IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW WRENCHES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Patrick Benignus O'Neill, of 39, Rue Miro-
ménil, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW
WRENCHES."-A communication.
Sealed the 28th December 1853, and dated the 26th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Patrick Benignus
O'Neill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th October 1853.
I, PATRICK BENIGNUS O'NEILL, of 39, Rue Miroménil, Paris, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SCREW WRENCHES " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar construction and combination of
parts, by which the jaws of a screw wrench may be moved to and from
each other with great facility, and from time to time be set at the
desired distance apart. For this purpose one of the jaws is fixed to a
bar which is at one end fixed to a tubular handle. The moveable jaw
is fixed to the end of a split tube, which is capable of sliding within the
tubular handle, and the moveable jaw slides upon the bar to which the
fixed jaw is applied. The sliding tube is made with two slits in it
opposite each other, the slits being as wide as the parts of the tube

page_text: which are left; on the interior of such parts of the tube which are left
are formed screw teeth to receive the screw teeth of a spindle which is
within the sliding tube, and such spindle by a point or pivot at its end
rests in a recess formed at the end of the sliding tube. The spindle at
its outer end passes thro' a fixed screw nut fixed at the outer end of
the tubular handle, and on a square part of the spindle a milled cap is
fixed by a screw nut, by which means the spindle can be made to move
partly round, "there being stops to prevent its being nioved too far.
On the other end of the spindle it is formed for parts of its length with
projecting screw teeth on two opposite sides, the other two sides being
cut away; hence the projecting teeth on the spindle may be turned
either into or out of the female screw teeth in the sliding tube. When
the screw teeth of the spindle-are-opposite the slits.in the sliding tube,
that tube may be slided, and consequently the moveable jaw of the
wrench, and such jaw may be brought to the proper distance from the
fixed jaw, and then by turning the spindle so that the screw thereon
enter the screw teeth of the sliding tube the sliding tube-and the
moveable iaw will be set fast
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill in the Great *Seal
Patent Office on the 25th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PATRICK BENIGNUS O'NEILL, of 39, Rue Miromenil, Paris, seud
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters "Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October; in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of "Her reigit, did, 'for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant into ine, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill,
Her special licence that I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Patrick Bénignus O'Neill, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at

page_text: all times thereafter during the term therein expressed; should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-.
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel..Islands, and Isle of,
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW WRENCHES," Commu-
nicated to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)-that
I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, by an instrument in writing:
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same. to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent!
..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill; do
hereby declare, the nature of the said Invention; and in what. manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement thereof. (that is to say :),
This Invention consists of a peculiar construction and combination of
parts, by which the jaws of a screw wrench may be moved to and from
each other with great facility, and from time to time be set at the
desired distance apart. For this purpose one of the jaws is fixed to a
bar, which is at one end fixed to a tubular handle.
The moveable jaw
is fixed to the end of a split tube, which is. capable of sliding within the
tubular handle, and the movable jaw slides upon the bar to which the
fixed jaw is applied. The sliding tube is made with two slits in it
opposite, each other, the slits being as wide, as the. parts of the tubes
which are left on the interior of such parts of the tube which are left
are formed screw teeth, to receive the screw..teeth of a spindle which is
within the sliding tube, and such spindle by a point or piyot at its end
rests in a recess formed at the end of the sliding tube. The spindle at
its outer end passes through a fixed-screw nut fixed at the outer end of
the tubular handle,,and, on a square part of, the spindle a milled, cap is
fixed by a screw nut, by which means the spindle can be made to move
partly round,,there being, stops to prevent its being moved. to
1. too far. On
the other end of the spindle it is formed for parts of its length with pro-
jecting screw teeth on two opposite, sides, the other two sides being cut
away; hence the projecting, teeth on the spindle may be turned either
أي
- 10

page_text: into or out of the female screw teeth in the sliding tube. When the
screw teeth of the spindle are opposite the slits in the sliding tube, that
tube may be slided, and consequently the moveable jaw of the wrench;"
and such jaw may be brought to the proper distance from the fixed jaw,
and then, by turning the spindle so that the screw teeth thercon enter
the screw teeth of the sliding tube, the sliding tube and the moveable
jaw will be set fast.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shows a screw wrench constructed and combined accord-
ing to the Invention. The other Figures of the Drawing show detached
views of the several parts, which are marked with the same letters of
reference as those used to indicate the same parts in Figure 1; it will
not, therefore, be necessary to state the nature of each Figure here, as
the same will at once be understood by a mechanic on examining the
Drawing, aided by the description herein given of the construction and
mode of action of the several parts. a is what may be called the fixed
jaw, and the moveable or adjustable jaw. The jaw a is fixed to the
bar c, which bar c passes through the jaw b, and allows the jaw b to
slide freely on the bar c, which is fixed in the tubular handle d at d¹.
The moveable jaw b is fixed by screws and bits el, el, to the split tube e,
which is capable of sliding within the tubular handle d. Only one side
of the wrench is shown in Figure 1, but it should be understood that
the other side corresponds with the side which is shewn. The two parts
of the split tube e receive between them the bar c, and slide thereon.
The interior of the two parts e of the split tube have cut thereon screw
teeth, corresponding with screw teeth cut on the spindle f, which at its
upper end is formed square, and passes through a milled cap g, which
is fixed by a screw or nut, by which, on turning the cap, the spindle
will be turned, and there is a stop h, which prevents the spindle being
turned more than a quarter round. The spindle is cut with screw
teeth on two sides, the other two sides being flat and plain; hence,
when the screwed sides of the spindle are turned towards the split parts

page_text: of the tube e, the screw teeth of the spindle will be disengaged from the
screw teeth of the split tube e, and the split tube e, with its jaw b, may
be moved to or from the jaw a, and then by turning the spindle so that
the screw teeth thereon will engage in those cut on the interior of the
split tube, and thus lock or retain the parts of the wrench from
movement when it is being used.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is, the combination of parts herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Benignus O'Neill, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
5 Witness,
H. W. CARPMAEL.
P. B. O'NEILL. (L.S.)