US2590792A - Slidable side jaw wrench - Google Patents

Description

March 25, 1952 c. R. RENEER SLIDABLE SLIDE JAW WRENCH Filed Aug. 29, 1950 S/ w I til INVENTOR. Char/es FE. Teneer Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDABLE SIDE JAW WRENCH Charles R. Reneer, Paintsville, Ky.

Application August 29, 1950, Serial No. 182,081

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to wrenches and in particular to the type which automatically adjusts itself to the size of the nut, or head of the bolt upon which the work is done.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrench structure which may be easily and cheap- 1y manufactured by forming the major parts by forging.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient means for adjusting the jaws of the wrench to the size of the nut, stock, pipe, or work upon which the wrench is to be used. r

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for normally keeping the wrench in closed position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, the broad principles of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the following specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the wrench having part of the handle broken away.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the edge of the wrench looking toward the left in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the opposite edge of the wrench looking toward the right in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevational side view of a modified form of the wrench.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the edge of the wrench looking toward the left in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the opposite edge of the wrench looking toward the right in Figure 4.

The wrench consists of three principle parts, two jaw members It] and I2 forming a head, and a handle member I4. The jaw members are provided with parallel faces, as shown at I I1 and I2, which are so constructed that they slidably interlock, and when moved in relation to each other, their faces are always in parallel relationship.

Jaw I 2 is designated as the stationary jaw, and is provided with bifurcated lower portion having side members I6 and I8. The jaw I0 is designated as the slidable jaw and is reduced in thickness adjacent its lower portion to allow this portion to slide between the members I6 and I8 of the stationary jaw members forming the head of the wrench. The opening between the bifurcated members I6 and I8 is narrowed down adjacent the clamping, or face, portions of the jaws Ill and I2 by increasing the thickness of the bifurcated members as shown at'IB' and I8. This narrowed portion I6' and I8 forms a step as shown at It and I8" in the opening between the members It and IE to further reduce the width of the bifurcated opening and extends through the upper edge of the bifurcated portion of the jaw I2, which is below the jaw clamping face I2, to the point I2. The two side members I6 and I8 are carried and preferably formed integrally with the upper end of the jaw I2 beginning at I2 and extending to the outer edge of the jaw. This type of structure provides for efficient forging and milling of the bifurcated portion of the stationary jaw member I2 because there are no offsets or beads running along the inner surface of the members I6 and I8.

The slidable jaw has its upper portion and its face portion IIl' of substantially the same dimensions as the corresponding part of the stationary jaw I 2. Its lower portion I I!" is reduced in thickness to a point where it will snugly slide between the bifurcated members It and I8 of the lower jaw member. The portion I0" is further reduced in thickness along lines "1" to form a portion I5 which will slide within the step formed by the portions I6 and I8. This reduced portion I5 extends for the full length of the reduced portion Ill" and cooperates with the step formed by the portions I6 and I8 of the stationary jaw to form a track or guide for aiding the slidable jaw to support the jaw face I0 parallel with the stationary jaw face I2 when these portions are held in slidable contact. Along the bottom of the movable jaw I0 is a gear rack having teeth 20 which are of such. size and structure as to engage teeth 22 carried at one end by the handle I4. The toothed end of the handle is pivoted upon the pin 24 between the bifurcated members I6 and I8 in such a manner as to provide for the engagement of the teeth 20 carried on the slidable jaw and teeth 22 carried on the handle.

When the jaws are assembled and the handle is secured in place by the pin 24, which extends through the side members I6 and I 8, the two toothed members are adapted to engage each other as shown in Figures 1 and 4. By this arrangement, when the handle is oscillated about the pin 24, the slidable jaw I0 is moved along a line defined by the steps I6" and I8" between the members I6 and I8. The teeth 22, by engaging the teeth 20, will keep the slidable jaw in place against the steps I6" and I8", and, therefore, the faces I0 and I2 of the jaws are always parallel to each other throughout the movement of the jaw member ID.

