US1838659A - Pipe wrench - Google Patents

Description

Dec; 1931.

F. J. LEML-:Ns

PIPE WRENCH Filed April 15. 1930 gwuento Illia-:7.

Patented Dec. 29,` 193.1v

u NlrED STATES vim.'rflszmr 'oFFiC-Ep .i FRED J'. CLEMENS, OF EAST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,-ASS1GNOR TO THE WILLIAM SCHOLL- I y vHoiaN COMPANY,v or NEWHAVEN, CONNECTICUT rrrn WRENCH 'f 'Y Applicationmea april 17,5,

This invention relates to pipe wrenches and `more particularly to a type of the same known as sprlngless pipe` wrenches.

rhe improvements contemplated this invention are especially adapted for use in' a wrench structureA similar to' that shownA andde'scribed in an appliationof William A. Bernard, Serial'No, 46,912, ledJulyl'29,`V

1925, now issued as Patent No. 1,7 62,324, dated J une 10, 1930.` One of the principal features of this invention is the provisionv of means to relieve the pivotal joint between the jaws from. shearing strains." Other features are in the provision of jaw movement limit` ing means, means to permit the rapid release or gripping of the work, and movable jaw guiding` and supporting means. d

One ofthe objects of this invention is to provide a generally improved piperwrench of the above type that is eiicient in use, economical to manufacture, compact, and of strong and sturdy construction. i

Another object is toprovide an improved 'wrench in which the strains put upon the same are properly distributed, whereby ,the tendency toward binding, breakage 'orbendfing of the parts when in use will be reduced to a minimum. 'i

'Another object lis to provide an improved wrench that may be readily and rapidly en-` gaged with and disengaged from the work.

A further object is to provide an improved pipe wrench having a minimum number of parts all of whichare of rugged construction. i A' l To these and other ends, the invention consists inthe novel features andlcombinations Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-'3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig, 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and

- form;

i930. seria; N0.,444,411.` 1

Fig. Gisla longitudinalsectionthrough the j i operating parts Vof the wrench, showing thet same in operating position. -V

A wrench embodying'the features of this invention comprises a handle-'bar having a handle portion 10 and ajaw portion'11'a Vjaw 12 having a shank portion 13, a yoke member 14, and `a rotatable adjusting Ynut 15.V These parts are Vassembled together, preferably as shown, the yoke 14'being piv-Y otally-secured tol the handle-bar by a Vpivot pin 16; The aw portion 11 and the jaw 12 are'provided withwork gripping vteeth 17 and 18 respectively that `are of the usual" Vshank 13, with the arms-20 and 21 of theUJ shape straddling the sides of the shank 13` and extending downwardly to straddlethe handle-bar intermediate thejaw portion 11 and the handle portionlO thereof. The pivot pin 16 is disposed adjacent the forward or-"jaw endof the yoke 14. A block22 is disposed at the rear end 4of yoke 14, between the arms 20 and 21, and is secured in place by a rivet 23; f Each Vof the arms 2O and 21 of the yoke member 14 is provided with' an opening 24 that is elongated along anarc, the center of which is located at the 'center of the pivot pin 16.- V'A stud 25 preferably formed'integral with the handle-bar, extends outwardly from cach side thereof and is adapted to be received in the respective opening 24 of arms 20V and 21 when the same are closed about the bar; The yokemember 14 is also provided with a cutout 26 to receive the nut 15, whereby rotationiof the nut, due to the cooperating threads between itV and/the shank 13, will move.` the shank 134 in or out ofthe yoke 14 andfjaw 12 toward or away from j aw portion 11, for adjustment of the wrench to suit pipes ofvari'ous diameters.` Y u The shank portion 13 is vertically retained within the yoke 14fby being supported upon The shank portion 13 is provided" an upper surface 27 of the handle-bar adjacent the pivot 16, the handle-bar at this point being spaced upwardly above the upper surface of the handle portieri 10. This spacing permits the disposition of the block 22 between the rear end of shank portion 13 and the handle port-ion 10. This block provides the movement limiting means for the yoke in its downwardly swinging movement relatively to the handle-bar about the pivot 16, and for the downward movement ofthe rear end of shank portion 13 relatively to the yoke 14. The surface 27 is concave in cross-section, the curvature substantially agreeing with the curvature of the under-surface Aof the shank portion 13 preferably as defined by the diameter of the threads 19, whereby the shankport-ion 13 with its jaw 12 is guided in its longitudinal,movements and retained against lateral movement or twisting with respect to the handle-bar when the wrench is in use. The surface 27 is inclined fromaV point slightly t0 the rear of a perpendicular line drawn through the center of pivot 16, forwardly and downwardly toward the jaw 11, the inclination being sufficient to permit the necessary swinging movement of the handle-bar for the proper operation of the wrench. Preferably, the forward end 28 of the upper surface' 27 is adapted to engage the under-surface of the shank 13 before the work is properlygripped by the jaws in order that the shank 13 will be forced upwardly into tight engagement with the yoke 14. The arrangement of the inclined surface 27 is such thatV no binding will occur between the handle-bar and the shank portion 13. v

