First wrench was patented this day – This Day in Patent History

On August 17, 1835, Solymon Merrick of Springfield, Massachusetts patented the first wrench.

The wrench typology is inspired by typologies of prehistoric stone tools. Merrick’s patent was issued over two million years after the idea of wrench was first born.

The wrench basically includes notches at the mouth for gripping. The wrench is pulled at a right angle to the axes of the lever-action and the bolt or nut.

Charles Moncky invented the monkey wrench around 1858. Moncky’s wrench was named using a purposeful misspelling of his name.

Then, Jack Johnson, world’s first African American heavyweight champion patented a wrench (U.S.patent#1,413,121) in 1922.
In 2015, there was a controversy when it was circulated on social media via viral picture-sharing that ack Johnson invented and patented the wrench and the term “monkey” was applied to it as a derogatory name for black people. As it turns out, it was a hoax.

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