On 18 May, 09:52, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

Actually the first incarnation of this type of device was designed for car
use - to allow easy wheel nut loosening in event of a puncture,

The _first_ incarnation was used on-site in the 1920s with early pre-
stressed concrete work. You could tighten these things up with a
couple of hefty Mohawks and a long spanner, but even they couldn't
undo them from the straining framework afterwards to put the stress
into the concrete.