Improvements in Wrenches for Pipes and Bars.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wrenches for Pipes and Bars.
I, EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
and 30 East Parade, Leeds, in the County of York, Fellow of the Chartered
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from abroad by J. H. Williams & Company, a corporation
of Nos. 9 to 15 Richards Street, in the City of Brooklyn and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturers), to be as follows:-
In this invention there is a lever handle of suitable length, and at one end
thereof there is a fork and at the outer sides of the fork there are jaws, extending
forward and having serrated edges, and there is a chain with the end link
passing in to the fork and a cross-pin through the fork, and through said en
link, and the chain is to be wrapped around the pipe or other article, and brought
back and held by recesses in the back portions of the jaws, receiving a link or
cross-pin of the chain.
The special features of the present invention relate to dove-tailed recesses in
the inner faces of the jaws, and on the handle-bar receiving similar projections
on the outer edges of the fork, and jaws respectively, for making firmer con-
nections. Bolts are also used passing through the jaws and into the fork, the
screw-threaded portions being on the inner ends of the bolts, so that the whole
strength of the cylindrical portions of the bolts is obtained in supporting the
jaws upon the fork. A cross-bolt is also applied to the rear of the opening of
the fork for more firmly connecting the jaws and handle, and in some instances
the cross-pin through the fork that receives the end link of the chain is made
with a head at one end, and a neck at the other receiving a divided washer, and
in other instances this pin is screwed into the fork, or passes through both the
fork and the jaws so that it can be driven out without taking the jaws off the
fork.
The wrench is adapted to receive either a cable chain with open elliptical links
or a flat chain with plate links and cross-pivot pins, and the top and bottom
surfaces of the handle-bar are grooved as continuations of the fork, for receiving
the links of the chain, and the recesses in the jaws that engage the cable links,
are also provided with additional or auxiliary recesses, for receiving the ends of
the pivot pins, when the wrench is used with a plate link chain; and in construct-
ing the plate link chain the pivot pins are rivetted up so that the projecting ends
are largest, closely adjacent to the sides of the plate links, so as to hold the parts
firmly in position and to obtain the necessary strength in the pivot pins.
The edges of the jaws at the rear of the serrations are made concave, to
facilitate the separation of the wrench from the pipe or other article, and prevent
the parts becoming wedged in position, and difficult of separation, as sometimes
has occurred in connection with wrenches of this character having a chain to
ass around the pipe or other article.
Sometimes a strain to which the wrench is subjected tends to press the jaws

page_text: towards each other and partially close the fork of the handle bar. This is
prevented by a bushing around the cross-pin that receives the end link of the
chain.
Π
"
1007
A communication to me from J. H. WILLIAMS & COMPANY, a corporation of
Nos. 9 to 15 Richards Street, in the City of Brooklyn, and State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturers.
I, EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of No. 33 Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, and No. 30 East Parade, Leeds, in the County of York, Fellow of the
Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, 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 and accompanying
drawings, that is to say:-
In this invention there is a lever handle of suitable length, and at one end
thereof there is a fork, and at the outer sides of the fork there are jaws extending
forward and having serrated edges, and there is a chain with the end link
passing in to the fork and a cross pin through the fork and through said end
link, and the chain is to be wrapped around the pipe or other article and brought
back and held by recesses in the back portions of the jaws receiving a link or
cross pin of the chain.
The special features of the present invention relate to dove-tailed recesses in
the inner faces of the jaws and on the handle-bar receiving similar projections on
the outer edges of the fork and jaws respectively for making firmer connections.
Bolts are also used passing through the jaws and into the fork, the screw-threaded
portions being on the inner ends of the bolts, so that the whole strength of the
cylindrical portions of the bolts is obtained in supporting the jaws upon the
fork. A cross bolt is also applied to the rear of the opening of the fork for more
firmly connecting the jaws and handle, and in some instances the cross pin through
the fork that receives the end link of the chain is made with a head at one end
and a neck at the other receiving a divided washer, and in other instances this
pin is screwed into the fork or passes through both the fork and the jaws so that
it can be driven out without taking the jaws off the fork.
The wrench is adapted to receive either a cable chain with open elliptical
links or a flat chain with plate links and cross pivot pins, and the top and bottom
surfaces of the handle-bar are grooved as continuations of the fork for receiving
the links of the chain, and in constructing the plate link chain, the pivot pins
are riveted up so that the projecting ends are largest closely adjacent to the sides
of the plate links so as to hold the parts firmly in position to obtain the necessary
strength in the pivot pins.
