US2858710A

US2858710A - Gas cock wrench

Info

Publication number: US2858710A
Application number: US384191A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur J Landwehr; John D Cummings
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-05
Filing date: 1953-10-05
Publication date: 1958-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1975-11-04

Description

- Nov. 4, 1958 LANDWEHR E'rAL GAS cocx WRENCH Filed oct. 5, 1955 l GAsvcocK WRENCH Arthur J. Landwehr, Northbrook, and John D. Cummings, Highland Park, Ill.; said Landwehr assgnor to said Cummings Y ApplicationOetober 5, 1953, Serial No. 384,191 z claims. y(Cl. 74-543) The present invention relates generally to wrenches. More particularly the invention relates to that type of wrench which is designed primarily to turn the plug of a conventional gas cock back and forth between open and closed positions. v V

In many dwellings and other establishments gas in the `form of a combustible mixture isemployed as fuel for stoves, water heaters, furnaces, boilers and other gas consuming or burning appliances. lnmost instances the gas is supplied under pressure by way of a sectional service pipe which leads from an outside main into the dwelling or other establishment tobe serviced with gas, is connected by fittings .and branch pipes to the various gas consuming appliances, and has an inside conventional gas cock between certain of its sections in order that the supply of gas to the appliances lmay be cut orf or disconnected whenever desired. A conventional gas cock is provided with a tapered crossportcquipped plug which is rotatably mounted in a correspondingly tapered transversely extending bore in the central portion of the body of the cock and has at its large end an externally disposed polygonal lug whereby it may be turned #by wayof any suitable tool, such for example, as a jaw variety wrench or pliers. When gas leakage occurs inthe tting, branch pipes or appliances it is, of course, necessary to close the cock in the service pipe in order to avoid the possibility of an explosion, re or loss of human life. In practice it has been found that when gas leakage occurs the person discovering the leak in many instances encounters difiiculties in closing the cock because he or she does not have available a proper tool to turn the plug of the cock or is unable to determine vfrom the position of the polygonal lug at the large end of the plug when the plug is turned into its fully closed position.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrench which is adapted to be kattached to, and to remain permanently with, the rotatably mounted plug of a cock in a sectional gas service pipe and is characterized by the fact that it embodies a pair of abutment 'forming elements, one of which coacts with the service pipe section that leads to the body of the cock to arrest the wrench after it has been swung so as to turn or manipulate the plug into one of its positions and the other of which coacts with the service pipe section that leads from the cock body to arrest the kwrench after it has been swung so as to turn the plug into its other position. By providing a wrench of this character the gas cock to which the wrench is attached has at all times immediately available turning means for the plug thereof and in the event of gas leakage the person discovering the leakage encounters no difculty whatsoever in turning the plug of the cock to its fully closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide `a gas cockwrench which is of the last mentioned character and as its parts or components comprises: l) a comparatively long leverv arm, one end of which embodies a head with meansfor attachment to the polygonal lug on the'large` end of the plug of the cock and the other end of which is shown). The ends of the aforementioned bore are open provided with one of the abutment forming elements; and;

(2) a short arm which is formed integrally with, and ex tends at approximately a 45 angle with respect to, the

head end of the lever arm and is provided at its outer end with the other abutment forming element.

Another object of the inventionl is to provide a gas cock wrench of the type and character under consideration and in which the abutment forming elements are'in'y the form of pins which extend through transverse holes` in the said other end of the lever arm and the outer end of the short arm and are mounted in `the holes by drive or press lits so that theyare capable of being longitudinally adjusted by being tapped with a hammer while at -the same time they remain frictionally in the various positions into which they are adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas cock wrench of the aforementioned character and in' which the means for attaching the head end of the long lever arm to the polygonal lug on the large end of the plug of the cock is in the form of a longitudinally extend? ing lug receiving slot and a transversely extending set screw. v 1 A further object of the invention is to provide agas cock wrench of the last mentioned character and in which f the slot and set screw that constitute the attaching means for the head end lof the arm are so arranged and designed that the wrench as a whole may `be attached to gas cocks;

of different sizes. p

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gas cock wrench which is generally of new and improved construction, effectively and eciently fullills its intended purpose and is characterized by simplicity of design and low cost of manufacture.

