Improvements in Adjustable Spanners and Wrenches.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Spanners and Wrenches.
BENJAMIN KETTLE of 1 Broomfield Place Leeds in the County of York
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved adjustable spanner or wrench. My
improved spanner or wrench consist of two jaws with shanks one of which slides
upon the other. In one shank a screw is imbedded having its axis parallel with
the direction of the sliding motion. In the other shank a recess is made and
tapped or screw threaded to fit the half of the said screw which projects from the
first named shank. When the two shanks are held apart the jaws can be moved
relatively to each other. When the jaws have been adjusted they are locked
by simply closing the shanks together either by the pressure of the hand or
by a clip.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1891.
BENJAMIN KETTLE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Spanners and Wrenches.
I, BENJAMIN KETTLE of 32 Finchley Road St. John's Wood London
N.W., 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved adjustable spanner or wrench. My
improved spanner or wrench is constructed with two jaws which have long shanks
forming the handle. One of the said jaws is arranged to slide on the shank of
the other jaw, whereby the distance between the jaws can be adjusted to suit
different sized nuts. The important feature of my said invention relates to the
means which I employ for locking the jaws after they have been adjusted which means
comprises a screw fixed in one shank in combination with a screw threaded recess
in the other shank so arranged as to securely lock the jaws when the shanks are
pressed together. Or instead of a screw I sometimes employ an equivalent rack
formed in the inner face of one shank, the said rack being adapted to engage
with a corresponding rack in the inner face of the other shank. This arrange-
ment permits of very rapid adjustment of the jaws to any distance within the
compass of the wrench and provides a very neat and safe locking device.
I provide a clip for holding the shanks firmly together after the jaws have been
adjusted.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 & 2 are side and edge views of my adjustable spanner or wrench
complete.
In the shank c
a is one jaw with shank a b is the other jaw having a shank d.
is embedded to about half its depth a screwe of any convenient length. The
said screw is arranged parallel with the length of the shank c and is secured
thereto by screws or rivets e¹ or by other suitable means. In the shank d is a
longitudinal recess f which is tapped or screw threaded to fit the part of the
screw e which projects from the shank c.
It is obvious that, if the two shanks c, d are pressed together so as to maintain
the screw e in engagement with the screw threads of the recess f, the jaws will be
securely locked together. Moreover it is obvious that on separating the jaws

page_text: sufficiently to disengage the screw e from the screw threads of the recess of the jaws
become unlocked and they may then be rapidly moved or adjusted by sliding the
one shank over the other. When the jaws are readjusted they become
immediately locked on pressing the shanks together by the grasp of the hand and
for small wrenches this pressure is quite sufficient for the purpose. I also provide
a clip or clasp g for holding the shanks together after adjustment. The said clip
or clasp is adapted to be rotated on the pin g' by which it is attached to one of
the shanks. While the jaws are being adjusted the clip or clasp is turned away
from the shanks as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, but after the adjustment is made
and the shanks closed together the said clip or clasp is turned so as to grip the
said shanks. When thus closed the clip keeps the screw e and screw threads in
the recess fin engagement and the jaws from shifting without any trouble to the
operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
(1.) An adjustable spanner or wrench having two jaws with shanks which form
a handle and a screw partly embedded and securely fixed in one of the shanks,
and adapted to engage with a screw threaded recess in the other shank, with or
without a clip or clasp for holding the shanks together, substantially as and for
the
purpose specified.
(2.) In an adjustable spanner or wrench having two jaws with shanks which
form a handle, the combination with the said shanks of a clip or clasp for holding
the same together substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of August 1892.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.