US1204999A - Rapid-adjustable wrench. - Google Patents

Description

A. W. McCORD.

RAPID ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

APPLICATION r1150 APR. 11. 1916.

1,204,999. Patented Nov 14, 1916.

l7 ll 2 z 5 /.9 Z0 Ai I817 ARTHUR W. MQCORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RAPID-ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed April 11, 1916. Serial No. 90,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR V. MoConD, a citizen of the United States, residing at llashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rapid-Adjustable renches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tools and more particularly to rapid adjustable wrenches.

It is the object of this invention to provide a wrench with a rapid and fine adjustment, the rapid adjustment being automatic and the fine adjustment being manually operated, in which the movement of the same element performs both adjustments.

It is the further object of this invention to so construct the device for engaging the adjustment element that it will positively engage and secure the element upon the rapid adjustment irrespective of the relation of the position of the element to the wrench proper. The advantages of this construction are many, among which are that the rapid adjustment is automatic and is controlled by the same hand that grasps the wrench without removing the hand from the handle, whereby various sized nuts may be engaged or released by the automatic adj ustment. Another advantage is that upon actuating the rapid adjustment the adjustment element will aways be positively locked in that exact. position by the engaging device.

A further advantage is that, if an automatic rapid adjustment is closer or looser than required, the exact adjustment desired may be obtained by manually operating the adjustment element without releasing it from the engaging device, and this fine adjustment may be made by the same hand that grasps the handle. As the rapid and fine adjustment may be made by the same hand that holds the wrench, it is of particular advantage where the position of the nut to be operated is such that it can be reached by one hand only, as sometimes occurs on large engines and automobiles.

lVhile the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawing yet it is to be understood that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of this improved wrench. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through the engaging device on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an enlarged longitudinal central sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

This improved wrench comprises a fixed jaw 1 having a shank 2 extending through the handle 3. A movablejaw a is mounted to engage and slide on the shank between the fixed jaw and handle and is preferably provided with a lip 5 extending slightly beyond the end of the fixed jaw. The handle 3 extends from the shank 2 on the side of the projecting jaws l and at and may be formed integral with the shank, if desired. The handle and adjacent portion of the movable jaw are provided with coaxial bores 6 and 7 parallel with the shank, in which is mounted a screw-threaded rod or adjustment element 8. The portion of the adjustment element entering the movable jaw is not threaded and is rotatably held in engagement with the jaw by a knurled ring 9 secured thereto, as by apin 10, and held intermediate the length of the bore in rotative engagement between the walls 11 of a cut-out portion of the body of the aw. The bore 7 in the handle is slightly greater in diameter than the screw-threaded adjustment element 7 and the lower end of the adjustment element is provided with an enlarged guiding head 12 slidably engaging the bore whereby the screw-threaded adjustment element is centered parallel to the shank between the movable jaw and the handle and the screwthreaded portion held out of contact with the handle bore. A coil spring'13 is inserted in the handle bore to engage the guide head on the adjustment element and the outer end ofthe bore closed, preferably by a screwthreaded cap 14. The spring will normally tend to hold the movable jaw against the fixed jaw and will return the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw when the movable jaw is moved away therefrom and released.

To maintain the movable jaw in fixed position upon the shank the outer wall of the handle bore adjacent the upper end of the handle is cut away and the sides of the handle and shank are recessed to receive an engaging device in the form of a half-nut 15 correspondingly threaded to the threaded portion of the adjustment element having sides 16 extending through recesses in the sides of the handle and shank which sides are connected exteriorly of the shank by a strap forming a push button 17 The threads of the half-nut portion are normally held in engagement with the threads of the adj ustment element by a spring 18 preferably between the exterior of the shank and the push button. This engaging device will not only 'maintain the adjustment element against the tension of the spring but will allow of adjustment of the movable jaw independent of the spring by the threaded engagement allowed of a manual operation of the adjustment element through the turning of the knurled ring.

The pressure upon the engaging device is taken up by the walls 19 of the cut-out portion and the walls 20 ot the recesses in the handle and shank. To provide for the complete engagement of the threads of the.

' half-nut with the adjustment element the sidewalls 20 of the recesses in the side of thehandle and shank receiving the extending sides of the halt-nut are tapered slightly toward the exterior of the shank whereby a slight play is provided for the extending sides to transmit an angular movementto the half-nut so that should the points of the threads of the half-nut fail to fall directly between the points of the threads of the ad justment element, upon a spring operated "apid adjustment, the play of the sides will produce sufficient angular movement to the points of the threads'upon the half-nut to cause them to enter into full engagement with the threads upon the adjustment element.

with a set-in grip 21, partially of wood, or, if desired, may be provided with a complete grip of wood or other material, or may be of metal integral with the shank. The portion of the handle containing the bore may be integral with the shank, as shown, or may be constructed separately and secured to the shank, without departing from the scope of this invention.

hat I claim is I 1. In a rapid adjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shank thereon, a movable jaw slidable upon the shank, a handle, a spring- If desired, the handle may be provided pressed screw-threaded adjustment element slidably,mounte'd in the handle and rotatably engaging the movable jaw, threaded means upon the upper end of the handle for detachably engaging the threads of the adjustment element for performing a rapid adjustment, and means for rotating the ad just-merit element "for manually performing a fine adjustment of the movable 2. In a rapid adjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shank thereon, a movable jaw slid-able upon the shank, a handle, said movable jaw and handle provided with coaxial bores and having cut-out portions entering into said respective bores, a screw-threaded adjustment element mounted in said bores having a rotatable engagement with a movable jaw and a rotatable and slidable engagement with the handle, a sprii'ig in the handle bore between the ends of the said element and handle, a manually operable ring secured to the adjustn'ient element in the cut-out portion of the movable jaw, and a springpressed releasable half-nut normally in engagement with the threads of the adjustment element slidably mounted in the re cess in the handle.

3. In a rapid adjustable wrench, a fixed jaw, a shank thereon, a movable jaw slidablj' mounted upon the shank, a handle having a bore parallel with the shank and having a cut-out portion'entering into said bore, a spring-pressed screw-threaded adjustment cl-ei'nent mounted in the bore in engagement with the movable jaw, a spring-pressed releasable threaded half-nut normally engaging the threads of the adjustment element mounted in the cut-out portion of the handle, and means providing an angular movement of said half-nut whereby the threads of the nut will angularly adjust themselves to completely engage the threads of the adustment element.

ARTHUR lV. MCCORD. ll itnesses GUY lV. McCono,

Laxeoox Moons.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G,

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