Improvements in or connected with Braces and Wrenches.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1836-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Braces and Wrenches.
I CHARLES EDWARD THOMPSON, Gentleman, of Leesburg, in the County of.
Loudoun, State of Virginia, U.S.A. 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. :-
My invention has relation to combination tools, and the object is to provide a tool
such as a bit-brace, with a variety of elements, whereby the same can be converted
into several other forms or tools, such as a wrench, screw driver, ratchet drive, and
the like. To this end the novelty consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of the same as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly
pointed.out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings the same figures of reference indicate the same parts
of the invention.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a ratchet bit-brace embodying my invention ;
Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, of the tool arranged as a simple
bit-brace;
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the tool arranged as a simple lever, monkey or pipe-
wrench;
Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing a circular monkey or pipe wrench;
Fig. 5, a view showing the same arrangement as a ratchet drill for working in
corners or other confined places;
Fig. 6, as a straight ratchet screw driver;
Fig. 7, as a lever ratchet screw driver; and
Fig. 8 is an elevation of the device employed as a stationary machine drill for.
general blacksmith and machine use.
1 is the ordinary brace-arm, formed with a polygonal end 2, and its head 3 is provided-
with a countersunk orifice 4. 5 is the detachable handle, mounted on a sleeve 6, the
ends of which are formed with tapered polygonal recesses 7 and 8, one of which
conforms to and is adapted to receive and retain therein by friction the polygonal
end 2 of the brace-arm 1, and the other, in a similar manner, either of the polygonal
studs 9 or 10 of the wrench 12. When so engaging the stud 9 and brace-arm 1, the
tool assumes all the functions of an ordinary carpenter's brace, as shown in Fig 2.
The wrench 12 comprises the rigid jaw 13 and the sliding jaw 14, travelling on an
elongated thumb screw 15. The contiguous parallel faces of the jaws 13 and 14 are
serrated as shown, to enable them to grasp a cylindrical body, such as a bolt, pipe, or
the like, and of course the parallel faces of the jaws, any regular or irregular
polygonal sided nut, or other article.
The tapered angular recesses 16 in the faces of said jaws adapt the wrench to the
tapered square heads of all sizes of ordinary boring bits, drills, screw drivers, and the
like, as well as cylindrical bodies, such as the cylindrical shanks of twist drills, pipe
fittings, &c.
As shown in Fig. 5, the ratchet cylinder 17 is secured by its taper polygonal
shank 18 between the jaws of the brace, and in this form can be used as a left or a
right hand drill, by simply oscillating the handle 5.
As shown in Fig. 6, the handle 5 is connected direct to the shank 18 of the ratchet
cylinder, the spring stud 19 on the handle engaging the orifice 20 in the sleeve 6.

page_text: This connects the handle 5 and the sleeve 6 rigidly, and forms a perfect right or left
hand ratchet screw driver; and by applying the brace arm 1 to the handle 5, a lever
ratchet screw driver is formed.
In Fig. 8 I have shown the device fitted to an ordinary frame 21, provided with an
adjustable feed screw 22, the taper end 23 of which forms the centre for the
countersunk orifice 4. In this form a perfect blacksmith's ratchet drill is produced
for drilling work too heavy for the ordinary brace.
The ratchet cylinder 17 is provided with the milled ring 24, the recesses on the
inside of which engage the arms of the pawls to throw them into or out of contact
with the series of circular teeth in the body of the cylinder, and said ring 24 may be
manipulated to form a right hand ratchet, a left hand ratchet, or, by having both
pawls engage the teeth at the same time, the shank 18 and the cylinder 17 are locked,
and act as one piece.
Although I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of
the several elements of my invention, I do not desire to be confined to the same, as
such changes or modifications may be made as clearly fall within the scope of my
invention, without departing from the spirit thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A sectional brace, comprising the ratchet cylinder, the wrench, the handle,
and the brace-arm, arranged to co-operate substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2. A sectional brace, comprising the ratchet cylinder, the wrench, and the handle
mounted upon the sleeve formed with the polygonal recessed ends, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. A combination tool of the class described, comprising the ratchet cylinder 17,
having the polygonal shank 18, the wrench 12 formed with the polygonal studs 9
and 10, the handle 5 mounted on the sleeve 6 having the tapered polygonal recesses 7
and 8 on the brace arm 1, having the polygonal end 2, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. A tool of the class described, comprising the ratchet cylinder 17, having the
polygonal shank 18, in combination with the handle 5 provided with the spring
stud 19, and mounted on the sleeve 6 having a tapered polygonal recess 9 and the
orifice 20, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 29th day of September 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.