US2808752A - Cam actuated movable jaw wrench - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 8, 1957 R. E. PEARSALL 2,808,752

CAM ACTUATED MOVABLE JAW WRENCH Filed Feb'. 23, 195e INVENTOR i R4.E,Pe arsajl V WHW United States CAM ACTUATED MOVABLE JAW WRENCH Roy E. Pearsall, Nowata, Okla. Application February 23, 1956, Serial No. 567,244

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-361) This invention relates to a novel wrench having a stationary jaw and a movable jaw and including a novel actuator for displacing the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw by a combination sliding and rocking motion of the movable jaw to cause the jaws to coact for effectively gripping therebetween an element to be held or turned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the aforedescribed character including spring means urging the movable jaw to an open position and which is adapted to cooperate with the manually actuated means by which the movable jaw is displaced toward a closed position, to enable the Wrench to be readily manipulated with one hand as readily as a pair of pliers yet to provide a wrench which will very eiectively grip an element to be held or turned thereby.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wrench of the aforedescribed character having novel means cooperating with the spring means of the movable jaw for adjusting the fully open and fully closed positions of the movable jaw to enable the wrench to effectively engage elements of a plurality of sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench possessing the aforedescribed characteristics yet which is of extremely simple construction capable o-f being very economically manufactured and sold and which will be extremely durable and eicient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View, partly broken away and partly in section and showing the wrench in an open position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged `fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the wrench, partly in elevation, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the cam actuated movable jaw wrench in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated generally 5 and includes an elongated handle 6 of channel shaped cross section, except for the end portions thereof, which is open along the inner edge 7 thereof. The handle 6 is provided with an angular extension 8 at a forward end thereof which projects from an end of the open inner edge 7. The extension 8 forms a stationary jaw and has an inner edge or side thereof a jaw face 9 which faces toward the other rear end of the handle 6. The rear end of the handle 6 is defined by an internally threaded tubular portion 10. A guide sleeve 11 is suitably secured in the handle 6, by soldering or welding, as seen at 12. Said guide sleeve 11 is disposed forwardly of but adjacent the tubular portion 10 and has its bore in alignment with the bore of said tubular portion. The forward end of the guide sleeve 11 is provided with a rearwardly opening hook 13 which is disposed between said guide sleeve and the open inner edge 7.

A metal strap 14 is bent to engage loosely around the handle 6 and has end portions extending from the open inner edge 7 and which straddle a portion of a movable jaw member 15. Said portion 16 of the movable jaw member 15 is secured in any suitable manner to the end portions of the strap 14 and is disposed beyond said open inner edge 7 of the handle, to combine with the strap 14 to provide a sleeve which loosely engages slidably on the handle 6. The jaw member 15 is provided with a jaw face 17 which faces toward the jaw face 9. The jaw portion 16, remote from the jaw face 17, is provided with an opening 18. The back edge 19 of the strap 14, which is disposed remote from the forward end of the wrench 5, is inclined on complementary opposite sides thereof, as seenin full lines in Figure 1 and in dotted lines in Figure 3, in a direction away from the forward end of the wrench, from the outer toward` the inner side of the handle 6. y

One end of a contractile coiled spring 20 is secured to the hook 13. The spring 20 extends forwardly from the hook 13 and is disposed in the channel of the handle 6 and has its opposite forward end connected to a rear end of a link 21. The forward end of the link 21 is attached to the movable jaw 15 and the sleeve member 14, 16 thereof by engaging through the opening 18, for urging the movable jaw to slide rearwardly of the handle 6 away from the stationary jaw 8 and to additionally urge said sleeve member and movable jaw to rock relative to the handle 6 in a direction so that the jaw face 17 will swing away from the jaw face 9.

The complementary side Walls 6a of the handle 6 are provided with complementary elongated slots 22 which extend longitudinally of the handle 6 and which are disposed between its forward end and the guide sleeve 11. A rod 23 extends slidably through the guide sleeve 11 and is loosely disposed for sliding movement longitudinally in the channel of the handle 6. The rod 23 has an eye 24 at its forward end which is disposedr between the slots 22.

