US1819525A

US1819525A - Wrench

Info

Publication number: US1819525A
Application number: US489538A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Schaefer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-10-18
Filing date: 1930-10-18
Publication date: 1931-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1948-08-18

Description

13, 1931- G. w. SCHAEFER 1,819,525

WRENC H Filed Oct. 18 1950 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE w. SCHAEFER, F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS WRENGH- Application filed October 11;,"1930. Seria11No.489,538.

Thisinvention applies to wrenches more particularly of the type comprising a shank integral with one of more heads having openings of fixed size for the accommodation of nuts. In accordance with the present invention, the head of such a wrench is provided with a member which may be engaged thereover to diminish the size of the opening and thus to increase the useful range of the wrench. Inasmuch as the head .ofsuch a wrench usually has a nut-receiving opening defined by parallel opposite side walls, the member for diminishing the size of the opening may take the general form of a channel, :so that it may be fitted over thehead, with the inner face of its bridge portion parallel to and bearing against a side wall, and with the outer face of its bridge portion parallel to the inner face. By using channel members having bridge portions of various thicknesses, itwill be seen that a wrench'having an opening of fixed size may be made to accommodate nuts of a varietyof smaller sizes.

With these and other features and objects in view, the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein -;Figure 1- shows in perspective a preferred w'typeof duplex wrench constructed to embody the present invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of apreferred form of channel member to be used for this typeof wrench. o

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the wrench with its heads equipped with channel members whose bridge portions are of different thicknesses.

Figures 4 and 5- represent sections on the lines 4-4 and 55-of Figures 1 and 3,re-

' spectively. I

Figures 6 and 7 represent similar sections through slightly'modified forms of construct-ion. Y

Figure 8 represents a fragmentary side ele- I modate nuts of two different sizes.

vation of the wrench of Figure 3,,showing one of its heads inverted.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, as

shown in Figure 1, the wrench, which may be made of steel as usual, comprises a shank 1 having integral therewith a pair of heads 2 of generally circular form. Each head has a nut-receiving opening 3, which is defined by opposite parallel side walls 4 extending inwardly of the head, and by an inner wall 5 5 shown rounded off. The openings may be of difierent sizes, as indicated, so as to accom- Each head has a thinner portion 6, beginning with one side edge 16 and terminating with the nearer side wall 4, and with ridges 7 formed on opposite faces of the head, substantially in line with the side wall as shown. Over the thinner portion 6 of the head may be fitted a channel member, which preferably takes 5 the form'shown in Figure 2 and comprises a bridge portion 8 and flange portions 9. When assembled with a head of the wrench as shown in Figure 3, the inner face 10 of the bridge portion 8 liesin contactwith the thinner side wall 4 and the outer face 11 of the bridge portion is parallel to theinner face 10. The

.flanges 9 are finished to engage nicely over the thinner portion 6 and are preferably of a thickness equal to the height of the ridgesj5 7 so as to impart a uniform thickness to the head. The bridge portion 8 terminatesadjacent to the inner wall 5 of the head, but the flanges 9 continue inwardly of the head beyond the inner terminal. 17 of the bridge portion, with theirinner edges 12 straight and substantially in line with the inner face 10 of the bridge portion, so that they abut the ridges 7 of the head. The outer edges 13 of the flanges 9 are preferably rounded ofi to correspond substantially with the contour of the engaged head portion 6 in order that the a head may present the appearance of the head of a usual wrench form after it has been fitted with the channel member. The thickness of the bridge portion 8 of the channel member determines the diminution of the size of the nut-receiving opening 3, so that by providing channel members with bridge portions of different thicknesses, it is possible to accommodate a variety of sizes of nuts in each head. Each channel member may be used interchangeably with either head, so that with a given number of channel members 7, having bridge portions of different thicknesses, it is possible to accommodate with a given duplex wrench having differentsized, nut receiving openings n 2+2 different sizes of nuts. For instance, with two channel members having bridge portions of different thicknesses, it is possible to accommodate six different sizes of nuts, and with three channel members having bridge portions of different thicknesses, eight different sizes of nuts.

