Strap-type wrench for removing rotatable closures or similar members

A wrench comprising an elongated handle with opposed ends, a flexible strip having ends which are overlapped to form a loop, means for anchoring the overlapped ends within the handle at an anchoring point longitudinally thereof with the loop extending outwardly from one end of the handle, a loop-adjusting slide member mounted on the handle at said end for slideable movement in and out relative thereto, said flexible member passing through the slide member into a central socket extending longitudinally from said end of the handle to said anchor point, said slide member being carried by a pair of parallel rods slideably mounted in sockets extending into the handle from said end and being parallel to each other and to the central socket, one of said rods having ratchet teeth formed thereon, a ratchet pawl pivotally mounted on said handle intermediate its length and extending into the socket for said ratchet rod into engagement with the teeth thereof for holding the slide in an outward position when it is moved outwardly of said end of the handle from loop-expanding position into loop-tightening position, a spring acting on the pawl to engage the ratchet teeth, and a spring in the socket of the other rod acting on it to return it to loop-expanding position upon release of the ratchet rod by the pawl.