Improvements in Spanners or, Wrenches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Spanners or, Wrenches.
A communication from abroad by THOMAS ALDRIDGE WESTON, of Arden,: North
Carolina, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
I, JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of the Firm of. J. C. Mewburn, and Ellis, of 55
and 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Chartered Patent, Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as. follows:-
:
This invention relates to, spanners or wrenches for removing and replacing screw-
threaded nuts, screw bolts, and other articles requiring like manipulation.
:
The invention comprises two main features, viz., 1st. The employment of a
lever separable from the wrench body, or nut grasping part, this feature being
valuable when the said body and the nut therein embraced can be rotated without
resistance and therefore rapidly by the hand, in the manner of a screw-driver
handle unencumbered by the radial unbalanced lever; 2ndly. The adjustment of
the jaws of adjustable spanners to and from each other in parallelism by means of
co-acting parallel screws, the said. screws being mutually geared or engaged to
each other by a ring of spur teeth encircling each. Each screw is threaded right
and left hand towards its opposite ends respectively, and the said screws are prefer-
ably hollow or tubular. . The tubular form of screw affords a convenient means of
engagement to receive in its interior the end of the separable operating lever by
which lever the said screws may be turned with force so as to grasp the embraced
nut with the rigidity of a vice, and the lever may also be used to rotate the wrench
body, and the nut. therein. When the more severe resistance of starting the nut
is overcome the lever may then be removed and the wrench, body, with its gripped
nut-turned more rapidly, by the hand.alone.
.
The simplest form of the improved spanner or wrench first named, and primarily
designed for use upon the axle nuts of carts, wagons and other vehicles, consists
of the body made of a small cylindrical casting provided at, one or both ends with
a, socket suited, in form to the nut, either square, hexagonal or otherwise as
required. The outer shell of the said casting is perforated with a circle of orifices
or capstan lever holes into which the operating lever can be inserted in the manner
of a capstan bar for rotating the wrench and nut.. When not in use, the said lever
is placed axially and longitudinally through the. wrench body, fitting securely in
the central.opening of a transverse diaphragm or flange within the said casting.
The second and adjustable form of the invention consists of two similar members
or halves adjustably united by the aforesaid right and left hand co-acting screws,
the said. halves being provided at each end with gripping jaws of a form suited
to the nuts or bolt heads for, which the tool is designed.
1 th: 98th day of April 1898.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: A communication from abroad by THOMAS ALDRIDGE WESTON, of Arden, North
Carolina, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
I, JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of the Firm of J. C. Mewburn and Ellis, of 55
and 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Chartered 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:
This invention relates to spanners or wrenches for removing and replacing screw-
I threaded nuts, screw bolts and other articles requiring like manipulation.
The invention comprises two main features, viz.-1st. The employment of a
lever separable from the wrench body, or nut grasping part, this feature being
- valuable when the said body and the nut therein embraced can be rotated without
resistance and therefore rapidly by the hand, in the manner of a screw-driver
handle unencumbered by the radial unbalanced lever; 2ndly. The adjustment of
the jaws of adjustable spanners to and from each other in parallelism by means of
co-acting parallel screws, the said screws being mutually geared or engaged to
each other by a ring of spur teeth encircling each. Each screw is threaded right
and left hand towards its opposite ends respectively, and the said screws are prefer-
ably hollow or tubular. The tubular form of screw affords a convenient means of
engagement to receive in its interior the end of the separable operating lever by
which lever the said screws may be turned with force so as to grasp the embraced
nut with the rigidity of a vice, and the lever may also be used to rotate the wrench
body and the nut therein. When the more severe resistance of starting the nut
is. overcome the lever may then be removed and the wrench body with its gripped
nut turned more rapidly by the hand alone.
