Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
I, GEORGE MKERCHER, of Jonesville, in the County of Hillsdale, and State
of Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of my 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 improvements in pipe wrenches, and the object is to
provide a simple device which can be easily operated, which will grasp the pipe or
other cylindrical object in a firm and rigid manner, and can be readily removed
from the pipe or object.
With these ends in view, my invention contemplates the use of two plates which
form the handle and rigid jaw of the wrench, and are secured together in a
suitable manner. Sufficient space is left between the two plates to receive the
movable jaw which is pivotally secured at or near the upper ends of the plates,
and this pivoted jaw is operated and controlled by a spring secured between the
plates and arranged to bear on the heel of the pivoted jaw to force or press
the same normally toward the rigid jaw so that the pipe can be gripped between
the jaws.
My invention further consists of certain details of construction and arrangement
of parts which will be fully pointed out hereinafter.
have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Figure I is an elevation showing the movable jaw forced or pressed away from
the rigid jaw.
Figure II is a similar view with the movable jaw in its normal closed position,
one of the plates being partially broken away.
Figure III is a detail view of the spring,
Figure IV is a front view of the wrench, and
Figure V is a view of the pivoted jaw showing a modified construction.
Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding
parts in all the figures,
A, A', designate the two plates which coincide or register with each other and
are shaped to the form of a handle at the lower part, while the upper ends of the
plates are beveled. These plates are connected together by bolts, rivets or pins b
at convenient points and said plates are arranged parallel to provide a space B
between them. The pivoted jaw and the spring are arranged in this space B between
the plates, as shown.
The movable jaw C is fitted on a pivot pin c at or near the upper ends of the
plates, and the inner convex edge of the jaw is toothed or serrated, the pivoted jaw
being so shaped and arranged that it lies substantially flush with the rigid
jaw when the wrench is not in use, see Figure II. The lower end or heel of
the pivoted jaw is beveled to form a bearing surface c' for the free end of the
spring D.
The spring D is secured at one end between the plates A, A', on a bolt d at or
about the middle of said plates, and it is bent around the lower bolt 6' to the rear
edge of the plates and extends up between the spaced plates and bears against the
beveled surface c' of the pivoted jaw. The spring D is bent and shaped to conform
to the contour of the handle and it lies flush, or nearly so, with the front edges
of the plates, while it bows somewhat, as at d¹, at the rear edges of the plates
when the wrench is not in use. It will thus be seen that the spring and pivoted
jaw, constituting the only movable parts of the wrench, are partially inclosed
within the two plates A, A', and the adjustment of the movable jaw is reduced to
the simplest form.

page_text: As shown in Figure II, the spring D bears against the beveled surface c¹ of the
pivoted jaw, and holds it in a normally closed position, the spring bowing slightly as
at d beyond the rear edges of the plates. When it is desired to open the jaws, it
is only necessary to compress the spring at d' which releases the pivoted jaw and
permits it to assume an open position with reference to the rigid jaw. The
upper end of the spring D is bent to correspond with the inclination of the beveled
surface c' of the pivoted jaw, and it will be found, when the spring is compressed,
that besides releasing the pivoted jaw, the frictional contact of said spring with
the beveled surface c' will tend to throw the pivoted jaw back and open it, as
shown in Figure I.
I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of
construction can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the
advantages of my improvements and I therefore reserve the right to make such
changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.
In the drawing I have shown the rigid and movable jaws as having convex
and concave working surfaces or edges, respectively, but it is obvious that the
form and shape of either jaw may be changed, as desired, as said jaws can be
made straight, concave or convex without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
The heel of the pivoted jaw is beveled, as shown in Figures I and II, or it
can be constructed as indicated in the detail Figure V, in which a point or
extension E is provided on the rear edge of the lower end of the jaw and another
shorter point or extension e on the opposite edge. Between these two extensions
the end of the jaw is substantially straight with a slight bulge e' at the middle,
and the end of the spring D is arranged to bear against this straight edge and
play back and forth between the extensions E, e, as the pivoted jaw is opened
or closed.
.
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 consisting of the two plates provided with the rigid jaw, the movable
jaw pivoted between said plates and having its heel below the pivot thereof, and
the spring fastened at one end of said plates on one side thereof, said spring
extending around the lower ends of the plates and extending upwardly in rear of
the same, the rear part of the spring being bowed outwardly beyond the rear edges
of the plates and the upper end of the spring bearing against the heel of the pivoted
jaw, substantially as described.
2. A wrench consisting of the two plates provided with the rigid jaw, the pivoted
jaw having its heel below the pivot thereof and provided with the downward
extensions on said heel, and the spring having one end secured between the
plates and its other end bent around the ends of the plates and bearing against
the heel of said pivoted jaw between the extensions thereon, substantially as
described.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.