US904109A

US904109A - Wrench.

Info

Publication number: US904109A
Application number: US42787808A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Woodbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1908-04-18
Filing date: 1908-04-18
Publication date: 1908-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1925-11-17

Description

G113. WOODBURY.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18,1908.

' IN VENTOR.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

WITNESSES.

r: mmms PETERS ca, wAsmnwmN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. WOODBURY, or SAN EnANoisoo, CALIFORNIA.

WRENCH.

Application filed April 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WooDBuRY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combination- Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements made in adjustable wrenches that combine in one tool a pipe-wrench for turning pipefittings, coupling and other cylindrical pieces, and a wrench for turning machine nuts and other polygonal pieces; the tool being convertible from one use to the other at will.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved wrench having the quality of taking a firm hold without slipping when working on a pipe or other piece of cylindrical shape, and the quality of releasing or letting go as quickly as the force is removed from the handle, without separating the jaws; whereby the wrench when used on cylindrical work will not be liable to indent or deface the part on which it is used, and it can readily be placed on or removed from the part without changing the adjustment of the jaws.

A further object of the invention is to secure the requisite strength and stiffness in stock and jaws with a minimum weight of material, and in this connection to reduce the number of joints and separate pieces and to dispose or arrange the necessary joints or joinings of parts on lines that are parallel to the force or power applied to the handle in using the tool, and not transverse to such force.

A further object is to facilitate the change and adjustment of the tool for use on different forms or styles of work within its scope.

These and other objects I secure and attain in and by the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 of the drawing represents in general elevation a combination wrench embodying my invention; showing the tool adjusted for use as a machine-wrench. Fig. 2 is a View of the wrench with one side of the stock taken off. Figs. 3 and at are details of the latch on the main stock, showing the two positions in which it is set to attach the stem Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1908.

1908. Serial No. 427,878.

of the movable jaw to the main stock when the tool is used as a machine wrench, and reduces the stem when it is desired to convert the tool into a pipe-wrench; Fig. 3 being a longitudinal section of a portion of the stock on which the latch is arranged, showing the latch off, and Fig. 4 a similar View showing the latch on.

The parts of my improved wrench comprise the main-stock A having a straight shank in two halves or parts 23, of the same size and shape joined together on a longitudinal line of joint, and having on one end a head a, the top face of which constitutes the fixed jaw 4 for the pipe-wrench and the corresponding jaw 5 of the machine wrench. A passage 6 extending longitudinally through the head between the two jaws l-5, and continuing downward through the stock A in a recess 7 open along the front and closed at the back 8, receives and incloses the stem B on the end of which is a head I) forming the movable jaws 141-15. The stem B is loosely fitted to the recess in the main stock for longitudinal adjustment, whereby the distance between the jaws is varied to accommodate the piece to be grasped by the aws. The recess is of proper dimensions to afford limited play or movement of the stem laterally as well as longitudinally in the recessed handle. This stem B is best formed as seen in Fig. 2 of a straight bar with flat sides, and of uniform thickness at the upper part where it joins the movable head I); but for the remaining portion from the shank 9 downwards it is formed with tapered sides, this tapered portion being finished with rounded corners, or is approximately round in cross-section to present smooth and rounded surfaces for the handle.

Under the pressure of the hand when the stock is grasped by the workman and the stem B is pressed into the recess in the main stock, the hand necessarily comes in contact with the portion of the stem that is not entirely inclosed within the recess, and such exposed portion is rounded to give a smooth grip.

For the purpose of setting the movable jaw teeth on are formed on the edges of the shank or upper portion of the stem, and a nut I'I havin an internal screw-thread fitted to the teeth is inserted from the side of the stock through a slot 10, so as to intersect the longitudinal recess, and engage the teeth on the stem B. The nut H is fitted to turn in the slot, and the teeth being elements of" the slot, whereby lateral movement of the stem B is permitted, and it is capable of being tilted or set at an angle to the mainstock, without interfering with or limiting its longitudinal movement. the lateral movement thus provided for is to set the movable jaw in an angular position with respect to the fixed jaw, causing the two aws to assume a divergent position when the stem 13 is permitted to set out through the open side of the recess in the main stock, and thus separating them more widely apart at the front or outer ends than they are at the back nearer the stem.

