Coes v. Collins Co.

9 F. 905, 20 Blatchf. 221, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2268
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Connecticut
DecidedJanuary 16, 1882
StatusPublished

This text of 9 F. 905 (Coes v. Collins Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coes v. Collins Co., 9 F. 905, 20 Blatchf. 221, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2268 (circtdct 1882).

Opinion

Blatchford, C. J.

This suit is brought on reissued letters patent No. 3,483, granted to Loring Coes, the plaintiff, June 1, 1869, for an “improvement in wrench,” the original patent, No. 40,590, having been granted to Thomas H. Dodge, as assignee of George C. Taft, [906]*906the inventor, November 10, 1863, for an “improvement in wrenches.” The specification of the reissue is signed by Loring Coes, and is as follows, including what is inside of brackets and what is outside of brackets,, omitting what is in italics:

“Figure 1 represents a prospective view of [a‘Coes wrench’having the said Taft’s improvements applied thereto] my improvement, and figure 2 represents [sections of detached parts of the wrench shown in figure 1] a detached, view of the ‘rosette’ and therewith connected. Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the drawings. ' * * * [The nature of the said Taft’s invention relates to a mode of constructing the Coes wrench patented April 16, 1841, in such a manner that the handle shall be relieved from the back-thrust or strain of the rosette screw, when the wrench is used. In my said wrench the rosette presses against the ferrule, and the ferrule, in turn, against the front end of the handle, whereby the handle was often split and broken. In the drawings] A is the shank of [the] my wrench; B the stationary jaw; and B’ the sliding jaw, through the part B" of which the operating screw, C, works. D is the rosette, formed in one piece, as shown, with the screw, C, [as shown,] and journalled, at a to [the] ferrule, E. Parallel grooves, d, d, d, [in this instance] are cut in the shank, A, [at right angles to the line of motion of the movable jaw, B",] in which [grooves] projections e, e, e, of the rosette turn. The projections e, e, e, are made parallel to each other, and are bevelled on one side, as shown, to lessen the friction of the rosette [in] upon turning. The operation is as follows: To adapt the opening between the jaws to the size of the object to be clasped thereby, the operator turns the rosette to the right or left, as the size of the object [may require] will indicate, which will turn the screw in the part, B", of the sliding jaw, B', thereby increasing or diminishing, as the ease may be, [and, as to the way turned, will increase or diminish] the distance between the jaws, as required. The [advantage] advantages of having a rosette of this [improvement] form is that it sustains the pressure which [would otherwise] otherwise would come [upon] on the [handle is transferred to the shank of the wrench, thus obviating one and really the only serious objection to the said Coes wrench,] ferrule, B, which pressure is often so great as to break it off, or displace it, thus rendering the whole wrench useless. Having thus described my improved wrench, I am aware that the [rosettes] rosette of screw wrenches [have] has heretofore been constructed with [screw threads] a screw thread, and [such devices are not claimed] I do not claim such device, but what [is claimed as the invention of the said George C. Taft, and desired to have secured] I claim and desire to secure by letters patent is

Reading in the foregoing what is outside of brackets, including what is in italics, and omitting what is inside of brackets, gives the text of the specification of the original patent. There are three claims in the reissue, as follows:

“(1) An improved Coes wrench, so constructed that the thrust or back strain of the rosette screw, when the wrench is used, shall be borne by the shank, instead of the handle of the wrench, substantially as described. (2) A notch [907]*907formed at right angles to the line of motion of the movable jaw, in the shank of a Goes wreneh, for relieving the handle from the back strain of the rosette screw, substantially as described. (8) The combination of two or more parallel grooves, d, in the shank, A, with two or more corresponding projections, e, on the rosette, D, the same not being spiral, but running at right angles to the line of motion of the jaw, substantially as described.”

There was only one claim in the original patent, as follows:

“ The combination of the parallel grove, d, d, d, in tho shank, A, with the corresponding projections, e, e, e, on tho rosette, D, the same not being spiral, but running at right angles to tho line of motion of the jaw, thus relieving the ferrule from all strain, while retaining the rosette in the same relative position as respects the handle of the wrench, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.”

The defendant’s wrench which is alleged to infringe claim 1 of the reissue is made in accordance with the description in letters patent No. 50,364, granted to Jordan & Smith, October 10, 1885, for an “improved wrench.”

The plaintiffs wrench and the defendant’s wrench both of them contain improvements engrafted upon the form of wrench shown in letters patent No. 2,054, granted to Loring Coes, the plaintiff, April 16, 1841, for an “improvement in the method of constructing screw wrenches,” and reissued to him, No. 139, June 26, 1849, for an “improvement in screw wrenches.” The main feature of the Coes wrench of 1841 was the moving of the adjustable jaw, by a screw placed at the side of, and parallel with, the main bar, which carried the permanent jaw at one end of it and the handle at the other end, the screw taking into an attachment to the adjustable jaw, and working that jaw to and fro without itself moving otherwise than by rotation, and having on its end furthest from the fixed jaw a rosette or milled head, which never approached to nor receded from the fixed jaw, and could therefore bo rotated, so as to rotate the screw, by the thumb of the hand which held the wrench, because the rosette always retained the same position relatively to the handle of the wrench. A wooden handle was slipped over the handle end of the main bar, and a screw nut on that end bearing against the adjacent end of the wooden handle held the other end of the wooden handle against a ferrule and that against an iron plate and that against a shoulder on the main bar. The iron plate projected out on the same side with the rosette and next that face of it furthest from the fixed jaw. The plate carried the revolving end of the screw, the bearing point projecting beyond the face of the ro[908]*908sette, Such' revolving end rosette and screw being practically 'one piece and revolving together. In order to prevent the screw and the rosette from being carried bodily towards the fixed jaw by the sliding of the adjustable jaw on the main bar, a notch as long as the width of the periphery of the rosette was cut in or out of the substance of the main bar opposite the place intended for the permanent position of the rosette, and the periphery of the rosette turned within the notch so that the edge of the rosette face nearest to the fixed jaw would catch against the edge of the notch, the angle of the notch being towards the fixed jaw. But while this Coes wrench of 1841 had advantages, it had difficulties.

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Bluebook (online)
9 F. 905, 20 Blatchf. 221, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coes-v-collins-co-circtdct-1882.