GB2113132A - Adjustable wrench - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable wrench has a fixed jaw 10, an adjustable jaw 26 which is movable to adjust the gripping distance between the fixed jaw and the adjustable jaw, a sliding jaw portion 16 which is provided as a gripping member on either the fixed jaw or the adjustable jaw and serves as a wedge to decrease the gripping distance between the jaws by sliding in one direction, and a spring 44 or other mechanism which automatically returns the sliding jaw portion to its retracted position. Such a wrench can be used to turn nuts and bolts and also as a pipe wrench. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjustable wrench This invention relates to an adjustable openend wrench.

Conventionally, an open-end spanner has been used to turn a bolt or nut of hexagonal or rectangular shape having two opposite sides or a similar periphery or to tighten or release a coupling or the like, but has been incapable of gripping a pipe and the like having a circular periphery since its jaws are fixed for a certain size.

Therefore, to grip and rotate objects having a circular periphery, a pipe wrench is employed. A pipe wrench, however, is unsuitable for turning a bolt or nut since the adjustable jaw of the pipe wrench is designed to bite the surface of an object to be turned. Thus, when turning not only bolts and nuts but pipes, one had to change frequently between a spanner and a pipe wrench. This is very cumbersome. Therefore, the demand for an adjustable wrench which can be used both as a spanner and a pipe wrench has been strong.

The present invention provides an adjustable spanner which can be handled in a manner similar to a crescent wrench or pipe wrench without need for special skill.

An adjustable wrench according to the present invention comprises a body having a fixed jaw and an adjustable jaw facing it, either one of the two jaws incorporating slidably a wedge-shaped sliding jaw portion on its gripping surface so as to grip between the sliding jaw and the opposite jaw an object to be rotated irrespective of the geometric configuration of the object.

Preferably, an automatic return mechanism is provided for the sliding jaw portion so that the sliding jaw portion is returned automatically into a predetermined expanded position with respect to the fixed jaw or the adjustable jaw, the return mechanism preferably being in the form of a spring mechanism incorporated into the jaw portion.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from the detailed description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevational fragmentary view of a head and portion of the handle of a wrench according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective, exploded view of major parts shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevational view of a head and handle portion, with parts partially broken away, of an alternative wrench; Figure 4 shows the wrench of Figure 3 in operation; Figure 5 is a perspective, exploded view of major parts shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is an elevational fragmentary view of a head and handle portion, with parts partially broken away, of another wrench according to the present invention;; Figure 7 shows the wrench of Figure 6 in operation; Figure 8 is a perspective, exploded view of major parts shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 is an elevational fragmentary view of a head and handle portion, with parts partially broken away, of still another wrench according to the present invention; Figure 10 shows the wrench of Figure 9 in use; Figure 11 is a perspective, exploded view of major parts shown in Figure 9; Figure 12 is an elevational fragmentary view of a head and handle portion, with parts partially broken away, of another wrench according to the present invention; Figure 1 3 shows the wrench of Figure 12 in use; and Figure 14 is a perspective, exploded view of major parts shown in Figure 12.

Figures 1 and 2 show a wrench having a fixed jaw 10 as a unitary extension of a head or body 28 at the forward end of a handle 12, and an open slot 14 formed facing forwards at a leading edge of the fixed jaw 1 0. A sliding jaw portion 1 6 has gripping teeth 18 on its underside and a projection 20 on its upper side which is slidably inserted in the slot 14.A shaft or pin 24 bridging the slot 14 passes transversely through a slot 22 in the projection 20 to allow limited sliding of the sliding jaw portion 1 6 along the jaw 1 0. In a well-known manner, an adjustable jaw 26, facing the sliding jaw portion 16, has a rack 32 which is slidably engaged in a groove 30 formed in the head 28 of the wrench, and the rack meshes with a worm 30 which is also used as a manual adjusting knob and is mounted on a shaft for adjusting the distance between the jaws 10 and 26. An inside edge or gripping surface of the adjustable jaw 26 is provided with teeth 38. Teeth 1 8 of the sliding jaw 1 6 and teeth 38 of the adjustable jaw 26 are arranged in substantially parallel spaced relation to one another.The sliding jaw portion 1 6 has a wedge-shaped body provided with an inclined bearing surface 40 adapted to slide along a complementary bearing surface on the fixed jaw, the bearing surfaces being inclined at an angle of o to the plane of the teeth 18.