In using the wrench, it is preferable to bring the pressure of turning the nut to bear on the outer face of the bridge portion of the channel member, for the reason that the tendency is in such case to tighten the channel member of the head as the pressure is transmitted to and absorbed by the ridge portions. In other words, when a nut is being tightened by a clockwise turning movement imparted to the wrench, as indicated by arrow in Figure 3, the ridges 7 are brought to bear against the flange edges 12 of the channel member, so that there is no danger of the channel member being .forced outwardly of the head, as there would be were the wrench in this position turned anti clockwise so as to separate the ridges 7 from the flange edges 12 of the channel member.

In order also to use the wrench for loosening nuts to best advantage, that is, with out tendency to causemovement of the channel member outwardly of the head, the wrench positioned as shown in Figure 3 should be inverted to the position shown in Figure 8, in which position when a nut is being loosened by an anti-clockwise movement imparted-to the wrench, as indicated by arrow, the ridges 7 are again brought to bear against the flange edges 12 of the channel member.

When the wrench is used as hereinbefore described, the thin wall 4 of the head will take considerable of the stress incident to boththe tightening and loosening of nuts. This may cause the wall to spread, especially when the metal is more or less ductile. Inasmuch as such spreading would impair the nice fit of the flanges 9 of the channel member over the thin portion 6 of the head, the interior walls of the flanges may be recessed or cutaway at the zones 15 immediately adjacent to the inner face 10 of the bridge portion, as

- ,shown in Figure 7, so as to allow for spreading of the thin wall 4 without construction or binding of the channel member. Or, if desired, the thinner portion 6 of the head may be slightly bevelled or tapered toward its thin wall 4, as illustrated at 14 in Figure 6.

While I have dealt with a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the principles thereof are applicable to wrenches other than duplex, and of a form different from that specifically described. For instance, my invention may be applied to a wrench having only a single head, in which case, however, the number of different-sized nuts which can be accommodated by the wrench with a given number of channel members is reduced in half. A head having a thin portion 6 defined by ridges 7 as described isadvantageous not only in that the ridges afford a substantial bearing surface for the flange edges 12 of the channel member, but further in that the strain on the ridges is absorbed by the thick body portion of the head, which is capable of withstanding such strain without danger of fracture.

hat I claim is:

1. The combination with a wrench having a head and a nut-receiving opening in said head defined by parallel opposite side walls extending inwardly of said head, and a bearing element on said head beyond a side wall, of a channel member comprising a bridge portion and flanges projecting therefrom, said bridge portion including an inner face in contact with a side wall and an outer face parallel with said inner face, and said flanges engaging over said head and extending inwardly of said head beyond the inner terminal of said bridge portion to trans mit pressure to said bearing element when a nut is received between said outer face of said bridge portion and the opposite side wall,and when the nut is turned in a direction to apply pressure to said outer face.

2. The combination with a wrench having a flat-faced head and a nut-receiving open ing in said head defined by para-llel oposite side walls extending inwardly of said head, said head having a thinner portion beginning with one side edge and terminating with J the nearer side wall and with ridges formed" on opposite faces of said head substantially in line wlth said nearer slde wall, of a channel member comprlsing a bridge portion and ioo flanges projecting therefrom, said bridge portion including an inner face in contact w1th said nearer side wall and at an outer face parallel to said inner face, and said flanges engaging over said thinner portion and con- 'tinuing inwardly of said head beyond the inner terminal of said bridge portion with their inner edges abutting against said ridges so as to take stress on said ridges when a nut is received between said outer face of said bridge portion and the opposite, side wall and when the nut is turned in a diizo rection to apply ressure to said outer face. 3. A member or diminishing the size of the nut-receiving opening in the head of a Wrench, having the general shape of a channel and comprising a bridge portion and flanges projecting therefrom, the inner and outer faces of said bridge portion being parallel and said flanges being internally recessed immediately adjacent to the inner face off said bridge portion and continuing beyond one of the terminals of said bridge portion In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

GEORGE W. SCHAEFER.