A NEW OR IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE SPANNER OR KEY
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Atherton at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th April
1875.
I, JOHN ATHERTON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
ADJUSTABLE SPANNER OR KEY," to be as follows.―
The Invention relates to that class of tool used by machinists and
others for tightening up or releasing nuts from bolts or for other similar
purposes, and is designed in a manner which will enable such tool to bo
readily adjusted and fixed so as to grasp various and different sizes of
nuts or other articles.
The improvements consist in the novel and peculiar arrangement of
parts, whereby a sliding or moveable jaw forming one portion of the
spanner can be removed with facility, and fixed so as to have its distance
adjusted with respect to the other portion or fixed Jaw of the spanner,
according to the width or size of the article to be grasped.
In spanners in which the jaw slides horizontally, the adjustment of
the same is accomplished by constructing the sliding jaw with a recess

page_text: in its upper block which fits and slides upon a bar or handle, on the
extremity of which the fixed jaw is formed; by this means the distance
of the two jaws apart may be adjusted, but in order to slide and fix such
sliding jaw in any position to which it may be placed on the handle of
the outer jaw, the top surface of such handle or sliding jaw is serrated
or provided with ratchet or other construction of teeth, into which the
under side or bent extremity of a top handle jointed to the block of the
sliding jaw and similarly provided fits, for instance, at the time of moving
the sliding jaw so as to adjust its position with respect to the fixed jaw,
the top handle connected to the same is raised so as to release or free its
serrated surface from that of the lower handle or vertical jaw; but when
the true distance apart of the jaws has been adjusted then the top handle
is lowered so as to cause its serrated or toothed surface to gear into and
fit the serrated or toothed surface of the handle of the outer jaw at
which time the adjustable position of the jaws will be rigidly-maintained.
The true position of the top handle with respect to the lower one is
always maintained by means of two side pieces or fingers projecting
from such upper handle in a manner which will enable them to fit and
slide upon the parallel sides of the lower handle.
According to another arrangement, in which the moveable jaw is
required to slide vertically, I provide the block of the fixed jaw with a
recess in which a bar forming a portion of the moveable jaw slides: The
back edge of this bar is provided with teeth into which the extreme end
of the swivel handle similarly provided fits when applied thereto in
manner following.-The said swivel handle has its fulcrum on the block
handle of the fixed jaw, so that when the swivel or top handle is raised
its toothed extremity is withdrawn from the toothed edge of the sliding
bar provided with the moveable jaw, at which time such jaw can readily
have its distance adjusted as required from the fixed jaw, its rigidity in
such position being maintained by the lowering of the top handle into
contact with the bottom handle, the action of which causes the teeth of
such handle to enter the teeth of the sliding bar, and so lock the jaws in
that position until again removed.