EFFECTING IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS
Year: 1885

page_text: ALEXANDER KAY of Castlecary in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
Farmer, and WILLIAM LAWRENCE YOUNG of Greenock in the County of Renfrew
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for EFFECTING
IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS to be as follows:―
This Invention which relates to Improvements in adjustable spanners, has for its
object to provide a simple, reliable and expeditious mode of shifting and adjusting
the moveable jaw of such spanners, and at the same time, to reduce the cost of
production.
For the purpose of providing a spanner of the character herein before described,
a tongue piece is formed on the moveable jaw, and is provided with guiding
projections, or their equivalent, on one or both of its sides, for the reception of
which, corresponding recesses, or their equivalent, are formed in the fixed jaw.
On the inner edge of the tongue piece, on the moveable jaw, a recess or projec-
tion is formed, which may be curvilineal or rectilineal, but preferably curvilineal,
in order to take a corresponding projection, or recess, or its equivalent, formed on
the end of the handle of the spanner; the handle being moveable about a pivot,
or its equivalent, in the fixed jaw or head.
By the movement of the handle, the aforementioned moveable jaw is operated
in such a manner as to tighten itself, and the fixed jaw on to the object to be
moved or twisted.
Under a modification of the improvements hereinbefore described, the tongue
piece of the moveable jaw has serrations or teeth formed upon it so as to gear into
serrations or teeth formed on the end of the handle of the spanner; the movement
of which handle upon its pivot, or equivalent, would operate the moveable jaw in
the manner already described.

page_text: Improvements in Adjustable Spanners.
ALEXANDER KAY, of Castlecary, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
and WILLIAM LAWRENCE YOUNG of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
ADJUSTABLE SPANNERS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our said Invention which relates to Improvements in Adjustable Spanners has
for its object to provide a simple, reliable, and expeditious mode of shifting and
adjusting the movable jaw of such spanners, and at the same time to reduce the
'cost of production.
For the purpose of providing a spanner of the character hereinbefore described,
a tongue piece is formed on the movable jaw and is provided with guiding
projections or their equivalent in one or both of its sides, for the reception of
which corresponding recesses or their equivalent are formed in the fixed jaw.
On the inner edge of the tongue piece of the movable jaw, a recess or projection,
but preferably a recess, is formed which may be curvilineal or rectilineal, but
preferably curvilineal, in order to take a corresponding projection or recess, or its
equivalent, formed on the end of the handle of the spanner, which handle may be
oscillated or swung on a pivot, or its equivalent in the fixed jaw or head.
By the oscillation of the handle the aforementioned movable jaw can be operated
in such a manner that it is moved along the guiding grooves or projections so as to
grip or tighten on to the object to be moved or twisted, between the movable and
the fixed jaws. The spanner is immediately loosened or freed from the object
operated upon by reversing the direction of the pull on the handle.
Under a modification of the improvements herein before described, the tongue
piece of the movable jaw has serrations or teeth formed on it so as to gear with
serrations or teeth on the end of the handle of the spanner.-The oscillation of
the handle upon its pivot or equivalent operates the movable jaw in the manner
already described.
Under another arrangement for obtaining an adjustable spanner the movable jaw
is provided with grooves or projections preferably dovetailed, and the tongue piece
of the movable jaw has formed in it a slot, curved or straight, but preferably
straight, and at right angles to the direction of motion of the movable jaw.
The handle of the spanner is pivoted to the fixed jaw and has a pin or its equivalent
secured in, and projecting through it on each side, so as to take or fit into the slot
in the tongue piece, and at the same time to project sufficiently to take or fit into
a slot on each side of the fixed jaw or head; this slot being in the arc of a circle
struck from the centre of the pivot by which the handle is attached.
The swinging of the handle on the pivot moves the sliding jaw in either
direction, and the spanner is thus adjusted.
A further modification of the spanner consists in retaining the grooves or pro-
jections on the tongue piece of the movable jaw, but pivoting the handle on to the
movable jaw itself.-On the tongue piece is formed a slot parallel to the direction

