Any owner has at home a set of necessary and necessary tools to help him cope with a breakdown, if suddenly the mixer “squished his nose”, the water pipe “bewildered” or some kind of nut brings discord into the cozy atmosphere of the home. Such a set always includes an adjustable wrench. It is this tool - compact, easy to use and convenient - that allows you to tighten a nut of absolutely any size without resorting to changing tools. At the present stage of life, there are many varieties of this device, which differ from each other in shape, material and kinematic properties.
The wrench has a long history - it has one hundred and twenty-five years. The prototype for the creation of this tool was, no matter how strange it may sound, the human hand. Yes, yes, it was this part of the body that served as the impetus for the creation in 1888 of the first such weapon. And later, according to his prototype, all other wrenches were made - adjustable, plumbing self-clamping, adjustable wrenches.
The idea of creating this toolcame to the mind of Yu. P. Johansson, a Swiss by birth. Based on the fact that a person uses only his hand, wanting to take an object of any size, he suggested that it was possible to create a similar tool that would fit nuts of all diameters. Thanks to this idea, an adjustable wrench appeared, called the "iron hand".
Having undergone a huge number of modifications and improvements, this tool has survived to this day, remaining just as indispensable in everyday life and enjoying great respect from all masters.
This device is usually made of two types of steel: carbon steel, which does not contain additives such as chromium, manganese, vanadium, and alloy steel (with the addition of chromium, titanium, silicon, nickel, etc.).
"Iron hands" differ not only in chemical composition, but also in the method of processing: it can be mechanical or thermal.
In order to protect the adjustable wrench from corrosion, it is coated with special compounds: chromium, oxide or phosphorus. Modern tools have a huge number of modifications and options that are more convenient than their previous counterparts.
Due to rubberized coatings and plastic inserts, they can be used even at sub-zero temperatures. However, conventional metal keys are still the most durable.
Adjustable wrench consists of three parts: an I-section handle, a worm gear and jaws. Fixed sponge on almost alltools has a ruler that allows you to set the required size of the "pharynx". In this case, it should be borne in mind that the length of the handle directly depends on the maximum size of the nut, which the key can “take up” with.
The main rule for storing this tool is to clean it from dirt. Its low maintenance, durability, versatility and ease of use make it a great friend for any plumber, mechanic or the average man who considers himself the master of the house.