Sometimes a strain to which the wrench is subjected tends to press the jaws
towards each other and partially close the fork of the handle-bar. This is
prevented by a bushing around the cross pin that receives the end link of the
chain.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partially in section. Fig. 2 is a
longitudinal section at the line 2, 2, Fig. 3 is a cross section at the line 3, 3,

page_text: Fig. 4 is a plan similar to Fig. 1, showing parts of a plate link chain in position
on the wrench; and Fig. 5 is a cross section of the plate link chain on a magnified
scale. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the chain wrench. Fig. 7 is an elevation with
one jaw removed and part of the handle in section. Fig. 8 is a cross section at
the line 4, 4, of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows a modification of the attaching pin for the
chain, and Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section at the line 5, 5, of Fig. 7.
The handle A is of suitable size and length with an open cross slot at the end,
so that the jaws B are received at the outer sides of the forked end of the handle,
and the link C of the chain is received at one end between the fork of the handle
and connected by a pivot pin D, and the edges of the jaws B are provided with
the teeth 4 upon both rounding surfaces at the front parts of the jaws.
It is important to connect the jaws B and the fork of the handle in a very firm
and reliable manner, and with this object in view, we prefer to make the jaws
of the fork on the handle with dove-tail projections 5, received into similarly
shaped recesses on the inner faces of the jaws B, and these parts should taper
slightly, so that when the jaw is driven on to the fork of the handle, the parts
will bind firmly, and as there is pressure upon the front ends of the jaws when
the wrench is in use, these dovetail projections may alone be relied upon for
fastening the jaws upon the handle, but usually the bolts E are provided which
are passed through holes in the jaws and into the front portion of the handle-
fork. This insures great strength and reliability in the connections between the
jaws and the handle. The dovetails 25 and 26, Figs. 6, 7 and 10, also act to
strengthen the connection of the handle and jaws.
The chain C is represented with ordinary elongated links, and forms what is
known as a cable chain, and the chain C is made of plate links with cross rivets 6,
and forms what is known as a "plate-link" chain.
In the present improvement either a chain C or C2 can be made use of, the
link C at the end of either chain being adapted to pass into the mortise at the fork
of the handle and be secured by the pivot pin D, and in order to change the
wrench by taking out one chain and applying another, the pivot pin D is to be.
removable. This may be effected by driving off one of the jaws and removing
such pivot pin, and in Fi. 1 the pivot pin is represented as having a screw
thread near one end screwing into the hole in the jaw, so that by unscrewing the
pivot pin, the same may be removed with facility.
In the construction of plate link chains, the pivot pins have projected beyond
the outer surfaces of the links, and these pivot pins have been received into
recesses behind hook-shaped projections upon the inner faces of the jaws, but a
difficulty has been experienced in chains of this character, namely, that the ends
of the crossing rivets require to be spread so as to prevent the links slipping off,
and in this character of chain it has been usual to make the holes in the inter-
mediate links larger than the holes in the outer links, so that the pivot pins will
drive tight in the holes of the outer links; but notwithstanding this, it ha. been
necessary to spread the ends of the pivot pins to hold the parts of the chain
together, so that they may not become loose by continued wear; but in all chains
of this character heretofore constructed, the outer ends of the pivot pins have
been of larger diameter than such pins adjacent to the outer surfaces of the links,
and this entails the two-fold disadvantage, first, the taper surfaces of the pins do
not take a proper bearing against the hook-shaped projections upon the jaws,
and bearing principally at their outer and larger ends the strain tends to bend the
pivot pins by a leverage action, and second, the pivot pins are not spread.
sufficiently adjacent to the outer surfaces of the plate links to prevent the chain
becoming loose in consequence of the plates spreading apart. In the present
improvement these difficulties are avoided by riveting un the pivot pins into a
hollow die of the proper shape so as to upset or spread the metal the most directly
adjacent to the outer surfaces of the plate links. In the cross section Fig. 5,
the parts are illustrated on a sufficiently large scale to show this improvement,
wherein the ends 7 of the rivets 6 are upset, so as to be larger than the portions

page_text: of the rivets that pass through the links of the chain, and hence the projecting
ends of the rivets are larger or quite as large at the surfaces of the links as at
their outer ends. Hence the links are properly riveted together and the project-
ing ends of the rivets take an even bearing in the recesses provided for them in
the jaws, as hereinafter described.