The teeth 17 of the jaw 11 are in alignment and form an obtuse angle with the upper surface of handle portion 10, and an acute angle with the surface 27. The line of teeth is dis osed in respect to the pivot pin 16 in suc i a manner that the same will be tangent toan are struck from the center of pivot 16 of a radius substantially equal to the distance between the first tooth adjacent the surface 27 and the center of ivot 16. This arrangement insures that the jaw 11 in its swinging movement about pivot 16, will rapidly move toward or away from the work, causing rapid gripping or release respectively of the work, and preventing the jaws binding upon the work.

The studs 25 that extend into and cooperate with the openings 24 in the yoke sides 2O and 2l, are adapted to seat against the material of the yoke at the lower ends of the openings 24, when the jaws 11 and 12 are in proper gripping position upon the work, in order to relieve the pin 16 of shearing strains that might be caused by the handle-bar being fulcrumed upon the shank 13, when the point 28 of surface 27 engages the under-surface of the shank. This arrangement also distributes the rotating force imposed upon the yoke 1.4 and shank portion 13 over substan tially the entire cooperating length thereof when the work is being rotated by the wrench about the axis of the work. The studs 25 and openings 24 also cooperate to form a, movement limiting means for the jaws l] and 12 to prevent undue compression thereofl upon the work that might inadvertently crush the same.

The above described wrench structure has `been found to beespecially strong and slurdy, particularly eflicient m use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and adapted for use where rapid operation is required. Being of few parts, all of which are of rugged structure, a wrench of this construction insures a minimum of breakage or other damage, even under extreme rough usage, that would impair the usefulness of such a wrench.

What I claim is:

In a pipe wrench, a handle member having a jaw on one end thereof, a threaded shank member having a. aw thereon in opposed relation to said other jaw, an inverted U-shaped yoke member embracing said shank member with the closed upper portion of the U-shapc disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of said shank and with an arm thereof eX- tendingldownwardly along each side of said handle member, said yoke member adjacent one end thereof being pivoted to said handkmember by a pivot pin, said yoke member having an arcuately elongated opening in each of the arms of the U-shape thereof, a stud integral with and extending from each side of said handle member and into the arcuate opening in the adjacent arm of said yoke member, which is spreadable to spring over said studs, and a block between the arms of said yoke member adjacent the end opposite the pivoted end thereof and disposed between said threaded shank member and said handle member in line with the elongated openings in said arms and secured to said arms to retain the arm portions of said yoke member at the end opposite the aw end thereof in spaced apart relation and againsil spreading and becoming released from said studs.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sel my hand this 10th day of April, 1930. FRED J. CLEMENS.

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