page_text: f its motion; and the handle has a curved slot formed in it, and through this
lot and the slot in the tongue piece, a pin passes and is secured in the fixed jaw
or head.
J
To adjust the spanner to suit the object to be operated upon, the handle is swung,
and, guided by the grooves or projections, it is at the same time moved or slid,
along with the movable jaw in either direction.
All the spanners herein referred to are self-adjusting, grasp and fit evenly and
accurately on to the various sized nuts; and the jaws being always maintained
parallel, these spanners may with advantage be used when it is desirable to avoid
the abrasion of polished or highly finished work.
These improved spanners may be made either of cast or forged steel, malleable
cast iron, or wrought iron, but preferably of cast steel; and may have either single
or double heads.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we now now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system mode or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or carried practically into effect, reference being
had to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say:-Figures 1, and 2, Sheet 1., 4, and 5, Sbeet 1., 7, and 8,
Sheet 2., and 10, and 11, Sheet 2., are respectively side and end elevations of;.
adjustable spanners in accordance with our present Invention.-Figures 3, and 6,
Sheet 1., and 9, and 12, Sheet 2, are views of the various forms of the loose or
movable jaw.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheet 1., 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Sheet 2, a repre-
sents the movable jaw, b the fixed jaw or head, c, c, the handle, shewn partly in
broken lines, d, d, the pivot on which the handle is moved or oscillated.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheet 1, e represents the projections on each side
of the tongue piece of the movable jaw made to fit and slide in the corresponding
recesses shewn in the fixed jaw or head.
In Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Sheet 2, e represents the recesses in each side
of the tongue piece of the movable jaw, made to fit and slide on the corresponding
projections shewn on the fixed jaw or head.
•
Each of the spanners represented on Sheet 1 is operated or adjusted by swinging
the handle c, c, on the pivot d, à, so that the tooth-shaped end c, is brought into
contact with either side of the corresponding tooth-shaped notch f, in Figure 3,
and tooth-shaped pocket f, in Figure 6, respectively.
The spanner represented by Figures 7, 8, and 9, Sheet 2, is operated or adjusted
by swinging the handle c, c, on the pivot d, d, so that the pin g, g, secured to the
handle is travelled along the curved slot h, in each side of the fixed jaw or head,
and is simultaneously moved along the slot i, in each side of the tongue piece of
the movable jaw a causing it to travel in either direction guided by the projec-
tions e on each side of the fixed jaw or head.
To operate or adjust the spanner represented by Figures 10, 11, and 12, Sheet 2,
the handle c, c, is swung on the pivot d, d, and at the same time, guided by the
pin k, k, secured to the fixed jaw or head, and the curved slot I, in the handle, the
movable jaw is caused to slide, being guided by the projections e, e.-A slot m, m,
is formed in each side of the tongue piece of the movable jaw a, so as to give
clearance to the pin k, k.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First. The construction of adjustable spanners with a sliding jaw, which jaw
when in its middle position completes with the fixed jaw a symmetrically formed
head, and has an equal movement on each side of a centre line passing through
the head and handle; the sliding jaw being moved by a tooth-shaped end formed

page_text: on a handle swinging on a centre as, hereinbefore described, and shewn on Figures 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, on the accompanying Drawings
v
"
Second. The construction of adjustable spanners of the character described in
our First Claim, but in this case the sliding jaw has formed on it a tooth-shaped
projection to gear into a corresponding recess formed on the end of a handle, as
hereinbefore described.
Third. The construction of adjustable spanners of the character described in
our First Claim, but in this case the sliding jaw is moved by a pin or projection
on a bandle swinging on a centre in the fixed jaw, as hereinbefore described, and
shewn on Figures 7, 8, and 9, on the accompanying Drawings.
'
Fourth. The construction of adjustable spanners of the character described in
our First Claim, but in this case the sliding jaw is pivoted to, and moved by, the
sliding and swinging of the handle as herein before described, and shewn on
Figures 10, 11, and 12, on the accompanying Drawings.
In Witness whereof we the said Alexander Kay and William Lawrence Young
have hereunto set our hands and seals this fifth day of March in year of
Our Lord, One thousand, eight hundred, and eighty-six.
Signature of Alexander Kay made in
ALEXANDER KAY.
:
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presence of GEORGE LINDSEY J.P.
for County of Renfrew.