Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
A communication by FREDERICK L. ELLIS, of Milldale, in the County of
Hartford and State of Connecticut, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Eugincer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of wrenches in which are comprised a
fixed jaw and a movable jaw connected with a screw or similar contrivance for
opening and closing it relatively to the fixed jaw, to adapt the wrench to catch
nuts, bolt heads, etcetera, of different sizes.
The object of the invention is, first to produce strong durable and economical
wrench for general purposes, but which shall be particularly adapted for use where the
space for manipulating the tool is limited as for example is the case in bicycles and
small machinery generally; second to construct the movable parts and the connections
between the same and the fixed parts in such a manner that the setting of the jaws
to catch the object to be turned or held can be quickly accomplished by a slight
movement of the contrivance for adjusting the movable jaws; third to brace the
sliding and adjusting parts of the movable jaws so that when a nut, bolt head or
other object to be held or turned is caught by the wrench any reasonable degree of
strain put upon the wrench to hold or turn the object will not open the jaws, or
overcome the resistance of the bracing to any practical extent.
The improved tool comprises a bar or handle, fixed jaws at opposite ends of the
said bar or handle, adjustable jaws, the slide carrying the movable jaws which is
placed on the bar or handle between the fixed jaws so as to be moved readily back
and forth, by means of a nut and a screw shaft connected with the slide for the
purpose of adjusting the movable jaws relatively with the fixed jaws respectively.
The fixed jaws and the bar are composed of two outside sections and intermediate
jaws sections; each of the sections is stamped out of sheet or plate metal (steel
for example) in the precise outline of the fixed jaws and the bar, each of the
outside sections thus comprising in one piece a part of the bar and parts of the jaws.
respectively. In both of the outside sections there is also stamped a concavo-
convex rib extending lengthwise of the section and forming rounded out projection
on the outside of the section, and groove on the inside thereof and midway of the
length of each of the ribs a rectangular slot is stamped through the outside
sections. The intermediate jaw sections are also stamped out of sheet or plate
metal (steel for example) in the exact outline of the jaws respectively. All the
sections aforesaid have coincident rivet holes made through them.
The slide and the movable jaws are composed of sections, each of which is made
out of sheet or plate metal, the two exterior sections stamped to the exact shape of
the jaws and the bar, which connects the jaws, while the middle section is made
deeper than the side sections, its upper edge being formed to the exact shape of
!

page_text: the jaws and bar and its extended part forming a tongue has a straight bottom edge,
with pins or studs projecting from it.
The two outside sections of the slide are of the same thickness as the two outer
sections of which the wrench is made up and the middle section of the slide with
its tongue or pin is of about the same thickness as the jaw sections. A flange
plate is fastened to the bottom edge of the part by passing the pins or studs through
boles in the said plate and upsetting them against its underside. Through the
middle of the part is stamped a rectangular opening with small rectangular notches
in the ends thereof and in this opening is placed lengthwise the screw shaft with
squared ends which are inserted in the notches and wedged therein so as to hold
the shaft immovable. On the screw shaft is the thumb nut. These sections have
coincident rivet holes made through them transversely.
The several sections are put together to form the wrench in the following
manner :-
The slide is first made by putting three sections together so that their upper
edges will be flush with each other and the tongue will project below the underneath
edges of the outside sections of the slide and when so arranged they are fastened
together by rivets placed in the holes. The two outside sections are then placed
together with the jaw sections between the parts and the tongue between the parts
of the outside sections and the sections are fastened together by rivets placed in
the holes, while the slide with the movable jaws is secured between the fixed jaws
by the tongue which is held in the groove between the parts of the bar by the edges
of the sections resting on the top edges of the parts of the bar, and the flange plate
resting against the underneath edges of the same parts and the nut projecting into
the slots while the grooves afford spaces on each side for the screw shaft. The
wrench being made with its fixed jaws and bar, and the slide and movable jaws
made or built up of sections stamped out from sheet or plate steel, it is strong, and
light, and on account of its thinness, it is serviceable in many places where the
limited space would preclude the use of a thick wrench.
By means of the thumb nut, which when turned cannot advance because it is
held in the slots, the screw shaft is moved longitudinally and thereby the slide is
also moved carrying the jaws towards or from the fixed jaw.
