US2507789A - Reciprocating jaw jar wrench - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1950 s. E. JESSUP RECIPROCATING JAW JAR WRENCH Filed May 8, 1946 Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in reciprocable jaw jar wrench and more particularly to that type which is adapted to either remove or tighten screw top lids on jars, bottles, etc.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a hand operable wrench which is readily applicable for household or other use and by which screw covers of any ordinary diameter for use on bottles, jars and other containers can be easily and quickly unscrewed or tightened without danger of breaking the container to which it is applied or injuring the hands of the user.

Among further objects are maximum simplicity and strength of construction, ready adaptability to screw covers of various sizes and designs, increased effectiveness in use and adaptability for inexpensive manufacture.

With these and other objects in view my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a plan looking at the top side of my improved reciprocable jaw jar wrench; Fig. 2 is another plan looking at the opposite side of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an edge View of a portion of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a portion of the body being shown in longitudinal section taken on the line 3-4-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the body It on the line i of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the actuating lever D, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The character A indicates upon the drawing a main handle or actuating bar which resembles a long, flat and relatively thin piece of metal or other suitable material, having on its work end portion ii a serrated edge ill. Arranged adjacent to the handle or power end portion l2 of member A is a movable power gripping jaw member B and in opposed relation thereto on the work end portion H a selectively positioned jaw member C. These jaw members B and C resemble gripping yokes having respectively inwardly facing cooperating curved serrated edge portions i3 and Hi which are adapted to tightly engage the side edge portion of the top end of a screw jaw or bottle cover of a container when the cover is applied or removed. The broken circular line i5 shown in Fig. 1, for illustration, indicates diagrammatically the marginal outline of a jar or bottle cover which is engaged by the cooperating pair of jaws B and C.

The gripping jaw member B has a body portion it which is passaged longitudinally at H to permit the jaw member sliding longitudinally on the handle bar. A jaw member resembling a yoke I8 is formed as an integral part of the body member. This yoke has the serrated edge is above described. The serrated edge portion of the yoke slants downwardly away from the adjacent side of the main handle bar so as to engage the side of a screw cover above its thread. In this manner clearance is provided for the handle bar above the cover to which the device is applied. The body portion It has a longitudinal guide passageway l9 on its upper side (Fig. 3), in which a helical expansion spring 20 is retained between a fixed lug or stop 2| (Fig. 3), on the handle bar and a flange or stop 22 on the rearward end portion of said passageway. A hand operating cam lever D is pivoted at 23 on the lower side of the handle bar so that the lever can be swung by its power end 24 inwardly and outwardly in relation to the handle l2. In the expanded position of jaw member B under the influence of spring 20, cam lever D is held in outstanding position as shown in Fig. l by the flat shoulder edge of the cam surface 25 bearing against the work end of the lever D. When lever D is swung inwardly upon the handle bar by its power end the cam surface 25 forces the jaw against the tension of spring 20 with its serrated edge into tight gripping engagement with the cover of the container to which the device is applied. The longitudinal outer shoulder edge 26 of the cam lever functions as a hand grip and a stop against which the adjacent side edge of the hand grip end portion 12 of the handle bar A abuts to limit the inward swinging movement of the cam lever. This shoulder 26 also forms a broad gripping surface for the hand of the user.

While I have shown and described a lug or stop 2! on the handle bar and a flange or stop 22 on the housing, between which the expansion spring 26 functions, it is to be understood that the specific construction is subject to equivalent modification within the scope of the invention as set forth herein.

