Improvements in Spanners or Wrenches.
Year: 1890

page_text: ate of Application, 4th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spanners or Wrenches.
I, ALFRED LADDS, of 4, Craven Terrace, Uxbridge Road, Ealing, in the
County of Middlesex, Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple inexpensive and efficient
spanner or wrench which is self adjustable to articles of various shapes and sizes
and which is capable of being stowed in a very small space.
It has also for its
object to increase the durability of spanners of the ordinary construction.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which is a perspective view of a spanner or wrench constructed
according to my invention and Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are views of the several parts
of the same detached. Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating a modification in the
shape and construction of the jaws of the spanner or wrench and the remaining
figures are details and modifications hereinafter referred to.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 A is the main or opposing jaw of the wrench which
jaw is made separate from the power handle or lever C but is connected thereto by
a bolt or pin a (on which it is capable of turning) passed through one of a series of
holes a' a² provided in the lever C and the bifurcated or slotted end of the jaw A.
To the forward end of the jaw A is hinged the pressure jaw B of the wrench which
may be attached either directly as shewn in Figure 6 or connected thereto by the
link as shewn in Figure 1. On the back of the jaw B the projecting.end c of the
lever C is caused to bear when the said lever is moved in the direction of the arrow
in Figure 1. The article to be operated by the spanner is placed between the
jaws A and B and whatever may be the size or shape of the article the jaw B will
adjust itself thereto and will firmly grip the article when the handle or lever C is
moved in the direction indicated. The faces of the jaws A and B may be plain if
desired but I prefer to serrate or provide them with teeth as shewn so as to ensure
the article against slipping.
arrow,
It will be seen that by connecting the jaws together and to the lever C in the
manner described the greater the power applied to the lever in the direction of the
the greater will be the pressure of the end c of the lever on the jaw B and
consequently the more firmly will the article placed between the jaws be held.
The jaw A may be of any desired shape so that the same wrench may be used with
equal facility on articles of any size and shape from the largest that will enter the
recess in the jaw A to the smallest size required and without the liability of
slipping. If desired an additional jaw may be hinged to the jaw B as shewn by
dotted lines in Figure 3. Instead of bifurcating the rear end of the jaw A. and
placing the lever C between the two arms as described and shewn in Figure 1, the
lever may be bifurcated or slotted to receive the rear end of the jaw A, or if
desired the rear end of the jaw A may have an elongated slot therein as shewn in
Figure 7 through which slot the lever is passed, but not attached thereto, the back
end of the slot serving as a fulcrum to the lever when in operation.
By making the jaw A detachable from the handle or lever C facility is afforded
for stowing the wrench in a small space but they may if desired be permanently
connected together.
To enable the wrench to operate on nuts or the like in confined or cramped places
that will not admit of the insertion of the jaws to engage the whole depth of the
nut or like article I form in the upper or lower surface or in both the upper and
the lower surfaces of the jaw A a recess or recesses preferably tapering towards the
outer edge of the jaw as shewn at e Figure 8 for the reception of the nut or the like

page_text: the said nut or the like being gripped between the edge of the serrated or roughened
face of the jaw B and the sides of the recess e as shewn in Figure 8.
I do not restrict myself to the curved (form of the jaw.A shewn, in Figures 1
and 2 as it may be of any other desired shape suited to the purpose for which the
wrench is to be employed for example as shewn in Figure 6 the jaws A and B are
of an angular form-and the operating faces are provided with several curved
recesses of different sizes to suit different sized articles.
"To render open spanners of the ordinary construction more durable I connect the
outer ends of the jaws of such spanners by a piece gas shewn in Figures 9 and 10
which piece may be forged in one with the jaws when being made, or when applied
to spanners which have been made without the connecting piece, the piece may be
connected thereto in any suitable way to prevent the jaws spreading. The piece g
may extend any convenient distance down the jaws and in order to provide room
for the end of the screw which may project above the surface of a nut, or for any
other projection from the article on which the spanner is to be employed, a notch
or recess as shewn at his provided in the piece g into which notch the end of the
screw or like projection will enter and so not interfere with the proper engagement
of the spanner with the nut or the like. By this means the advantages of an open
spanner are combined with the strength of a closed spanner.
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 wrench or spanner consisting of two jaws hinged together and acted on when
in use by a lever having its bearing or fulcrum in or on one of the jaws and exerting
pressure on the other jaw.substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a self adjnsting wrench
or spanner substantially as herein before described and illustrated whether the jaw A.
is hinged directly. to the jaw B or to an intervening link as shewn in Figure 1 and
whether the lever or operating handle C. be pivoted to the jaw A. or has a bearing
in a slot formed in the jaw as shewn in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. An open spanner of the ordinary form having the outer ends of the jaws
connected together so as to prevent the jaws spreading or opening out substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
Deted the 17th day of February 1891
ALFRED LADDS.
J. H. Johnson & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.