I posted this on The Jalopy Journal today, but thought you guys might get a kick out of it as well. Essentially, it's a feature on some of the patents held by my distan...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
- Thread starter Ryan
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I posted this on The Jalopy Journal today, but thought you guys might get a kick out of it as well. Essentially, it's a feature on some of the patents held by my distan...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Fascinating, Ryan. I have never run into any Cochran tools, but I will keep a keener eye out now, especially for the DOEs.
On a tangential note, I love the illustration! Think about the days when you worked on your engine in a high church collar, skinny tie, and plaid duffel cap!
One thing I have noted while doing research (such as paging through vintage books or catalogs, or trolling through Newspapers.com or Google Book results) is how the artwork surrounding mechanics reveals the arc of automotive history apparel, from the well-coifed gentlemen of the brass and steam era through the dapper 30's to the coveralled grease monkeys of the 40's and 50's to modern "technicians".
I have saved a lot of it.
Below is one that caught my eye. A mechanic applying some oil, apparently, wearing a fedora! It was in the book pictured to the right of it.
On a tangential note, I love the illustration! Think about the days when you worked on your engine in a high church collar, skinny tie, and plaid duffel cap!
One thing I have noted while doing research (such as paging through vintage books or catalogs, or trolling through Newspapers.com or Google Book results) is how the artwork surrounding mechanics reveals the arc of automotive history apparel, from the well-coifed gentlemen of the brass and steam era through the dapper 30's to the coveralled grease monkeys of the 40's and 50's to modern "technicians".
I have saved a lot of it.
Below is one that caught my eye. A mechanic applying some oil, apparently, wearing a fedora! It was in the book pictured to the right of it.
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That's what I thought, leg, so I'm glad you said that. The caption says otherwise, but it's an awfully long stemmed oiler, right? EDIT: I misremembered. You're correct. He's using an oil can with a tube to diagnose engine noises.
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twertsy
Well-known member
I have a Cochran wrench on my toolbox.
Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk
Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk
ganymede
Well-known member
Good article.!
I like my patent pending Cochran and find that with a little practice you can get it to work pretty fast.
I like my patent pending Cochran and find that with a little practice you can get it to work pretty fast.
Empty Pockets
Well-known member
When I was a kid, my father had 2 Cochran Speed Wrenches. I believe they were part of my grandfather's estate. I don't know what happened, but when he passed, I received one. It still works like new.
LegacyIndustrial
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The old timey drawings and illustrations are cool.
twertsy
Well-known member
I posted this on The Jalopy Journal today, but thought you guys might get a kick out of it as well. Essentially, it's a feature on some of the patents held by my distan...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
I'm curious Ryan, how do Edwin and Michael Cochran fit into the story? I only ask because I see you listed their patents as well.
Todd
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wvrailroader
Well-known member
I have a couple of the Cochran wrenches that I have picked up at flea markets over the years. They are pretty slick wrenches.
A E Numan
Well-known member
Will someone please explain how that wrench works. The picture doesn't make it clear. Thanks
Looks like the adjustment allows you to change the angle of the head relative to the handle, so you can work around stubborn obstructions to get a nut/bolt out/in.
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3baygarage
Well-known member
http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=30746
It's self adjusting. Moving the handle to one direction opens the jaw, and to the other direction closes it on the fastener.
It's self adjusting. Moving the handle to one direction opens the jaw, and to the other direction closes it on the fastener.
A E Numan
Well-known member
Thanks that makes perfect sense.
SuperCat
Well-known member
Ryan, do you have any pictures of the Cochran open end wrench that you are searching for? I go to flea markets and garage sales somewhat regularly and I will keep an eye open for your wrench, I just need some idea of what I am looking for. First one I find is yours. 
rmack898
Well-known member
Lug,
I just came across a picture of my grandfather in 1940 or so, he was a crane operator. He was wearing overalls with an engineers cap but underneath he was wearing a white shirt with a tie. Things have changed a bit since then.
AntiqueBen
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
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I have read that in April of 1920 Larco Wrench & MFG Corp bought Cochran & kept producing Cochran wrenches. Then a few months later in June of 1920 Great Lakes Forge Co bought Cochran. I have been trying to find out what happened to Larco? I know there is a Great Lakes Forge in Chicago and Michigan. You mentioned a Great Lakes Forge in Milwaukee Wisconsin? Do you have any info on them? I cannot find anything online about a Great Lakes Forge in Wisconsin. Ultimately I'm trying to find out anything on Larco Wrench & MFG Corp. There is next to nothing about Larco online. When I read your post I thought you might know more about this or where to find some information. I'd appreciate any help or info you may have. Here's a pic of my Larco 24" and my Cochran 14" pipe wrench.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
AntiqueBen
Well-known member
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Gotcha. Larco information of any kind is practically impossible to find. If I can figure out any info on the Great Lakes Forge Co that bought Cochran I "might" find some info on Larco.
31RAT
New member
Not sure if yore familiar with this website but it's a good resource for old tool identification. This is a link to the Cochran page.
31RAT
New member
Various Hand Tool Makers [Page 1]
Page 1 of a collection of tools from various hand tool makers, mostly from the 20th century.
alloy-artifacts.org
Sorry. Forgot to attach
four.cycle
Well-known member
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Picked up this 10-incher yesterday. The adjusting nut is not original. It was missing. I cannibalized one from a 10-inch Ridge, which fortunately fits well enough to operate, albeit too loosely. As @Ryan knows, I have several SPEEDNUT self-adjusting types, but this is the first 1908 patent Model 1910 classic pipe wrench that I have found.
I plan to try to find that logo on the dynamic jaw in a periodical. The "C.P.W." in the interior of it is clearly legible, but I can't make out the rest of it. It looks like something round in the northwest corner and two lines emanating from the southwest corner. They used a logo with a wrench clamped around a globe in advertising, but it doesn't match this outline, and I have never seen a registered trademark.
I plan to try to find that logo on the dynamic jaw in a periodical. The "C.P.W." in the interior of it is clearly legible, but I can't make out the rest of it. It looks like something round in the northwest corner and two lines emanating from the southwest corner. They used a logo with a wrench clamped around a globe in advertising, but it doesn't match this outline, and I have never seen a registered trademark.
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AntiqueBen
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Nie impossible. But I'm just happy it's not an odd size or thread.
Much later, in the 30's and 40's, after the industry had pretty much standardized into either Stillson or Ridge type designs, mechanisms to stabilize the dynamic jaw in the housing became the focus of improvements and discrimination between mfgrs. I did a deep dive as a way of distinguishing Ridge from Erie (and therefore Craftsman) pipe wrenches, which are very similar other than the swash plate and the stabilizer. Ridge alone had 7 or 8 successive patents, with only minor differences in the mechanism, all of which were variations on simple embedded leaf springs.
The two-piece Cochran stabilizer (pivoting forged steel piece, and pinned leaf spring, operating together to keep the dynamic jaw and adjusting nut firm) is quite unique, complex, and sophisticated in comparison, emblematic of the bygone era.