Wrench.

Application filed March 29, 1906, Serial No. 308,648.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joseph Reif, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hebron, in the State of Indiana, have in5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specifica10 tion.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective construction of wrench that shall be adapted for a great * variety of uses and which may be readily ad15 justed to suit the size and character of the work for which it is designed.

The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and 20 particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section upon the line 1—1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a back view of the wrench. Fig. 3 is a 25 view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the retaining dog or pawl release to permit the sliding jaw to be withdrawn.

As shown my improved wrench comprises what for convenience may be termed, a sta30 tionary j aw A at the end of a handle A' and. a movable jaw B that is actuated by a handle B'. The stationary jaw A and its handle A' are preferably formed of a single piece of metal, the jaw A being recessed to receive 35 the shank or stem a of the toothed working face or block a', this working face or block being connected to the jaw A by a through pin a³, The handle B' is preferably pivotally connected to the jaw A, as shown; 40 that is to say, the handle B' is formed at its end nearest the jaws with a curved socket or recess δ⁵ adapted to receive the curved rear edge of the web or projection a⁴ that extends between the side walls of the j aw A. 45 As shown, the shank I of the movable jaw B extends between the side walls of the stationary j aw handle A' and is provided with a set of ratchet teeth V that are preferably formed upon its rear edge. With these 50 ratchet teeth V engages the pawl or dog E having one or more teeth e to mesh with the teeth V. The dog or pawl E is pivoted at one end upon a pin e' that extends between the side walls or the stationary handle A'. 55 The dog or pawl E may be formed with a handle E' whereby the dog or pawl E may be readily disengaged from the shank of the movable jaw B. The pawl E is held normally interlocked with the teeth of the shank l> of the jaw B by means of a suitable spring 60 F. As shown, this spring F is a plate spring, the free end of which bears against the pawl or dog E and engages the shoulder e³ thereof, while the opposite end of the spring F is connected as at/to the web a^e that extends 65 between the side walls of the stationary handle A'.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when it is desired to adjust the movable jaw B to adapt it for turning of the 70 pipes, nuts, bolts or the like of different sizes, the dog E will be disengaged from the teeth of the jaw shank δ thereby permitting the jaw B to be readily shifted. Indeed, in the preferred form of the invention, the teeth δ' 75 of the jaw B are inclined, as shown, towards the jaw shank δ so that when the jaw B is to be brought nearer to the stationary jaw A it is only necessary to press against and force, inward the jaw B, as the dog E will readily 80 yield to permit this adjustment of the movable jaw. When however, the jaw B is to be extended, the dog E will be disengaged from the teeth of the jaw shank δ, as before described. Preferably, the spring that holds 85 the pawl or dog E in normal engagement with the jaw shank δ is so arranged as to also serve to hold the jaws A and B in normally open position.

With the preferred form of the invention 90 shown, the shank δ of the movable jaws B serves to hold the inner end of the movable handle B' in normal engagement with the web a⁴ about which it pivots.

There are many advantages incident to 95 my present invention, all or some of which will be found to exist according as the invention is used in whole or in part. By combining with the stationary jaw and its handle, a movable jaw mounted to swing towards the 100 stationary jaw and actuated by a separate pivoted handle, a most effective leverage is secured, because as the handle B' is drawn towards the handle A' a double leverage is secured upon the jaw B. That is to say, the 105 handle B' acts as a lever, the fulcrum of which is at its inner end and the leverage of this handle is exerted upon the adjacent end of the shank δ of the jaw B which is free to slide with respect to the handle, the shank of 110 the jaw B turning upon a different center from that of the handle B'. Again, it will be

883,237 seen that the jaw B can be readily adjusted while the wrench is in position upon the pipe or other article with which the wrench is engaged. So also, it will be observed that the 5 jaws stand automatically open so that nuts or bolts can be turned without removing the wrench therefrom. These and many other advantages and modes of operation will be found incident to my improved wrench aside 10 from the advantages and economy due to its extreme simplicity and the readiness with which the parts may be constructed and assembled.