A lever, designated generally 25, comprises an elongated handle portion 26 of channel shaped cross section and a head which extends from one end of the handle portion 26 and which comprises complementary spaced substantially parallel head portions 27 which loosely straddle a part of the handle 6. A rivet or similar fastening 28 extends loosely through complementary parts of the head portions 27, through the slots 22 and through the eye 24 to swingably connect the lever 25 to the handle 6 and also to permit the lever 25 to slide longif tudinally relative to said handle, due to the fact that the rivet 28 slidably engages the slots 22. The head portions 27 each includes a substantially straight edge 29 which is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lever 25 and which is spaced a substantial distance from the lever pivot 28. The head portions 27 also include complementary rounded noses which extend from the outer ends of the straight edges 29 and which noses 3l) are spaced a substantial distance `from the pivot 28 and project from the edges 29 at an angle in excess of as best seen in Figure 3. Y

A bolt 31 is threaded forwardly through the boreV of the tubular portion 10 and has its forward end bearing against the rear end of the rod 23, as seen in Figure l. i The bolt or screw 31 has a knurledhead 32 at its rear end by means of which said bolt or screw can be manually adjusted in the tubular portion 10. In the openv position of the wrench 5, as best illustrated in Figure l', the handle 26 extends from the open edge 7 of the handleV 6 and at a substantial angle thereto, and -the straight;V edges 29 of said lever 25 are disposed in opposed relation to the rear edges 19 of the strap member 14. Said edges 19 are held against the edges 29 by the tension f the spring 20 which tends to move said strap member and the jaw 15, tbe lever 2S and Vthe rod` 23 toward the rear end of the wrench, so that the rear end of the rod 23 is held against the forward .end of' the adjusting screw 31, as seen rin Figure l. Since the link 21 connects` with the jaw portion 16v outwardly with respect to the inner open edge 7, the pull exerted on-the jaw 1`5 and strap 14 tends to cause said jaw and strap to rockrcounterclockwise as seen in Figure '1' relative to the handle 6, so thatthe jaw face 1Tis swung away'from the jaw face 9.

In using the wrench 5,. the back or. outer edge of the handle portion 6 is engaged in the palm of the hand, adjacent the rear end of saidhandle portion, and the ngers .of the same handV engage around the outer edgeof the lever handle 26. By application-of a squeezing force, the handle 26 can be swungtoward the handle 6 by ,a rocking, movement ofthe lever 2S in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 28, tov or beyond the position ofthe handle 26' as seen in FigureA 3, from its open position of Figure 1. The openi edge of the lever handle 26 constitutes the inner edge thereof and faces toward the open inner edge 7 of the wrench handle 6. The sides of the lever handle 26 are spaced apart a sufcient distance to straddle the wrench 4handle 6v as the lever handle is swung toward the wrench handle, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Y

As the lever 25 is swung counterclockwise about its pivot 28 from its position of Figure l to vits position of Figure 3, the tips of the noses 3U which merge with the outer ends of the straight edges 29 will ride the inclined rear edges 19 of the strap 14 for displacing said strap and the movable jaw from right to left toward the forward end of the wrench kas defined by the stationary jaw 8. As the tips of the-nose portions 30 approach the jaw portion 16 the pressure exerted thereby against the edge portions 19 will cause the strap member and jaw 15 to rock clockwise on the handle 6,` from the position of said parts as seen in Figure l to the position thereof as seen in Figure 3, to swing the jaw face 17 toward the jaw face 9, due to the loose fitting engagement of the strap member 14 and the jaw portion 16 with the handle 6. Thus, the counterclockwise swinging movement of the lever 2S initially causes the sleeve member and movable jaw to slide toward the stationary jaw and thereafter causes the movable jaw to both slide and swing toward the stationary jaw to effect a tight gripping engagement with an element, not shown, disposed between the jaw faces 9 and 17 and which is to be held or turned. lt will be obvious that so long as the gripping engagement is maintained on the handles 6 and 26 that the jaw 15 will be maintained in its closed position relative to the jaw 8, as seen in Figure 3. When this gripping pressure is released, after a slight swinging movement of the lever 2S clockwise from its position of Figure 3,Y the tension of the spring 20 will cause the lever 25 to swing back to its open position of Figure 1 by a camming engagement of the edges 19 with the tips of the nose portions 30.

With the lever in its open position of Figure 1, the screw 31 may beturned in one direction for advancing it forwardly through the tube 10 for displacing the rod 23 forwardly or from right to left. The lever 2S will also be displaced forwardl;I or from right toleft to thus move the strap member 14 and jaw 15 toward the jaw 3 for reducing the spacing between the jaw faces'9 and 17, in an open position `of tbe wrench 5. By` turning the screw 31 in the opposite direction, said screw will be displaced rearwardly of the wrench 5 or from left to right. When this occurs, the tension of the spring 2t? will pull the jaw 1S away from the jaw 8 to increase the spacing between the jaw faces 9 and 17, in the open position of the wrench. The strap member 14 will move from left to right with the jaw 15 thus pushingt the lever 25' and rod 23 rearwardly or to the right.

