Improvements in Spanners or Wrenches.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spanners or Wrenches.
I, MILTON WENGER, of New Holland, in the County of Lancaster, in the
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Merchant, 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 relates to the construction of wrenches, of a type known as
"monkey wrenches" and has for its object to provide an improved wrench, the jaws
of which can be moved together by pressure to engage a nut, but can only be
separated by turning an adjusting nut or screw. In my improved construction the
adjusting nut or screw is formed with threads of long pitch and is secured to one
member of the wrench couple so as to have a slight longitudinal motion with regard
thereto and to engage long pitch threads on the other member of the wrench
couple. The leading teatures of my improvement are. First, the provision for a
purely frictional clutch engagement between the adjusting nut or screw and the
clutch member, to which it is attached, in such way that it will go into operation
when there is a force in action tending to move the jaws of the wrench apart. The
second leading feature of my improvement consists in the employment in connection
with a clutch, either frictional or otherwise, acting to engage the adjusting nut or
screw and the clutch member to which it is attached of a yielding ball bearing
acting upon the other side of the adjusting nut to that on which the clutch is
secured and in such way as, at the same time, to permit of the disengagement of
the clutch upon a force tending to close the jaws of the wrench together coming
into action, and to diminish frictional resistance to the turning of the adjusting nut
or screw when the clutch is out of action. The third leading feature of my
improvement consists in the use of the yielding ball bearing and of the purely
frictional clutch simultaneously. My invention further consists in various details
of construction which will be best understood as described in connection with the
drawings in which my invention is illustrated, and in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench embodying my improvement, partly in
section, and exhibiting a construction in which an adjusting nut is used for moving
the wrench jaws apart,
Figure 2 being a side view of the adjusting nut, and
Figure 3 a cross sectional view taken on the section line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of wrench
showing the adjusting device as being made in. the form of a screw instead of a
nut, and I may say that this construction is the one which I prefer to use, and
Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 4.
A and B represent respectively the two jaws of the wrench, A' indicating the
shank of jaw A and constituting with the jaw A what is commonly referred to as
the fixed member of the wrench couple; B¹ may be termed the shank of the
jaw B, constituting with it the movable member of the wrench couple. In the
construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the shank A' of the jaw A terminates in
a threaded rod A² the threads being, as shown, of long pitch, and, preferably, two
or more threads being employed so as to insure an ample holding surface for the
adjusting devices. As shown, it will be noticed that four long pitch threads are
formed on the extension A. The shank B' of the jaw B in the construction

page_text: shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is made hollow near the jaw B to permit of the
passage of the shank A' of the jaw A and this hollow portion opens into an open
portion B in which the threaded extension A lies. The shank 'B' is also provided
with a cavity B' to receive and engage the adjusting nut, and, formed upon or
attached to the end walls of this cavity nearest the jaw B, is one member of a
friction clutch, preferably of conical form, as indicated at B3. B indicates the
end wall of the adjusting nut cavity furthest removed from the jaw B.
the adjusting nut, of such form as to engage between the end walls of the cavity B
C indicates
and to extend out laterally so as to be readily grasped and turned by the fingers;
it is formed, of course, with long pitch threads C to engage the threads of the
shank extension A2 and upon that end of the adjusting nut which lies nearest to
the jaw B, I form or attach the second member of the clutch couple, as indicated
at C, said clutch member being of course adapted to engage the frictional
surface B. Upon the opposite side of the adjusting nut is formed a bearing as
indicated at C for anti-friction balls. D is a ring or washer forming the other
hearing for the anti-friction balls indicated at E, and this ring or washer is
elastically pressed against the balls and through the balls elastically presses the
adjusting nut forward, so as to engage the friction clutch on its end, by the action
of a spring such as that indicated at F, Figure 1.
In the construction illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, which, as I have stated, is the
one I prefer to use, the shank A in place of having a threaded bolt, like
extension A is provided with what may be called a worm rack formed of threads
indicated at a and having, like the threads in the first construction, a long pitch.
The shank B of the jaw B is formed at the rear of the said jaw into a yoke-like
shape indicated at 65 and adapted to give passage to the shank A. A cavity to
receive the adjusting device which, in this construction, is a screw instead of a nut,
is formed above the yoke & and is bounded on one side by the friction clutch
member B and on the other side by a perforated lug B', the end B, of which,
forms the end wall of the cavity. The adjusting device, which is in this case a
screw, is indicated at C, and is preferably formed, as indicated, with its rear end
hollow and its front end forming the member C' of the friction clutch; the bearing
for the anti-friction balls indicated at C being formed at the bottom of the cavity
in the screw and a washer D, forming the other bearing for the anti-friction balls,
being made of such form as to slip into the cavity in the adjusting screw. As
shown, the elastic support for the yielding ball bearing is, in this construction,
preferably made up of a spiral spring indicated at f, placed in the hollow of the
adjusting nut and pressing against the washer D the spring being held under
compression by the enlarged head G of a rod G which passes through the
adjusting nut and into a cavity formed in the front portion of the shank B; this
rod being held in position in any convenient way, as by a pin H passing through
the hollow lug B.
It will be obvious that by turning either the nut C or its equivalent the adjusting
screw C; the movable jaw B, in the cavity of the shank of which the adjusting
devices are secured, can be made to move toward or away from the fixed jaw A.
It will also be obvious that any pressure exerted to force the jaw B away from
the jaw A will tend to increase the normal elastic pressure exerted on the rear side
of the adjusting nut or screw to hold the friction clutch at its front end in operative
position, and the friction clutch under such pressure will effectually hold the
adjusting nut or screw against rotative movement and consequently prevent any
backward movement of the jaw B with regard to the jaw A. On the other hand
if pressure is exerted to move the jaw B towards the jaw A the elastic support at
the rear of the adjusting nut or screw will yield to the pressure, permitting, the
clutch members to move out of contact with each other in which case the long-
pitch of the thread upon the adjusting nut or screw and upon the shank A' of the
jaw A will permit the adjusting nut or screw to turn freely, permitting also the
easy movement of the jaw B toward the jaw A; and obviously the ease with
which the jaw B can be moved toward the jaw A will be greatly facilitated

