IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES, AND IN PIPE TONGS, AND IN COMBINED PIPE TONGS AND PIPE CUTTERS
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Rogers, of Smethwick, in the County of
Stafford, Machinist, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE
SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES, AND IN PIPE TONGS, AND IN COMBINED PIPE
TONGS AND PIPE CUTTERS."
Scaled the 11th October 1878, and dated the 18th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Rogers at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1878.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES, AND IN PIPE,
TONGS, AND IN COMBINED PIPE TONGS AND IN PIPE CUTTERS."
My Invention consists, first, of the construction and arrangement of parts herein-
after described for adjusting the moveable jaws of spanners or screw wrenches and
pipe tongs.
I will describe this part of my Invention as applied to an adjustable spanner or
screw wrench.
I fix the stationary jaw on the end of the bar of the spanner, and I make the
moveable jaw capable of sliding on the said bar as usual, but instead of making the
handle of the spanner and the bar carrying the fixed and moveable jaws in one
piece, as usual, I joint the said handle to the bar and connect the moveable jaw to
the said jointed handle in the following manner :-The jointed end of the handle
part of the spanner is forked, and between the branches of the fork the end of the
spanner bar is placed. By means of a screw pin passed through holes in the end of
the spanner bar and fork of the handle, the said bar and handle are jointed together,
the said handle being capable of turning on the said bar so as to be placed either in
a line with the said bar or at an angle thereto.
The fork of the handle is slit or divided at its rear part so as to make the
branches of the fork elastic and capable of being closed upon or separating from the
end of the spanner bar.

page_text: When the elastic fork of the handle is closed upon the spanner bar the said
handle is rigidly fixed to the bar, and when the pressure on the elastic fork is relaxed
the jointed handle may be turned upon the bar.
The gripping and releasing of the spanner bar by the handle is effected by means
of a small lever at the side of the handle, the head or boss of which lever is formed
into a screw nut and takes upon the screwed projecting end of the joint pin by
which the spanner bar and handle are jointed together. By screwing or tightening
the nut of the small lever upon the screw pin the elastic fork of the spanner
handle is closed upon and made to grip with great firmness the spanner bar, and
the two parts are rigidly connected together, and by unscrewing the nut of the
small lever the pressure on the elastic fork is relaxed, and the spanner handle may
now be turned on the spanner bar, and its position with respect to the said bar
adjusted.
The under side of the elastic fork of the spanner handle is formed with a lug or
projecting piece, and the said lug is connected to the moveable jaw of the spanner
by a strong link. By turning the handle of the spanner upon its joint the moveable
jaw may be adjusted nearer to or further from the fixed jaw through the link and
lug described. After the adjustment of the moveable jaw has been effected the
screwing of the screw nut of the small lever causes the spanner handle and bar to
be bound firmly together, and the moveable jaw to be fixed in its adjusted position.
The improvements described may be applied to the adjusting of the moveable
jaws of pipe tongs.
My Invention consists further in the following improvements in combined pipe
tongs and pipe cutters. In order to adapt the pipe tongs to cut pipes or tubes I
apply to the side of the short arm of one of the crossing levers of the pipe tongs a
rotating cutter, the inner flange of the said cutter taking into a recess in the side
of the said short arm. The rotating cutter is fixed in the said recess by a screw
pin taking into the short arm of the tongs, the said pin serving as the axis for the
cutter to turn upon. This screw pin has a broad head which bears against the outer
flange of the cutter. The claw or holding end of the other crossing lever of the
pipe tongs is constructed in the ordinary way, or has applied to it removeable lining
pieces to make it fit pipes or tubes of different sizes. In the said claw the pipe or
tube to be cut is placed and the rotating cutter carried by the short arm is pressed
into contact with the pipe or tube, as the cutting proceeds by the closing of the
jaws of the pipe tongs by a sliding ring or collar working on the long arms of the
crossing levers.
To adjust the claw of the pipe tongs to fit pipes or tubes of different sizes a
curved lining piece may be fixed in the claw by a screw passed through the said
claw and taking into the lining. By using lining pieces of different thicknesses
the same claw inay be arranged to hold pipes or tubes of different sizes.
By removing the rotating cutter from the pipe tongs the instrument may be used
for its original purpose.
My improvements are applicable to pipe tongs and to combined pipe tongs and
pipe cutters of various sizes, that is, to both large pipe tongs and to the small pipe
tongs sometimes called pipe pliers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Edward Rogers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
October 1878.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS, of Smethwick, in the County of Warwick, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES, AND IN PIPE
TONGS, AND IN COMBINED PIPE TONGS AND PIPE CUTTERS."
My Invention consists, first, of the construction and arrangement of parts herein-
after described for adjusting the moveable jaws of spanners or screw wrenches and
pipe tongs.
I will describe this part of my Invention as applied to an adjustable spanner or
screw wrench.
I fix the stationary jaw on the end of the bar of the spanner, and I make the
moveable jaw capable of sliding on the said bar as usual, but instead of making the
handle of the spanner and the bar carrying the fixed and moveable jaws in one
piece as usual joint the said handle to the bar and connect the moveable jaw to
the said jointed handle in the following manner:-The jointed end of the handle
part of the spanner is forked, and between the branches of the fork the end of the
spanner bar is placed. By means of a screw pin passed through holes in the end
of the spanner bar and fork of the handle the said bar and handle are jointed
together, the said handle being capable of turning on the said bar so as to be placed
either in a line with the said bar or at an angle thereto.
The fork of the handle is slit or divided at its rear part so as to make the branches
of the fork elastic and capable of being closed upon or separating from the end of
the spanner bar.
When the elastic fork of the handle is closed upon the spanner bar the said handle
is rigidly fixed to the bar, and when the pressure on the elastic fork is relaxed the
jointed handle may be turned upon the bar.
The gripping and releasing of the spanner bar by the handle is effected by means
of a small lever at the side of the handle, the head or boss of which lever is formed
into a screw nut, and takes upon the screwed projecting end of the joint pin by
which the spanner bar and handle are jointed together. By screwing or tightening
the nut of the small lever upon the screw pin the elastic fork of the spanner handle
is closed upon and made to grip with great firmness the spanner bar, and the two
parts are rigidly connected together, and by unscrewing the nut of the small lever
the pressure on the elastic fork is relaxed, and the spanner handle may now be
turned on the spanner bar, and its position with respect to the said bar adjusted.
The under side of the elastic fork of the spanner handle is formed with a lug or
projecting piece, and the said lug is connected to the moveable jaw of the spanner
by a strong link. By turning the handle of the spanner upon its joint the moveable
jaw may be adjusted nearer to or further from the fixed jaw through the link and
lug described. After the adjustment of the moveable jaw has been' effected the
screwing home of the screw nut of the small lever causes the spanner handle and
bar to be bound firmly together, and the moveable jaw to be fixed in its adjusted
position.
The improvements described may be applied to the adjusting of the moveable
jaws of pipe tongs.
My Invention consists further in the following improvements in combined pipe
tongs and pipe cutters. In order to adapt the pipe tongs to cut pipes or tubes I
apply to the side of the short arm of one of the crossing levers of the pipe tongs a
rotating cutter turning on the plain end of a screw pin passed into the said side of
the short arm. The claw or holding end of the other crossing lever of the pipe
tongs is constructed in the ordinary way, or has applied to it moveable lining pieces
to make it fit pipes or tubes of different sizes. In the said claw the pipe or tube to
be cut is placed, and the rotating cutter carried by the short arm is pressed into

page_text: contact with the pipe or tube, as the cutting proceeds by the closing of the jaws of
the pipe tongs by a sliding ring or collar working on the long arms of the crossing
levers.
To adjust the claw of the pipe tongs to fit pipes or tubes of different sizes a
curved lining piece may be fixed in the claw by a screw passed through the said :
claw, and taking into the lining. By using lining pieces of different thicknesses the
same claw may be arranged to hold pipes or tubes of different sizes.
By removing the rotating cutter from the pipe tongs the instrument may be used
for its original purpose.
My improvements are applicable to pipe tongs and to combined pipe tongs and
pipe cutters of various sizes, that is, to both large pipe tongs and to the small pipe
tongs sometimes called pipe pliers.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in plan of under side, an
adjustable spanner or screw wrench constructed according to my Invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 and 2.
a is the fixed jaw, and b the moveable or adjustable jaw of the spanner. The
stationary jaw a is fixed on the end of the spanner bar c, and the moveable jaw b
is capable of sliding on the bar c. d is the handle of the spanner jointed to the s
spanner bar c, so that the said handle may be placed either in a line with the said
bar c or inclined thereto.
The jointing together of the handle and bar d, c, is effected in the following
manner: The end of the handle d is forked, and between the branches d², d², of
the fork the end c² of the spanner bar c is placed. The fork d², d², of the handle
is split or divided at its back, as seen at d³. The said fork is thereby made
elastic, and capable of being closed upon or separated from the end c2 of the
spanner bar c.
Passing through holes in the fork d², d², of the handle, and also
through a hole in the end c² of the spanner bar c, is a screw pin e, which con-
stitutes the joint pin on which the handle d turns. By thus jointing the handle
to the spanner bar the said handle may either be placed in a line with the
spanner bar, as represented, or inclined thereto, as indicated in dotted lines. On
the screwed end of the joint pin e is a small lever f, the head or boss f2 of which
is formed into a screw nut, and takes upon the said screwed end of the pin e.
