Patent Publication Number: US-6983676-B1

Title: Adjustable wrench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a wrench. In particular, the present invention relates to an adjustable wrench. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
     FIG. 8  of the drawings illustrates a conventional adjustable wrench comprising a handle  1 ′, a fixed jaw  11 ′ formed on an end of the handle  1 ′, a movable jaw  2 ′, and an adjusting screw  3 ′. The movable jaw  2 ′ has a bottom slidably received in a sliding groove  12 ′ in the end of the handle  1 ′. The bottom of the movable jaw  2 ′ includes a threaded section (not shown) engaged with the adjusting screw  3 ′ that is rotatably supported in the handle  1 ′. When the adjusting screw  3 ′ is turned, the movable jaw  2 ′ slides along the sliding groove  12 ′ and thus moves toward or away from the fixed jaw  11 ′, adjusting the gap  4 ′ between the fixed jaw  11 ′ and the movable jaw  2 ′ for clamping an object. 
   Nevertheless, when the movable jaw  2 ′ has to move through a relatively long travel relative to the fixed jaw  11 ′, the user has to turn the adjusting screw  3 ′ many turns, which is quite inconvenient. Further, a relatively large gap exists between the screw thread of the adjusting screw  3 ′ and the threaded section of the movable jaw  2 ′ such that the object could not be reliably clamped. Further, when the handle  1 ′ is turned to turn the object such as a bolt head, the bolt head is apt to be damaged. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an adjustable wrench comprises a handle including a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposed to the first lateral side. A fixed jaw is formed on an end of the handle. The handle includes an engaging section and a transverse through-hole extending from the first lateral side of the handle through the second lateral side of the handle. 
   A movable jaw includes a longitudinal hole through which the engaging section of the handle extends, allowing the movable jaw to slide relative to the handle. The movable jaw further includes an underside having two ends. A toothed section is formed on each end of the underside of the movable jaw. 
   A retaining member is movably mounted in the transverse through-hole of the handle. An elastic element is mounted in the retaining member. A fixing plate is securely mounted to the second lateral side of the handle, with an end of the elastic element abutting against the fixing plate. 
   The retaining member is biased by the elastic element to a position where two toothed sections of the retaining member are engaged with the toothed sections of the movable jaw, thereby retaining the movable jaw in place. The retaining member can be pushed to another position wherein the toothed sections of the retaining member are disengaged from the toothed sections of the movable jaw, allowing the movable jaw to slide relative to the fixed jaw. 
   The toothed sections of the movable jaw and the toothed sections of the retaining member are preferably inclined to prevent the retaining member from falling out of the transverse through-hole when the toothed sections of the movable jaw are engaged with the toothed sections of the retaining member. 
   The retaining member includes a receptacle for receiving the elastic element. The retaining member further includes a groove defined in a side thereof. The fixing plate is partially received in the groove. 
   The engaging section of the handle includes two sliding grooves respectively in two lateral sides thereof. Two mutually facing walls delimiting the longitudinal hole of the movable jaw include two tracks that are respectively and slidably received in the sliding grooves. 
   Two mutually facing walls delimiting the transverse through-hole include two guiding grooves, and the retaining member includes two tracks that are slidably received in the guiding grooves. 
   The handle further includes a compartment in a bottom wall delimiting one of the sliding grooves. An abutting member is fixed to the movable jaw and extends into the compartment. Another elastic element is received in the compartment and includes a first end abutting against the abutting member and a second end abutting against an end wall that delimits the compartment. This elastic element biases the movable jaw to slide relative to the fixed jaw when the retaining member is in another position. 
   In an embodiment, the end wall that delimits the compartment is distal to the fixed jaw. In another embodiment, the end wall that delimits the compartment is proximate to the fixed jaw. 
   A stop is formed on an end of each toothed section of the movable jaw, and the retaining member abuts against the stops of the movable jaw to limit a maximum travel of the movable jaw. 
   Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable wrench in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the adjustable wrench in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the adjustable wrench in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of a portion of the adjustable wrench in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , wherein a retaining member is pushed away from a retaining position. 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , illustrating automatic clamping of the adjustable wrench. 
