Improvements in Monkey Wrenches.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
Improvements in Monkey Wrenches.
We, THEODORE GEORGE THOMAS, Farmer of Lamarque, JAMES FRANKLIN WARE,
Lawyer, of Hitchcock, and ADOLPHE HENRY TACQUARD, Stockman, of Hitchcock,
all in the County of Galveston, State of Texas, 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:-
-
This invention relates to a novel construction in a monkey wrench, the object
being to provide a device of this kind which is readily adjustable without the
use of screws, and it consists in the features of construction hereinafter described
and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification.
Figuro 1 is a side elevation of a monkey wrench constructed in accordance
with this invention, and showing in dotted lines the position of the parts when the
jaws are open.
Figure 2 is a detail view of the stationary member of a monkey wrench illus-
trating another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the movable member of the modification.
In the drawings, 1 & 2 indicate the relatively movable members of a monkey
wrench, each being provided with the usual jaws and connected by a guide fastened
to one and embracing the other.
In accordance with the principle involved by this invention, the members 1 and 2
are each provided with handles 3, the inner faces of which fit together when the
jaws are in operative position. The meeting faces of these handles are provided
with interfitting or frictional contact faces 4, and the outer faces of the handles
are inclined or wedge-shaped as at 5, so that the contact faces of the handles can
be held forcibly together by means of a ring 6 surrounding the handles. The
wedge or tapering faces 5 of the handles are highest at their central portion and
taper towards each end thereof, and the combined thickness of the highest and
lowest portions of these wedge faces is less than the greatest diameter of the ring t
so that by placing these faces opposite each other, the ring can be passed over the
same, and will be prevented from falling therefrom by the thickness of the wedges.
When it is desired to adjust the jaws, the ring is first pushed towards jaws
und around the low part of the wedge, whereupon the meeting faces can be
separated to allow the jaw 2 and its handle to be moved relatively to the other
handle. When the jaws are in the desired position, by wedging the ring down
upon the large part of the wedge faces, the said jaws will be securely fastened in
this position. It will be noted that by separating the members of the monkey
wrench, they can be used as separate tools, for instance, the stationary member 1
can be used as a hammer.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, the contact faces between the handles 3 is shown
as consisting of interfitting teeth 7, while in Figures 2 and 3 the contact faces
consist of roughened or serrated portions 8 on the handles.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
A monkey wrench consisting of two relatively movable members having jaws
and interfitting or contact faces, each of said members being provided on its outer
face with wedge faces consisting of a high portion inclined towards both ends of
said member, and a ring encircling said oppositely inclined' wedge faces,
substantially as described.