In the use of chain wrenches it has been found that the teeth on the jaws bear
upon the pipe midway, or nearly so, between the points of contact of the chain as
it passes off from the pipe, and the leverage is short and the chain tightened with
great force. Hence under the severe strain the parts frequently become locked
and the chain and wrench cannot be easily loosened from the pipe, and sometimes
the chain has to be cut before the wrench can be detached. This serious difficulty
is avoided by deepening the slot at the forked end of the handle, so that the pivot
pin D is farther to the rear and behind the attaching bolts E, and hence the parts
of the chain will pass forward to the pipe and at such an angle that the parts
cannot become wedged or blocked, and the leverage will be lessened, because the
pivotal attachment D is farther from the pipe. Hence the chain will not be
tightened to such an extent, and the teeth will be indented but little in the pipe;
and it will be apparent that in consequence of placing the pivot pin 1) to the rear,
as before described, the link C and the portion of the chain immediately con-
nected therewith are at such a forward inclination as they pass to and around the
pipe as it rests against the teeth of the jaw that the chain can be easily slackened
by a movement of the handle A in the reverse direction to that in which it has
been moved when rotating the pipe, and this result is also promoted by the ends
of the handle-jaw extending forward and supporting the chain at a distance from
the pivot-pin D.
It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the teeth of the jaws that are neaiest to
the pivot pin D are so far forward that such pivot pin is about as far from the
nearest tooth as the teeth are from one another across the jaw. Hence the parts
stand in nearly a equilateral triangle to each other, the teeth being at a forward
angle of nearly sixty degrees from the centre line at the pivot pin. By this con-
struction there are not an teeth along those portions of the jaws that are near the
pivot pin 1), and the chain wrench cannot become wedged upon the pipes.
In consequence of the inner end of the chain being connected in line with the
centre of the handle either side of the jaws can be made use of and the chain can
be swung upwardly or downwardly and hooked as desired, and the hooks or
connecting devices for the chain are at the rear ends of the jaws and at both sides,
and to provide the proper device for receiving and holding either a cable chain
or a plate link chain, the jaws and handle have to be constructed as next
described.
The space between the inward projections 9, Fig. 1, is to be sufficient for the
reception of the plate-link chain, and it is advantageous to groove the inner
edges of the forked handle at 10, so as to allow the edges of the outer links of the
plate chain to rest in these grooves, so that the recesses 11 that receive the ends 7
of the chain rivets, may be at the ends of the outwardly flaring recesses that
receive the end of one of the cable links, and it will be observed that when the
cable chain is laid into position, the vertical link of the cable chain passes into
the groove 12 in the handle or lever and into the slot between the fork of the
handle, and the forward portions of the jaws behind the recesses 11 are curved,
as at 13, to obtain the proper strength and at the same time not to interfere with
the link of the cable chain lying flatwise upon the fork of the handle.
In Fig. 4 the jaws are shown in section to indicate the manner in which the
plate links and the cross pins are received, and in Fig. 1 the same parts are shown
with the links of the cable chain in position, the recesses 11 being shaped so as to
take a proper bearing upon the cable links or upon the projecting pivot pins of
the late chain.
The distance between the recesses 11 and the curved ends of the handle A is
such that the links of the chain rest against and take a bearing upon the rounding

page_text: ends of the jaws of the handle A, as indicated in Fig. 2, the object of this con-
struction being to lessen the strain upon the ends of the chain rivets or upon
the links of the cable chain in consequence of the strain upon the chain being at
a greater or less angle to the sides of the fork, so that the strain tends to press
the links of the chain against the sides of the fork and distribute the strain so
that the strain is less upon the ends 7 of the rivets or upon the link within the
recesses 11. This construction lessens the risk of breakage and also extends the
wearing capacity of the chain wrench. The bolts E pass through the jaws and
into the fork of the handle, and the holes that are bored in the parts for the bolts
have parallel sides, and the holes in the outer portion of the fork are plain, so as
to obtain all the strength of the bolts in resisting a cutting or shearing action
when the wrench is in use, the inner ends only being screw threaded at 27
sufficiently to hold the jaws in position, as there is comparatively little lateral
thrust on the jaws or tensions upon the bolts when in use, the principal strain
being that of a shearing action between the jaws and handle.
A bolt 1 passing across and through the jaws and the forked end of the handle
bar is sometimes made use of so as to divide the strain and more securely hold
the jaws to the handle bar.
The pin may be made in any desired manner, such, for instance, as a straight
pin F passing across through the jaws and through the handle fork, as seen in
Fig. 8; but it is preferred to make use of the pin 1, Figs. 9 and 10, having a
head 31 at one side of the handle bar fork and with a neck and divided washer 32
at the other side of the handle bar fork, the inner surfaces of the jaws A being.
recessed for the head 31 and divided washer 32 and of course the two parts of the
divided washer are held in position by passing into the recesses in the jaw. It
is also preferred to use a short tube or bushing 33 within the eye of the end link
of the chain and around the pin-D), so as to lessen the wear upon the pin itself
and to prevent the fork from closing under stress.
