Improvements in Screw Drivers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Screw Drivers.
I, CHARLES AYTON MANN, of 97, West Ferry Street, Buffalo, New York, United
States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
This invention relates to screw drivers which are provided with a pair of
clamping jaws adapted to grasp the head of the screw for firmly holding and
steadying it during the operation of driving the same.
The object of my invention is the construction of a strong, simple and inex-
pensive tool of this kind which can be quickly and conveniently manipulated for
grasping and releasing a screw and in which the clamping jaws have a con-
siderable range of movement, so as to receive screws of various sizes.
The principal feature of my invention consists in arranging the two jaws to
slide lengthwise of the screw driver to a limited extent and in closing the same
by means of a rearwardly tapering sleeve which surrounds the shanks of the
jaws and slides lengthwise of the screw driver. The jaws are interlocked with
this sleeve by a loose connection which allows the sleeve to be shifted forwardly
independently of the jaws for contracting and closing the same, and which at the
same time compels the jaws after being opened, to move rearwardly with the
sleeve, so as to retract the jaws in rear of the front end of the screw driver for
releasing and clearing the head of the screw and permitting the same to be counter-
sunk or fully driven home. When the sleeve is drawn back, the jaws are opened
automatically by springs interposed between the screw driver and the inner sides
of the jaw shanks.
The loose connection between the jaws and the operating sleeve consists of
outwardly projecting studs arranged at the rear ends of the jaw shanks and
passing through longitudinal slots formed in opposite sides of the sleeve. The
stops which limit the longitudinal movement of the jaws on the screw driver
have their projecting ends arranged in longitudinal slots formed in the rear
portions of the jaw shanks; or they may consist of studs or pins projecting
inwardly from the rear ends of jaw shanks and entering notches or recesses
formed in opposite sides of the screw driver. The front ends of these recesses
are abrupt, so as to form stop-shoulders against which said inwardly projecting
studs abut when the jaws reach the extremity of their forward movement, while
the rear ends of the recesses are bevelled or arranged obliquely to the surface of
the screw driver, to allow said studs to ride rearwardly over said bevelled faces
and leave said recesses when the jaws are retracted by the tapering sleeve.
Another improvement consists in providing the operating sleeve with a locking
device, such as a cam, for holding the same in place after closing the jaws upon
the head of a screw.
111 1
1000
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in screw Driver,
I, CHARLES AYTON MANN, of No. 97, West Ferry Street, Buffalo, in the County
of Erie, and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, 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 screw drivers which are provided with a pair of
clamping jaws adapted to grasp the head of the screw for firmly holding and
steadying it during the operation of driving the same.
The object of my invention is the construction of a strong, simple and inex-
pensive tool of this kind which can be quickly and conveniently manipulated for
grasping and releasing a screw and in which the clamping jaws have a con-
siderable range of movement, so as to receive screws of various sizes.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved screw driver, showing a screw gripped
between its jaws.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the tool, showing the parts in the same
position.
Figure 3 is a similar section showing the jaws open and drawn back to bring
the same in rear of the flattened end of the driver.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the tool at right angles to Figure 2.
Figure 5 is an end or front view thereof showing the jaws closed.
Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section on the line 7-7 of Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a modified construction of the tool showing
the jaws closed and
Figure 9 is a similar view of said modification showing the jaws open.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A represents the shank or driver of the tool having the usual flattened front
end a which enters the nick or groove in the head of the screw.
The driver may
be provided with a suitable handle for turning it, or have its rear end constructed
to engage with the socket or holder of a bit brace.
BB are the jaws or holders which grasp the head of the screw. These jaws are
arranged lengthwise on opposite sides of the driver and their heads are provided
on their inner sides with V-shaped seats or depressions b conforming approxi-
mately to the bevel of the screw head, as shown. These jaws are carried by an
operating sleeve (which slides lengthwise on the driver and surrounds the
same. The shanks of the jaws are arranged in this sleeve and connected there-
with by pins or stops arranged at their rear ends and projecting outwardly into
longitudinal slots or recesses c formed in the sleeve.
This loose connection compels the jaws to slide rearwardly with the sleeve for
retracting the former in rear of the end of the driver, and at the same time
allows the sleeve to slide 1orwardly independently of the jaws to a limited extent.
The forward movement of the jaws with reference to the driver is limited by a
stop or transverse pin which is secured in a transverse opening formed in
the driver and projects into longitudinal slots f formed in the rear portions of the
jaws. This forms a pivotal connection between the rear ends of the jaws and the
driver which permits the heads of the jaws to swing toward and from the driver
for grasping and releasing a screw. The sleeve C is tapered rearwardly, so that
upon sliding the same forwardly, the jaws are closed and caused to grasp the

page_text: screw placed between them, while upon moving the sleeve in the opposite direc-
tion, the jaws are allowed to open. The jaws are opened automatically, when
released, by springs 9 secured at their rear ends to the inner sides of the jaws by
any suitable means, and bearing at their free front ends against opposite sides of
the driver.
His a clamping or locking device whereby the operating sleeve C is retained in
either of its positions for holding the jaws in their closed position or in their
open and retracted position. This clamping device preferably consists of a cam or
eccentric pivoted by a transverse pin h to ears h¹ formed on the operating sleeve
and bearing against the driver, the cam extending through a longitudinal slot
formed in the sleeve, as shown in Figure 4.