The simplest form of the improved spanner or wrench first named, and primarily
designed for use upon the axle nuts of carts, wagons and other vehicles, consists
of the body made of a small cylindrical casting provided at one or both ends with
a socket suited in form to the nut, either square, hexagonal or otherwise as
required. The outer shell of the said casting is perforated with a circle of orifices
or capstan lever holes into which the operating lever can be inserted in the manner
of a capstan bar for rotating the wrench and nut. When not in use, the said lever
is placed axially and longitudinally through the wrench body, fitting securely in
the central opening of a transverse diaphragm or flange within the said casting.
The second and adjustable form of the invention consists of two similar members
or halves adjustably united by the aforesaid right and left hand co-acting screws.
the said halves being provided at each end with gripping jaws of a form suited
to two nuts or bolt heads for which the tool is designed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinal elevation of a simple
form of wrench or spanner constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section.
Figures 3 and 4 are end views respectively of the small and large nut sockets,
Figure 3 showing the lever E in operating position.
In Figure 1 A is the cylindrical body of the wrench. B and C are nut sockets,
one at each end thereof and of different sizes: D D are holes to receive the straight
end of the lever E in the manner of a capstan bar or lever. The lever E may have
a hammer formed head as shown and the straight end be chisel formed, if desired,
but it is preferably left rounded and slightly tapering as shown, to fit snugly

page_text: the central orifices F. When single ended or made with only one nut so
here need be but one diaphragm G and one set or circle of lever holes D, but
then made double ended as shown, two diaphragms G G and two sets of lever
oles D D are preferable as affording greater strength against torsional strain.
n removing a nut, the lever E can be dropped as soon as the nut moves easily,
he wrench body then becoming a convenient handle to effect rapid rotation, and
useful as a holder or support for the nut when removed. Much time is thus saved
by this invention in the manipulation of nuts.
Figures 5 to 9 represent the wrench made adjustable by means of the separable
lever L whereby a vice like grip is effected upon the nut and the wrench body
thus becoming a nut-handle rigidly affixed to the contained nut. Figure 5 is a
plan. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section. Figure 7 a longitudinal elevation and
Figure 8 is an end elevation. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the modification in
the geared adjusting screws.
The two members H H of this form of wrench or spanner are in effect a pair
of clamps moving to and fro and always parallel with each other, by means of the
hollow screws I, K. These screws are mutually engaged by a circle of gear
teeth I, K upon each and their opposite ends have respectively right and left
hand threads as shown in Figure 7 and their extremities are notched or toothed
as shown in Figures 5 to 8 to engage with spurs or lugs L¹ upon the bent end of
the cast lever L, whereby the said screws may be rotated so as to clamp, "vice
fashion," the nut operated upon. The lever L can also be used to rotate the
When not required, the lever may be dropped
wrench body and contained nut.
or laid aside, leaving the wrench body as a convenient handle to the nut for its
rapid rotation, when the absence of resistance makes the lever unnecessary and an
encumbrance.
The aforesaid second part of the invention may be also used as a machinist's
clamp for holding small pieces of metal under a drill or boring tool, and for other
clamping purposes in general.
The diagram Figure 9 shows an intermediate gear wheel between the gear teeth
around the two hollow screws to ensure the said screws turning in unison, should
such construction be desired.
The nut sockets seen in Figures 1 to 4 can of course be of any desired internal
figure corresponding to the exterior form of the nuts operated upon, as also can
be the nut jaws of the wrench Figures 5 to 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention as communicated to me and in what manner the same is to be performed,
I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A spanner or wrench body with separable operating lever, the said body
0 having capstan holes in its periphery and central axial orifices to carry the said
lever, substantially as described and as shown in Figures 1 to 4.
2. An adjustable wrench with separable operating lever and co-acting right
and left hand screws, the lever being capable of adjusting the two clamping mem-
bers or halves of the wrench by means of the said co-acting screws, substantially as
5 described and shown in Figures 5 to 9.
3. An adjustable wrench, the two adjustable members or halves of which are
connected by means of hollow or tubular right and left threaded co-acting and
engaged screws, substantially as described and as shown in Figures 5 to 9.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.
Dated this 26th day of January
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.