Improvements in Pipe-wrenches.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 10th May., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Pipe-wrenches.
I, Don JOSE HERSEY, of Providence, in the County of Providence and State of
Rhode Island, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention has relation to pipe-wrenches and has for its objects, first, to produce
a pipe wrench in which the sliding jaw may be readily and quickly operated to
release the pipe when the latter has been turned sufficiently, and thus avoid any
binding of said jaw upon the pipe as is the case with the most approved wrenches
now in use; secondly to produce a wrench of this class in which there shall be
combined a sliding jaw, a pivoted jaw, and an operating handle, the latter being
so arranged that when the pipe is clamped and the wrench turned, said operating
handle will force the pivoted jaw toward the head of the sliding jaw and thereby
more firmly grip the pipethirdly to so arrange the teeth on the sliding jaw
and the pivoted jaw with relation to each other that there will be no liability of
the slipping of the pipe when the latter is turned; fourthly, to produce a pipe
wrench which is extremely simple in construction, has but few parts and which
can be very strongly yet lightly made; and with the above recited objects in view
my invention consists in the combinations of parts as hereinafter described illustrated
in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.
In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my improved wrench; Fig. 2, a
similar view partly in section; Fig. 3, a detail side view of the locking lever;
Fig. 4, a plan view of same; Fig. 5, an end view of the housing; Fig. 6, an end
view of the pivoted jaw C.
Referring to the drawings, A indicates the body or housing of the wrench which,
as shown, has the side walls, a, a, and the upper wall, a and the lower lip or
ledge a³, forming the rectangular opening a³, in which are adapted to fit and
operate the remaining parts of the wrench, presently described.
B, indicates the sliding jaw which is provided with the head, 6, and the shank, b¹,
which latter is adapted to pass through and slide in the opening of the housing A.
The head, b, is provided on its inner vertical face with upwardly inclined teeth, b'.
The shank, b' of the sliding jaw B, is also provided on its lower face for nearly
its entire length with teeth 6, with which are adapted to engage the teeth of the
locking lever presently described.
C indicates a second jaw which is pivoted upon a pin, c, passing through the
ears, c', of the side walls of the housing. Said jaw is provided on its face adjacent
to the head, 61 of the sliding jaw B, with downwardly inclined teeth, c³, and said
jaw is provided with the rear curved bearing-edge c³, for a purpose hereinafter
explained and said jaw is also cut away or rabbeted to form a tongue, c.
By the relative arrangement of the teeth on the sliding and pivoted jaws, I have
found in practice that the pipe may be very firmly gripped and any tendency of
the latter to slip avoided.
D is the operating handle of the wrench, the shank d, of which passes through
the opening in the housing and is pivoted upon a pin d', which passes through
ears d², of the side walls a, of the housing A and provided at its inner end with
a nose, d
The rear face d of the shank d, is curved as shown to correspond with the like
face of the jaw C before described and which in the normal position of said
handle lies adjacent to said curved face.
Inasmuch as the handle D, and jaw C, are pivoted a downward movement of
said handle will therefore cause the face d thereof to bear upon the face c³, of
the jaw C, forcing the latter in a direction toward the head of the sliding jaw
"

page_text: and thereby more firmly grip the pipe. It will be seen that the greater the force
exerted on the handle the more firmly will the pipe be gripped.
The ledge a², of the housing serves as a stop to prevent the handle D. from being
depressed too far which might tend to crush the pipe.
For holding the sliding jaw in position when the pipe is being turned I employ a
locking lever E, which consists of a shank e, toothed upon its upper face and provided
at its rear end with perforated lugs e¹ through which passes the pin c, and said
lugs e when the locking lever is in position, embracing the tongue of the pivoted
jaw C.
Although I have shown the locking lever pivoted upon the pin, c, it is evident that
the same could be pivoted upon the pin d' the rear end of the shank d, of the handle D
being cut away or rabbeted in the manner similar to the jaw C to allow of this.
For holding the teeth of the locking lever in engagement with the teeth on the
shank b¹ of the sliding jaw B, I provide a leaf-spring F, which is secured at one end
to the shank, d, of the handle D, and which bears at its free end upon the under face
of the shank e, of the locking lever for readily operating the latter when it is desired
to adjust the sliding jaw. To accommodate a large-sized pipe, I provide said locking
lever with a thumb-piece e³, which projects beyond the front face of the housing as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
For accommodating smaller sized pipes it will be seen that it is not necessary to
operate the locking lever by hand, the sliding jaw being merely slid back the desired
distance the teeth thereof sliding over the teeth of the locking lever.
For holding the operating handle in the normal position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2)
1 employ a leaf spring G secured at one end to the under face of the shank d and
bearing at its free end upon the ledge a of the housing.
The operation of my improved pipe-wrench may be briefly described as follows:
The wrench having been placed around the pipe to be turned, the sliding jaw Bis
adjusted until the teeth thereof engage said pipe. The wrench is then turned by
means of the handle D whereby the teeth on the jaw Cin conjunction with the teeth 6³
on jaw B, are made to more firmly grip the pipe and cause the latter to be turned
without slipping. When the pipe has been turned sufficiently the locking lever is
depressed by means of the thumb-piece thus releasing the sliding jaw when the
wrench can be removed from the pipe or this may be accomplished by simply lifting
the operating handle to allow the jaw C to release the pipe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination in a pipe-wrench of the housing provided with perforated
ears, c, d, the toothed jaw C, having a curved rear face, c, and a tongue, c¹, pivoted
between the perforated lugs e¹, on the spring actuated locking lever E, provided on
its upper face intermediate its ends with ratchet teeth e, engaging with ratchet
teeth 6, on the lower face of the sliding jaw B, and a spring controlled handle D,
provided at its inner end with a curved face, d, and a nose, d which force the jaw (
Inward upon a downward pressure of the handle substantially as specified.
2. The combination in a pipe wrench, of the housing A provided with a rectangular
opening a, the sliding jaw B, provided on its lower edge with ratchet teeth, 63, the
locking lever E fulcrumed between the walls of the housing and provided on its upper
edge with ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth 63 of the sliding jaw B, and held in
engagement therewith by the spring F, the toothed jaw C provided with a tongue c
fulcrumed between the ears e¹ of the locking lever E, the handle pivoted between
the lugs, d, of the housing and the spring G secured to the under face of the handle and
bearing against the stop a formed integral with the housing, substantially as specified.
Dated this 5th day of Amil 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.