Lowell Wrench Co. Worcester Mass #1

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Picked this up last Monday at the flea market, with a bunch of old tools. I never heard of the company before, and was surprised to find they are still in business.

http://lowellcorp.com/#

Here are some pictures, thought it was a neat tool worth sharing.

Drive plug is marked A. D. & T. Co.

Wish it still had the rest of the handle, I really hope I didn't miss it in the boxes of tools I picked out of

Comments or additional information is welcome and encouraged

 

[woody 73]

Sam very interesting indeed yes very interesting...let me leave you with some different pictures in another older story that I did some time back:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264393

I must admit your pictures intrigue me very much!

Oh and Sam remember Never feed those evil trolls (joke between Sam And I ).

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Woody,

My wrench appears to have been painted black, your #21 is plain steel. Was there evidence of it being painted originally?

Must resist the urge to feed the trolls

 

[woody 73]

Sam as far as I tell it was not painted black.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That particular ratchet looks like it might be older than wartime vintage, but for what it's worth, Lowell Wrench Co, 54 Commercial Street, Worcester 8, Mass., sold big specialty ratchets to the US Army Ordnance Dept during the war.

When I first reviewed the 1944 Ordnance Supply Catalog, that was the first time I ever heard of them, and the only reason it popped out at me was the length of the ratchets (upwards of 24") and the odd opening sizes. My assumption was they were used on large fasteners in long reach areas, such as on a tank or another large armored vehicle.

I will post some pictures in a bit.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not going to take a picture of every Lowell ratchet in the catalog, but here is one example...

Note that when they didn't have a spec number, they used the Mfgr's. LWC-4 1/2 indicates Lowell and their model number.

 

[404]

Wow. Amazing how far back some ideas go.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Man that had to be a real beast. 24" long with a 1-1/2" size!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

When all else failed, they hit the Nazis over the head with them!

 

[hankbuck]

Re: Lowell Wrench Co. Worcester Mass #1 ratchet 1.4 and 3/8 h

Hey there folks. I was trying to research this cool looking wrench I found at an estate auction. Lucky me I stumbled on Garage Journal and this discussion on the wrench close to my quarry. I joined up to see if I could pick your brains. I have this Lowell Wrench Co. No 1 combo 3/8 and 1/4 drive and it has a patent date of 1864. I am a buyer/seller trying to supplement my retirement and get drawn to tools and at least have a good time checking them out. This is my first post so I am going to try to attach some photos. I hope it works.Maybe someone can help educate me on this relic before I list it on eBay. Thanks in advance.
Hank

 

[Rileysan]

I acquired this ratchet at a swap meet this past Saturday for $1. I thought I'd share it in this thread.

When I grabbed the ratchet, it was covered in paint & rust and the maker's name wasn't readable. I didn't know what it was so all I did was make sure the ratcheting mechanism worked before I tossed it in my bucket, then I forgot about it until this morning.

It is a "Lowell Wrench Co." No. 22 reversible 5/8" drive ratchet. At the end of the handle is a thumb screw selector. It's missing a screw on the cover plate but other than that, it seems complete, and it works perfectly!

Until now, I had never heard of Lowell wrenches. It's available for trade if anyone is interested.

Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I posted some photos of this old beaut over on the Ratchet Collection thread, but Rileysan remembered this thread, and I am going to re-post them here for relevance and consistency and easier finding again. This is a No. 1, patented Sep 14, 1886 (349,007). It's 11 inches long with a 5/8-inch female drive opening, reversible, with 16 teeth. The selector switch is the round knurled knob at the end of the handle, which turns a shaft inside. There is a neutral position in the middle, which engages both pawls at the same time, turning it into a static wrench.

 

[wrenchguy]

my biggest lowell, used by bridge builders and sandhogs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow. That certainly is a four-hander, wrenchguy! I mentioned some of Lowell's wartime giants upthread, and coincidentally, I just referenced their application in bridge building in the ratchet thread, here.

 

[DadsTools]

I have a Lowell No. 50 with an integrated 1-1/4" shallow pass-through socket. These were (and still are) sold with the socket assembled into the ratchet at the factory. The sockets are not designed to be interchangeable, so if you want another size you buy another ratchet with the size socket you want already built-in.

The provenance that came with the wrench is consistent with what you all are reporting, that these were made for heavy construction and industry, and were never marketed as a mechanic's ratchet.

BTW, mine has a three-position selector--left, right, or locked.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

BTW, mine has a three-position selector--left, right, or locked.

I spent some time trying to sort out Lowell patents and ratchets, and need to spend some more time before I feel comfortable in having a complete chronology (DATAMP is a little erratic, unusually, on Lowell, with not all of their ratchet patents linked), but one thing I can say for sure is that this was a consistent design feature in ever single ratchet/patent. Whether the selector switch was at the head or at the end of the handle, they all the locked position option.

 

[DadsTools]

Here's some pics of mine. Saw it at a yard sale, didn't really want it, but couldn't leave it there either. Which is silly because I'm just going to have to sell it, and I already have way too much to sell. But I keep buying.....

Lugz, I'm glad in a way I don't live up in the Northeast anymore (like my native NJ!). With all the old tools available up there, I'd have to be constantly building new barns and sheds to house it all. It really is a sickness of sorts.

 

[Bob P1]

I'm with you Dadstools, but it is FUN having it while you can!

 

[RagTopTA]

Heres mine!

