Improvements in Adjustable Spanners.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 24th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Spanners.
1, RUDOLPH STOCKER, of 72 and 74, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained i
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in adjustable spanners chiefly adapted
for the use of cyclists and has for its object to provide a convenient spanner
wherein the jaws can be caused to grip the nut to be tightened or loosened with
greater force than with such spanners as beretofore generally made.
According to my invention I form the spanner of two parts or halves each of
which is provided at one end with a jaw of ordinary shape and one of which slides
upon the other. A lever is secured to the sliding part of the spanner by a spring
connection or the like and is provided with one or more teeth adapted to enter
teeth formed on the back of the fixed part of the spanner so as to form a fulcrum
on which it can turn. The shorter arm of the lever above the fulcrum is arranged
so as to come into contact with an inclined surface on the sliding part of the
spanner.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an adjustable spanner made according to my
invention:
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the spanner.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and,
Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation shewing the spanner tightened on a nut.
a is the fixed part or half of the spanner; a¹ is the jaw formed on the end thereof
and a² are the teeth formed on the back of the said fixed part a. b is the movable
or adjustable part or half of the spanner having the jaw 6 formed on its end, 62 is
an extension of the movable part b, the said extension being provided for affording
a grip for the thumb when adjusting the movable jaw in position on a nut. The
upward movement of the jaw b¹ is limited by the jaw a¹ and the downward move-
ment of the same is limited by a pin a³ on the part a which comes in contact with
a notch 3 in the part b. b is the inclined surface formed on the sliding part b of
the spanner.
c is the lever connected to the sliding part of the spanner by a spring c¹, as
clearly shewn in the drawing, and c² are the teeth on the inner side of the same
which teeth are designed, as shewn in Figure 5, to engage with the teeth a² on the
back of the part a of the spanner when the lower portion of the lever c is gripped
and pressed towards the part a of the spanner. The upper end of the lever c is
tapered and the said lever is so arranged that this end c³ is in contact with the
inclined surface of the sliding part 6 of the spanner. c is a pin on the lever c for
limiting its outward movement.
To make use of the spanner for tightening or loosening a nut it is placed in
position over the nut, as shewn in Figure 2, and the lever c is then pressed towards
the part a of the spanner so that the uppermost tooth c² engages with one of the
teeth a², whereby the said tooth c acts as a fulcrum for the lever c so that the
end of the said lever is forced outwards and consequently causes the sliding

page_text: with
part of the spanner to move upwards by reason of the inclined surface
which it is in contact, the spring c¹ allowing the said sliding part 6 to move relatively
with the lever c. By this means the jaws a' and 6' can be caused to grip the nut
with considerable pressure. When the spanner is relieved from pressure the
spring c¹ returns the lever c to its normal position and the jaw b¹ from contact with
the nut.
The reverse side of the part a to that shewn in the drawing is preferably
roughened in any suitable manner so as to afford a grip for the fingers when
adjusting the movable jaw
In practice I find it advantageous to stamp or form the various parts of my
spanner from sheet metal.
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. An adjustable spanner having a fixed half or part and a movable half or part
and a lever connected to the movable half by a spring or similar connection and
arranged so that the two jaws on the two halves of the spanner can be caused to
grip a nut with considerable pressure, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In adjustable spauners of the kind wherein one half or part slides on the other
half or part, providing the sliding half with a lever attached to it by a spring or
similar connection and arranged so that one end abuts against an inclined surface
on the said sliding part, the said lever being provided with teeth arranged to
engage with teeth on the fixed part of the spanner, substantially as, and for the
purpose, described and as illustrated.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved adjustable
spanner for cyclists and others hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1807
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.