Improvements in and relating to Wrenches and similar Tools.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wrenches and similar Tools.
I, CLARENCE VERNER GREENAMYER, of 109, California Street, in the City and
County of San Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Machinist,
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 improvements in the construction of wrenches and similar
tools for gripping and turning pipe-couplings, screw-rods, nuts, and shafting and for
grasping and holding pieces of work that are to be operated upon.
The object of these improvements is, mainly, to produce an implement that will
grip and firmly hold pieces without cutting or defacing the surfaces which are
grasped by it; that can be adjusted to grasp and turn a screw-coupling, nut or other
piece in either direction from the same side; and that has the capacity to seize and
hold pipes and round pieces of different sizes.
These valuable features and qualities are secured by means of the construction
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 represents a pipe wrench constructed according to my invention and set
upon a pipe-joint to turn it in one direction.
Figure 2 illustrates the same tool adjusted upon the pipe to turn it in the opposite
direction from the same side.
Figure 2 is a top view of the same tool.
Figure 3 is another construction of the tool intended to have greater range of
adjustment and particularly adapted for holding small pieces of work.
Figure 3 is a top view of the same tool.
Figure 3 shows the adjustable bit that is fixed in the hook-jaw of the tool to grip
small pieces of work.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tool and a clamp that is provided for holding
the tool upon a work bench to relieve the workman.
Figure 5 is a top view of Figure 4.
Corresponding parts are indicated by similar letters of reference in the several
figures of the drawing.
The novel features of this improved tool consist of a head, or part, which has
smooth, double curved faces, and another jaw, or part, which is formed of a swinging
hook, the two parts being pivoted together in such manner that the centre on which
the hook swings is eccentric to both curved faces of the other jaw. This pivot is
adjustable and can be shifted to vary the space between the gripping faces, that is,
the swinging hook and the curved edges of the head.
For some purposes the hook-part is double or is formed of a twin hook instead of
a single hook. An adjustable bit is combined with the twin hook, also, for use when
small pieces of work are to be held, and the tool is rendered complete by the
addition and combination of a clamp which is arranged to hold the tool firmly upon
a work-bench and allow it to be loosened or tightened at pleasure. This clamp
leaves the workman free to use both hands for the work, and one of the wrenches
thus fixed in the clamp can be used as a substitute for a vice while the workman
operates with another wrench on the coupling or piece of work. This clamp
attachment is especially valuable for fixing screw-caps and couplings on pipes and
tubes.
In the accompanying drawing A indicates the head or part with double curved
faces a a*, and B the swinging hook that forms the movable jaw of the tool. The
head A is fixed on the end of a handle of suitable length or is formed in one piece
with a handle part A', and the faces a a* are smooth, toothless surfaces which

page_text: will grip the pipe or piece of work without cutting or defacing the surfaces of the
piece.
C is a screw-bolt forming the pivot for the hook.
A hole for the bolt is located on the longitudinal centre line of the head-part at
a point eccentric to each curved face a a*, and the hook setting over the edge is
arranged to swing over it from one side to the other. The hook is made single with
a bifurcated shank, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 24, or it is formed of twin hooks as
represented in Figures 3 and 3ª. The last-mentioned construction increases the
extent of gripping surface of the hook. It will be particularly adapted for tools of
the larger sizes.
D is a bit or curved piece inserted between the two hooks and fixed by a screw F,
and by studs or pins ff that set into holes or recesses g g in the hooks. This piece
serves both as a spacing-block to keep the hooks in line and as a reducer to decrease
the size of the opening between the gripping edges of the hook-jaw and the head or
other part on the handle and to make the gripping edges of the hook fit closely
around the pieces of small diameter.
This piece D, which I have termed a "bit" is set in the space between the twin
hooks flush with the edges, or is adjusted to project beyond the edges by loosening
the screw F and shifting the pins from one set of holes y to another set.
The clamp to hold the tool closed upon a piece of work is constructed of a bar H
of channel-iron, and an upright rod H with a loop or stirrup H on the upper
end to receive the handle of the tool, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and a screw-
threaded portion H³ on its lower end to take a hand-nut H*. The channel-
iron bar can be set on a bed-timber or on a work-bench where sufficient space
beneath is afforded to turn the hand-nut, and the distance between the upright
sides of the bar should be about the same as the thickness of the jaws of the
wrench.
By setting the handle of the tool through the loop H2, the end of the
handle with the back of the hook-jaw resting in the channel and then turning
up the nut H it will be seen that the two jaws of the tool will be forced
against and held firmly upon the pipe or other piece of work inserted between
them. The combination of this clamp with the tool relieves the workman in
holding large and heavy pieces, and renders the implement very complete.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a handle portion having a double curve head or part
with smooth gripping faces and a swinging hook or jaw having a bifurcated
shank adjustably pivoted to the head as described, for operation as set forth.
2 The combination of a handle portion having a double curved head or part
with smooth gripping faces, and a swinging jaw formed of a double hook having
an adjustable bit inserted between the hooks at or near the ends as described,
for operation as set forth.
3. The clamp bar H and the rod H* with loop or stirrup and nut for working
the rod, in combination with the wrench or similar tool as described, for opera-
tion as set forth.
Dated this 13th day of December 1800
CLARENCE VERNER GREENAMYER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.