GB2370245A

GB2370245A - Universal wrench

Info

Publication number: GB2370245A
Application number: GB0026503A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Max Pasbrig
Original assignee: Lacrex SA
Current assignee: Lacrex SA
Priority date: 1999-05-25
Filing date: 2000-10-30
Publication date: 2002-06-26
Also published as: CN1152770C; CN1334176A; CA2335504A1; GB0026503D0; WO2000071300A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a universal wrench having at least one open wrench body 2 attached at the end portion of a handle 1 or a device formed at the end of a handle 1. The wrench body 2 is pivotable in a gripping plane relative to the handle 1. A shaft 5 is attached to the handle 1 and stands perpendicularly to the gripping plane. First and second jaws are mounted to pivot about the shaft 5 in the gripping plane. A guide is provided on the first jaw 16 and runs at right angles to the gripping plane. A rack 30 is provided on the second jaw 15 at right angles to the second jaw 15. The rack 30 is guided for longitudinal displacement in the guide and has teeth 25, 26, 27 directed towards the handle 1. A series of teeth 14 are provided at the end portion of the handle, with the teeth 14 arranged in a circular arc with a mid-point formed by the shaft 5. These teeth 14 engage the teeth 25,26, 27 on the rack 30.

Description

Universal Wrench 5 This invention relates to a universal wrench. The

wrench has an open wrench body that is attached to the end of a handle or a device formed at the end of a handle, for clamping and holding fast, and then releasing a bolt head or like connecting element, or rods, pipes, etc. Known wrenches of this kind have the disadvantage that round bolt heads or like connecting elements, and rods and pipes cannot be securely clamped, held fast, and released.

15 The invention preferably provides a universal wrench that with its wrench body is able to securely clamp, hold fast, and release even round bolt heads and like connecting elements, and rods, pipes and like parts of different shape and size.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a universal wrench having at least one open wrench body attached at the end portion of a handle or a device formed at the end of a handle. The wrench body is pivotable in a gripping plane 25 relative to the handle. A shaft is attached to the handle and stands perpendicularly to the gripping plane. First and second jaws are mounted to pivot about the shaft in the gripping plane. A guide is provided on the first jaw and runs at right angles to the gripping plane. A rack is 30 provided on the second jaw at right angles to the second jaw. The rack is guided for longitudinal displacement in the guide and has teeth directed towards the handle. A series of teeth are provided at the end portion of the handle, with the teeth arranged in a circular arc with a 35 mid-point formed by the shaft. These teeth engage the

teeth on the rack.

It has been found to be particularly advantageous for the handle to have an abutment portion with a tooth system with 5 rounded recesses and projections. The wrench body may have two jaws that are reciprocally displaceable. The first jaw may be rotatable about a shaft mounted in the handle and may be held in the clamping position by a spring. The second jaw may have recesses and projections that match 10 those of the abutment portion. The jaws may be provided on their mutually facing inner sides with recesses that ensure better seating on the part to be clamped.

To accommodate conventional hexagonal nuts, the recesses 15 preferably have surfaces that include an angle of 120 degrees and form sides of an equilateral triangle.

The inner sides of the jaws are preferably provided with edges to ensure a good grip on round parts such as pipes.

20 The inner sides of the jaws also may be provided with teeth that form gripping surfaces. A ratchet-like latching between the jaws and the handle can result from appropriately constructing and arranging the teeth and the spring. A further advantage results from a spring that has one end mounted on the shaft on the handle or on a pin elastically mounted in the handle. The other end of the spring may be mounted on the jaw that is pivotably held by the shaft.

30 The handle and the jaw are thus better held in the desired position to assure that a bolt or other connecting element is securely held.

Possible uses of a universal wrench according to the 35 invention are expanded when the abutment portion is

connected to the end of the handle via a shaft lying in the gripping plane of the wrench body. In this arrangement, the abutment portion can be rotated perpendicularly to the gripping plane, as is known from Swiss Patent 382,044.

5 This arrangement is therefore not shown and described in more detail.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in 10 which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the universal wrench, 15 Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the universal wrench shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a plan view of the first jaw, and 20 Figure 4 shows a plan view of the second jaw.

The universal wrench has an open wrench body 2 and a handle 1 The handle 1 has an abutment portion 14 with teeth that are formed by rounded projections 21 and rounded recesses 25 19, 20, arranged on a circular arc, the midpoint of which coincides with the longitudinal axis of rotary shaft 5.

The wrench body has two reciprocally displaceable jaws 15, 16. Jaw 15 carries projections 25, 26, 27 and recesses 28 on a slider rack 30 that is guided in jaw 16. The 30 projections and recesses are arranged in a straight line and match those on the abutment portion 14 with which they engage. Shanks 35, 36 are attached to jaw 16 and are provided with mounting bores and are pivotably mounted on the shaft 5. Shanks 35, 36 are perpendicular to a guide 35 surface running at right angles to jaw 16 and forming,

together with shanks 35, 36, a guide 29 for the rack 30.