It will be observed that this wrench is so constructed that when the slide has
been moved as far as it can be towards the fixed jaw of the wrench, that there will
then be a space between the pair of jaws at both ends of the wrench. When so
adjusted the jaws are adapted to catch say a " nut, and the jaws a " nut. By
moving the slide to the position, that is with the jaw closed the jaw will be adjusted
to catch say a 13" nut, so that by a very slight movement of the slide the jaws can be
made to accommodate nuts of two different sizes without further adjustment.
By the long bearing which is given the slide on the bar by the peculiar
construction of the sections, whereby their underneath edges rest for their entire
length on the upper edges of the bar, and the flange plate bears against the
underneath edges of the bar, great firmness is given to the movable jaws so that
when adjusted to catch a nut or bolt head they will not yield or lose their grip, as
the long leverage or bracing produced by the bearings will resist the strain put on
the jaws in turning or holding the object.
Dated this 7th day of December 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: A communication by FREDERICK L. ELLIS, of Milldale, in the County of
Hartford and State of Connecticut, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 relates to that class of wrenches in which are comprised a fixed
jaw and a movable jaw connected with a screw or similar contrivance for opening
and closing it relatively to the fixed jaw, to adapt the wrench to catch nuts, bolt
heads, &c., of different sizes.
The object of this invention is, first to produce a strong durable and economical
wrench for general purposes, but which shall be particularly adapted for use where
the space for manipulating the tool is limited, as for example is the case in bicycles,
and small machinery generally; second to construct the movable parts and the
connections between the same and the fixed parts in such a manner that the setting
of the jaws to catch the object to be turned or held can be quickly accomplished
by a slight movement of the contrivance for adjusting the movable jaws; third to
brace the sliding and adjusting parts of the movable jaws so that when a nut, bolt
head or other object to be held or turned is caught by the wrench any reasonable
degree of strain put upon the wrench to hold or turn the object will not open the
jaws, or overcome the resistance of the bracing to any practical extent.
In the annexed drawing:
Fig. 1 represents the improved wrench in perspective;
Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the two outer sections of which the wrench is made
up Fig. 2 showing the inner side of one of the sections and Fig. 3 the outer side
of the other section;
Figs. 4 and 5 represent the middle or jaw sections which are placed between the
jaw parts of the sections shown in Figs. 2 and 3 ;
:
Figs. 6 and 7 are the outside sections of the slide or movable parts of the
wrench;
Fig. 8 represents the middle section of the slide with the screw and nut for
moving the slide and
Fig. 9 represents the flange plate for the bottom edge of the middle section of
the slide and
Fig. 10 is a cross section of the wrench taken on line of Fig. 1.
Referring to the drawing, the, letter A designates the bar or handle of the
wrench B, B' the fixed jaws of the wrench at opposite ends of the said bar or
handle, C, C the adjustable jaws of the wrench D, the slide, carrying the
movable jaws C, C, which is placed on the bar or handle A between the fixed
jaws B, B so as to be moved readily back and forth, by means of a nut E and a
screw shaft F connected with the slide D (see Fig. 8) for the purpose of adjusting
the movable jaws C, C relatively with the fixed jaws B, B respectively. The
fixed jaws B,
B and the bar A, are composed of two outside sections 1, 2, and
intermediate jaw sections 3, 4; each of the sections 1, 2, is stamped out of sheet or
plate metal (steel for example) in the precise outline of the fixed jaws B, B' and

page_text: the bar A each of the sections 1, 2, thus comprising in one piece a part a of the
bar A, and parts bb' of the jaws B B respectively, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In both of the sections 1, 2, there is also stamped a concavo-convex rib extending
lengthwise of the section and forming rounded out projections on the outside of
the section, and groove t on the inside thereof and midway of the length of each
of the ribs a rectangular slot u is stamped through the sections 1 and 2. The
intermediate jaw-sections 3, 4, are also stamped out of sheet or plate metal (steel
for example) in the exact outline of the jaws B B respectively. All the
sections 1, 2, 3, 4 have coincident rivet holes d, d, etc., made through them.
The slide D and the movable jaws C C' are composed of sections 5, 6, 7 each
of which is made out of sheet or plate metal, the two exterior sections 5, 7 stamped
to the exact shape of the jaws C'C' and the bar H, which connects the jaws C'C',
while the middle section 6 is made deeper than the side sections 5, 7-its upper
edge being formed to the exact shape of the jaws C C and bar Hand its extended
part forming a tongue I, has a straight bottom edge, with pins or studs o 0, 00
projecting from it.