When the above-mentioned wrench is used to turn a bolt or nut, the hexagonal head is placed between the sliding jaw portion 1 6 at the fixed jaw 10 and the adjustable jaw 26, and then its opposite sides are gripped by the teeth 1 8 and 38 of the jaws 16 and 26 when the adjustable jaw 26 is shifted by rotating the worm 36. In this case, the sliding jaw portion 1 6 does not move towards the edge of the fixed jaw 10 since it acts as a wedge with an angle to 0.

When a pipe a or similar object having circular periphery is to be turned, the pipe a is gripped with both jaws 1 6 and 26 by rotating the worm 36, and the handle 1 2 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A. By moving the handle 12, the sliding jaw portion 1 6 slides toward the edge of the fixed jaw 10 in the direction of arrow B while the teeth 1 8 slightly bites into the pipe a. As a result, the sliding jaw portion 1 6 works as a wedge, and the distance between both teeth 1 8 and 28 is reduced from L1 to L2. Therefore, both teeth 1 8 and 28 catch the pipe a, thus turning it positively.

When the handle 12 is moved in the reverse direction of A, the sliding jaw slides in the opposie direction to increase the distance between the teeth 1 8 and 26 which slip over and are released from the pipe a. When the above-mentioned operation is repeated; that is, the handle 1 2 is swung repeatedly, the pipe a is turned in the direction of arrow C. This action is the same as that of a pipe wrench.

Figures 3 to 5 show an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which like parts are correspondingly enumerated to those of Figures 1 and 2; and wherein an automatic return mechanism 42 is provided for ensuring the return action of the sliding jaw 1 6. In this embodiment, a leaf spring 44 is provided which is made of spring steel and has a base portion secured to the bottom of the slot 14 by a small screw 48 so that an end of the spring 44 is in contact with an inclined surface 46 on the top end or projection 20 of the sliding jaw 1 6.

Therefore, the sliding jaw 1 6 is always pressed toward the head 28 in the direction of arrow D by the spring 44 in returning it into a constant retracted position. As a result, the teeth can be easily released from the pipe a when turning the pipe with this wrench.

Figures 6 to 8 show a modified sliding jaw portion 1 6 in which the automatic return mechanism 50 consists of a hose 52 at one end of a slot 22 formed at the top end 20 of the sliding jaw 16, a coil spring 54 which is inserted between the shaft 24 and the hose 52 to press the sliding jaw 1 6 itself in the direction of D, and a flat spring 58 one end of which is secured to the bottom of the slot 14 by a small screw 56 and the other bent end 60 of which is in contact with an edge 62 of the sliding jaw 16.

When the pipe a is rotated by the abovementioned wrench, the wedge-shaped sliding jaw 1 6 first slides slightly in the direction of D, and then it is returned by the force of the flat spring 58 so that the distance between the teeth 1 8 and 38 is reduced. When the handle 12 is moved in the direction of A, the teeth 1 8 and 38 remain engaged with the external periphery of the pipe a.

Thus, with the help of the coil spring 54 which adjusts the distance between the teeth 1 8 and 38, smooth rotation of the pipe a can be achieved by this wrench.