By screwing or tightening the nut 2 of the small lever ƒ upon the screw pin e
the elastic fork d², d², of the spanner handle d is closed upon and made to grip
with great firmness the end c2 of the spanner bar c, and the two parts are rigidly
connected together; and by unscrewing the nut of the small lover f the pressure on
the elastic fork d², d², is relaxed, and the spanner handle d may now be turned on
the end of the spanner bar c, and its position with respect to the said bar adjusted.
On the under side of the elastic fork d² of the handle d is a lug or projecting
piece d', constituting the short arm of the lever handle d, and the said lug is con-
nected to the moveable jaw b by the strong link g. The link g has the same
breadth as the head of the moveable jaw b (see Figure 2).
When the parts of the spanner are in the respective positions represented in
Figures 1 and 2, the moveable jaw b has been adjusted and closed upon the nut
or screw head h to be turned, the adjusting of the moveable jaw b having been
effected by the turning of the handle d into the required position, and fixed in
that position by the driving home of the screw nut of the small lever f.
In order to release the spanner from the nut or head h the small leverf is raised
into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The pressure on the
elastic fork d² of, the handle d is thereby relaxed, and the said handle may now be
turned on its joint pin e into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.
By the motion of the lug or projecting piece d' of the handle d acting through
the link g, the moveable jaw b is made to slide on the spanner bar c, and retire
from the fixed jaw a, as indicated in dotted lines, and the nut or head is released.
..

page_text: By returning the bandle d to the position represented in continuous lines, or
placing it at an angle with respect to the bar c, the moveable jaw b may be adjusted
at the required distance from the fixed jaw, and the adjusted jaw fixed by driving
home the screw nut of the small lever f, as before described.
The improvements in adjustable spanners herein-before described, and illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2, may also be applied to adjustable pipe tongs.
Figure 3 represents in side elevation, and Figure 4 in front elevation, a combined
pipe tongs and pipe cutter made according to my Invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 3 and 4.
a, a, b, 62, are the crossing levers of the pipe tongs turning on the joint c, a²
being the jaw or short arm of the lever a, and 62 the jaw or short arm of the
other lever b. The said levers a, b, and the jaws or acting ends a², 62, are of the
ordinary kind. To the side of the short arm b² of the lever b of the pipe tongs a
rotating cutter d is applied. This cutter is connected to the side of the short
arın 62 by the screw pin e, e2, the hole in the said cutter fitting on the cylindrical
part e of the said screw pin.
The screwed part e² of the pin is screwed into the side of the short arm or jaw b³
of the pipe wrench in the manner best seen in Figure 4; or the pine may be made
solid with the jaw b, but I prefer to use a screwed pin, as shown in the Drawing.
The rotating cutter d is passed by a sliding motion on to the projecting cylindrical
part e of the screw pin, and it is secured on the said pin by the cross cotter f.
When in use the inner face of the rotating cutter d takes a bearing against the
side of the jaw or short arm 62, and its outer face takes a bearing against the fixing
cross cotter f.
In using the combined pipe tongs and pipe cutter for cutting a pipe or tube, the
pipe or tube g to be cut is placed in the claw a², and the rotating cutter & carried
by the short arm 62 is pressed into contact with the said pipe or tube g by sliding
the ring or collar h on the long arins a, b, of the tongs. The tube 9 being held
stationary, the instrument is rotated upon it in the usual way.
As the cutting proceeds the jaws a², 62, are gradually closed upon the tube by
the sliding ring or collar h, so as to maintain the rotating cutter à in contact with
the tube.
When the instrument is to be used as a pipe tongs, the rotating cutter d may be
removed by withdrawing the fixing cotter f and sliding the cutter d from off the
cylindrical part e of the screw pin e, e².
The claw a² of the pipe tongs may be adjusted to fit pipes or tubes of different
sizes by fixing to the said claw curved lining pieces, as herein-before described.
The improvements described and represented in Figures 3 and 4 are also appli-
cable to the small pipe tongs called pipe plyers.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,-
First. The improvements in adjustable spanners or screw wrenches, and in pipe
tongs, herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, adjusting the moveable jaws of the said spanners
or screw wrenches and pipe tongs by means of the jointed handle d (having an
elastic forked end), and the lug or projection g, the fixing and releasing of the said
jointed handle, and through it the moveable jaw, being effected by a small leverf, f2,
on the joint pin of the handle acting upon the elastic fork of the said handle, the
several parts being constructed and arranged substantially as described and
illustrated.
Secondly. The improvements in combined pipe tongs and pipe cutters herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say, the combination with the short arm 62 of one of the crossing levers
of the pipe tongs of the rotating cutter d for adapting the pipe tongs to cut pipes

page_text: or tubes, the said rotating cutter being applied to the side of the said short arm of
the lever in the manner described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edward Rogers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS. (L.S.)