Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan.,
1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by RICHARD JAMES ROBBINS, of Suspension Bridge, in
the County of Niagara, and State of New York, Steam Fitter, EDWARD
THOMAS SMITH, of No. 189, Fourteenth Street, Physician, and CORNELIUS
WILLIAM GRAHAM, of No. 503, Connecticut Street, Gentleman, both of
Buffalo, in the County of Erie, and State of New York, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Pipe Wrenches.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 pipe wrenches which consist of a main lever
provided with a fixed jaw and a movable jaw pivoted to the main lever and provided
with an axiliary lever whereby the movable jaw is actuated for clamping the pipe or
other article to be turned between the biting faces of the two jaws.
The object of this invention is to construct a simple and powerful wrench of this
kind which can be readily adjusted to grasp pipes of different sizes and which will
permit the pipe to be turned in either direction without changing the position of the
wrench upon the pipe. The invention consists of the improvements which will be
hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved wrench showing the jaws closed.
Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.
Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the jaws released.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several Figures.
The
A represents the main lever of the wrench provided at one end with a fixed jaw B
having serrated or biting faces barranged at right angles or nearly so, with each
other. C represents the movable jaw pivoted to the lever A by a pin or bolt c.
jaw C is provided with two serrated or biting faces c¹, c² arranged at right angles, or
nearly so, with each other and facing the biting faces of the fixed jaw B. The
movable jaw C is preferably composed of two plates C" which are pivoted to opposite
sides of the lever A.
By constructing the movable jaw in two parts and arrangeing these parts on opposite
sides of the fixed jaw, the latter is permitted to enter the space between the two parts
of the movable jaw when the jaws are closed together which enables the jaws to take
a firm hold or grip upon pipes of very small size.
The plates of the movable jaw are provided with arms or extensions & which
project rearwardly from the pivot c and are connected by a pin or bolt e whereby the
plates C of the movable jaw are caused to move together.
Frepresents an auxiliary lever which is supported on the main lever and connected
with the movable jaw for actuating the same. This auxiliary lever is provided at its
inner end with a cam f which rests upon the upper edge of the lever A. The inner
end of the auxiliary lever is connected with the arms d of the movable jaw by links g
which being arranged on both sides of the main lever hold the auxiliary lever in place
on the same.
The movable jaw is moved toward and from the fixed jaw by sliding the auxiliary
ever backward and forward upon the main lever.
When the wrench is applied to a pipe, the jaws are brought in contact with the
opposite sides of the pipe by sliding the auxiliary lever backward on the main lever,
be auxiliary lever being held with its free end away from the main lever as indicated
n Figure 3. When the auxiliary lever has been moved backward on the main lever

page_text: far enough to bring the jaws in contact with the pipe, the longitudinal movement of
the auxiliary lever on the main lever is stopped and the auxiliary lever is turned
toward the main lever, the cam of the auxiliary lever forming the fulcrum on which
it turns. This turning movement of the auxiliary-lever causes the jaws to close upon
the pipe and to take a firm hold of the same. The movement which is produced in
the movable jaw by sliding the auxiliary lever on the main lever, is comparatively
large and this movement is utilized for adjusting the jaws to the pipe. The movement
which is produced in the movable jaw by turning the auxiliary lever is comparatively
small but correspondingly powerful, so that a firm grip is obtained on the pipe
without danger of crushing the pipe by an excessive movement of the movable jaw
toward the fixed jaw. The pipe is held firmly between the jaws and can be turned in
either direction when the grip is not released, but when the pipe is to be turned in
one particular direction, the grip of the jaws is released during the backward
stroke of the wrench by swinging the auxiliary lever away from the main lever. The
cam fis provided with serrations and the portion of the upper edge or face of the
lever A upon which the cam frests is provided with similar serrations which
engage with the serrations on the cam and whereby the latter is prevented from
slipping on the main lever when the auxiliary lever is turned.
I represents a link which surrounds the main and auxiliary levers and which is free
to slide forwardly and backwardly thereon. By moving the link outwardly on the
levers until the jaws are firmly closed against the pipe, the jaws are locked in this
position and the hand of the operator is relieved from the strain of holding the jaws
closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents 1 declare that what I claim is.
First The combination with the main lever provided with a fixed jaw and a
movable jaw pivoted to the main lever of an auxiliary lever adapted to be moved
lengthwise on the main lever and provided at its inner end with a serrated cam which
bears against the main lever and links connecting the cam of the auxiliary lever with
the movable jaw substantially as set forth.
Second The combination with the main lever provided with a fixed jaw and a
movable jaw pivoted to the main lever, and provided with arins or extensions projecting
rearwardly from its pivot, of an auxiliary lever provided at its inner end with a cam
which bears against the main lever, and links connecting the arms of the movable jaw
with the inner end of the auxiliary lever, whereby the movable jaw is actuated for
grasping the article to be turned between the jaws by pressing the auxiliary lever
against the main lever, substantially as set forth.
Third-The combination with the main lever A provided with a fixed jaw B having
two biting faces b, arranged at an angle to each other, and a movable jaw C
composed of two plates C pivoted to opposite sides of the lever A and each provided
with two biting faces c', c² arranged at an angle to each other and opposite the faces
of the fixed jaw, of arms d formed on the plates C¹ of the movable jaw and projecting
rearwardly from the pivot of the movable jaw, an auxiliary lever F provided at its
inner end with a cam f which rests upon the main lever and links g, g connecting the
inner end of the lever F with the arms d of the movable jaw, substantially as set
forth.
D L
1
n
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.;
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.