page_text: employme ΟΙ the
bearing at the rear OI the adjusting
or
Screw.
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. In a wrench, one jaw of which is provided with a portion having screw threads
of long pitch and the other jaw of which is provided with a cavity adapted to
engage with, and bold without interfering with its rotation, a threaded rotatable
adjusting nut or screw, the combination of an adjusting nut or screw engaged in
the cavity aforesaid and with the long pitch threads of the other jaw, a friction
clutch arranged to engage the adjusting nut or screw with one end wall of the
cavity in which it is placed when the jaws of the wrench are forced apart, and a
yielding support placed between the other side of the nut or screw and the other
end wall of the cavity, to permit the said nut or screw to move away from the
clutch side of the cavity and to turn freely when the jaws are moved together.
2. In a wrench, one jaw of which is provided with a portion having screw threads
of long pitch and the other jaw of which is provided with a cavity adapted to
engage with and hold without interfering with its rotation a threaded rotatable
adjusting nut or screw; the combination of an adjusting nut or screw engaged in
the cavity aforesaid and with the long pitch threads of the other jaw, a clutch
arranged to engage the adjusting nut or screw with one end wall of the cavity in
which it is placed when the jaws of the wrench are forced apart, and a yielding
ball-bearing support placed between the other side of the nut or screw and the
other end wall of the cavity to permit the seid nut or screw to move away from
the clutch side of the cavity and to turn freely when the jaws are moved together.
3. In a wrench, one jaw of which is provided with a portion having two or more
screw threads of long pitch and the other jaw of which is provided with a cavity
adapted to engage with and hold without interfering with its rotation, a threaded
rotatable adjusting nut or screw, the combination of an adjusting nut or screw
engaged in the cavity aforesaid and with the long pitch threads of the other jaw,
a friction clutch arranged to engage the adjusting nut or screw with an end wall
of the cavity in which it is placed when the jaws of the wrench are forced apart
and a yielding ball bearing support placed between the other side of the nut or
screw and the other end wall of the cavity to permit the said nut or screw to move
away from the clutch side of the cavity and to turn freely when the jaws are moved
together.
4. In a wrench, the combination with the fixed jaw and a shank projecting
therefrom, said shank having threads of long pitch, of a movable jaw having a
shank or yoke adapted to embrace said first mentioned shank and having also a
cavity to receive an adjusting nut or screw, of an adjusting nut or screw mounted
in said cavity and having threads of long pitch to mesh with the threads on the
shank of the fixed jaw and a cone shaped frictional clutch member formed on or
secured to it, a conical clutch member formed on or secured to the cavity aforesaid
to engage the clutch member aforesaid and a spring for forcing said adjusting
nut or screw forward and so as to engage the clutch members all substantially as
set forth.
5. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed and a movable member, one of said
members having a portion with threads of long pitch, of a hollow adjusting screw
having threads of long pitch to mesh with said first mentioned threaded portion,
said adjusting screw being adjusted in one member of the wrench, and a spring
located within said nut and adapted to force it, into frictional contact with the
member of the wrench in which it is supported, substantially as set forth.
6. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed member and a movable member
having a portion with threads of long pitch, of a hollow adjusting screw having
threads of long pitch to mesh with said first mentioned threads and revolvably
mounted in one member of the wrench, said adjusting screw being adapted to have

page_text: a slight longitudinal movement and to have frictional contact with the member of
the wrench in which it is mounted, an internal shoulder in the hollow of the
adjusting screw, anti-friction balls bearing against said shoulder, a washer in the
hollow of the adjusting screw bearing against said anti-friction balls, a fixed pin
having a head at one end and passing loosely through the adjusting screw and
washer for revolvably supporting the same, and a spring within said adjusting screw
bearing at its respective ends against said washer and against the head of the pin
on which the adjusting screw is mounted, substantially as set forth.
7. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed jaw and a shank projecting there-
from, said shank having a rack formed of threads of long pitch on one edge, of a
movable jaw, a yoke on said movable jaw embracing said shank, said yoke having
a cavity formed in it for the adjusting screw and one wall of said cavity having a
conical recess therein, a hollow externally threaded adjusting screw situated in said
opening, a pin fixed in the yoke and passing through the adjusting screw for
revolvably supporting the same, one end of said adjusting screw being made conical
to enter said conical recess, an internal shoulder formed in the hollow adjusting
screw, anti-friction balls bearing against said shoulder, a washer encircling the pin
on which the adjusting screw is mounted and bearing against said anti-friction balls,
a shoulder at the rear end of the pin aforesaid, and a spring located within the
adjusting screw and bearing at its respective ends against said last mentioned
shoulder and the washer within the screw, all substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 1st day of December 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.