Improvements in Wrenches.
Year: 1891

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wrenches.
I, WALTER SAMUEL BUNCH of Marshfield, in the County of Coos and State
of Oregon, United States of America, Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a wrench comprising a sliding or movable jaw, a spring-
supported wedge adapted to engage the said movable jaw, and a spring-pressed
wedge fitted to slide and adapted to press the said spring supported wedge to
engage the latter with the movable jaw.
The wrench has a suitable handle, on one end of which is the usual fixed jaw,
while the movable jaw is fitted to slide on the handle, and is provided with teeth
adapted to be engaged by similarly-shaped teeth formed on the top of a wedge
fitting loosely in a recess of the handle and supported at its small end by a spring
secured to the rear end of the handle. The spring has the tendency to throw the
wedge inward so that the teeth are disengaged. The underside of the wedge is
adapted to be engaged by a wedge fitted to slide in a recess and provided with a
handle or trigger which projects through a slot in the bottom of the handle so as to
be within convenient reach of the operator's finger when manipulating the wrench.
Against the large end of the latter wedge presses a spring resting with its rear end
against a projection formed on the butt of the spring of the other wedge or against
the rear end of the handle. The spring has the tendency to move the wedge
forward so as to engage the two wedges and grip the movable jaw. There is a stop
on one of the wedges to limit the rearward movement of the jaw.
The operation is as follows: In the normal position, the wedges are forced
together so that the teeth on the one wedge engage the teeth of the movable jaw,
thus holding the latter in place on the handle. When the operator desires to adjust
the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw, to clasp the object to be operated on, he
presses the trigger rearward with his finger thus forcing the sliding wedge in the
same direction and out of contact with the other wedge so as that the latter can
swing inward by the force of the spring and its own weight whereby the teeth are
disengaged from the teeth of the movable jaw and the latter is now unlocked and
can be moved on the handle, by the operator, until the desired distance of the two
jaws from one another is obtained: When this has been accomplished, the operator
releases the pressure on the trigger so that the sliding wedge is again forced
forward by its spring, which causes an outward swinging of the other wedge,
whereby the movable jaw is locked in place as previously described. The wrench
is then used in the ordinary manner.
DL:- 14th day of Ionuary 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements. in Wrenches.
I, WALTER SAMUEL BUNCH, of Marshfield, in the County of Coos, and State
of Oregon, United States of America, Blacksmith, 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 object of the invention is to provide a new and improved wrench which is
simple and durable in construction, readily applied, and easily manipulated to grasp
large and small objects.
The invention consists of a movable jaw fitted to slide, a spring-supported wedge
adapted to engage said movable jaw, and a spring-pressed wedge fitted to slide and
adapted to press the said spring-supported wedge to engage the latter with the
movable jaw.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, of the
improvement.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same, on line 3-3 Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a similar view of the same, on line 4-4 Figure 2; and
Figure 5 is a like view of the same on line 5-5 Figure 2.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The improved wrench is provided with a suitable handle A on one end of which
is formed or secured the usual fixed jaw B opposite which is arranged the movable
jaw C fitted to slide on the handle A. The movable jaw C is provided on one of
the sides of its bore with teeth C¹ adapted to be engaged by similarly-shaped
teeth D formed on the top of a wedge fitted loosely in a recess F of the handle A
and supported at its small end by a spring E' secured to the rear end of the handle A.
The spring E' has the tendency to throw the wedge E inward so that the teeth of
the latter are disengaged from the teeth C¹ of the jaw C. The under side of the
wedge E is adapted to be engaged by a wedge G fitted to slide in the recess Fand
provided with a handle or trigger H projecting through a slot in the bottom of the
handle A so as to be within convenient reach of the operator's finger when
manipulating the wrench. Against the large end of the wedge G presses a spring I
resting with its rear end against a projection formed on the butt of the spring E¹
or it may rest against the rear end of the handle. The spring I has the tendency
to move the wedge forward so as to engage the wedge E to press the latter outward
in contact with the movable jaw C. On the top of the wedge E near its rear end
is formed a transverse stop J which limits the rearward sliding movement of the
movable jaw C.
The operation is as follows:-In the normal position the spring I by pressing
against the wedge G forces the latter against the wedge E so that the latter is
pressed outward and its teeth D engage the teeth C¹ of the movable jaw C thus
holding the latter in place on the handle A. When the operator desires to adjust
the movable jaw C relative to the fixed jaw B to clasp the object to be operated on,
then the operator presses the trigger H rearward with his finger, thus forcing the
wedge G in the same direction and out of contact with the wedge E so as that the
latter can swing inward by the force of the spring E' and its own weight whereby
the teeth D are disengaged from the teeth C of the movable jaw C and the latter
is now unlocked and can be moved, by the operator, on the handle A until the
desired distance of the two jaws B and C is obtained. When this has been
accomplished the operator releases the pressure on the trigger H so that the spring I
again forces the wedge G forward which causes an outward swinging of the wedge E

page_text: whereby the movable jaw C is locked in place, as previously described. The
wrench is then used in the ordinary manner.
It will thus be seen that the wrench is very simple and durable in construction,
can be readily manipulated, and can grasp large or small objects.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. In a wrench, the combination, with a movable jaw, of a spring-supported
wedge adapted to engage the said movable jaw and a spring-pressed wedge fitted to
slide and adapted to press the other wedge in contact with the movable jaw,
substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a wrench, the combination, with a movable jaw provided with teeth and a
wedge having teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the movable jaw, of a spring-
pressed wedge fitted to slide and adapted to engage said toothed wedge to move the
latter in contact with the movable jaw, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In a wrench, the combination, with a movable jaw provided with teeth and a
wedge having teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the movable jaw, of a spring-
pressed wedge fitted to slide and adapted to engage said toothed wedge to move the
latter in contact with the movable jaw and a trigger held on the said sliding wedge
for disconnecting the latter from the toothed wedge, substantially as shewn and
described.
4. In a wrench, the combination, with a recessed handle and a fixed jaw held
thereon, of a jaw fitted to slide on the said handle a wedge mounted to swing in the
said handle and adapted to engage the said jaw and a spring-pressed wedge fitted
to slide in the said handle and adapted to engage the other wedge, substantially as
shewn and described.
5. In a wrench, the combination, with a recessed handle and a fixed jaw held
thereon, of a jaw fitted to slide on the said handle, a wedge mounted to swing in
the said handle and adapted to engage the said jaw, a spring-pressed wedge fitted to
slide in the said handle and adapted to engage the other wedge, and a trigger for
manipulating the said spring-pressed wedge, substantially as shewn and described.
6. In a wrench, the combination, with a recessed handle and a fixed jaw held
thereon, of a jaw fitted to slide on the said handle, a wedge mounted to swing in
the said handle and adapted to engage the said jaw, a spring-pressed welge fitted
to slide in the said handle and adapted to engage the other wedge, a trigger for
manipulating the said spring-pressed wedge, and a stop held on the first-named
wedge to limit the movement of the said sliding jaw, substantially as shewn and
described.
Dated this 14.
VIP ART
W. S. BUNCH.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53. Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.