U.S. patent number 3,664,213 [Application Number 05/071,161] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-23 for wrench.
Invention is credited to Reuven Anati.
United States Patent |
3,664,213 |
Anati |
May 23, 1972 |
WRENCH
Abstract
A wrench for nuts, bolts or pipes which consists of a shallow
housing having a throughgoing circular axial opening, an annulus
adapted to rotate within the housing around the axis of said
opening, at least two pins being fixed to said annulus spaced at
equal angular distances and constituting pivots for a corresponding
number of substantially flat jaw members whose jaw faces extend
into the range of said openings. Each jaw member has a slot through
which a guide pin fixed to said housing extends. When the annulus
is turned, the jaw members describe a guided movement, whereby
their faces approach or move away from the axis of the opening. A
handle provided on the housing is apt by a ratchet-like movement to
tighten or loosen the bolt, nut or pipe held by the jaws.
Inventors: |
Anati; Reuven (Mazkereth Batya,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
11045099 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/071,161 |
Filed: |
September 10, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
81/90.2;
81/128 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B
13/46 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25B
13/00 (20060101); B25B 13/46 (20060101); B25b
013/28 (); B25b 013/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;81/91,128,57.18,91.4,106,109 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jones, Jr.; James L.
Claims
What it is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the
United States is:
1. A wrench for nuts, bolts and pipes comprising a shallow housing
having a throughgoing circular axial opening, an annulus rotatable
within the housing around the axis of said opening, at least two
first pins fastened to said annulus and spaced at equal angular
distances, a plurality of substantially flat jaw members
corresponding in number to the number of said first pins, each jaw
member pivotally supported by one of said first pins, each jaw
member having a face extending into the area of said opening, each
jaw member being provided with a first slot, a plurality of guide
pins mounted to the housing and corresponding in number to the
number of said jaw members, each of said guide pins extending
through one of said first slots, means for turning the annulus
relative the housing, wherein the turning of the annulus causes
guided movements of said jaw members such that the jaw faces
approach or move away from said axis, and a handle associated with
said housing for turning the latter in the required direction for
tightening or loosening a bolt, nut or pipe held by said jaws.
2. A wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein three first pivot pins
are provided in the annulus at equal angular distances.
3. A wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein an internal annular
groove is provided in the housing for guiding the rotating movement
of said annulus.
4. A wrench as claimed in claim 3, wherein the annulus is of
U-shaped cross-section, the open space thereof facing the axis,
said first pins being mounted onto the legs of the "U" and
extending therethrough, the jaw members extending partially between
said legs.
5. A wrench as claimed in claim 4, wherein a spring is provided
fixed between the housing and said annulus and is adapted to move
the latter into a position in which the jaw faces approach said
axis.
6. A wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for turning
the annulus comprises a second slot in the housing, a second pin
being fastened to said annulus extending through said second slot,
said second pin being provided at each end with a head for easy
handling.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns wrenches for tightening and
loosening bolts, nuts, pipe threads or the like.
The known wrenches which are adjustable for use with various sizes
of bolts or nuts comprise two parallel jaws which are applied
against two diametrically opposed faces of a bolt or nut and are
tightened thereon through the intermediary of a screw thread or
worm wheel. One of the jaws is generally part of the handle of the
wrench and by turning said handle the nut or bolt is tightened or
loosened by being held between the jaws, as the case may be.
These known wrenches are apt to wear off the plating and the
corners of the nuts or bolts and are therefore not generally
allowed to be used in the aircraft or military industries.
Other wrenches are known which are adapted for use with one size of
nut or bolt only. These wrenches are either of one piece or are
provided with exchangeable rings each of which is of one particular
size. Thus a workshop must carry a great number of wrenches in
order to satisfy the requirements for bolts of both metric and inch
measurements.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a wrench for
nuts, bolts and pipes, which does not damage the part being turned
and which is adjustable to any size bolt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A wrench for use in tightening nuts, bolts and the like having an
annular member rotatable in an annular housing and a plurality of
jaws pivotably mounted on the annular member. The jaws are provided
with slots through which guiding pins of the housing extend. Face
surfaces of the jaws are caused by guided motions of the jaws to
approach or move away from a nut or bolt in planes parallel to the
faces of the nut.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a wrench according to
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section thereof on line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of one half of the housing, the
internal face being seen;
FIG. 4 is a section thereof taken on line IV--IV of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the retaining ring;
FIG. 6 is a section thereof taken on line VI--VI of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a jaw member according to the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The wrench here illustrated comprises a housing constituted by two
identical circular disks 1 merging into handle halves 2 which are
attached to each other by means of a screw 3 to form the solid
handle of the wrench. Each disk 1 has an annular internal groove 1a
near its periphery and an axial opening 1b surrounded by an annular
rim 1c of a shorter height than the thickness of disk 1. Three
bores 1d are provided in rim 1c at equal angular spaces.