The front and back sides of the passage 6 are curved as seen at 12 and 13, Fig. 2, for the purpose of permitting the shank or stem B to have the required extent of lateral movement without binding, the curved faces 1213 being situated near the top of the socket or passage soas to furnish a fulcrum or bearing for the stem at the center of motion. This angular position of the movable stem being permitted under all variations in the longitudinal adjustment, it enables the tool to be readily placed on the piece to be grasped, and likewise to be easily removed after the piece is screwed to place, so that there is no liability of the wrench jamming or striking. It can also be loosened and removed without turning the nut to increase the opening between the aws. By placing a flat spring to between the stem B and the back of the recess in the main stock A the lateral movement of the stem will take place as soon as the pressure of the workmans hand is taken off the handle to a sufiicient extent, and the stem will be set at an angle by the outward thrust of. the spring. Such angular movement is restricted and is prevented from separating the stem and main-stock to a greater extent than is required by providing a loop I on the butt end of the main-stock, through which the lower end of the stem B is confined and restricted in its movement laterally, without being limited in the extent of its adjustment longitudinally. This loop I is formed by an extension on each half or part of the main-stock, the ends of which are fitted to meet and join together on a line coinciding with the line of joint between the two parts 28. The proper width of opening in this loop is secured by forming the ends of the extensions with ribs or portions 16 of increased thickness, and these meeting together The effect of 7 in a butt joint. A pin 17 and a hole 18 in the opposing faces form a ready means of fastening together the two parts of the loop.

In adjusting the wrench of my invention for uses other than as a pipewrench, and

under other conditions when it will be more convenient to dispense with the lateral play or tilting movement of the movable jaw, a

means is provided for fastening the movable stem in the main-stock against such lateral movement of the jaws and maintaining the parallelism of the fixed jaw and the movable jaw without interfering with or restricting the scope of their adjustment. For this purpose a spring tongue 8 movable longitudinally in a groove 19 in the inner side of the main stock on one side of therecess, and provided with a rounded head or button 20 is arranged to slide longitudinally in the recess, the parts being so shaped that a short movement of the tongue in one direction will cause it to engage a slot or recess 21 in the adjacent face of the movable stem B; or by its movement in the opposite direction the tongue will be drawn back and lie within its own recess in the stock clear of the recess in the stem. The button 20 is connected to the spring tongue by a shank 22 fitted to work in a slot 23 in the stock. The recess in the stock is of proper length to allow a full extent of movement of the stem longitudinally under its adjustment in the recess and still connect the stem and the stock together and in line when a lateral movement of the jaws is not required.

I claim 1. In a wrench the combination of the longitudinally recessed main-stock carrying a fixed jaw, a stem movably fitted to the mainstock for adjustment longitudinally and also capable of limited lateral movement in the recess relative to the fixed jaw, a jaw on the movable stem arranged to coact with the fixed jaw, means engaging the movable stem for adjusting it longitudinally of the mainstock and a latch on one of the said parts adapted to lock them, together by engaging the other part Without restricting the longitudinal adjustment.

2. In a wrench, the combination of a longitudinal recessed stock having a fixed jaw, a stem longitudinally movable in the said stock, and capable of limited lateral movement in the recess thereof, means for adjusting the stem longitudinally of the main stock, and a sliding latch carried by the main stock, the movable stem being provided with a longitudinal slot adapted to receive the latch whereby the stem is locked against lateral movement without affecting its longitudinal adjustment.

3. A wrench comprising a pair of jaws each provided with a. shank adapted to be grasped by: the hand, the shanks lying alongside of each other, means for adjusting one jaw and its shank longitudinally relative to the other, means for causing one of the jaws to rock to a limited extent away from the other one, the jaws being forced toward each other when the two shanks are grasped by the hand, and means for locking the shanks to hold the jaws approximately parallel to each other without affecting the longitudinal adjusting means.

GEORGE E. VVOODBURY. \Vitnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, P. S. PIDwnLL.