For those of you who are from North-America or are similarly disadvantaged, a "Spanner" is what is known as, in many circles, as a "Wrench".

The name comes from, presumably, because it consists of two notches connected by a bar that spans the distance between them. Or something.

Also for use with AutoCad, a program by Wisbeck & Fraser CADtools called Spanner 4.0; allows the pasting of Microsoft Excel worksheets into Autocad.

A working demo can be found at http://www.wfcadtools.com/demo.htm

Span"ner (?), n.

1.

One who, or that which, spans.

2.

The lock of a fusee or carbine; also, the fusee or carbine itself.

[Obs.]

3.

An iron instrument having a jaw to fit a nut or the head of a bolt, and used as a lever to turn it with; a wrench; specifically, a wrench for unscrewing or tightening the couplings of hose.

4. pl.

A contrivance in some of the ealier steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam.

 

© Webster 1913.

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