IMPROVEMENTS IN WRENCHES OR SPANNERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WRENCHES OR SPANNERS."-A communication from
abroad by Laurent Justin Boudin, of Paris, in the Republic of
Scaled the 9th December 1875, and dated the 14th June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th June 1875.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
3 of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WRENCHES OR SPANNERS," a communica-
tion to me from abroad by Laurent Justin Boudin, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, to be as follows:-
༡
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement
of extensible wrench or spanner, whereby great strength and solidity
in the instrument and increased rapidity in effecting the adjustment of

page_text: the jaws are obtained, and it consists essentially in forming on the arm
or body of the wrench or spanner an intermittent screw thread, that is
to say, a thread having a series of breaks or interruptions, and in
providing the moveable jaw with a nut tapped with a corresponding
intermittent or interrupted screw thread so arranged as to admit of tho
nut being turned in one direction in order to disengage the screw
threads and enable the moveable jaw to be adjusted to the required
distance by sliding along the arm or body of the wrench or spanner, or
by the arm or body of the wrench or spanner sliding through the same,
and of such nut being then turned in the opposite direction in order to
secure both jaws in their relative adjusted position.
In carrying out this Invention the arm of the wrench or spanner,
which is curved at its extremity so as to form the upper jaw, presents
the form in cross section of a cylinder flattened on two sides, or with
two sides removed, and on the two remaining cylindrical portions thero
is cut the screw thread before mentioned, which is thus interrupted by
reason of the removal of the other portions of the cylinder. The lower
or movable jaw is formed on a tube, which is capablo of sliding along
the arm of the instrument, and is attached by means of a pin with the
nut with intermittent threads before mentioned, a circumferential slot
being provided in the nut at the part where the pin is applied in order
to admit of such nut turning partially on its own axis without turning
the jaw with it. A stop is employed for limiting the range of extension
or adjustment of the jaws, and the arm is provided at the opposite
extremity to that at which the jaw is formed with an oval ring or loop
for the facility of grasping the arm or for the introduction of a strap
when the force of two or more men is required for manipulating the
instrument.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty.
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WRENCHES OR SPANNERS," a communication to me from
abroad by Laurent Justin Boudin, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
The said Invention relates to an improved construction and arrange-
ment of extensible wrench or spanner (designated the "rapid") com-
bining the advantages of great strength and solidity in the instrument,
and increased rapidity in effecting the adjustment of the jaws, and it
consists essentially in the application in the construction of extensible.
wrenches or spanners of a screw with an intermittent thread, that is to
say, a thread having a series of breaks or interruptions, and in providing
the moveable jaw with a nut tapped with a corresponding intermittent
or interrupted scrow thread, so arranged as to admit of the nut being
turned in one direction in order to disengage the screw threads and
enable the moveable jaw to be adjusted to the required distance by
:

page_text: sliding along the arm or body of the wrench or spanner, or by the arm
or body of the wrench or spanner sliding through the same, and of such
nut being then turned in the opposite direction in order to secure both
jaws in their relative adjusted position.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a front elevation
of a convenient pattern of wrench or spanner with this Invention
applied thereto; Figure 2 is a side elevation, Figure 3 is a vertical
section, and Figure 4 is a plan of the same; Figure 5 is a section taken
along the line 1-2, Figures 1 and 3; and Figures 6 and 7 are sections
taken along the line 3-4, Figures 1 and 3, and shewing respectively
two different positions of the nut.
The arm or body a of the wrench or spanner, which is curved at one
extremity so as to constitute the upper jaw b of the instrument, presents
the form of a cylinder, two parallel lateral segments of which have been
cut away, whilst the remaining circular parts of its periphery are
provided with a screw thread at c. A tube d forming one with the
lower jaw e is fitted so as to be capable of sliding casily upon the arm a,
and is connected by a pin ƒ with a nut g, the threads of which are
likewise partially cut away so as to admit of the nut, according to the
position in which it is placed, both sliding freely upon the arm or body
and being screwed upon it to the extent of a quarter of a revolution. A
slot is provided in the nut g for the purpose of allowing sufficient
play to the latter to admit of its partaking of a rotary motion upon its
axis equal to a quarter of a revolution, A stop i is employed in order
to limit the range or extent of opening of the jaws and e, and the arm
or body a terminates at one extremity in an oval ring j, forming a
handle, which latter arrangement facilitates the manipulation of the
wrench or spanner, and at the same time admits of its being suspended,
and of a strap being attached, when it is requisite to apply the combined
strength of several men in order to produce the desired effect.
It will be understood that in using the improved wrench or spanner
it is simply required to place the nut or bolt to be turned between the

page_text: jaws b and e of the instrument, and holding the arm or body a in one
hand to bring the two jaws together with the other hand (the nut g
being placed in such a position as to clear the threads of the screw c),
and then to fix the two jaws in position, which being thus maintained
at the required distance apart enable the wrench or spanner to be
employed for screwing or unscrewing the nut or bolt as required.
The distance between the jaws may thus be adjusted by a single
movement of the hand instantaneously, and with greater facility than
heretofore.
It is obvious that the inclination or angle of the two jaws of the
wrench or spanner may be modified as required, as also that the instru-
ment may be constructed of any suitable size and metal, according to
the various uses to which it is to be applied.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the employment
in extensible wrenches or spanners of a male screw, having interrupted
or intermittent threads formed or fitted on or to the arm or body of the
wrench or spanner in combination with a female screw or nut, also.
having interrupted or intermittent threads connected to the moveable
jaw, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day
of December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.