Figures 9 to 11 show another embodiment in which a sliding jaw 11 6 is attached to an adjustable jaw 1 26. As shown, teeth 138 are formed on the inside edge of a fixed jaw 110 provided at the top end of a handle 112, and a rack portion 1 32 of the adjustable jaw 126, which faces the fixed jaw 110, is slidably engaged in a base 128 of the fixed jaw 110 so that the distance between the teeth 138 and teeth 11 8 of the sliding jaw 11 6 are adjusted by the movement of a rack 134 and a worm 136. The sliding jaw 116 has the teeth 11 8 on its upper side (as viewed) and a projection 120 on its lower side is slidably engaged in a slot 114 formed in the adjustable jaw 126.The projection 120 has a slot 122 through which a shaft 124, bridging the slot 114, passes thus allowing the movement of the sliding jaw 11 6 along an inclined surface 140. The pianes of the teeth 138 of the fixed jaw 110 and the teeth 11 8 of the sliding jaw 11 7 are substantially parallel. The wedge-shaped sliding jaw 116 has a sliding or inclined bearing surface 140 at an angle of 0 to the plane of the teeth 11 8. An automatic return mechanism 142 consists of a spring 144 one end of which is secured to the bottom of the slot 114 by a small screw 148, and the other end of which is in contact with an edge of the sliding jaw 116 so as to press the sliding jaw 116 in the direction of arrow E.

Therefore, when the handle 112 is moved in the direction of arrow A with the pipe a inserted between the teeth 1 38 and 11 8 of the fixed jaw 110 and the sliding jaw 116, the sliding jaw 117 slides in the direction opposite to that of arrow E, contrary to the previous embodiments. With this wedge effect of the sliding jaw 11 6, the distance between both teeth 138 and 11 8 is decreased, thus achieving the same engagement as in the previous embodiments.

Figures 12 to 14 show an adjustable wrench which has a fixed jaw 210 in which a wedgeshaped sliding jaw 21 6 is built. This wrench consists of a fixed jaw 210 which is integrally formed at one end of a straight handle 212 and protruding sideways, and an adjustable base 232 which is slidably mounted on the handle 212 and has an adjustable jaw 226 protruding therefrom.

A worm 236 mounted on a shaft in the adjustable base 232 is engaged with a rack 234 disposed on one side of the handle 21 2 so as to adjust the distance between the fixed jaw 210 and the adjustable jaw 226 whose inside is formed with teeth 238. The forward end of the fixed jaw 210 is provided with an open slot 214 in which a projection 220 of a wedge-shaped sliding jaw 216 is slidably engaged. A shaft 224 passes through a slot 222 of the projection 220 and bridges the slot 214 so that the sliding jaw 216 can slide on the shaft 224. A return mechanism 250 for the sliding jaw 216 consists of a hole 252 which is provided at one end of the slot 222 formed at the top end 220 of the sliding jaw 216, a coil spring 254 which is provided between the shaft 224 and the hole 252 so as to press the sliding jaw 216 in the direction of arrow F, and a spring 258 of which one end is secured to the bottom of the slot 214 by a small screw 256 and the other bend end 260 is in contact with an edge 262 of the sliding jaw 21 6 so as to press the sliding jaw 21 6 against the force of the coil spring 254. Teeth 218 are formed on the inside surface of the sliding jaw 21 6.

In use of the above-mentioned wrench, an external periphery of a pipe a is gripped between the teeth 21 8 and 238 of the sliding jaw 216 and the adjustable jaw 226 by rotating the worm 236 at the adjustable base 232, and the handle 212 is swung repeatedly. During this operation, the distance between the jaws 216 and 228 is reduced from L, to L2 by the movement of the sliding jaw 216, in a manner similar to the previous embodiments. As a result, teeth 218 and 238 bit into the external periphery of pipe a.

As described above, each wrench in the embodiments described is capable of turning not only hexagonal bolts and nuts but pipes or similar objects with circular peripheries in normal handling practice. Therefore, each wrench can be used interchangeably as a pipe wrench and adjustable spanner while exhibiting a ratchet like action in alternately releasing and gripping an object.

Furthermore, with the return mechanism built in the sliding jaw as mentioned above, the teeth can be easily released from the external periphery of a pipe, no slippage is experienced during gripping and smooth operation can be achieved.