In Figures 1 to 3 there is shown one form of wrench. In this form. the faces I0 and I2 are shown as serrated for handling pipe, or round stock. However, the jaw faces may be smooth as shown in Figure 4, In this particular form, the slidable jaw member forming the head of the wrench and the handle are free-fioating, that is, the slidable jaw may be moved in any position relative to the stationary jaw by the handle (within limits) where it will normally remain until again moved by the handle. In this form the wrench is shown in full lines in its normal closed position, and in dotted lines in its open position.

In Figures 4 to 6 there is shown a form of wrench very similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3. This modification has in addition to the wrench just described a plate 25 welded or fastened over the outer ends of the member it and I8 and opposite the face l2. This member is attached after the jaw members have been assembled. Extending within the portions it of the jaw it and opposite the plate 25 is a recess Z-Bfor-receiving a compression spring 2'?! which will; contact the bottom of the recess and the outer plate 25. By this arrangement the slidable jaw IE] is constantly being urged toward the stationary jaw.

Secured in the opposite edge of the bifurcated portion of the jaw I2 and the walls i6 and i8 is a member. 36 extending downwardly and out of. the bifurcated area and along the handle it for, a short distance when the wrench is fully opened. By this construction, when the, wrench is not in use,, or fastened upon an object such as a bolt head or nut, the wrench is normally heldin closed position by the spring'Z'I. In normaloperation of this form of the wrench, the wrench. may be opened to the proper size by pressing the thumb as indicated at 32 on the lower end 30' of the member 39 which will rotate the head. As the head is rotated, the teeth 2% and 22 will move the slidable jaw outwardly and increase the opening between the jaws for adjusting the same for whatever object is to be held;

The form shown in Figures 1 to 3 is operated in substantially the same manner except for spring 21' and the member 36.. The jaws are opened by rotating. the head, which consists of the jaws land 12, about the pin 2s while holding the handle in a fixed position.

The improved wrench. presents one that is easily and economically manufactured. By fo'rmingthe bifurcation in one of the jaw membei's'as described for jaw 12, theymay be forged and milled by a very simple. operation. A single pass over the surfacesof eachof. the cooperating: parts of each of the jaws places them in condition for assembling. This construction biiur" avoids any undercuts, or beads, on the cooperating sliding surfaces.

While two preferred forms of the invention have been shown in detail, it has been done to illustrate the general principles involved and not for limiting the invention in any way as the scope of the invention is best defined in the accompanying claim.

I claim:

In a self-adjusting wrench comprising a head having a stationary jaw and a slidable jaw, said stationary jaw having a bifurcated lower portion including a step on each side of the inner surface of the bifurcated portion extending along its upper extremity, the inner surfaces of the said bifurcated portion including the two sides of the said step being formed with parallel sides lying a separate parallel planes, the slidable jaw having its lower portion reduced in thickness to slidably fit within the bifurcated portion of the stationary jaw, a recess extending along each side of the upper edge of the reduced portion and 00- operating with the said step, a gear rack located along the lower edge of the reduced portion of the slidable jaw, a handle having an arcuated toothed end adapted to engage saic. rack, means carried the stationary jaw for pivoting the handle adjacent toothed end to the stationary jaw, a fixed bracket across one side of the ""d portion of the stationary jaw, a recess wit in the reduced portion of the slidable opposite the said bracket, compression spring positioned within said recess and. extending outwardly and contacting the said bracket for urging the slidable jaw toward the stationary jaw, a finger engaging means secured to the opposite edge the stationary jaw. from the said bracket and lying in the plane of. the handle for rotating the head against the com.- pression spring to extend the slidable jaw outwardly from the stationary jaw for adjusting the jaws of the wrench to the work.

CHARLES: R. RENEER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

758,266 Molin Apr. 26, 1904 811,885 Webb et al. Feb..6,- 1906 874,259 Webbet a1 Dec. 17, 1907 1,253,227 G-aisser Jan. 15,1918 1,682,2U Larson et a1 Oct. 12,1926 1,771,172 Fraser July 22,-,1930 2,351,821 Larson June 20, 1944

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