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
is claimed is:
+
First. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle forked at the front end
and having dovetailed edges, jaws grooved upon their inner faces to fit the dove-
tailed edges and driven endwise upon the same, and a chain having an end link
within the fork of the handle and a cross pin for connecting the same,.
substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle forked at its front
end and having tapering dovetailed edges, jaws grooved upon their inner faces
to fit the dovetailed edores and driven endwise upon the same, and a chain having
an end link within the fork of the handle and a cross pin for connecting the same,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle forked at its front end
and having dovetailed edges, jaws grooved upon their inner faces to fit the dove-.
tailed edges and driven endwise upon the same, and a chain having an end link
within the fork of the handle and a cross pin for connecting the same, and
separate bolts passing through the jaws and into the fork of the handle,
substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a chain wrench, of jaws having serrated edges
at each side, a handle having a forked end, separate bolts passing through the
jaws and into the fork for connecting such jaws to the fork, a chain and a pin,
crossing the axial centre of the handle and nearer to the bottom of the fork than
the separate bolts, for connecting the end link of the chain to the fork and
preventing the wrench becoming wedged upon the pipe, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. The combination with the jaws having serrated edges at each side, of
a forked handle received between the jaws and permanently connected to them,
:

page_text: the jaws being extended to the rear and formed with recesses to receive the pro-
jecting ends of the chain pivots or the curved ends of the cable chain links, and
the edges of the handle fork being grooved to receive the edges of the plate links
of the chain, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the forked handle, of jaws grooved upon their
inner surfaces and setting against the outer surfaces of the forked handle, separate
bolts passing through the jaws and terminating at the inner surface of the fork
of the handle, and a chain and a removable pin passing through the fork and
through the end link of the chain, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle-bar having a forked
end, jaws having serrated edges at both sides and recessed on their inner surfaces
to receive the outer edges of the handle bar fork, the end of such handle bar
fork having under-cut or dove-tailed projections, and the ends of the recesses in
the jaws being correspondingly shaped, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle-bar having a forked
end, jaws having serrated edges at both sides and recessed on their inner surfaces
to receive the outer edges of the handle-bar fork, the end of such handle-bar fork
having undercut or dovetailed projections, and the ends of the recesses in the
jaws being correspondingly shaped, there being shoulders upon the handle bar
fork undercut or dovetailed to receive the correspondingly shaped back ends of
the jaws, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the jaws and handle bar forked at the end, of a
chain with the end link passing into the slot of the handle bar fork, a cross pin
passing through the end link of the chain and through the handle bar fork, such
pin having a head at one end and a neck and divided washer at the other end,
the jaw being recessed to receive the divided washer, substantially as set forth.
Tenth. The combination with the handle bar forked at one end, of jaws having
serrated edges at both sides, two bolts each passing through one jaw and into the
fork of the handle bar and terminating at the inner surfaces of the fork, the screw
threaded portions of the bolts being only near the inner ends of such bolts so that
the plain cylindrical portions of the bolts pass through the jaws and enter the
handle bar fork, substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. The combination with the handle bar forked at one end, of jaws
having serrated edges at both sides, two bolts each passing through one jaw and
into the fork of the handle bar and terminating at the inner surfaces of the fork,
the screw threaded portions of the bolts being only near the inner ends of such
bolts so that the plain cylindrical portions of the bolts pass through the jaws and
enter the handle fork, a cable chain having open elliptical links and a separate
cross pin passing through the end link of the chain, substantially as set forth.
Twelfth. The combination with a handle bar forked at the end, of jaws having
serrated edges at both sides, two separate bolts for connecting the jaws to the
handle bar fork near its ends and terminating at the inner surfaces of the fork,
and a second bolt to the rear passing across through the jaws and handle bar and
a chain having its end link pivoted within the handle bar fork, substantially as
set forth.
1
Thirteenth. The combination in a chain wrench, of a handle bar having a fork
and dovetailed projections at its end, jaws having serrated edges at both sides and
dovetailed recesses in the middle corresponding to the projections on the handle
bar fork for connecting the handle to the jaws, a chain and a connection for one
end of the chain in the handle bar fork, there being projections on the jaws for
engaging the links of the chain, substantially as set forth.
.
Fourteenth. The combination with the handle bar forked at the end, of jaws
having serrated edges at both sides, two separate bolts passing through the jaws
and into the handle bar fork, a bolt passing across through the jaws and handle
bar, and a chain having one end connected within the handle bar fork,
substantially as set forth.
'
Fifteenth. The chain for a chain wrench formed of plate links and cross pivotal·

page_text: pins projecting at their ends and upset or riveted so that the projecting ends of
the pins are enlarged directly adjacent to the exterior surfaces of the plate links,
substantially as set forth.
Dated thin 5th day of twent 1907
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.