Claims (16)

1. An adjustable wrench for gripping and turning an object, which wrench has a body portion provided with a fixed jaw, an adjustable jaw facing said fixed jaw, and means for controlling movement of said adjustable jaw towards and away from said fixed jaw thereby to regulate the gripping distance therebetween, one of the jaws being provided with a slidable jaw portion provided with a gripping surface, and wedging means mounting said slidable jaw portion on such a manner that said slidable jaw portion is movable in a first direction such as to reduce the gripping'distance between said fixed and adjustable jaws in response to gripping of an object by the jaws and turning of the object in one direction.

2. An adjustable wrench according to claim 1, said wedging means including means biasing said slidable jaw portion- in the direction opposite to the first direction whereby to normally increase the gripping distance between said fixed and adjustable jaws.

3. An adjustable wrench according to claim 2, said biasing means being spring return means positioned between said slidable jaw portion and the jaw on which it is mounted.

4. An adjustable wrench according to claim 1, 2 or 3, said slidable jaw portion being of generally wedge-shaped configuration having an inclined bearing surface complementary to a bearing surface on the associated jaw, said wedging means permitting relative sliding movement between said bearing surfaces in response to gripping and turning an object in said one direction thereby to reduce the gripping distance between said fixed and adjustable jaws.

5. An adjustable wrench according to claim 4, having a projection extending from said inclined bearing surface of said slidable jaw portion and projecting into a slot formed in the jaw on which it is mounted, and means limiting the slidable movement of said projection with respect to said slot.

6. An adjustable wrench according to claim 5, including means disposed between said bearing surfaces and operative to normally urge said slidable jaw portion in a direction to increase the gripping distance between said fixed and adjustable jaws.

7. An adjustable wrench according to claim 6, said spring return means defined by a plate spring affixed to said bearing surface on the jaw provided with the slidable jaw portion.

8. An adjustable wrench according to claim 1, including a first spring return mechanism biasing said slidable jaw portion towards said body and a second spring mechanism biasing said slidable jaw portion away from said body.

9. An adjustable open-end wrench for gripping and turning an object which wrench is provided with a handle, a head at one end of said handle provided with a fixed jaw, an adjustable jaw disposed in confronting relation to said fixed jaw, means for controlling the movement of said adjustable jaw towards and away from said fixed jaw to regulate the gripping distance therebetween, a slidable jaw portion provided with a gripping surface thereon, said slidable jaw portion being so mounted on one of said jaws that said gripping surface is disposed in confronting relation to the other of said jaws, and wedging means so mounting said slidable jaw portion that said slidable jaw portion is slidable in a direction away from said head to reduce the gripping distance between said jaws in response to gripping and turning of an object in one direction and being further movable automatically in a return direction towards said head to increase the gripping distance between said jaws in response to turning of said wrench in the opposite direction.

10. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 9, said slidable jaw portion being of generally wedge-shaped configuration having an inclined bearing surface complementary to an inclined bearing surface of the jaw upon which it is mounted, said inclined bearing surfaces being sloped to extend at a low gradual angle away from said head and towards the other jaw.

11. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 10, said slidable jaw portion including a projection insertable into a slot formed in the jaw in which it is mounted.

12. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 11. said projection being provided with a pin-receiving slot, and a transverse pin mounted for transverse extension through said pin-receiving slot.

13. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 12, said slot and projection being elongated in a direction parallel to said inclined bearing surfaces.

14. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 13, including spring return means associated with said pin operative to urge said slidable jaw portion in a direction towards said pin.

15. An adjustable open-end wrench according to claim 14, including a leaf spring interposed between said slidable jaw portion and the jaw upon which it is mounted and operative to urge said slidable jaw portion in a direction away from said head.

16. An adjustable wrench substantially as herein set forth with reference to Figures 1 to 5, Figures 6 to 8, Figures 9 to 11 or Figures 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.