Improvements in Pipe-wrenches.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
COME LEIE DI BUIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe-wrenches.
I, WILLIAM CRAIGE, Physician, of Paducah, State of Kentucky, in the United
States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in pipe-wrenches or pipe tongs.
The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying
drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved pipe-wrench in its open position.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the wrench, showing it when closed on a pipe.
Referring to the drawings, A is a wrench-stock or lever hooked at its front end
to form a fixed jaw 1.
B is a movable jaw, consisting of two curved plates 2 united by the integral end-
piece 3, both the plates 2 and the end-piece 3 being provided with teeth 4 which
point outward, as shown. The plates 2 are pivoted to the wrench-stock A at 5, one
on each side of the stock.
C is a link having its ends bent inward and entering holes in the movable jaw, as
at 6, between the pivotal point 5 and the outer end.
The link 6 has its free end 7 encircled by one end 8 of a spring-lever D which is
bent as shown and passes under a pivot-link E at 9, the spring-lever being bent at
this point to form a depression in which the outer side 10 of the pivot-link rests,
and to form a rounded projection which contacts with the upper edge of the wrench-
stock A and serves as a fulcrum, the spring-lever being made of greater thickness
at this point, as shown. The pivot-link E is pivotally secured to the wrench-stock
by having its ends 11 bent inward and inserted into a hole in the stock.
The outer end of the wrench-stock is rounded at 12, and the outer end of the
spring-lever bent toward the stock, thereby permitting both lever and stock to be
grasped by the hands.
It will be observed that the spring-lever does not bear any of the strain necessary
in turning the pipe F, as the direction of rotation, which is indicated by the arrows,
is such as to crowd the movable jaw inward, thus tending to force the teeth deeper
into the pipe, and, at the same time, contracts the space between the jaws, or, in
other words, clamp the pipe more securely. When the wrench is rotated in the
opposite direction the operation is reversed, the movable jaw being loosened, and
forced away from contact with the pipe, thus leaving the wrench free to move
backward to take a new hold on the pipe. The spring-lever serves to conveniently
release the jaw at any time and also, by elasticity, tends to keep the movable jaw
in close contact with the pipe as long as the hand of the operator grasps the end of
both spring-lever and wrench-stock, thereby insuring the gripping of the pipe by
the tooth on the movable jaw.
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
I claim is :-
:-
1. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with a stock having its outer end bent to
form an outer jaw, of a movable jaw pivotally attached to the stock, and a spring-
lever pivoted near its middle to the stock and pivotally attached at its outer end to
form a movable jaw, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with a stock having its outer end bent to

page_text: form an outer jaw, of a movable jaw pivotally attached to the stock, and a spring-
lever pivoted near its middle to the stock and pivotally attached at its outer end to
the movable jaw beyond the pivotal attachment of the said jaw to the stock,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a pipe-wrench, the combination with a stock having its outer end bent to
form an outer jaw, of a pair of bent plates united at their outer end by an integral
end-piece, said plates being pivoted to the stock, one on each side, and provided
with teeth pointing outward, a spring-lever bent to form a depression near its
center, a pivot-link resting in the depression and pivoted to the stock, and a jaw-
link pivotally attached to the outer end of the spring-lever and to the bent plates
forward of the point of attachment of said plates to the stock, substantially as
specified and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of May 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.