; 1,080,121; 1,302,197; 6,234,049 and 6,877,404. A close analysis of these patents reveals that prior art wrenches that have the ability to grasp or grapple with a wheel operator pivot the handle in the wrong direction. In addition, of some relevance are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,315,447; 5,520,210 and 6,145,416. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In this invention, a wrench is provided with a handle having a pivoted joint. In one angular position of the handle, the wrench provides a maximum lever arm to initiate rotation of the wheel operator. When the valve operator beings to turn, the handle is manipulated to a different angular position to allow more rapid rotation of the wheel operator. This inherently decreases the mechanical advantage of the lever arm. 
   This invention accordingly eliminates the lifting up and removal of the valve wrench at the end of the initial turn and instead allows the operator to continue rotation of the valve wheel. This is accomplished by pivoting the handle in a desired direction so movement of the valve wheel is started with a maximum length lever arm provided by the wrench. After the valve wheel is initially moved and movement of the valve wheel becomes easier, the wrench handle is pivoted in a manner that allows continuous rotation of the valve wheel until either the open or closed position is reached. The elimination of stopping rotation, lifting the wrench off the valve wheel, replacing the valve wrench on the valve wheel and rotating the valve wheel again makes this invention efficient and productive. 
   Thus, the wrench of this invention differs from a conventional pipe wrench by the dual action of the handle provided by a pivot pin that changes the lever arm of the wrench from a maximum length needed to start rotation of the valve wheel and a shorter length allowing continuous rotation of the valve wrench. 
   Another important feature of this invention is a handle on the wrench that is rotatable. When the user pivots the wrench handle to the faster speed, lower torque position and rotates the valve wheel operator, the rotatable handle allows rapid rotation with no relative movement between the handle and the user&#39;s hand. 
   In one embodiment of this invention, a wrench head is rotatable on the end of a pivot assembly allowing the wrench of this invention to be converted from pivoting in different directions relative to the wrench head. 
   It is an object of this invention to provide an improved valve wrench. 
   A further object of this invention is to provide a valve wrench having an adjustable handle providing a maximum lever arm for maximum torque and a shorter handle allowing continuous rotation of the valve wheel. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide a wrench having a rotatable handle allowing rotation of the wrench with no relative movement between the wrench handle and the user&#39;s hand. 
   A further object of this invention is to provide a wrench having a wrench head that is pivoted or rotatable relative to a wrench handle. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for opening and closing wheel operated valves. 
   These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a valve wheel showing a wrench of this invention starting to rotate the wheel; 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the wrench of this invention showing the handle pivoted to a position allowing continuous rotation of the valve wheel; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle end of this invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of another embodiment of the wrench of this invention and illustrated an exploded view of the pivot connection between the handle and the jaw end; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial side view of a further embodiment of this invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of another embodiment of this invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional valve  10  includes a shaft or stem  12  which, when turned, moves a valve element (not shown) inside the valve  10  between open and closed positions. A conventional operator wheel  14  is attached to the shaft  12  in any suitable manner and includes a hub  16  and a plurality of spokes  18  connected to a circular rim  20  which is typically, but not universally, of circular cross section. It will be seen that the valve wheel  14  is generally planar and is perpendicular to its axis of rotation provided by the valve stem  12 . Those skilled in the art will recognize the valve  10  as being typical of large valves used in refineries, chemical plants, pipelines and the like. Many valves  10  are located adjacent other equipment, pipelines or the like so that turning the wheel  14  with a conventional wrench often results in the wrench striking an adjacent object thereby limiting rotation of the wrench when applied to the wheel  14 . 
   A wrench  22  of this invention comprises, as major components, a head or jaw end  24 , a pivot assembly  26  and a handle  28 . In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the jaw end  24  includes fixed jaws  30 . In the alternative, the jaws  30  may be adjustable, in the manner of a Stillson wrench. The wrench  22  is accordingly provided with a jaw end  24  which can receive or grasp the rim  20  of the valve wheel  14 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , the wrench  22  is being used, in the same manner as a conventional pipe wrench, to start rotation of the valve wheel  14 . In other words, the jaws  30  are placed around the rim  20 , the handle extension  28  is moved in an arc  31  parallel to the wheel  14  to rotate the wheel  14  in either an opening or closing direction. It will be apparent that the wrench  22  may be provided in any suitable size or range of sizes, depending on the size of the valve  10  and the forces necessary to rotate the valve wheel  14 . 
   It will be seen that the head or jaw end  24  defines a plane  32  perpendicular to the rim  20  and the handle  28  lies in the plane  32 . In other words, the entire tool  22  lies in the plane  32  in the handle position of  FIG. 1  and the plane  32  intersects the valve stem  12  along its length. Viewed in another manner, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the jaws  30  diverge in the plane  32 . It will also be seen that the wheel  14  is generally planar and the wrench  22  lies in a plane  32  that is perpendicular to the wheel  14 . 
