US1822428A - Wrench - Google Patents

Description

Sept' 8 1931.

Filed April 14, 1930 W m m u m I Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN ZILLIOX, OF ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK WRENCH Appiioation mea April 14,

This invention relates to a wrench and more particularly to an open end machine end wrench in which a plurality of open end machine wrench heads having different sized jaws are employed in connection with the same handle thereby decreasing the cost of a set of such wrenches as well as permitting of a compact and convenient nesting of the same in a kit.

The present invention is an improvement on the wrench shown in my Patent Number 1,764,379 dated June 17, 1930, for improvements in wrenches.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide such a handle and open end machine wrench heads therefor in which the heads can be quickly applied to or removed from the handle and when so applied are securely held .to the handle and operate reliably to permit the desired pressure to be applied to the ob jects gripped.

A still further aim is` to provide such an open end machine wrench which is simple and `inexpensive and in which all of the more eX- pensive manufacturing operations are performed on the handle since only one handle is used in connection with a large number of heads. Y

Another aim is to provide an open end machine wrench of this character in which the wrench head can be held in dii'erent positions relative to the handle therebypermitting of its use in places where an open end machine Awrench having a head set at a fixed angle could not be employed, and in which such adjustment of the angularity of the head can be eected eXpeditiously and will be reliably held. Another object is to provide such a wrench in which the head is provided with a hole receiving a stem provided on the handle and in which means are provided both between the stem yand the hole and between the exterior yof the wrench head and the handle for preventing turning of the handle relative to the head when the head is iitted to the handle in any one of a plurality of positions. By providing` such exterior means for holding the head against turning in addition to the stern, a much stronger wrench is provided and the 1930.V Serial No. 444,020.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a wrench embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1. l

Similar reference numerals refer to like parts in each of the several views.

In its general organization the wrench embodying `my invention comprises a handle having a tapered end in which a parallel sided square stem projects perpendicularly outward and a removable open end machine wrench head having a regular eight-pointed star shaped opening extending therethrough, the stem being adapted to be fitted into the -star-shaped opening in different positions thereby permitting said head to be held in a number of positions relative to the handle. In addition to this the rear end or shank of the wrench head is of polygonal form having ivefaces which are adapted to be arranged against a shoulder formed on the handle inl each of the several positions of the head. By this last means the strain upon the parts is borne jointly by the stem and by the shoulder on the handle and hence there is little danger of the connection between the y head and the handle giving under an eXcessive strain. f

The wrench is composed of a handle 10 to one side and at one end of which the open end machine wrench head 11 is applied. The wrench handle 10 can be of any suitable construction and is preferably hollowed out 0n its opposite sides for lightness and is provided with a hole or opening 12at one end so that it can be hung up when not in use.

The opposite end 13 of the wrench is formed to prOvide a fiat face 14 on its under side which face is engaged by the upper Hat face of the open end machine wrench head 11. This face 14 is preferably set at an angle to the handle so that the head is held at a similar angle for convenience in manipulating the wrench.

The wrench head 11 comprises a pair of jaws 15 and a. shank or neel; 16 which is provided with a polygonal or star-shaped opening or recess 17. This opening extends through the neck 16 and receives a square stem 18 which stem projects downwardly irom the l-lat tace 14 of the handle. The stem is preferably made integral with thehandle. The opening 17 in the wrench head which receives the stem 18 is made in the form of an eight-pointed star, the points ot the star being right angular in shape, andbeing so disposed that the stem 18 can be fitted into the handle in successive angular positions relative to the handle. Thus the head can be ar ranged at right angles to .the handle by en gagement of the stem with the corresponding corners or points oit the star-shaped opening; it can be arranged at a 90 angle to the steam as indicated by vfull lines lin I1`ig-2; or it can be arranged lengthwise of the handle as indicated in Fig. 1. By this means any desired adjustment oi the wrench head relative to the handle can be obtained by simply placing the head over the stem 18 in the desired position and pressing the stem into the opening so as to eliiect a firm engagement between the head and the stem. j