 

[jabberwoki]

Here`s my beasty only 38 1/2 long and a 3 1/2 inch socket. I used to think it was big but Wrenchguys monster puts me to shame.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here`s my beasty only 38 1/2 long and a 3 1/2 inch socket. I used to think it was big but Wrenchguys monster puts me to shame.

Is there a model number or a patent number on it, jabberwoki?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Heres mine!

Does that spindle or pin in the knurled round selector knob look factory to you, Rag's? Or homemade? That's unique so far, and I don't see it in the patents, either.

 

[jabberwoki]

It just says No 56

 

[jabberwoki]

So Wrenchguy , do you have any plans to straighten that beasty out?
It would drive me insane.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Some consolidation notes:

First Lowell ratchet patent (Moore): 45,334 (Dec 6, 1864) - Example: hank buck, post #10, No. 1, 10" long, direction selector at head, one screw in face plate

Second Lowell ratchet patent (Sinclair): 349,007 (Sep 14, 1886) - Example: Pvt Lugnutz, post #12, No. 1, 5/8-inch square drive, 11" long, direction selector at end of handle, two screws in face plate

Third Lowell ratchet patent (Sinclair): 743,942 (Nov 10, 1903) - No Examples on this thread

Fourth Lowell ratchet patent (Sinclair): 1,177,764 (Apr 4, 1916) - Examples: woody, linked in post #2, No. 21, 8" long, selector at end of handle, two screws in face plate; and RagTop, post #19, No. 1, 12" long, selector at end of handle, two screws in face plate - patent has not been seen on ratchet without patent 2,003,348

Fifth Lowell ratchet patent (Dodge): 1,798,194 (Mar 3, 1931) - Example: wrenchguy, post #13, No. 2-1/2, 48" long, selector switch at head, one screw in face plate

Sixth Lowell ratchet patent (Dodge): 2,003,348 (Jun 4, 1935) - Examples: see Fourth Lowell ratchet, patent has not been seen on ratchet without patent 1,177,764

DATAMP has all of these, but not all in once place. You can start here, gotta hunt and peck for the others.

Ratchets without patents

Rileysan, post #11, No. 22, 5/8-inch square drive, 10" long, two screws in face plate, selector at end of handle

Sam'sAutoParts, post #1, No. 1, has a provision for a pinned extension handle, one screw in face plate, selector at head

DadsTools, No. 50, post #17, 10" long, round through-hole, one screw in face plate, selector at head

Jabberwoki, No. 56, post #20, 38-1/2" long, 3-1/2-inch through socket, selector at head

 

[wrenchguy]

Heres mine!

i seen 1 years back at a tool sale but not able ($) to get it. never seen another till now. thanks.

 

[wrenchguy]

Here`s my beasty only 38 1/2 long and a 3 1/2 inch socket. I used to think it was big but Wrenchguys monster puts me to shame.

3 1/2" ? thats big! i believe mine is only 2 1/2"..... u got me beat. is urs removable? mine is. thanks.

 

[wrenchguy]

So Wrenchguy , do you have any plans to straiten that beasty out?
It would drive me insane.

i don't think so... fraid of breaking it! thanks.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I would think the Lowell Wrench company would be in Lowell Mass not ''wista''

 

[wrenchguy]

I would think the Lowell Wrench company would be in Lowell Mass not ''wista''

"wista" ? or "wistar",

where's jake... he'd know!

 

[Old Man Roger]

"wista" ? or "wistar",

where's jake... he'd know!

In Mass, the letter ''R'' is often pronounced as ''ahh''lol

 

[wrenchguy]

another sandhog photo.

 

[jabberwoki]

Yeah it`s removable , by that I`ve had it off but I don`t think it`s like a regular rat though.
The whole rat was rusted solid I had to use a gas torch and a press to get it apart.
I called Lowel and bought a rebuild kit for it . It wasn`t exact but close enough.
Works like stiff butter.

 

[wrenchguy]

In Mass, the letter ''R'' is often pronounced as ''ahh''lol

down here in the south coast i get a definite "r" when its mentioned. maybe a north - south thing of the pike.

 

[DadsTools]

The closest I ever want to be to experiencing wrenches like this is looking at pictures. Something like blizzards and tornadoes.

 

[jabberwoki]

A few examples on flea bay

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=lowel+ratchet&_sacat=0

 

[RagTopTA]

Does that spindle or pin in the knurled round selector knob look factory to you, Rag's? Or homemade? That's unique so far, and I don't see it in the patents, either.

I cant really tell. I would think back then it would have been a pain to try and drill a straight hole through that entire thing for a pin at home. and why? Heres some pics see what you think. the brass plate isnt a patch. I took the gear out and theres no hole on the other side its covering. May have has an engraving or company serial number at one time.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As I reported in the 2018 Garage Sale thread, I picked up a Big Brother for my c. 1888 11" long 5/8-inch drive Lowell Wrench Co. No. 1 reversible ratchet (see post #12) at the flea market yesterday. This is a 20" long 3/4-inch drive Lowell Wrench Co. No. 3-1/2 reversible ratchet bearing the 1916 and 1935 patents. Like its older sibling, it changes direction with the knob on the end, turning a shaft connected to the pawl. As a reminder, or new info to those who are not familiar with this line, there is a neutral position that allows it to be used as a static wrench. This one has some kind of dusky black rust-proofing on it.

 

[elidas]

I looked to see where you are. Last month I was at a truck show and came across this. The guy had a bunch in a box. I think it was $5. Its still in the plastic wrapper.

 

[jabberwoki]

1936 Lowel add.