       FIG. 7  is a side view similar to  FIG. 4 , illustrating a modified embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a conventional adjustable wrench 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , an adjustable wrench in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle  1 , a fixed jaw  11 , a movable jaw  2 , and a retaining member  3 . The fixed jaw  11  is formed on an end of the handle  1 . Below the fixed jaw  11  is an engaging section  12  including two sliding grooves  13  respectively in two opposite lateral sides thereof. A bottom wall delimiting one of the sliding grooves  13  includes a compartment  14  for accommodating an elastic element  5 . The handle  1  further includes a transverse through-hole  15  located below the sliding grooves  13  and extending from a lateral side of the handle  1  through the other lateral side of the handle  1 . Two mutually facing walls delimiting the transverse through-hole  15  include two guiding grooves  16 . Further, the handle  1  includes a fixing hole  17  below the transverse through-hole  15 . 
   The movable jaw  2  is slidably mounted to the engaging portion  12  of the handle  1 . The movable jaw  2  includes a longitudinal hole  21  through which the engaging portion  12  of the handle  1  extends. Two mutually facing walls delimiting the longitudinal hole  21  include two tracks  22  that are respectively received in the sliding grooves  13 , providing stable sliding movement of the movable jaw  2  relative to the handle  1 . The movable jaw  2  further includes an inclined toothed section  23  on each of two ends of an underside thereof, with a stop  24  being formed on an end of each toothed section  23 . An end of the elastic element  5  abuts against an abutting member  25  that is fixed to the movable jaw  2  and that extends into the compartment  14 . 
   The retaining member  3  is mounted in the transverse through-hole  15  of the handle  1  and includes two tracks  31  respectively on front and rear sides thereof. Formed on two ends of an upper side of the retaining member  3  are two inclined toothed sections  32 , with a recessed section  33  being formed between the inclined toothed sections  32 . The retaining member  3  further includes a receptacle  34  in a lateral side of the retaining member  3  for receiving an elastic element  6 . A groove  35  is defined in the lateral side of the retaining member  3  and communicated with an outer end of the receptacle  34 . A push section  36  is formed on the other lateral side of the retaining member  3 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , most part of the fixing plate  4  is received in the groove  35  of the retaining member  3  and includes an engaging hole  41  outside the groove  35 . A fastener  42  is extended through the engaging hole  41  into the fixing hole  17  of the handle  1  to fix the fixing plat  4  in place. An end of the elastic element  6  abuts against the fixing plate  4 , and the other end of the elastic element  6  abuts an end wall delimiting the receptacle  34  of the retaining member  4 . 
   In assembly, the elastic element  5  is mounted into the compartment  14  of the handle  1 , and the longitudinal hole  21  of the movable jaw  2  is engaged with the engaging section  12  of the handle  1 , with an end of the elastic element  5  abutting against an end wall that delimits the compartment  14  and that is distal to the fixed jaw  11 , and with the other end of the elastic element  5  abutting against the abutting member  25  that extends into the compartment  14 . Thus, the movable jaw  2  is biased by the elastic element  5  to move toward the fixed jaw  11 . 
   Then, the retaining member  3  is mounted into the transverse through-hole  15  of the handle  1 , and the elastic element  6  is mounted into the receptacle  34 . Next, the fixing plate  4  is fixed to the handle  1 . The retaining member  3  is biased by the elastic element  6  to urge the toothed sections  32  of the retaining member  3  to engage with the toothed sections  23  of the movable jaw  2 . Since the toothed sections  32  and  23  are inclined, the retaining member  3  can be retained in place and disengagement of the retaining member  3  can be prevented. Further, the retaining member  3  abuts against the stops  24  of the movable jaw  2  to limit the maximum travel of the movable jaw  2 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , when the user presses the push section  36  of the retaining member  3 , the retaining member  3  is moved such that the toothed sections  32  of the retaining member  3  disengage from the toothed sections  23  of the movable jaw  2  and that the toothed sections  23  of the movable jaw  2  are aligned with the recessed section  33  of the retaining member  3  allowing the movable jaw  2  to move toward or away from the fixed jaw  11 . The movable jaw  2  can be moved toward the fixed jaw  11  under the action of the elastic element  5 , thereby automatically clamping an object, such as a bolt head  7 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   After adjustment, the retaining member  3  is released, and the retaining member  3  returns to its original position under the action of the elastic element  6 . The toothed sections  32  of the retaining member  3  are engaged with the toothed sections  23  of the movable jaw  2  (see  FIG. 2 ), providing improved engagement while providing improved torque for the adjustable wrench. 
     FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the invention, wherein an end of the elastic element  5  abuts against the other end wall that delimits the compartment  14  and that is proximate to the fixed jaw  11 . In this embodiment, when the retaining member  3  is pushed to allow adjustment of the distance between the movable jaw  2  and the fixed jaw  3 , the movable jaw  2  is moved away from the fixed jaw  3  under the action of the elastic element  5  without any manual operation. 
   Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.