Tech History Made on April 18, 1922

On this day the adjustable wrench was patented 86 years ago. The patent was filed by someone rather unlikely, John Johnson. Johnson was in prison when he had the idea to make a wrench that would replace an entire wrench set. The jaws of the wrench could be adjusted quickly and easily. Johnson had been a professional boxer who met much controversy because he was black. Racist of the day keep talking about "the great white hope" that would defeat Johnson. That didn't happen but that didn't stop Johnson's personal life from becoming a mess. He left his first wife and his second committed suicide. Then he took to womanizing and even got in trouble for using prostitutes. He married again and fled to France to avoid jail time. It was after this that he finally wound up in prison and invented the adjustable wrench.