US2463525A - Wrench for cylindrical headed objects - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1949. R. E, DEMING 2,463,525

' WRENCH FOR CYLINDRICAL HEADED OBJECTS 7 Filed March 12, 1946 FIG. I 4

4 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. ROBERT E. DEMING ATTORNEY 1 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRENCH FOR CYLINDRICAL HEADED OBJECTS 1 1 Claim.

This invention relates to wrenches and more particularly to wrenches of the strap type.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved wrench of such construction as to facilitate the installation and removal of cylindrical articles lacking adequate wrench faces.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved wrench of the strap type adapted to snugly engage a screw-threaded article to be installed or removed and having means for engaging the article to prevent relative rotation of the wrench; to provide an improved wrench device, of the character described, having retractable means for gripping the article so as to permit installation and removal of said article without marring or otherwise damaging the same; and to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a wrench of the character described and for the purposes set forth.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a. wrench embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the wrench with one of the retaining plates removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the dog and lever for releasing the wrench.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

In Fig. 1, the numeral I designates a wrench of the strap type having a body 2 which includes an elongated handle 3 and a jaw portion or ring 4. The latter is preferably of substantially annular shape and has a portion thereof merging with and forming a part of the body 2. An enlarged recess 5 is formed in the latter portion of the body and ring so as to open into the circular bore 6 of said ring. For reinforcing the body, a pair of retaining plates 1 and 8 are secured in overlying and underlying relation thereto by means of suitable screws 9 and It) so as to enclose a portion of the recess 5.

The wrench I is adapted to be employed in installing and removing cylindrical articles lacking adequate wrench faces of such character as to permit the use of conventional wrenches. In order to lock the article (not shown) within the bore 6 of the ring, gripping means in the form of a cam or pawl II is mounted in the recess 5, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The cam II is journalled on a pivot pin II! which extends through and is supported by the retaining plates. The cam includes a radial arm l3 which extends amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) toward the ring bore and has its outer end serrated to provide a plurality of transverse serrations or teeth I4. It is preferable for the serrated end of the arm I2 to be curved on an arc eccentric to the axis of the pivot pin l2, whereby the counter-clockwise portion of said arm is of increased length and projects into the ring bore.

A flat or leaf spring I5 engages the counterclockwise surface of the cam arm I3 for urging the same in a clockwise direction and is preferably anchored within a suitable opening or slot I6 formed in the bottom of the recess 5 (Fig. 2). The cam arm is normally maintained in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the handle 3 by the spring I5 so as to extend radially of the ring bore and counter-clockwise pivoting of said arm is resisted by the tension of said spring. In this position, the portion of the cam arm of increased length projects into the ring bore so as to grip the surface of the article to be installed or removed.

In order to release the gripping means, a dog I1 is disposed in the recess 5 adjacent to and clockwise of said gripping means. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the dog I! includes a pintle I8 which is journalled in the retaining plates and has an actuating lever l9 suitably fastened to one of its ends, such as by a lock pin 20. By swinging the lever I9 manually in a counter-clockwise direction, the dog I1 is engaged with the adjacent surface of the cam arm I3 so as to pivot the same in the same direction against the tension of the spring I5 and thereby move the serrated end of said arm out of the ring bore in order to permit engagement or disconnection of the wrench from the article to be installed or removed.

Operation The operation of a wrench constructed as described is as follows:

The gripping means or cam II is retracted by swinging the lever IS in a counter-clockwise direction so as to engage the dog I1 with the adjacent surface of said cam and thereby pivot said cam in a similar or counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1).

With the serrations or teeth I4 removed from the bore 6 of the ring or jaw portion 4, said ring may be readily engaged over the article to be removed or installed. Upon release of the lever, the spring I5 urges the cam in a clockwise direction so as to engage its teeth with the periphera surface of the article.

Due to the curvature or are of the arm end,

clockwise swinging of the entire wrench I causes the teeth to more firmly grip the article. This gripping engagement in conjunction with the tension of the spring prevents relative rotation between the wrench and article when the former is swung in a. clockwise direction. When the wrench is turned'counter-clockwise, the pressure of the cam ll' against the article is relieved by virtue of the eccentric curvature of the teeth 14; and the wrench slips on the article in ratchet fashion. In order to apply and remove: the wrench from the article, the cam is retractediby actuating the lever in the same manner as described hereinbefore.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it is susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not wish, therefore; to be limited by the disclosures set forth, but only by the scope of the appended claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United. States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

A wrench. including a body consisting. .of an elongated handle and an annular ring on. the end of the handle, said body having a. recess within the external circumference of the ring communicating with the ring bore and extending "from side to side of the body, retaining plates fastened tov opposite sides of the. body so as to reinforce the same and overlie and underlie a portion of the recess, the edges of said plates being spaced from said ring bore, a serrated cam pivotally supported by the retaining plates within said recess and having its serrated portion projecting into said ring bore, a flat spring within the. recess for biasing the cam in its projecting position, a dog p'ivotally supported in said recess adjacent said cam, and a lever having connection with the dog for pivoting the same into engagement with the cam so as to swing said cam away from the ring bore against the bias of said spring.

ROBERT E. DEMING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 14,546 Walcott Mar. 25, 1856 132,823 Gibbs Nov. 5, 1872 255,182 McNair Mar. 21, 1882 279,722 Davenport June 19, v1883 931,160 Sturgis Aug. 17, 1909 1,110,980 Allen Sept. 15, 1914 1,169,007 Chadwick Jan. 18, 1916 1,406,755 Peters Feb. 14, 1922 1,593,947 Miller et al. July 27, 1926 1,761,988 Layhon June 3, 1930 2,072,463 Mims Mar. 2, 1937 2,139,650 Anderson et al. Dec. 1-3, 1938

Images