In the use of my improved screw driver, the operating sleeve C is shifted to
bring the heads of the open jaws opposite the front end of the screw driver. The
nick or groove of the screw to be driven is then engaged with the end of the driver
and the operating sleeve is moved forward, whereby the jaws are closed and caused
to firmly grasp the screw head, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In closing the
jaws, the latter are prevented from sliding forwardly on the driver by the stop pin e
against which the rear ends of the slots f of the jaws abut, as shown in Figure 2.
After closing the jaws, the same and the sleeve are locked in position by tightening
the cam H.
When the screw has been driven as far as the heads of the jaws will permit,
the jaws are released from the screw head by loosening the locking cam H
of the sleeve and drawing the sleeve and the jaws back to the position shown in
Figure 3. During the first portion of this backward movement of the sleeve the
jaws are automatically opened by the springs and during the last portion of this
movement of the sleeve, the front end of its longitudinal slots c come in contact
with the stops of the jaws, causing the jaws to be drawn with the sleeve, so
as to bring their heads behind the end of the screw driver, as shown in Figure 3.
The jaws are retained in this position by again tightening the cam H. The jaws
now fully clear the head of the screw and the latter can be driven home in the
ordinary manner. In releasing the screw, the slots of the jaws permit the jaws
to be shifted backward from the closed position shown in Figures 1 and 2, to the
open and retracted position shown in Figure 3. These jaw slots are made of such a
length that the heads of the jaws stand in the proper position to grasp the
screw head when the inner ends of the slots bear against the stop pin e, as
shown in Figure 2. As the springs g are compressed by the closing movement
of the jaws, they tend to shift the operating sleeve backward and open the jaws
as soon as the sleeve is unlocked.
In tightening the cam or eccentric for locking the jaws in their closed position,
the cam not only clamps the sleeve to the driver, but the turning of the cam in
contact with the driver causes the jaws to be drawn farther backward into the
tapering sleeve, thereby causing the jaws to grip the screw head more firmly
and avoiding all liability of the screw becoming loose in driving it.
If desired, other means may be employed for limiting the forward movement
of the sliding jaws on the screw driver. For instance, in the modified construction
shown in Figures 8 and 9, the jaws are provided at their rear ends with
inwardly-extending lugs or projections which engage in notches or recesses j
formed in the adjacent sides of the screw driver. The front ends of these
notches are made abrupt, as shown at 1, to form stop shoulders which limit
the forward movement of the jaws on the driver in closing the said jaws, while
the rear ends of said notches are bevelled or arranged obliquely to the surface
of the driver, to allow the inwardly-extending lugs of the jaws to leave said
notches and ride over their bevelled rear ends when the jaws are drawn back by
the tapering sleeve C.
In my improved tool, the jaws are closed by moving a single sleeve in one
direction, and they are opened for releasing and clearing the screw, by simply
shifting the same sleeve in the opposite direction, rendering the manipulation

page_text: of the tool quick and convenient. The jaws have a comparatively large range of
movement and will receive and hold large and small screws with equal security.
The tool comprises a small number of parts of simple construction and can
therefore be produced at correspondingly small cost.
It is obvious that the jaws are also serviceable in withdrawing a screw, as they
prevent the end of the driver from slipping out of the nick or groove of the
screw.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
:-
1. The combination of a screw driver and a pair of jaws adapted to grasp the
head of a screw, and capable of sliding lengthwise of the driver, a stop which
limits the forward movement of the jaws, an operating sleeve surrounding the
jaws and movable lengthwise thereof, and a connection between said sleeve and
the jaws which permits the sleeve to move forward independently of the jaws but
compels the jaws to move backward with the sleeve.
2. The combination of a screw driver and a pair of jaws adapted to grasp the
head of a screw, and capable of sliding lengthwise of the driver, a stop which
limits the forward movement of the jaws, an operating sleeve surrounding the
jaws and movable lengthwise thereof, a loose connection between said sleeve
and the jaws which permits the sleeve to move forward independently of the
jaws, while compelling the jaws to move backward with the sleeve, and a locking
device applied to said sleeve and adapted to engage with the driver.
3. The combination of a screw driver having a transverse stop pin, a pair of
jaws arranged on opposite sides of the driver and each provided at its rear end
with a projection, and a longitudinal slot which receives said stop pin, and a
tapering sleeve loosely surrounding said jaws and provided with longitudinal slots
in which the projections of the jaws engage.
4. The combination of a screw driver provided in opposite sides thereof with
notches each having an abrupt front end and a bevelled rear end, a pair of jaws
arranged on opposite sides of the driver and each provided at its rear end with
an outwardly-extending pin and an inwardly extending stop lug or projection
which engages in the adjacent notch of the driver, and a tapering operating
sleeve loosely surrounding said jaws and provided with longitudinal slots which
receive the outwardly extending pins of the jaws.
5. The combination of a screw driver, a pair of jaws adapted to grasp the head
of a screw, capable of sliding lengthwise of the driver and each provided with
a projection, a stop which limits the forward movement of the jaws with reference
to the driver, a tapering sleeve loosely surrounding said jaws and provided with
longitudinal slots in which the projections of the jaws engage, springs interposed
between the driver and said jaws for opening the latter, and a clamping cam or
eccentric pivoted in an opening of said sleeve and adapted to engage against
the driver for locking the sleeve and the jaws in position.
Dated this 14th day of March 1900.
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.