   After the wheel  14  is moved and the internal components of the valve break apart, it becomes much easier to rotate the wheel  14 . In other words, the maximum lever arm provided by the wrench  22  in the position of  FIG. 1  is no longer necessary to rotate the wheel  14 . So, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the pivot assembly  26  is manipulated to allow the handle  28  to pivot about an axis  34  and thereby place the handle  28  more-or-less parallel to the valve stem  12  as suggested by the line  36  in  FIG. 1 . This allows a user to rotate the wheel  14  by rotating the handle  28  about the axis  38  of the valve stem  12 . It will be seen that the handle  28  lies in the plane  32  in the position of  FIG. 1 , lies in the plane  32  in the position of  FIG. 2  and that the pivot assembly  26  constrains movement of the handle  28  to movement in the plane  32 . This is in contrast to disclosures such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,080,121 where the handle is pivoted to a position generally perpendicular to the plane defined by the jaws of the wrench. Thus, in this invention, the plane  32  divides the jaws  30  into mirror image halves. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of the head  24  comprises a solid body  40  receiving the jaws  30 , which may be replaceable, a hook  42  opposite from the jaws  30  and a central section  44  to which the pivot assembly  26  is attached. The purpose of the hook  42  is to allow the user to unscrew a cap on an industrial fire hydrant. 
   The pivot assembly  26  is more completely illustrated and described in connection with  FIG. 4 . A button  48  or other similar operator is manipulated to break the drive connection between the handle  28  and the jaw end  24  so the handle  28  may be pivoted from an upright position shown in  FIG. 1  and illustrated by the axis  50  in  FIG. 2  to one or more intermediate positions shown in  FIG. 2  to a perpendicular position illustrated by the axis  52  in  FIG. 2 . It will be apparent that the axis  52  substantially corresponds to the axis  36  in  FIG. 1 . 
   The handle  22  comprises a forked section  54  pivoted to the jaw end  24 , a handle section  56  fixed to the forked section  54  and a handle end or sleeve  58  which is rotatable relative to the section  56  as shown most clearly in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . The handle end  58  is accordingly rotatable about an axis  60  as suggested by the arrow  62 . To this end, the handle section  56  includes a stem  64  inside the handle end  58  having one or more bearings  66  mounting the handle end  58  for rotation. Slots  68  on the handle end  58  and stem  64  are provided to receive a key (not shown) to retain the handle end  58  on the stem  64 . It will accordingly be seen that the bearings  66  may be inserted onto the stem  64  as the handle end  58  is slipped over it followed by insertion of a key (not shown) into the slots  68 . 
   It will be seen that the handle end  58  rotates easily about the axis  60 . After the wrench  22  has been used, as in  FIG. 1  to loosen the valve  10 , the handle  28  is pivoted into a position where the handle end  58  lies along the line  36  or along the axis  52 . The user then grasps the handle end  58  and rotates the wrench  22  about the axis  38  thereby opening or closing the valve  10 , depending on the direction of rotation. It will be seen that the wrench  22  provides a maximum lever arm in  FIG. 1  to loosen the valve  10  and then, after adjusting the handle  28 , provides a shorter lever arm capable of much greater speed. Because the sleeve  58  rotates about the stem  64 , there is no relative movement between the sleeve  58  and the user&#39;s hand during rotation of the wrench  22  about the axis  38  when the handle  28  is aligned with the axis  36 . It will accordingly be seen that the rotatable handle end  58  comprises an important feature of this invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of a wrench  70  comprises, as major components, a jaw end  72 , a pivot connection  74  and a handle  76 . The jaw end  72  includes a flat central section  78  having a through hole  80  and a series of recesses  82  in a circular pattern for cooperation with the pivot connection  74  as explained more fully hereinafter. The jaw end  72  also includes a conventional grasping or grappling element  84  which is known in the trade as a non-slip or sure grip wrench that is sized and shaped to receive the rim  20  of the wheel operator  14 . The element  84  includes a semicircular trough  86  receiving the rim  20  of the wheel  14  and a hook  88  allowing the jaw end  72  to apply torque to the wheel  14 . It will be seen that the element  84  is configured to grapple the rim  20  of the valve operator wheel  14  in such a manner that a plane perpendicular to the rim  20  is more-or-less perpendicular to the rim  20 . Thus, the grappling element  84  is essentially the same as the open jaw wrench end  24 . 
   For purposes of illustration, the pivot connection  74  and handle  76  are intended to be identical to the pivot connection  26  and handle  28 . The pivot connection  74  accordingly comprises a pair of forks  90  fixed to the handle  76  and straddling the central section  78  having a pair of through holes  92  aligned with the hole  80  and a pair of recesses or holes  94  extending through one of the forks  90  into engagement with a selected pair of the recesses  82  thereby providing a drive connection where the axis of the handle  76  is parallel to the axis of the jaw end  72 . The pivot connection  74  also comprises an angular selection wheel  96  having a pair of prongs  98  sized and placed to pass through the holes  94  and be received in another selected pair of the recesses  82 . It will be seen that the prongs  96  fix the angular position of the handle  76  relative to the jaw end  72  and transmit torque applied to the handle  76  to the jaw end  72 . The pivot connection  74  accordingly provides a series of angular drive connections, one of which places the handle 90° offset to the position of  FIG. 1 . The number of angularly offset positions of the handle  28  is accordingly limited only by the number of recesses  82  provided in the jaw section  78 . 