Various modications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: n

l. A wrench comprisingt anelongated handle having a forward end and-a rearward end, :1V-stationary jaw extending at an angle from the forward endV of said handle, a movable jaw, movable jawcarrying means mounted on said handle and supporti-ng said movableV jaw in opposed relation to the stationary jaw, said jaw carrying means being slidably disposed on `the handle for -movement of the movable jaw carried thereby toward and away from the stationary jaw, a lever, pivot means swingably mounting said lever adjacent one end thereof on the handle and between said jaw carrying means andthe rearward end of the handle, said lever having, an end portion located adjacent the pivot means thereof for engaging a portion of said movable jaw carrying means,

the other longer endof said .lever forminga handle portion swingably movable toward the rearward end of the wrench handle to cause said lever end portion1 by a.,

camming engagement with the movable jaw carrying means, to displace said' jaw carrying means and the` movable jaw along the wrench handle toward the stationary jaw, said movable jaw carrying means loosely engaging the wrench handle for rocking movement thereof and of the movable jaw therewith relative to the wrench handle in directions toward and away from the stationary jaw, said end portion Vvof the lever being swingably movable across the wrench handle,` as. the jaw carrying means and, movable jaw are displaced toward the stationary jaw thereby, to cause said lever end portion to rock the jaw carrying means .and movable jaw toward the stationary jaw as the movable jaw approaches the` extremity of its movement toward the stationary jaw.

2. A wrench comprising an elongated wrench handle having a forward endand a rearward end, av stationary jaw extending at an angle from the forward end of the wrench handle, a 'movable' jaw having a sleeve portion slidably and swingably supported on the wrench Vhandle for sliding and swinging movement of said movable jaw relative to the wrench handle in directions. toward and away from the stationary jaw, a lever swingably mounted on said Wrench handle between saidsleeve portion and the rearward end of the wrench handle and having a rounded cam nose located adjacent the lever pivot, said cam nose slidably engaging said sleeve portion when the rearward end ofthe wrench handle, said wrench handle Y having an inner edge from which the movable jaw projects, and spring means connected to the wrench handle near the rearward end thereof and to the movable jaw at a point spaced outwardly from the inner edge of the wrench handle for urging the .movable jaw to swing andv slide away from the stationary-jaw.

3. A wrench comprising an elongated handle having a forward end and a Yrearward end, a stationary jaw extending at .an angle from the forward end of said handle, a movable jaw, movable jaw carrying means loosely mounted on said handle and supporting said movable jaw in opposed relation tothe stationary jaw for sliding and swinging movement. of the movable jaw toward and awayfrom the stationary jaw, a lever, pivot means swingably mounting said lever adjacent -one end thereof on the wrenchhandle-and between said jaw carrying means and the rearward end of the handle, said lever having. an end portion located adjacent the pivot means thereof for engaging a portion of said :jaw carrying means, the other end of said lever forming a handle portion swingably movable toward the rearward end of the wrench handle to cause said lever end portion, by a camming engagement with the movable jaw carrying means, to displace said jaw carrying means and the movable jaw along the wrench handle toward the stationary jaw, said end portion of the lever being swingably movable across the Wrench handle, as the jaw carrying means and movable jaw are displaced toward the stationary.

jaw thereby, to cause said lever end portion to rock the 10 jaw carrying means and movable jaw toward the stationary jaw as the movable jaw approaches the extremity of its movement toward the stationary jaw, said wrench handle including an inner edge, said movable jaw extending outwardly from said inner edge of the wrench handle, and spring means connected to the wrench handle and to said movable jaw, said spring means being connected to the movable jaw outwardly with respect to said inner edge of the wrench handle for urging the movable jaw and said jaw carrying means to slide and swing away from the stationary jaw.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 134,440 Roache Dec. 3l, 1872 817,701 Floto Apr. 10, 1906 1,042,777 Fernandez Oct. 29, 19112 1,332,140 Norgord Feb. 24, 1920 1,391,898 Kettler Sept. 27, 1921 2,628,521 Berglund et al. Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,498 Germany Mar. 9, 1920

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