Other objects of the invention and the various advan-i tages and characteristics of the present Wrench will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularlyA deiined Eby claims at the conclusion hereof. y A

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top perspective showing a Wrench em: bodying the invention in attached or operative relation with a cock between certain sections of a gas service pipe; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing in full lines the position of the wrench after it has 'been swung so as fullyV to close the cock and showing by way of dotted lines the position of the wrench after it has been swung so as to open the cock; and

Figure 3 yis a top plan view of the wrench. The wrench which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is designed and adapted primarily for use in connection with a conventional cock 4 in a sectional gas service pipe 5 and serves as a medium for opening and closing the cock. The latter comprises an elongated vertically extending hollow body 6 and a tapered horizontally extending plug 7. The body 6 of the cock 4 has screw threaded openings (not shown) inrits ends and embodies in its central por tion a tapered horizontally extending bore (also not in, the tapered horizontally extending Ibore in the central` portion of the cock Ibody 4 and embodies at its largeend a rectangular exteriorly disposed lug 8 for plug turningV purposes. The small end of the plug is provided with a screw threaded stem 9 on which is mounted a nut 10 for Patented Nov. 4, 1958 retaining the plug in the aforementioned bore. The central portion of the plug 7 is provided with a crossport (also not shown). The arrangement of the crossport is such that when the plug is turned so that the polygonal lug 8 extends horizontally, as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2, the crossport `extends horizontally and cuts oir` communication between the openings in the ends of the body and when the plug is turned at right angles or 90 the crossport extends vertically and establishes cornmunication between the openings in the ends of the body. In other words, the crossport is positioned or arranged so that the cock is` closed when the lug 8 extends horizontally and is open when the lug extends vertically, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. 'Ihe sectional gas service pipe is adapted to supply gas under pressure from van outside main to various gas consuming appliances and comprises a vertically extending upper pipe section 11 and a vertically extending lower pipe section 1-2. The upper pipe section 11 leads from the aforementioned main and has at its lower end an external screw thread whereby it is connected to the screw threaded opening in the upper end of the body 6 of the cock. The lower pipe section 12 has at its upper end an external screw thread whereby it is connected to the screw threaded opening in the lower end of the cock body. It is contemplated that the lower pipe section 12 will be connected by fittings and branch pipes to the various gas consuming appliances to which gas under pressure is supplied by the service pipe 5 under control of the cock 4.

The Wrench is of unitary character and comprises a body 13 in the form of a straight comparatively long lever arm 14 and a short angularly disposed arm 15.

Preferably the body of the wrench is in the form of a one-piece casting of aluminum or other suitable light weight material. One end of the long lever arm 14 of the body is laterally enlarged so as to form a head 16. The latter is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 17 in which ts the rectangular turning lug 8 on the large end of the plug 7 of the cock 4. A set screw 18 extends through a transversely extending screw threaded hole 19 in the central portion of one of the side parts ofthe head 16 and serves to clamp the rectangular lug 8 against the other side part of the head 16. Preferably the slot 17 is longer and wider than the lug 8 in order that the head end of the lon-g lever arm of the body may be attached to gas cocks of different sizes. The outer end of the set screw 18 embodies an integral polygonal head 20 in order that the set screw may lbe readily turned by any suitable turnlng tool. When the set screw is turned in the proper direction to its fullest extent it serves iixedly to connect theV head 16 to the rectangular lug 8. The outer or distal end of the lever arm 14 serves as a handle whereby the wrench may be swung upwards and downwards for the purpose of turning the plug 7 of the cock 4. When the arm 14 extends horizontally, as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2, the cock is in its closed position and when the arm is swung upwards into a substantially vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the cock is in its open position. The distal end of the long lever arm 14 of the body, i. e., the end that is opposite the head 16, is provided with a transverse hole 21 through which extends the central portion of an elongated abutment forming pin 22. One end of the pin 22 is adapted, when the'long lever arm 14 of the body 13 is swung upwards, to strike against the upper pipe section 11 and coact with such pipe section to arrest the arm 11 when it moves into a substantially vertical position (see dotted lines in Figure 2) and causes opening of the cock 4. The hole 21 in the outer end of the arm 14 is of slightly less diameter than the Vpin 22 in order to form a so-called drive or press iit which serves frictionally to hold the pin 22- in place while at the same time permitting the pin to be adjusted longitudinally by tapping one end thereof with a hammer or similar tool. The'pin 22 constitutes an abutment-forming element which coacts with the upper;

