Improvements in Spanners and Wrenches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1894*
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spanners and Wrenches.
I, RICHARD Michael CarrolL of Woodville, Emily Street, Marrickville,
Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Engineer, but at the time of this
application residing at Birkenhead, England, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a spanner or wrench whose jaws can be.at
once adjusted to fit different sizes of nuts and bolts. It is adapted to catch
upon the head of almost any bolt or nut to turn it or to hold a nut from
turning when the bolt is being rotated.
By my invention, I obtain the adjustment of the jaws by the employment of
two rows of teeth or their equivalent. One of these rows is formed in one with
the movable jaw and it engages the other row of teeth which is formed at
the end of the handle or bar. The two racks engage one another and all that
is required to adjust the spanner is to disengage these two racks when the jaws
can be widened or narrowed at pleasure.
In order to more fully explain the nature of my invention, I will now proceed
to describe the construction of the model which I have made for experimental
purposes, it being of course distinctly understood that the invention is not
limited to the special arrangement described, as various alterations may be made
without departing from the principle of the invention. In this model, the
movable jaw adapted to slide laterally and is provided with ratchet teeth
adapted to engage ratchet teeth at end of bar. The other jaw is hinged and
arranged in such a way with a spring that it will grasp a certain portion of the
sliding jaw, and hold it in cagagement with the opposing teeth on the end of handle,
thus locking the sliding jaw in any required position. A device may also be
provided, if desired, for even more accurately adjusting the width of the jaws than
is possible by the teeth. This may consist in forming the axis of the movable jaw
laterally adjustable, so that by moving this axis the pivoted jaw may be brought
slightly nearer or further away from the other jaw, and an exceptionally accurate
adjustment may be obtained.
The mode of action is as follows-
One hand only is required to slightly raise the pivoted jaw or its axis. This
releases the sliding jaw which with the other hand may then be moved into the
required position to fit the nut. As soon as this position is found, the pivoted
jaw is released, which then falls back by the action of the spring, and grasps a
certain part of the sliding jaw, locking it in place. Any amount of force applied
in turning a nut will not alter the width of the jaws, until the pivoted jaw is
raised to enable the teeth to be disengaged. The inner face of the jaws may be
serrated if desired.
Doedhin 14 1
1904
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Spanners and Wrenches.
I, RICHARD MICHAEL CARROLL, of Woodville, Emily Street, Marrickville,
Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Engineer, but at the time of this
application residing at Birkenhead, England do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the sanie is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a spanner or wrench whose jaws can be at
once adjusted to fit different sizes of pipes nuts and bolts. It is adapted to catch-
upon the head of almost any bolt or nut to turn it or to hold a nut or pipe from
turning when the bolt is being rotated.
By my invention, I obtain the adjustment of the jaws by the employment of
two rows of teeth or their equivalent. One of these rows is formed in one with
the movable jaw and it engages the other row of teeth which is formed at the end
of the handle or bar. The two racks engage one another and all that is required
to adjust the spanner is to disengage these two racks when the jaws can be
widened or narrowed at pleasure.
In order to more fully explain the nature of my invention, I will now proceed
to describe the construction with reference to the drawings accompanying this
Specification, it being obvious that the invention is not limited to the precise
arrangement therein shewn and now described, as detail modifications in the shape
of the parts and of the tool as a whole may be made without departure from the
principle of the invention.
Fig. 1 shews the various parts of a wrench or spanner and
Fig. 2 shews the same in place ready for use.
Fig. 3 shews a modified form of the invention.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the loose jaw A rests upon the handle B, in which
position the rack a engages in the teeth of the rack b effectively locking the jaw A
in any position in which it may have been placed. The loose clamp C is hollow
except at c where it forms the other jaw of the tool, and at the boss or block F
engaging in the slot f of the handle B. A wedge E is arranged to slide in the
slot e for the purpose of adjusting the jaws of the tool with greater exactitude.
When the loose clamp C is in place, its block F engages in the slot fand is
pressed down by the spring D. To set the tool to any desired position it is only
necessary to press up the loose clamp C, thus liberating the jaw A, which is then
set at the required distance and the pressure of C causes the ratchets a and b to
interlock. The final adjustment of the grip is obtained by moving the wedge E.
Figure 3 shews a modification of the invention partly in section-A loose
piece G is pivotted at g and further secured to the bar B by a rivet h moving in a
slot. The spring D maintains the teeth of this loose piece engaged in the
ratchet a of the siiding jaw A. In order to set the jaws of A and B at any
required distance it is only necessary to push back G against the spring D thus
releasing A which can then be freely moved, and as soon as G is released the
ratchets engage again and the jaws are, held firm. To secure a more perfect
adjustment the axis g of the movable jaw may be made adjustable by means of a
screw, wedge or the like, so that by moving this axis the pivotted jaw may be
brought slightly nearer or further away from the other jaw.
The mode of action is as follows:-
One hand only is required to slightly raise the pivotted jaw on its axis. This
releases the sliding jaw which with the other hand may then be moved into the
required position to fit the nut. As soon as this position is found, the pivotted jaw
is released which then falls back by the action of the spring and grasps a certain
part of the sliding jaw, locking it in place. Any amount of force applied in

page_text: turning a nut will not alter the width of the jawe, until the pivotted jaw is raised
to enable the teeth to be disengaged. The inner face of the jaws may be serrated
if desired.
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. The improved spanner or wrench substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In spanners or wrenches, the interlocking device consisting essentially of a
loose jaw A with rack a engaging in the rack 6 of the handle bar B in
combination with the loose clamp C substantially as described and illustrated in
the drawings Figs. 1 and 2.
3. In spanners or wrenches the modification of the interlocking device consisting
essentially of the loose jaw G pivotted at g, bearing teeth which engage in the
ratchet a of a sliding jaw A substantially as described and illustrated at Figure 3
of the accompanying drawings.
4. In spanners or wrenches the means for effecting the finer adjustment of the
jaws substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.