US2716367A

US2716367A - Multi-sized wrench

Info

Publication number: US2716367A
Application number: US384940A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph B Montgomery
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-08
Filing date: 1953-10-08
Publication date: 1955-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1972-08-30

Description

Aug. 30, 1 J. B. MONTGOMERY 2,716,367

MULTI-SIZED WRENCH Filed Oct. 8, 1953 INVENTOR. LJUETEFH B. MUNTE UMEF Y Fig 5,

ATTORNEY United States Patent Otficc Z ,7 1 6 ,3 6 7 .Raitented Aug. 39., 1 55 2,716,367 MUL'II-SIZED iYRE QH Joseph Montgomery, Douglassville, Pa. Application October 8, 1953, Serial No.- 3.3 .5 4!

4 Claims. .(Cl. 31121) This invention relates to a wrench and, more particularly, to a multi-sized wrench which can 'be used on various sized bolts and nuts without the necessity of mechanical adjustment.

An outstanding disadvantage of conventional wrenches of the non-adjustable type is that .a single wrench is ;suitable only .for two different sizes of bolts or nuts, requiring the workman to car'ry a large number of wrenches to cover various sizes of bolts and nuts encountered in the usual job. Although wrenches of non-adjustable type have been made for accommodating more than two sizes of bolts or nuts, these, in general, have been unsatisfactory from the standpoint of providing insufficient leverage or because no provision is included to keep the wrench from passing over a bolt head or nut spaced away from the attached object, or because of their complicated and expensive construction.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel multisized wrench which is devoid of the above named disadvantages of conventional wrenches and which is suitable for numerous sizes of bolts and nuts.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a single multi-sized wrench which is capable of use on bolts or nuts of seven or more or less different sizes, and which includes stop plate means to keep the wrench from passing over a bolt head or nut which is spaced from the object to which it is attached.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a multi-sized wrench embodying the principles of my invention, certain parts being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modification of the invention including pivotal plate stops and,

Figure 3 is a side view in reduced scale of a still further modification of the wrenches shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, numeral 1 denotes the central portion of an integral

wrench having heads

2 and 3 at the opposite ends, head 2 having notched-out, open areas defined by substantially

parallel edges

2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d of stepped formation, progressively increasing in width for accommodating four different sizes of bolts or nuts, and head 3 having edges 3a, 3b, 30, for accommodating three additional sized bolts and nuts, making a total of seven different sizes for which the wrench may be used. Integrally secured on top of each head of the wrench as shown (or separately attached if so desired) are a pair of

plate stops

2e and 3d, respectively, each including a substantially egg-shaped, cut-out portion tapering in substantially the same manner as the respective staggered notched areas but projecting inwardly therefrom and over the top thereof. The openings in plate stops 2e and 3d are sufiiciently large as to provide clearance for the shanks of bolts of the various sizes. In operation, when the wrench is applied to a bolt, the largest opening, that is,

the one of greatest width at either side of the head, :is placed over the bolt head and thereafter the wrench is moved so that the bolt head will :pass through :successively smaller gaps until the proper size of gap. is reached. For instance, if gap 2a is the proper size form given bolt, the wrench head is .applied so @that the :bolt .will first project through a larger gap, such as between edges 2d and then moved progressively tuntil gap '2a1is reached, :By v rtu of Plate stop 2 the wrench w ll :not pass .over .-the bolt 1116311 .or nut when such bqlt head or nut is spaced away from the o je t 1L whichi a tached. in short, :the plate st op 2d ;is in the form qfza ledge overhanging side portions of the various gaps for diffe ent size bolt and nut Th he A or xamnlc,

" may h v sfour not he -ou a e s fo ac om od tin bel s zes of 716", and Ot e w enche having th [ran e f siz may als e used t term-a et- :E gure 2 sh ws .a mod fication of the wrench aliputn in figure 41 wh rein t eplat st ps 4 an :5, inste d-9 being fixed or integral, are pivotally movable abouttpjyms, at: and 5a re pectivel metas a es-4am a e p vided with apertures or thumb nail grooves 4b and 5b to enable grasping thereof with the fingers and are provided with

stop projections

4c and 5c adapted to be seated in correspondingly shaped depressions on the top surface of the wrench to prevent loose pivotal movement of stops 4 and 5.

In the use of the wrench shown in Figure 2, after the head has been placed over the bolt and moved so the bolt fits into the proper notch which closely fits it, plate stops 4 and 5 may be pivotally moved inwardly to provide an overhanging ledge so as to act as stop members to prevent passing over a bolt head or nut which is spaced away from the object to which it is attached.

Figure 3 shows the further modification of either Figure l or Figure 2 wherein instead of having

parts

1, 2 and 3 in the same plane, part 1 is at an angle to both of the

parallel heads

2 and 3 so that the wrench can be more easily used in places requiring knuckle clearance, such as on the head of an automobile engine. While 1 have shown head 2 as accommodating four different sizes of bolts and nuts and head 3 as accommodating three different additional sizes, it will be apparent that any number of sizes ranging from a single headed wrench with-one size to a double headed wrench with from two to perhaps eight sizes may be used instead and still embody the principles of the present invention.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an eflicient multi-sized wrench which is useful on various sized bolts and nuts without the requirement of a mechanical adjustment and which facilitates use in close working areas; also I have provided plate stops on such wrench to prevent passing of a bolt head or nut when such bolt head or nut is spaced away from the object to which it is attached; furthermore, I have provided a unitary multisized wrench which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which is very useful for a large number of different sizes of bolts and nuts, perhaps up to seven or eight different sizes.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multi-sized wrench having a head including a notched opening having opposite, stepped, parallel, confronting edges defining progressively greater gaps for accommodating difierent sizes of bolts and having plate stop means overhanging and projecting inwardly from all of said edges to prevent the wrench from passing over a bolt head or nut which is spaced away from an object to which it is attached.

2. A rnulti-sized wrench having a head at one end thereof including a notched-out, stepped area of progressiely varying width, and plate stop means pivotally mounted on said head and adapted when pivotally moved over said area to provide an overhanging ledge of correspondingly varying width to guide the wrench on a bolt head or nut to the proper notched-out area and to prevent passing over a bolt head or nut spaced from an object to which it is fastened.

3. A multi-sized wrench comprising a central handle portion and a head portion integrally secured to one end thereof, said head portion including a flaring notchedout area of stepped formation providing a plurality of confronting parallel edge portions defining progressively greater gaps for accommodating different sizes of bolts or nuts, and an integrally secured top plate stop having a cut-out area of progressively varying width and adapted to project inwardly of the edge portions of said notched-out area so as to serve as a stop to prevent a bolt head or nut from extending upwardly through said head.

4. A multi-sized wrench comprising a handle portion and a head portion integrally secured at one end thereof, said head portion having an opening in the form of a plurality of confronting parallel edge portions of progressively varying width and converging in stepped formation for accommodating different sizes of bolt heads or nuts, and an integrally secured top plate stop portion projecting inwardly of said edge portions and having an inner marginal edge of substantially egg shape with substantially straight portions projecting inwardly of the stepped portions to guide the wrench on a bolt head or nut to the proper notched-out area and to prevent passing over a bolt head or nut spaced from an object to which it is fastened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 135,084 Cooper Jan. 21, 1873 1,097,043 Nolder May 19, 1914 1,352,461 Lenholt Sept. 14, 1920 1,936,352 Dixon Nov. 21, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,886 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1882 99,812 Switzerland June 16, 1923 911,389 France Mar. 11, 1946