Improvements in Wrenches.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1891-Accepted 13th June, 1891
COMPLETE DI DIFICATION
Improvements in Wrenches.
I, TRUMAN DE WITT KEITH, of South Pasadena, County of Los Angeles,
and State of California, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 has relation to wrenches, the objects in view being to provide
wrench adapted to operate upon various-sized pipes, rods and nuts, which is self-
adjusting to the various sizes, of simple construction, consisting of few parts easily
assembled durable, and cheap.
a
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following
description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective of a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the swinging jaw.
Fig. 4 is a similar view of the adjusting-sleeve.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line a-x of Fig. 2.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
In practising my invention I construct a shank or stock 2 rectangular in cross-
section, and at the lower end of the same apply in any manner a suitable handle.
Near its upper end the stock is bent forwardly at an obtuse angle to its body
portion, as at 1, and terminates in a bent head 3 disposed at a right angle to the
bent portion 1, and provided at each side with re-enforced shoulders 4, extending
laterally some distance from the sides or faces of the stock.
5 designates a sleeve rectangular in cross-section and loosely fitting the stock 2.
The rear wall of the sleeve is provided upon its inner surface, near its lower end,
with a transverse rib 6, designed to engage with either of a pair of notches or
adjusting recesses 7 formed in the rear edge of the stock 2. The upper ends of
the opposite sides of the sleeve 5 are provided with circular lugs 8 and the front
wall of the sleeve is provided with a transverse opening 9.
10 designates a pair of jaws, which I prefer to form of sheet-steel by bending
the same so as to embrace the shank, as shown. The lower ends of the jaws are
provided with substantially semicircular recesses 11 which are applied in a lateral
direction to the lugs 8 and are adapted to swing upon said lugs. The rear ends of
the jaws are connected by a bolt or other stop 12 in rear of the stock 2, said holt
serving to limit the movement of the jaws in one direction by coming in contact
with the stock. The working edges of the jaws are curved eccentrically with
relation to the bearing-lug 8 and are toothed, as at 13, the teeth extending rear-
wardly toward the head of the stock. The teeth extend to about the inner edge of
the stock when the jaws are swung to the front, and in rear of the teeth the jaws
are plain and adapted to abut against the shoulders 4 of the head or jaw 3.
14 designates a flat spring, which near its lower end is passed through the
transverse opening 9, formed in the front wall of the sleeve 5, and bears, as at 15,
upon the front surface of the shank 2, while above the slot said spring bears, as
at 16, against the transverse connecting portion 17 of the pivoted jaws. The lower
end of the spring serves to maintain the transverse rib of the sleeve in engagement
with any one of the notches 7 formed in the shank or stock, while the upper end
of the spring normally presses the hinged jaws to the front.

page_text: In operation upon a rod or pipe it is simply necessary to embrace the rod or pipe
by forcing the wrench over the same, the jaws readily swinging to the rear, so as
to adjust the space between them and the fixed head or jaw properly, when by
swinging the handle to the rear the teeth of the pivoted jaws bind against the
surface of the rod or pipe and the locking of the wrench thereupon is completed.
By drawing the wrench toward the operator the wrench becomes unlocked and by
reversing the same again locked, so that a further partial rotation of the pipe or
rod may be obtained.
It will be observed that by the disposition of the parts with relation to each
other a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention avoids the usual
tendency of crushing thin pipes, for the reason that the tendency is in the direction
of rotation and little, if any, force is directed toward the centre of the pipe, such
pressure merely amounting to that caused by the spring.
In applying the device to nuts the operation is similar to that just described, with
the exception that the wrench is applied sidewise, and it is for such application
that the shoulders 4 are provided, the object being to extend the fixed jaw or head
laterally so as to be in the same plane with the swinging jaws, and thereby adapt
it to coact with the same in the application or removal of the nut.
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. In a wrench of the class described, the combination with the stock or shank
bent at its upper end to form a fixed head or jaw, of a sleeve mounted loosely upon
the shank, a pair of jaws pivoted to the upper end of the sleeve, embracing the
shank and having an eccentrically-curved toothed working face, a rib formed upon
the inner side of the sleeve and adapted to engage recesses formed in the shank
and a spring for normally forcing the rib into the recesses and for pressing the
jaws to the front, substantially as described.
2. In a wrench, the combination with the stock or shank provided upon its rear
face with notches and having its upper end bent to form a rigid or fixed jaw or
head, of a sleeve loosely fitting the shank, provided upon its interior with a rib for
engaging the notches and at its front with a transverse opening, a pair of jaws con-
nected and embracing the stock or shank and a flat spring passed through the
opening in the sleeve and having its lower portion pressing against the front face
of the stock and its upper end terminating against the inner connecting portion of
the jaws, substantially as specified.
3. In a wrench, the combination with the stock bent at its upper end to form a
fixed head or jaw, a sliding sleeve mounted thereon, and a pair of jaws. embracing
the stock and pivoted at their lower ends to the sleeve, of means for adjusting the
sleeve upon the stock, substantially as specified.
4. In a wrench, the combination with the rectangular stock having its upper end
bent to form a fixed head or jaw and having lateral extensions or shoulders pro-
jecting beyond the opposite faces of the stock, of a pair of spring-pressed jaws
pivoted below the head and adapted to coact therewith, said jaws embracing. the
stock below the shoulders, substantially as specified.
5. In a wrench, the combination with the rectangular stock the rear edge of
which is provided with a series of notches, said stock being. bent at an obtuse
angle near its upper end and having its upper end bent at a right angle to said
obtusely-bent portion and provided with laterally-disposed shoulders, of a sleeve
loosely fitting the stock, provided upon its inner rear side with a rib for engaging
the notches of the stock, at its front side with a transverse opening, and at its.
upper opposite sides with substantially circular lugs, a pair of jaws loosely embracing
the stock, provided with semicircular recesses at their lower ends for engaging,
the lugs and having their working-faces eccentrically curved and toothed with
relation to their bearings, a bolt connecting the rear ends of the jaws and a plate

page_text: connecting their front ends, and a flat spring bearing against said front end in
rear thereof and having its lower end passed through the transverse opening of
the sleeve and bearing against the front face of the stock, substantially as
specified.
Dated thin 9th day of Mar 1901
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.