The adjustable jaw member 0 has a body portion 30 somewhat similar to the body portion [6 of member B, said body portion being passaged longitudinally at 3| to permit jaw member C being selectively positioned longitudinally on the work end portion of handle bar A. A forwardly extending yoke member 32 is formed as an integral part of the body member. This yoke has the serrated edge l4 above described. The serrated edge portion of the yoke slants downwardly to correspond with the portion I 8 and engage the 3 upper side portion of the container cover to which the device is applied, preferably above the threaded portion thereof to also afford clearance of the handle bar above the cover. Seated in one side of the body portion 30 is an angular pawl 33 which is pivoted to swing freely upon the pin 34. The pawl lock arm 35 of this pawl is serrated at 36 to either engage the serrations of the handle bar A and hold jawmember C in fixed. outward position, or when' disengaged byJdepreSSing ahand piece 31 on the power arm 38 to release said pawl lock arm. A helical expansion spring 39 seated.

in the body portion 39 and normally exerting pressure against the pawl lockann 3'5itends'ito hold the pawl in engagement with. th bar but permits the pawl lock arm 35 to sweep over the serrations in when the fixed jawzmemben-C; is adjusted towards jaw member B into selected operative position against the side and above the threaded cover to be removed from or tightened upon" a container.

The adjustment of the jaw member G" into" selected' fixed position onthehandle bar A increa'ses the range of adjustment for application of the wrench tocoversof different diameters ranging from smallcovers on bottles to large covers onjars. Duetothe gripping action through leverage andhard pressure applied by thecam arm- D relative to thejawmember G substantially'noslippage occurs and a cover to which the devi'ceis applied and which tends to stick can be easily removed;

My improved recipro'cabledaw jar wrench en'- ablesthe user to'apply and tighten covers on jars during canning or other operationsso-as'to holdthe jars without causing the hands of an operator to contact the hot metal of the covers. Ease of adjustment of the selectively positionedjaw member C 'andthe shape of the jaw mem-- bers enables the device" to beeasily applied to covers of various diameters and-designs: The spring 20 returns the hand griplever arm andclamping jaw into released position automatically ready for the clamping jaw member B to bereappliedfor successive use. Ali'-ofthe-mechanical motions afforded by' the-device-are in thedirection of operation and si'mple in construction. The device is serviceable for general householduse and isof lightweight construction. Tendency to damage the covers to'which the-deviceis'appliedlis reduced to a mi'n imum. All'of these'fea-- tures are. attained by my improved constructionandare particularlyadvantageous. Theycooperate'sothatthedevice can be. held and operated by one hand while the jar or container to thecover of: which it is applied is held securelyby the other hand;

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the construction thereof which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above setlforth withinthe spirit thereof and, the scope of the following-:claima I claim:

A screw cover wrench, comprising a flat handle bar having rack teeth on one longitudinal edge, an abutment-jawmember movable longitudinally on saidbar and in cooperative engagement with said rack teeth, a companion jaw member havingt aflat' transverse yoke plate formed with a heelportion at one end and an outstanding screw cover engaging serratededge portion at the other end, said companion jaw member including a housing slidably mounted upon and embracing said handlebar with the-serrated edge portion directed towardsaid abutment jaw member; an actuating lever pivotally' secured near oneend on said bar and having a substantially flat cam surface on its work end engaging against said heel and by which the companion jaw memberis adapted in cooperation with said abutment jaw-member to securely'engage'ascrew cover on a jar'or bottle when the free end portion of said actuating lever is swung against the handlebar,

and an expansionspringwithin said housing andengaged longitudinallybetween the housing and an abutmentstop on said handle bar by which *lework applying jaw memberand its actuating lever arereturned automatically into normal biased position when said actuating leveris released;

SELLERS'E. JESSU'P;

REFERENCES CITED The follbwingrefterences are of. record. in the file of 'this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 936,927 McCallum Oct. 12, 1909.- 998,014 Kingsley July 18; 1911.

1,227,738 Bellis'et al; May-29, 1917 1,394,033- McLeod-e1: a1. Oct. 18, 1921 1,396,867 Miller- Nov. 15,1921 1,967,960 McNemar July 24; 1934' 2,052,641 McCready Sept. 1', 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number- Country Date 47 ,384 Sweden Jan. 31, 1918

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