Without the provision ot additional means to hold the headlat the angles at which the head is place over the stem, there would be some danger of the wrench head `twisting free of the stem 18 when an excessive pressure is applied to the wrench. Thus the engagement between the stem 18 and the star-shaped opening 17 is at the points or corners of 'the stem 8 and an excessive Vpressure on the wrench might twist these corners or points ofi". VTo avoid this the shank 16 of the open end machine wrench head is made ofpolygonal 'l'orm havinglive faces 19, 2 07 21, 22 and 23, each of these faces being arranged at a 185 angle to the adjacent face or faces. Adjacent the stem 18 and on theisame side of the wrench handle l() av shoulder or ridge 24 is formed to project from the wrench handle. This shoulder is formed to provide a l'lat perpendicular tace 25 which faces the stem 18;

lith this arrangement it is apparent that in each of the positions in which the wrench head may be placed upon the square stem 18, one oi the faces19, 20, 21, 22 or 23 will engage the perpendicular face 25 of ythe shoulder or ridge 211. It is therefore apparent that the wrench is held against turning both by the stem 18 and by theridge or shoulder 211 and that therefore a heavy `pressure can b e exerted upon the wrench without danger of breaking the` same or having the wrenchhead twist free of the wrenchhandle. In order to insure the proper connection spring 27 `whichjbears; at one end against a ball 428. The ball and spring are retained .in the hole 26 by peening over the opposite edges olil the opening 26 or in any other well known and `usual. manner. The spring loadedY ball 28 is arranged at the center oi' the face 25 and bears against one of the faces 19, 20,21, 22 or 23 in vany of the adjusted positions o'lE the `wrench head when the wrench head is appliedto thehandle. By th'iswmeans the ball exerts a. uniform frictional resistance against the accidental displacement of the wrench head in all ot' its adjusted positions. Y

It will be noted-'trom theftoregoing descriptions in connection with the drawings that 4the joint between the head-,and the handle is very close to the jaw ot'jthe head, whereby the latter can be made very small and thisnot only permits ofpackingthe wrenclrin a small spacefor convenience in storage and equipment but also enables the wrench to be used. to advantage when working in veryl close quarters. p therefore contains allrof the advantages inherent in an ordinary solid open end machine wrench with the added advantage oan adjustable headthat can beplaced atditl'erent angles relative to the handle whereby theV wrench canbe employed for work which is dilicult of access. j j

As a whole this inventlonis .very simple in construction, it is compact, light and durable,

the `wrench .head is easily Aapplied to the handle and can be adjusted `to any `desired angle, the wrench and more particularly the wrench heads can also be produced lat vvery lowcost thereby permitting of marketing this wrench at little more thanthe cost oi an integral .wrench which does not posssess the features of ready adj ustability of the present invention. By.providingrtan lopen end inachine wrench head having a star-shaped opening and by providing a .handle having projections `engaging,both the opening and the exterior ot' the wrench in all adjusted positions, the .wrench head is held against turning attwo places and the danger of the connection betweenfthe wrench headand the handle breaking under severe strains is very materially reduced.

I claim as my invention :1 A wrench comprising a "handle having la laterally projecting shoulder at one side and at one end, said shoulder being formed to This wrench provide a perpendicular flat face facing the end of said handle, a square stern projecting outwardly from said handle in the same direction as said shoulder and arranged between said shoulder and the end of said handle and a wrench head having jaws and a shank, said shank being provided with a star-shaped opening formed of two superposed square openings, each being the size of said stein whereby said star-shaped opening receives said steni in different angular positions of said head relative to said handle and said head is held in the selected angular position thereby and said shank also being provided with five exterior faces arranged at a angle to one another, one of said faces on said shank engaging the perpendicular face on said shoulder in each selected angular position of said head and additionally holding said head in the selected angular position.

In testimony whereof I hereby aiX my signature.

JOHN ZILLIOX.

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