IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE AND OTHER WRENCHES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents;
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE AND OTHER WRENCHES," 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 chiefly to improvements in pipe tongs or wrenches, but the
said improvements are also applicable to other wrenches.
The said invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, all
substantially as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 shows in partial longitudinal section the present improvements as
applied to a pipe wrencher.
Figure 2 is an edge view.
Figure 3 is a rear view of one of the jaws of the wrench.
Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 Figure 1 and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the jaws.
A, represents the body of the wrench, having a handle B, a jaw C, and a movable
adjustable jaw D.
The movable jaw D has an arm E, at right angles to it and extending in a
direction parallel to the body A of the wrench, on which arm E is cut a screw
thread F, on which screws a nut G. The said nut is arranged to turn freely in an
open slot H in an offset J of the body A, so that by turning the screw nut G, in one
direction the jaw D, will be moved away from the jaw C and by turning the said
screw nut in the other direction the jaw D will be moved toward the jaw C, all as
usual in pipe tongs and wrenches.
The face a of the end of the body A inclines in relation to a line at right angles
to the wrench, as shown in Figure 1, on which inclined face a the inclined face b of
the jaw C, which is separate from the body A, is arranged to move forward and
backward. In such forward movement the jaw C is caused to approach the jaw D,
as shown in dotted lines, Figure 1, and in its backward movement to recede from
said jaw D.

page_text: To secure the jaw C to the body A, and yet allow its movements as described, it
is interlocked with the same by a downward longitudinal extension H, having
an enlargement J which is circular in cross-section, and is arranged to slide in
a correspondingly shaped socket K in the end of body A.
L is a spring secured at h to the front edge of the body, and projecting by its free
end into an opening m in the extension H, there acting by its tension to hold the
jaw C in the position shown in Figure 1.
To prevent the jaw C from being detached from the body and from being moved
too far outward, it is provided at its inner end with a projecting arm g, arranged to
abut against the inner side of the body.
The operation of the parts constituting this improved pipe-wrench is as follows
that is to say-The pipe to be operated upon is placed between the two jaws, the
distance of the jaw D from the jaw C being adjusted to the diameter of the pipe by
turning the screw-nut in the proper direction. The wrench is then turned by its
handle toward the operator, thereby causing through the binding of the two jaws
upon the pipe, the jaw C, to move up the incline a, and in such movement, according
to the force exerted on the wrench, to more firmly grasp and bind the pipe between
it and the jaw D thereby operating on the pipe as desired. In swinging the wrench
back to take a new hold of the pipe between the two jaws, the jaw C frees itself
from the grasp on the pipe, by the action of its spring causing it to slide down the
inclined face, which allows the wrench to freely move on the pipe. As the wrench
is again pulled forward the pipe will be again operated upon, the wrench is then
again moved back to release it for another grip and so on, until the pipe is operated
upon to the desired extent.
Thus in the forward movement of the wrench to operate upon the pipe the jaws
are caused to firmly grasp the pipe for the purpose desired, and in its backward
movement are free to move around the pipe, to secure by another forward movement
of the wrench another grip upon the pipe, and so on, all in a simple and practical
manner.
This invention is applicable to other kinds of wrenches as well as pipe wrenches,
and it is not intended to limit the invention to any particular kind of wrench. The
extension H, and its interlock can be of other forms to accomplish the same result,
also the spring L can be arranged for operation in any manner desired.
The jaws C, D have their gripping surfaces M, N, serrated or grooved, as usual,
for more firmly holding upon the pipe or other article to be operated upon.
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 correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First In combination with a jaw D, a jaw C arranged to bear and slide upon
an inclined surface a across the body portion of the wrench, and provided with an
arm g, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Second-In combination with a jaw D, a jaw C arranged to bear and slide upon
an inclined surface a across the body portion of the wrench and secured thereto by
an extension H having its outer end enlarged in cross section and engaging with
a socket K in said body, and provided with an arm g, substantially as, and for the
purpose, specified.