   A threaded fastener  100  extends through the holes  92 ,  80  to connect the pivot connection  74  an handle  76  to the jaw end  72 . The fastener  100  threads into a hole  102  in the wheel  96  and a spring  104  surrounds a shank  106  of the fastener  100  and abuts a shoulder  108  thereby biasing the selection wheel  96  and the threaded fastener  100  to the right in  FIG. 4 . By pressing on an end  110  of the fastener  100 , the wheel  96  and prongs  98  move to the left in  FIG. 4  a amount sufficient to allow retraction of the prongs  98  from the recesses  82 . It will be evident that the amount of movement is not large. This allows the jaw end  72  to be pivoted about an axis  112  which corresponds to the axis  34  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It will be apparent that any suitable pivotal connection may be used in this invention provided it is capable of transmitting torque in a variety of angular positions and is reasonably stable in any of its torque transmitting positions. The handle  76  is conveniently the same as the handle  28 . 
   It will be apparent that operation of the wrench  70  is the same as the wrench  22  except that the element  84  grapples onto the wheel rim  20  in a slightly different manner. Thus, the wheel  14  is initially turned with the handle  76  aligned with the jaw end  72  until the valve  10  loosens up. Then, the handle  76  is pivoted to an angularly offset position, typically perpendicular to its original position, so the valve wheel  14  can be turned faster. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , another wrench  120  of this invention is illustrated comprising, as major components, a jaw end  122 , a pivot connection  124  and a handle  126 . The pivot connection  124  and the handle  126  are preferably the same as previously described. The valves  10  are sometimes of a type that are open, or closed, for long periods and are manipulated only in more-or-less emergencies. The jaw end  122  is designed to more-or-less permanently clamp onto the wheel rim  20  so the wrench  120  is intended to be fastened to the valve  10  so it is always in a position to be used. 
   Thus, the jaw end  122  includes a central section  128  received in a fork  130  of the pivot connection  124  and having a first concave jaw recess  132 . A clamp  134  provides a second concave jaw recess  136  for receiving the wheel rim  20  while suitable fasteners  138  secure the clamp  134  to the central section  128 . The pivot connection  124  provides a button  140  analogous to the fastener end  110  for manipulating the pivot connection and allowing pivotal movement of the handle  126  about an axis  142  relative to the jaw end  122 . 
   It will be apparent that operation of the wrench  120  is the same as the wrenches  22 ,  70  except that the clamp  134  grasps onto the wheel rim  20  in a slightly different manner. Thus, the wheel  14  is initially turned with the handle  126  aligned with the jaw end  122  until the valve  10  loosens up. Then, the handle  126  is pivoted to an angularly offset position, typically perpendicular to its original position, so the valve wheel  14  can be turned faster. 
   Even thought the wheel grappling element of wrenches  22 ,  70 ,  120  vary considerably in shape and complexity, they have in common a configuration that is capable of applying torque to the rim  20  of the valve wheel  14  and is perpendicular to the rim  20 . In addition, the handles  22 ,  76  and  126  are pivoted about axes perpendicular to the plane so the handles move in the plane. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated another wrench  150  comprising a jaw end or segment  152 , a pivot connection  154  and a handle  156 . The pivot connection  154  and the handle  156  are preferably the same as previously described. The jaw end  152  includes a central section  158  received between the forks  160  of the pivot connection  154  and having threads  162  securing a wrench end  164  to the central section  158 . The wrench end  164  is of closed pentagonal shape for receiving a bolt head on a fire hydrant. A resilient pad  168  is provided on the end of the threads  162  for purposes more fully apparent hereinafter. In use, the wrench end  164  is placed on the fire hydrant bolt and the handle  156  turned until the pad  168  presses firmly against the bolt head. After snugging up, the pad  168  allows about one more revolution to position the handle  156  so the pivot axis  170  is either perpendicular to the plane  172  or parallel to it. When the pivot axis  170  is parallel to the plane  172 , the wrench  150  works in the same manner as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,080,121. When the pivot axis  170  is perpendicular to the plane  172 , the wrench  150  works in the same manner as the wrenches  22 ,  72 ,  120 . Thus, a connection which allows rotation of a wrench end  164  about an axis  174  creates a dual function wrench, i.e. one which may be used to open a valve and may be used on a conventional threaded connection. It will be apparent that this connection may be of a type other than a threaded connection, such as an angularly adjustable connection analogous to the pivot connection  74 . It is equally apparent that the wrench end is subject to considerable variation. A particularly useful wrench end for the wrench  150  is an adjustable jaw wrench threaded onto the threads  162  or a fixed jaw wrench of the type shown in  FIGS. 1-2  threaded onto the threads  162 . 
   It is apparent that jaw ends of many different configurations may be attached to the pivot connection and handle of this invention. 
   Although this invention has been disclosed and described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms is only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of operation and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.