Though the first “mechanical nippers” surfaced in the late 1800s, American Police Equipmentnotes that versions of this device were used at least through the 1950’s.
If the suspect did not comply or was combative, breaking a wrist was a simple matter of applying leverage. The Argus Iron Claw was a forceful come-along tool that gave the officer a large degree of control over the wrist of a suspect. The patent for the Argus “Iron Claw” was filed in 1935.
