Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
I, THOMAS EDWARD RYAN, of No. 217, Sansome Street, in the City and County
of San Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Attorney-at-Law,
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:―
4
This invention relates to improvements made in that class or description of
wrenches known as pipe wrenches, and comprises a fixed jaw on the end of a
shank, and a hook-shaped swinging jaw attached to the shank in position to work
over the fixed jaw and grasp a pipe or other cylindrical object inserted between
them; and the same has for its object chiefly to simplify the construction of the
wrench, to increase its durability and to materially reduce the cost of manufacture.
To this end and object the present improvements consist in the described con-
struction and combination of shank, fixed jaw and movable jaw; together with
certain specific construction of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out
in the claims at the end of this specification, reference being had therein to the
accompanying drawing forming part thereof.
One novel feature of this improved construction consists in making the fixed
jaw a separate and separable piece from, the shank, and it includes means of
attaching and holding the jaw in place on the shank whereby the piece can be
Another
separated when it becomes worn and a new jaw substituted for it.
feature relates to the manner of attaching, the hinged latch to the shank so as to
obtain a strong joint to withstand the strains and rough usage which a tool of
this character is called upon to bear.
These features, together with the manner in which I construct and apply the
same in the production of a pipe wrench, are explained and set forth at length
in the following description and the drawings therein referred to:-
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side-view of a pipe-wrench embodying these
improvements;
Figure 2 a side-view, on an enlarged scale, of the head or working-end of the
tool, showing the fixed and the movable jaw, with parts broken away to show
the construction more clearly;
Figures 3 and 3ª are side-views in detail of the head of the shank and the
separable jaw;
Figure 4 is a top-view of that portion of the shank shown in Figure 3; Figure 4*
is a front view of the separable jaw shown in Figure 3*;
Figure 5 is a side-view of the latch detached from the shank, and Figure 6 is a
top-view of the same piece.
The shank of the tool is a flat bar having a straight head-portion a, on the end
of which the fixed jaw e is located, and a tapering handle-portion p formed by a
straight prolongation of the broader head.
The outer end of the head is finished with a quarter-round face r and the inner
face of the separable jaw e is made of the same curvature as the face r, so as to
fit and come to a solid bearing on that face.

page_text: The piece e is secured in place on the head by means of a tongue f standing
outwardly from the curved inner face s and fitting in a slot or mortise k formed
in the quadrant-shaped seat. A cross-pin or rivet w being inserted through the
side of the head and through the tongue prevents the piece from dropping off,
while the tongue holds the piece from shifting laterally on the curved seat.
The thickness of this tongue is less than the width of the inner face of the jaw,
so that a continuous seat and bearing on the head is provided for the entire length
of that piece.
The outer convex face of this piece is notched or serrated to insure a firm grip
on the part placed within the grasp of the jaws, and the width of this gripping-
face is made usually greater than the thickness of the head, where it is desired to
increase the extent of effective gripping surface to engage the surface of the pipe
or the piece inserted between the jaws.
By virtue of the shape and the manner of setting the jaw e on the head of the
shank as above described the jaw is held to a firm seat under all the forces and
pressure that it is required to sustain in gripping different sizes of pipes.
The latch-piece m that closes the open ends of the sockets h h to confine the
pin of the swinging jaw 6 in its socket is attached at the forward end to the shank
by a hinge-joint, the construction of which is designed to dispense with the rib
or detent on the opposite end of the latch heretofore used on that end to hold the
latch in position against lateral strains.
In this improvement the bar forming the latch has two ears or knuckles n n
standing perpendicularly to and parallel with the sides of the bar, and the side
faces of the head are recessed as shown at i Figure 3 to let in the ears flush with
those faces, the edges of the recesses being finished on circles concentric with the
hinge-pin w so that the ears will turn smoothly therein.
This construction produces a strong joint that will resist the lateral strains to
which the latch is ordinarily subjected in the use of the tool, and in connection
with the pivoted catch tu it serves to hold the latch m in position.
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:
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1: In a wrench the combination of the shank consisting of the head having
on one end a quadrant-shaped seat and terminating in a handle-portion at the
other end, a separate and separable jaw having a curved inner face adapted to
fit the curved end of the head and having a serrated outer face, a tongue standing
outwardly from the inner face and a mortise in the curved face of the head adapted
to receive the tongue, and a cross-pin inserted through the head and the tongue,
as described.
2: In a wrench the combination with the shank having a head with a curved
seat on the end, of the separate and separable jaw having a curved inner face
adapted to fit the curved seat on the head. and the means of securing the jaw
on the head against lateral displacement consisting of the tongue on the jaw and
the mortise in the head.
3: In a wrench of the character herein described the combination with the
shank having a head with a jaw on the end, and provided with sockets which are
adapted to receive the pin of the movable jaw; of the latch-bar having ears
standing perpendicularly to and parallel with the sides of the bar and recesses
in the sides of the head in which said ears are fitted to turn and a hinge-pin
inserted through the ears.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.