The jaw 15 is attached at right angles to the unsoothed rear side of rack 30. Jaw 16 forms with its lateral shanks 35, 36 a forked enclosure of the toothed abutment portion 5 14 of the handle 1. Shanks 35, 36 have a semicircular shape at their lower ends 31, 32, engaging a latch pin 33 that is enclosed by a sleeve 34 of elastic material and fastened in a bore of the handle 1. Jaws 15, 16 are secured in different pivoting positions relative to the 10 handle 1, because latch pin 33 abuts and presses on the lower ends 31, 32 of the shanks.

To support positioning on a connecting element to be gripped, a spring 37 is attached at one end to shaft 5 in 15 handle 1 and is attached at its other end 38 to jaw 16. In another embodiment shown in broken lines, spring 37 is attached to latch pin 33.

The mutually facing sides of the jaws 15, 16 are provided 20 with recesses 15', 16'. The clamping faces are equipped with teeth or ribs 15"', 16"'. Corners 15", 16" are provided at the transition from the forward, obliquely running faces of the recesses to the straight running surfaces of the clamp jaws. The corners 15", 16" serve to 25 enclose round pieces. For the purpose of an improved handling it is provided that the end of the grip is furnished with a covering 1' out of rubber or plastic material which is complemented with formings 1'' and with a hanging link 1"'. In operation, pivoting the abutment 30 portion of handle 1 to the right displaces jaws 15, 16 in an opening direction. The universal wrench can thus be seated on connection elements of different sizes, this seating being facilitated in that the play between the jaws and the parts to be gripped can easily be increased by 35 pivoting the handle 1. If the abutment portion of the

handle is now pivoted in the opposite direction, to the left, jaws 15, 16 engage the article to be gripped.

In order to facilitate the seating and the gripping of the 5 element to be fastened, the user can press his thumb easily at 39 against the jaw 16 in the direction to the opening movement. Through this against the pression of the spring 37 - the jaw moves towards an opening position and when loosing the pression of the thumb, the jaws 15, 16 grip the 10 element to be fastened.

The invention is not limited to the universal wrench illustrated. The adjustable jaw wrench body can also be attached to the handle to rotate about an axis. Likewise, 15 several wrench bodies can be provided on one handle. The wrench body can also be constructed with the abutment portion as an interchangeable component for other suitable universal wrenches.

Claims

1. A universal wrench having at least one open wrench 5 body attached at an end portion of a handle means for positively holding fast a part to be gripped, said wrench body being pivotable in a gripping plane relative to said handle means, and shaft means standing perpendicularly to said gripping 10 plane, first and second jaw means mounted to pivot about said shaft means in said gripping plane, guide means provided on said first jaw means and running at right angles to said gripping plane, 15 rack means provided on said second jaw means and connected at right angles to said second jaw means, said rack means being guided for longitudinal displacement in said guide means and having teeth directed towards said handle means, and 20 a series of teeth provided at said end portion of said handle means, with the teeth arranged in a circular arc with a midpoint formed by said shaft means and engaging with said teeth on said rack means.

25

2. A universal wrench according to Claim 1, wherein said

first and second jaw means have mutually facing inner sides provided with recesses.

3. A universal wrench according to Claim 2, wherein said 30 recesses comprise surfaces including an angle of 120 degrees and forming sides of an equilateral triangle.

4. A universal wrench according to Claim 2, wherein said mutually facing inner sides are provided with edges.

5. A universal wrench according to Claim 2, wherein said mutually facing inner sides are provided with ribbed means.

6. A universal wrench according to Claim 1, further 5 comprising tooth grooves formed between said teeth on said rack means and said teeth at said end portion of said handle means, wherein said teeth on said rack means and said teeth at said end portion of said handle means and said tooth grooves are rounded.

7. A universal wrench according to one of Claims 1-6, wherein said guide means comprises groove means having lateral shanks that extend beyond said rack means and form a forked extension about said end portion of said handle 15 means.

8. A universal wrench according to Claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises groove means having lateral shanks that extend beyond said rack means and form a forked 20 extension about said end portion of said handle means, said groove means being of tapering form in cross section.

9. A universal wrench according to Claim 7, further comprising a latch pin elastically fastened to said handle 25 means, and at least one end of said lateral shanks is provided with a circular form that engages said latch pin.

10. A universal wrench according to Claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises groove means having lateral shanks 30 that extend beyond said rack means and turn a forked extension about said end portion of said handle means, further comprising spring means connected to said handle means and said first jaw means.

35

11. A universal wrench according to one of Claims 1-6,

further comprising spring means connected to said shaft means and said first jaw means.

12. A universal wrench according to Claim 1, further 5 comprising a covering out of rubber or plastic material which is complemented with formings and with a hanging link.

13. A universal wrench substantially as hereinbefore 10 described with reference to the accompanying drawings.