AN IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE SPANNER
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE FREDERICK RODEN, of the School of Gunnery, Royal Artillery,
Shoeburyness, in the County of Essex, Sergeant Armourer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE SPANNER" to be as
follows:-
"
My improved spanner consists of a hollow stem of a circular, oval, or other
suitable section, with a jaw at one end, a second stem provided with a jaw of
similar shape, fits within the aforesaid hollow stem, and is made of such dimensions
that it can slide easily, but without shake, within the hollow stem and thus vary
the distance between the jaws, to enable them to embrace nuts or bolts of different
sizes. The bottom of the internal stem is drilled up for a sufficient distance, and
provided with a female screw thread; a screw with a milled head works within
the said female screw, and the innermost face of the milled head abuts against
the end of the exterior hollow stem. A cap or guard is shrunk on to the end
of the hollow stem, so that it is firmly attached thereto, and it is of sufficient
dimensions to contain the milled head of the aforesaid screw.-Two openings
opposite to each other are provided in the cap or guard, of sufficient size to enable
the milled head to be rotated by the fingers and thumb, or otherwise, and as the
milled head is confined longitudinally between the end of the exterior hollow stem
and the end of the cap, the screw which forms part of and rotates with the milled
head, causes the internal stem with its jaw, to slide up or down, according to the
direction in which the screw is rotated.
In practice, I prefer to make the screw with a double thread, to enable the jaws
to be rapidly adjusted.-To prevent the internal stem from turning round, and
also to limit the length of its stroke, a longitudinal groove or slot is formed in its
surface, and a small set screw or pin is provided in the hollow stem, projecting
into the said groove or slot; or a feather may be formed on the internal stem, and
a groove provided in the outer hollow stem to receive it.
If preferred, instead of a guard or cap being shrunk on the end of the tubular
stem, the said stem may be formed with an enlarged end, to contain the milled
head of the screw, and after the screw has been inserted, a bar or other device
may be fixed across such end, to contine the head of the screw in its place. If
desired, a hammer face may be formed on the back of the top jaw, to enable the
spanner to be used as a hammer when required.-The screw and all the working

page_text: parts and surfaces of my improved spanner are out of sight, and completely
protected from sand, grit, dirt, or any other injurious substances, getting to them,
thus ensuring the spanner always being in working order.-Another advantage is
that while being used, there is no tendency for the adjustment of the jaws to get
altered, as the greater part of the milled head of the screw is covered by the cap or
guard-In order to lubricate, it is only necessary to remove the set screw or pin,
when the internal stem can be taken out, and oil poured into the internally
screwed end of the said stem, and the stem and set screw replaced-As a good
supply of oil can be retained in the end of the internal stem, this operation will not
often be necessary.

page_text: I, GEORGE FREDERICK RODEN of the School of Gunnery, Royal Artillery,
Shoeburyness, in the county of Essex, Serjeant Armourer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE SPANNER," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improved spanner consists of a hollow stem of a circular, oval or other
suitable section with a jaw at one end, a second stem provided with a jaw of
similar shape fits within the aforesaid hollow stem, and is made of such dimensions
that it can slide easily but without shake within the hollow stem, and thus vary
the distance between the jaws to enable them to embrace nuts or bolts of different
sizes.
The bottom of the internal stem is drilled up for a sufficient distance and
provided for a portion of such distance with a female screw thread, a scrow with a
milled or other suitably formed head works within the said female screw, and the
innermost face of the milled head abuts against the end of the exterior hollow
stem A cap or guard, is shrunk or otherwise fixed on to the end of the hollow
stem, so that it is firmly attached thereto, and it is of sufficient dimensions to,
contain the milled head of the aforesaid screw-Two openings opposite to each
other are provided in the cap or guard of sufficient size to enable the milled head.
to be rotated by the fingers and thumb or otherwise and as the milled head is
confined longitudinally between the end of the exterior hollow stem, and the end
of the cap or guard; the screw which forms part of and rotates with the milled
head, causes the internal stem with the jaw to slide up or down, according to the
direction in which the screw is rotated.
In practice, I prefer to make the screw with a double thread, to enable the jaws
to be rapidly adjusted. To prevent the internal stem from turning round and also
to limit the length of its stroke, a longitudinal groove or slot is formed in its
surface and a small set screw or pin is provided in the hollow stem projecting into
the said groove or slot. Or a feather may be formed on the internal stein, and a
groove provided in the outer hollow stem to receive it.
.
If preferred instead of a guard or cap being shrunk or fixed on the end of the
tubular stem, the said stem may be formed with an enlarged end to contain the:
milled head of the screw, and after the screw has been inserted, a bar screw or other
device may be fixed across such end to confine the screw in its place. If desired.
a hammer face may be formed on the back of the top jaw to enable the spanner:
to be used as a hammer when required-The screw and all the working parts and-
surfaces of my improved spanner, are out of sight and completely protected from
sand, grit, dirt or any other injurious substances getting to them, thus insuring:
the spanner always being in working order.
า
And another advantage it possesses, is that while being used there is no tendancy
for the adjustment of the jaws to get altered, as the greater part of the milled head:

page_text: of the screw is covered by the cap or guard, and the outer hollow stem is so shaped
that the hand grasping the spanner does not come in contact with the said screw
head. In order to lubricato, it is only necessary to remove the set screw or pin,
when the internal stem can be taken out and oil poured into the internally screwed
end of the said stem and the stem and set screw replaced-As a good supply of oil
can be retained in the end of the internal stem, this operation will not often be
necessary.
I prefer to provide several holes in the screw-head, like a captan head, so that a
small "tommy" or pin can be inserted in the said holes, and the jaws of the
spanner be thereby caused to grip any desired object with considerable force, thus 1
converting the spanner into a very convenient vice or clamp.
In order more clearly to explain the nature of my invention, I will now further
describe it by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawinga
Fig. 1 is an external view of my improved spanner, Fig. 2 a section of the same
through the centre of Fig 1. and Fig. 3 a cross section through the line X X in
Fig. 1. The same letters refer to the same parts in each figure.
A is the external hollow stem provided with a jaw B. The said stem in the
drawing is of circular section, but it may be of oval, square, rectangular or other
suitable section as desired. C is the internal sliding stem, of similar section to A,
and provided with a jaw D-The stem C is hollow at E and has a female screw
thread at F-The stem A is enlarged at G to contain the head H of the screw J,
and a small bar K is screwed into the stem to retain the screw J in its place-The
head His preferably formed with a shoulder H' fitting in a recess G¹ in the stem A
Apertures L are provided in two sides of the enlargement G to enable the head of
the screw to be rotated by the fingers, the said head being milled or otherwise
suitably formed to enable it to be more firmly grasped-Holes M are formed in the
head H for the insertion of a small bar or "tommy" when the spanner is to be
used as a vice or clamp.
To determine the distance which the jaws shall open, a groove or key-way N is
formed in the stem C and the point of the set screw O enters therein.
In order to reduce weight as much as possible without losing strength I prefer
to remove the central portion of the jaws as shewn, thereby leaving them of a
trough section.
To take the spanner apart it is only necessary to remove the set screw O and the 3
bar K, when the screw J and stem C can be taken out of the stem.
The jaw D is preferably formed with a hammer face as shewn at Q.
The head of the screw J is housed in the enlargement G. of the stem A, and as
the hand naturally grasps the reduced part R of the said stem, it is clear that
the adjustment of the jaws cannot be altered while using the spanner, and thus
a great objection to most ordinary forms of adjusting spanners is obviated.
The drawing represents the form in which I usually prefer to construct my
improved spanner, but I wish it to be understood that I do not necessarily confine
myself to the exact details therein shewn and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said 4
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An adjustable spanner or wrench constructed substantially as herein described
and shewn.
2. In an adjustable spanner or wrench the arrangement of a guard to the 5
head of the adjusting screw to prevent an unintentional change of adjustment,
substantially as described and shewn,

page_text: 3. In an adjustable spanner or wrench the formation of the head of the
adjusting screw, so that the apparatus may also be used as a vice or clamp,
substantially as herein described and shown.
AMBROSE MYALL,
Agent for the Applicant.