4 pipe section 11 to arrest the wrench as a whole after it has been swung so as to turn or manipulate the plug 74 of the cock into its open position. The short arm 15 of the body 13 projects downwards and is connected to the head end of the long lever arm 14 at a point approximately half-way between the mid-point of the lever arm and the attaching means. It extends at approximately an angle of 45 with respect to said head end of the arm 14 v and has its inner end formed integrally with said arm 14 at a point between the mid part of the latter and the head 16. The outer end of the short arm 15 is provided with a transverse hole 23 through which extends the central portion of an elongated abutment-forming pin 24 which, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, is disposed in parallel relation with the abutment forming pin 22. One end of the pin 24 is adapted, when the long lever arm 14 of the body 13 is swung downwards, to strike against the lower pipe section 12 and coact with such pipe section to arrest the arm 11 when it moves into a horizontal position and thereby causes full rclosing of the cock 4. The hole 23 in the outer end of the short arm 15 is slightly less in diameter than the pin 24 in order to form a socalled drive or press it which serves frictionally to hold the pin 24 in place while at the same time permitting the pin to be adjusted longitudinally by tapping one end thereof with a hammer or similar tool. The pin 24 constitutes an abutment forming element which coacts with the lower pipe section 12 to arrest the wrench as a wholev after it has been swung vdownwards so as to turn or manipulate the plug 7 of the cock 4 into its closed position. The length of the short arm 15 is such that when the long lever arm 14 of the wrench body 13 is truly horizontal the pin 24 is in abutment with the lower pipe section 12, as shown in Figure 2. By having the

pins

22 and 24 project beyond both sides of the wrench body 13 the wrench may, if desired, be reversely positioned. If the wrench is so positioned the short arm 15 will extend upwards and the pin thereof will coact with the upper pipe section 11 to arrest the body when the latter is turned so as to close the cock andthe pin 22 will coact with the lower pipe section 12 of the gas service pipe 5to arrest the wrench body when it is swung downwards in connection with opening of the cock. vAs shown inthe drawings, the long lever arm 14 and the short arm 15 of the wrench are so arranged when the wrench is attached to the lug 8 of the plug of the cock that regardless of swinging movement of the wrench they atall times lie in a single plane which is in parallel relation with the common axis of the upper and

lower pipe sections

11 and 12.

VWhen it is desired to apply or install the wrench the set screw 18 is loosened so that the inner end thereof is clear of the longitudinal slot 17 in the head 16. Thereafter the head is manipulatedy so as to bring the rectangular turning lug 8 on the large end of the cock plug 7 into the slot 17. After so manipulating the head the set screw is tightened so as xedly to connect the head end of the long lever arm 14 to the lug 8. If the wrench is arranged as shown in the drawing it will normally assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, i. e., a position wherein the long lever arm 14 extends upwards and the one end of the pin 22 is in abutment with the upper pipe section 11. When it is desired to close the cock for any reason whatsoever it is only necessary to swing the long lever arm downwards. In connection with downward swinging of such arm the pin 24 ultimately strikes against the lower pipe section. 12 and coacts therewith to arrest the wrench body as soon as the long arm is in a horizontal position and the cock 4 is hence in its fully closed position.

The herein described gas cock wrench effectively and eiciently fuliills its intended purpose and is capable of being produced or manufactured at a low and reasonable cost. It may be readily attached to the turning lug on the plug ofl any gas cock within a particulary range size and, due to the

abutment forming pins

22 and 24, makes it possible quickly and readily to shift into either its closed or opened position the cock to which it is attached.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what we cla-im as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a wrench adapted for use in turning the plug of a gas cock back and forth between open and closed positions and comprising a one-piece casting consisting of a comparatively long, rigid, substantially straight lever arm having means at one end thereof for attachment to the plug and provided at an appreciable distance from said means with a transverse hole, and a comparatively short, substantially straight, rigid arm connected to the lever arm at a point approximately half-way between the mid-point of the lever arm and said means, extending at approximately a 45 angle with respect to the end portion of the lever arm that has said means, and provided at its outer end with a transversely extending hole in parallel relation with the rst mentioned hole, an abutment-forming pin having the central portion thereof extending through, and in fixed relation with, the iirst mentioned hole, and a second abutment-forming pin having the central portion thereof extending through, and in xed relation with, the second mentioned hole.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 and in which the transverse hole in the lever arm is in the extremity of said lever arm that is remote from the means for attaching to the plug, and the central portions of the pins `are in drive fit relation with their respective holes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 310,019 Bayles Dec. 30, 1884 729,672 Sack June 2, 1903 800,793 Chandler Oct. 3, 1905 1,420,701 Hoffman June 27, 1922 2,350,354 Herskovits June 6, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,736 Great Britain of 1900