The sections 5, 7 are of the same thickness as the sections 1, 2, and the section 6
with its tongue or pin is of about the same thickness as the jaw sections 3, 4. A
flange plate K is fastened to the bottom edge of the part I by passing the pins or
studs OO, &c., through holes in the said plate and upsetting them against its
underside. Through the middle of the part I is stamped a rectangular opening L,
with small rectangular notches y y in the ends thereof and in this opening L is
placed lengthwise the screw-shaft F with squared ends which are inserted in the
notches and wedged therein so as to hold the shaft immovable. On the screw
shaft F is the thumb nut E. The sections 5, 6, 7 have coincident rivet holes r, r, etc.,
made through them transversely.
The several sections are put together to form the wrench in the following manner:
The slide D, is first made by putting the three sections 5, 6, 7, together so that their
upper edges will be flush with each other and the tongue I will project below the
underneath edges of the sectious 5, 7, and when so arranged they are fastened
together by rivets placed in the holes r, r, etc. The sections 1, 2, are then placed
together with the jaw sections 3, 4, between the parts & and the tongue I between
the parts a a of the sections 1, 2, and the sections 1, 2, and 3, 4 are fastened together
by rivets placed in the holes d, d, etc., while the slide D, with the movable jaws C C',
is secured between the fixed jaws B B by the tongue I which is held in the groove m
between the parts a a of the bar A by the edges of the sections 5, 7, resting on the
top edges of the parts a a of the bar A and the flange plate K resting against the
underneath edges of the same parts a a, and the nut E projects into the slots u u
while the grooves t t, afford spaces on each side for the screw shaft F. The wrench
being made with its fixed jaws and bar, and the slide and movable jaws made or
built up of sections stamped out from sheet or plate steel, it is strong, and light,
and on account of its thinness, it is serviceable in many places where the limited
space would preclude the use of a thick wrench.
By means of the thumb nut E, which when turned cannot advance because it is
held in the slots w, the screw shaft is moved longitudinally and thereby the slide D,
is also moved carrying the jaws C C' towards or from the fixed jaw B B'.
It will be observed that this wrench is so constructed that when the slide D has
been moved as far as it can be towards the fixed jaw B of the wrench, that there
will then be a space between the pair of jaws at both ends of the wrench as shown
in Fig. 1. When so adjusted the jaws B, C, are adapted to catch say a "nut,
and the jaws B Canut. By moving the slide D, to the position indicated by
the broken lines in Fig. 1, that is with the jaw B C, closed the jaw B C will be
adjusted to catch say a 13" nut, so that by a very slight movement of the slide
the jaws can be made to accommodate nuts of two different sizes without further
adjustment.
The long bearing which is given the slide D, on the bar A by the peculiar con-
struction of the sections 5, 7, whereby their underneath edges rest for their entire

page_text: length on the upper edges of the bar A, and the flange plate K bears against the
underneath edges of the bar, great firmness is given to the movable jaws so that
when adjusted to catch a nut or bolt head they will not yield or lose their grip, as
the long leverage or bracing produced by the bearings will resist the strain put on
the jaws in turning or holding the object.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improvement in adjustable wrenches or spanners, which consists in.
forming them of a fixed jaw or jaws with a handle or bar, and an adjustable jaw or
jaws and a slide, said parts being made in sections or plates and put together in
such a manner that the slide with its movable jaws shall be capable of sliding
longitudinally in the handle or bar to accommodate nuts of varying size between
the jaws, in combination with means, such as a screw and nut, for adjusting the
movable jaws and locking them in any required position relatively to the fixed jaws,..
substantially as described.
2. The manufacture of wrenches by making the fixed jaws and the bar, and the
adjustable jaws and slide in sections which are stamped out of sheet (or plate) steel
and riveted together to form the said parts and by connecting the screw shaft and
nut, for moving the slide and adjusting the movable jaws, with the tongue of the
slide, substantially as described.
3. A wrench having the fixed jaws, bar and slide made or built up of sections.
stamped out of sheet (or plate) steel and riveted together, the bar sections having
grooves in their inner sides with slots made through the same for the nut that
moves the slide, the tongue of the slide having a slot made in it in which is placed
and fastened the screw shaft and nut moving the slide and adjusting the movable
jaws, and the said tongue inserted in a groove in the bar and secured by a flange.
plate riveted to its underneath edge, substantially as described.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming the
improved adjustable wrench or spanner substantially as described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of January 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,.
Agents.