Wrench for radiator caps

Jan. 20, 1953

2,625,848

J. R. DAVIES ET AL

WRENCH FOR RADIATOR CAPS

Filed Jan. 21, 1950

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Patented Jan. 20, 1953

2,625,848

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,625,848

WRENCH FOR RADIATOR CAPS

James R. Davies and Lloyd C. Starkweather, Bakersfield, Calif.

Application January 21,1950, Serial No. 139,902 (Cl. 81—85) other end with a jaw 14 that extends laterally through slot ί I of tube 8.

Bar 9 is designed to be engaged by the fingers while knob 13 is domed to fit the palm of the Λ hand, whereby jaws 10 and 14 are moved toward each other by a squeeze of the hand. An expansion spring 15 is provided between the ends of the tubes 8 and i2 adjacent their respective jaws 10 and 14, said spring normally separating the M jaws and contracting under the mentioned manipulation of bar 9 and knob 13.

Jaws 10 and 14 are alike but oppositely formed. Each jaw comprises relatively angled portions ίδ and 17 that include a generally obtuse angle i8 18 therebetween, these four jaw parts 16, (6 and 17, 17 cooperating to engage four peripheral portions of a radiator cap when the jaws are moved toward each other.

To obviate slippage of the jaws in a plane ²⁰ transverse to the general plane of the cap, said jaw portions 16 and i7 are each formed to have an angle cross-section that is best seen in Fig. 2. While the jaws grip four points of the cap, the angle form of portions i 6 and 17 serve to center ²⁵ the cap in the jaws to obviate the mentioned slippage. To obviate circumferential slippage on round caps, the jaw portions 16 and i 7 are roughened, serrated or knurled as at 19.

It will be realized, of course, that caps with 30 diagonally opposed ears can easily be removed by placing the ears in the opposed angles 18 of the jaws. In this manner, said jaws can accommodate practically all known types of cap and it will be obvious that the sizes and propor3g tions of the jaws may be varied as desired to accommodate various shapes and forms of caps.

The shield 7 is advantageously made of molded rubber or a like form-retaining and heat-resisting material. Said shield is mounted on tube 8 so as 40 to be adjustable therealong between bar 9 and jaw 14 As shown, the shield comprises a flat portion that extends from a collar 21 laterally in the direction of extent of jaws 10 and (4. A clamp spring 22 is provided around collar 21 to press the 45 same frictionally onto tube 8 and yet allow suitable rotational adjustment of the shield as well as the mentioned axial or endwise adjustment. Assembly of the shield on tube 8 is facilitated by slitting the former at 23.

Since the shield effectively guards the hand grasping bar 9 and knob 13, the wrench can be safely applied and used as hereinbefore mentioned.

While the invention that has been illustrated 55 and described is now regarded as the preferred

Claims. (C

This invention relates to a wrench for effecting the safe removal of the caps of radiators of automotive vehicles, particularly under condi-, tions when high steam pressure has built up in . motor-cooling systems due to overheating and, for other causes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wrench of the character hereinafter disclosed that may be employed to remove a radia- . , tor cap with safety even when there is pressure .1®. in the radiator, thereby saving time in that complete cooling of the radiator need not be waited for and yet practically eliminating the hazard of serious injury to the person removing the cap.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability. ²⁰

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the fol- ²⁵lowing description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views. 30

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a wrench embodying features of the present invention, portions of the same being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a partly broken elevational view as 3g seen from the right of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views as taken on lines 3—3 and 4—4 respectively.

The wrench that is illustrated comprises, generally, relatively movable and telescopically en- 40 gaged cap-gripping units 5 and 6, and a shield or guard 7 adjustably carried by unit 5 so as to be interposed between the cap being removed by the wrench and the hand on the person of the user of said wrench. 45

As illustrated, unit 5 comprises an elongated tube 8 which, at one end, is provided with a transverse bar 9 and at the other end, with a jaw 10 that extends laterally relative to tube 8. The portion of said tube 8 adjacent jaw 10 is pro- 50 vided with a longitudinal slot i I facing in the direction of the jaw.

Unit 6 comprises a tube 12 loosely and telescopically engaged in tube 8, said tube 12 being provided at one end with a knob 13 and at the 55

2,626,848 embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and de- 5 scribed, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.