Improvements in Carriage Wrenches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
Improvements in Carriage Wrenches.
A communication from abroad by Wells W. Leggett & Co., of Detroit, Michigan,
United States of America, Attorneys.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Manchester both in the
County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil
Engineer 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 relates to certain improvements in carriage wrenches, and has for its
object the provision of a wrench that may be readily attached to a carriage or wagon
wheel to be removed, to engage the nut in the hub and to turn the nut off from the
spindle by revolving the wheel retaining both the nut and the washer within the hub
after the wheel has been removed.
In the drawings
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved wrench.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a variation, showing the adjustable nut socket.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the locking key of the adjustable jaw.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the hooks showing the covering.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the adjustable socket with the shank in section
and showing a thumb screw instead of the locking key for locking the adjustable
jaw.
In carrying out the invention A represents the main shank of the wrench. This
may be of any kind of spring metal and may be provided on its ends with hooks
adapted to engage the spokes.
B is the nut socket. This socket may be made in a variety of forms, as for
instance, as shown in Figure 1, a double socket, each end of which is adapted to fit
a different sized nut, may be rigidly engaged to the shank. Or as shown in Figure 2,
this nut socket may be adjustable and composed of two jaws located on the shank and
adapted to be so adjusted that they will fit any sized nut. When the adjustable
socket is used, it is preferable to make one of the jaws C integral with the shank D,
the other jaw (it is preferable to make movable on the shank D. The lower edge
of the rib D may be provided with notches. The locking key E, preferably shaped as
shown in Figure 3, may be placed in that part of the movable jaw adjacent to the
rib D, and by engaging in the notches may be made to firmly hold the movable jaw
in any position on the shank that is desired.
Of course any other means for locking the adjustable jaw might be employed, as
for instance, a thumb screw as shown in Figure 5, or other equivalent.
The operation of the wrench will readily be understood. The nut socket B is
inserted in the hub and caused to embrace the nut. The ends of the spring shank
are then bent until the hooks a engage with the spokes and hold the wrench by the
spring tension firmly in place. The wheel is then revolved until the nut is unscrewed
from the spindle when the wheel can be removed, the nut and washer remain in
their places in the hub, held there by the socket. The spindle may then be oiled
and to replace the wheel, it is only necessary to revolve the wheel until the nut
reaches its seat.
In order to prevent the hooks from marring the spokes when the nut comes to its
seat and suddenly stops the revolution of the wheel, the spring shank may on either
or both sides of the nut socket be turned or twisted at right angles to itself as shown
at a¹. This will provide sufficient lateral springiness so that when the nut comes to
its seat and suddenly stops the revolution of the wrench and consequently the wheel,

page_text: the hooks will give slightly and thus prevent the spokes from being dented. In
order to further protect the finish of the spokes the hooks may be provided with a
covering of rubber or analogous material a².
Of course the means employed for giving the wrench a slight lateral springiness
might be varied, as for instance, the hooks a, might be made movable on the spring
shank, and various other forms might be used, but it has been found that the cheapest
and most satisfactory way is to give the spring shank a twist as shown.
Of course, if desired, the spring shank might be made of a round piece of spring
metal instead of being made flat as it is herein shown, and it is to be understood
that this invention would contemplate such a construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A carriage wrench consisting of a spring shank provided with an adjustable
socket adapted to fit different sized nuts and means on the ends of the shank for
engaging the spokes, substantially as described.
2. A carriage wrench consisting of a shank made of spring metal provided with
a socket for engaging the nut and means on the ends of the shank for engaging
the spokes, substantially as described.
3. In a carriage wrench consisting of a spring shank having a nut socket for
engaging the nut and means on its ends for engaging the spokes, a portion or
portions of said spring shank turned at right angles to itself to provide a lateral
springiness, substantially as described.
4. In a carriage wrench the combination with a spring shank, provided with
means at its ends for engaging the spokes of an adjustable socket located on said
spring shank, said socket consisting of a stationary and an adjustable jaw and means
for locking the adjustable jaw in the position desired, substantially as described.
5. A carriage wrench consisting of a metallic spring shank provided with a nut
socket for engaging the nut and hooks on the ends of said shank adapted to engage
the spokes, substantially as described.
6. In a carriage wrench as shown and described, the hooks a provided with a
covering of rubber or similar material, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of September 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.