A retaining annulus 8 of U-shaped cross-section is rotatable by its
legs 8a within the groove 1a around the central axis of disks 1,
the open space of the "U" facing the axis. The ring 8 is provided
with holes 8b at three angularly equidistant positions extending
through legs 8a. Three pins 12 are accommodated in holes 8b and
provide a pivot around which three jaw members 9, partially housed
within ring 8, are turnable. The jaw members 9 are flat plates of a
suitable shape, one corner of which is mounted on pivot pin 12, and
having a flat inner enlarged face constituting the jaws 9a which
extend into opening 1b of disks 1. An arcuate slot 9b is provided
in members 9 in such a position that a guide pin 10, fixedly
mounted between the annular rims 1b of disks 1 and fastened therein
by means of screws 11, extends into the slot and guides the
movement of jaw members 9 as will become clear hereinafter.
The disks 1 are provided with arcuate slots 1e near handles 2. Pins
6, extending through slots 1e and annulus 8 and held by screws,
permit the rotation in either direction of said annulus within the
limits of slot 1e, the heads 7 of pins 6 and said screws being
knurled for more convenient handling.
When, as best seen in FIG. 1, heads 7 and thus pins 6 and with it
rim 8 are turned in the direction of the arrow from the position
shown, pins 12 will pull jaw members 9 in the same direction.
However, the latter will be forced by the slots 9b moving along the
fixed guide pins 10 to make a swinging movement in a clockwise
direction, whereby the jaws 9a are moved toward the axis of opening
1b at the same rate. A movement of heads 7 in opposite direction
will cause jaws 9a to move counter-clockwise, i.e. away from said
axis until they abut the inner walls of rims 1c of disks 1. A coil
spring 5 lodged in a space 2a provided in handles 2 is fixed with
one end to a pin 4 mounted in said handles and with the other to
annulus 8 and is biased in such a manner that it urges ring 8 in
the direction of the arrow, i.e. in the direction to make jaws 9a
approach the axis.
When the wrench above described is placed on a bolt to be
tightened, indicated in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1, the spreading
of jaws 9a is effected by means of pins 6 against the action of
spring 5 as has been explained, and the spring is then permitted to
apply the jaws onto the three alternate faces of the bolt. Handles
2 are now turned clockwise, the plates 9 and jaws 9a holding the
bolt tightly and permitting its turning owing to the forces acting
on jaws 9a and pin 10. A counter-clockwise motion of the handles,
however, will cause the faces of the bolt to retract the jaws
against the action of spring 5 which, however, will again apply the
jaws to the bolt, when it is to be tightened further. Thus the jaws
operate in a ratchet-like manner during the use of the wrench. When
the bolt is to be loosened, the wrench is turned upside-down and
placed onto the bolt, so that a counter-clockwise motion of the
handles will hold it tightly to loosen it.
In the process of unscrewing and screwing of nuts and bolts, the
faces of the heads are not damaged since the jaws 9a are applied to
said faces in a movement parallel thereto.
The design of the wrench according to the invention may be other
than that above described without deviating from the scope thereof.
Thus it is possible to provide two, or more than three, jaw
members, the corresponding number of pivot pins 12 or guide pins 10
being provided. Instead of coil spring 5, a leaf spring may be
lodged in a suitable space provided in the handle. The ring 8 may
be a flat, solid annulus, in which case the jaw members 9 could be
pivotally fixed to one surface thereof. The slot 1e and pin 6 may
be provided on the peripheral edge of the housing or at any other
suitable position. The housing of the wrench may be constituted by
two parts which are not identical, e.g. a part similar to the one
illustrated and a flat part attached thereto in any suitable
manner. The handle may be integral or fixed thereto as a separate
part.
The wrench according to the invention may also be used as a
clamping tool for pipes. In this case, the faces of jaws 9a are
preferably knurled.
If it is desired to eliminate spring 5, the wrench can be operated
as well, moving the jaw members against the nut or bolt by means of
heads 7.
Other constructional details should be obvious from the drawings
and, likewise, it is obvious that variations of a wide range may be
made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *