Improvements in Ratchet Wrenches.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ratchet Wrenches.
We, HENRY MARKEL, Manufacturer, and NELSON JACOB SHOOк, Physician, both
of Spencerville, County De Kalb, Indiana, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the ratchet wrench of this invention the outer end is formed with a socket in
which is carried so as to rotate upon a pin, a rotary ratchet wheel or hub. Within
a recess or aperture formed in the shank or stem of the wrench is carried a pawl
pressed normally outwards by means of a spring so as to engage the teeth of the
ratchet. The pawl may be reversed so as to be suitable for working the ratchet in
either direction. To the face of the ratchet any suitably sized socket or jaws for
engaging the head of a bolt, or nut or the like, may be attached by means of a
dovetail connection and readily removed and replaced by a socket or jaws for
engaging a bolt or nut of a different size.
Dated this 14th day of December 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Ratchet Wrenches.
We, HENRY MARKEL, Manufacturer, and NELSON JACOB SHOOK, Physician, both
of Spencerville, County De Kalb, Indiana, United States of America, 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:
The ratchet wrench of this invention is shewn in the accompanying drawing in
which Fig. 1 is a part sectional side view thereof. Fig. 2 a front view with the
shank broken away. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail parts.
All parts of the ratchet wrench except the handle are of metal. The hub 2 of any
suitable size and contour has a central circular recess adapted to loosely hold the
rotary ratchet 3. In one piece with the hub 2 is the neck 1 having a slot 13
extending to the hub recess. In this slot a holding pawl 15 is mounted on the
transverse pin 16 (Fig. 1). The neck 1 runs into a shank 6 having a central
recess 20 adapted to loosely hold a coiled spring 19 furnished with a flat headed
pin 18 mounted therein so as to bear against the base of the pawl 15. The end of
the shank 6 is provided with a suitable wooden handle 25.
The ratchet 3 has its central and cylindrical portion provided with longitudinal
peripheral grooves 24 and teeth 26 (Fig. 3) to engage the said pawl 15 and is of a
diameter to loosely but well fit the said hub recess or central opening. The rear end
of said ratchet has a reduced cylindrical portion 27 void of peripheral grooves or
teeth, adapted to fit a corresponding circular opening in the rear face of the said
hub, as seen in Fig. 1, and is also provided with a still further reduced and
shouldered shank 9, which is externally screw threaded and is provided with a
proper washer 10 and a threaded nut 11. The said ratchet 3 is provided upon its

page_text: forward end with an integral rectangular plate 4 adapted to form a bearing upon the
front face of the said hub and is provided on two opposite sides with the dove-
tailed flanges 4 adapted to firmly secure the die plate 5 hereinafter described.
The circular and central aperture or opening 7 extends from end to end of the
said ratchet and is adapted to receive the bolt upon which the wrench is operating,
and allows it to pass through any desired. distance.
The die plate 5 rectangular in form has upon the lower edges of two opposite sides,
oblique flanges adapted to engage the dovetailed flanges 4 of the plate 4 by which
the said die is secured in position (Fig. 1). The said plate 5 has a rectangular
recess of any desired size and of proper depth in the upper face thereof (Figs. 1
and 2) to receive the upper face of the nut upon which the wrench is operating
and a strengthening web 8 upon its lower face provided with a circular. vertical
aperture registering with the said opening 7 (Fig. 1). The plate 5 is retained in
position when in use by the said dovetailed flanges 4 and it is readily removable
longitudinally in one direction only.
With, each wrench we provide a series of die plates 5 each having a different sized
facial recess to fit the different, sized nuts.
The holding pawl 15 is a metallic plate of irregular form and proper thickness
having upon its opposite edges the ears or thumb lugs 21 for reversing the position
thereof for the purposes hereinafter described, and has upon its upper end two
oppositely slanted oblique bearing faces 22 (Fig. 4) to engage the toothed periphery.
of the ratchet. The pawl has upon its lower end two oblique faces 23 adapted to
rest in turn upon the head of the spring pressed pin 18 and is provided near its
base with a transverse circular aperture 17 of approximately twice the diameter of
the pin. 16. on which the pawl is mounted (Fig. 1) to permit the proper vertical
depression of the pawl under the rotary movements of the ratchet.
In using the wrench the operator having inserted a die plate provided with the
desired size of facial recess to fit the nut to be turned, places the wrench in position
thereon with the projecting end of the bolt in the aperture 7. He next regulates the
position of the pawl 15 in accordance with the direction in which he desires to
rotate the ratchet by means of the thumb lugs 21 in the lateral recesses 14, the
pawl always standing in an oblique position (as seen in Fig. 1) when in operation,
resting upon one or the other of the faces 23, thereby bringing at all times the
corresponding upper face 22 into an operative engagement with the periphery of
the ratchet. As will be seen in Fig. 1 the pawl is normally in an operative
engagement with the ratchet under the influence or tension of the coil. spring 19
carrying the contact pin 18 on which the pawl rests, and when the operator. desires to
reverse the direction of the rotary ratchet, which carries with it the nut under
adjustment, he simply reverses the oblique position of the pawl by means of the
lug 21 the engagement of the pawl permitting the rotation of the ratchet in but one
direction at a time.
It is thus obvious that with the wrench of this invention a nut can be rotated
or adjusted upon any length of bolt in either or both directions and to any extent
without removing the wrench from its engagement therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said'inven-
tion, and, in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1: In a ratchet wreneh, the combination of a hollow, hub 2: having: an integral
neck 1 provided 'at its upper extremity with a slot 13 for the holding pawl, and at its
lower end with a spring pressed supporting pin mounted therein, a rotary ratchet 3
mounted' in the hub as described; having a toothed periphery to engage, the pawl,
provided at one end with a screw threaded shank for the holding nut, and at the
other end; with a flanged die holding plate 4. a spring pressed holding pawl 15
pivotally mounted in the slot 18 as described; adapted for a.holding engagement with
the ratchet; and a removable die plate 5 mounted as shewn, on; the front face of the
rotary ratchet, substantially as described and shewn.
1

page_text: 2. A ratchet wrench comprising a hollow hub 2 apertured as shewn, having an
integral neck 1 and an external shank 6 for the fixed handle, the neck having at its
upper end a transverse slot 13 for the holding pawl and having in its lower end a
central aperture 20 containing a spring pressed pin 18 adapted to press the pawl
normally into engagement with the ratchet, a cylindrical ratchet having a toothed
periphery rotatably mounted in the hub as described, provided upon one end with a
threaded shank for the securing nut, and upon the other end with means for securing
the removable die, the die 5 adapted to engage a nut and having a central perforation
coincident with that of the ratchet on which it is detachably mounted, and the
holding pawl 15 apertured as described, pivotally mounted in the slot 13, provided
with oblique faces upon both extremities for the purpose specified, being
vertically movable on its pivotted support, and adapted to normally engage the
rotary ratchet under the tension of the spring pressed pin, substantially as described
and shown.
Dated this 30th day of September 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.