Browning Tool Co. Bozeman, Montana

[3baygarage]

Here is a newly acquired set by Browning Tool Co. of Bozeman, Montana.

There seems to be little about the company other than a tool few patents online.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2552147A/en

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2586296A/en

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3061061A/en

Google books:

https://books.google.com/books?id=zmwVFdCsHzsC&pg=PA572&lpg=PA572&dq=roe+v+browning&source=bl&ots=qQGMg7maS-&sig=ACfU3U3FwTH_kbYW0rHZB657Osh7uLPmBg&hl=en&ppis=_e&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiugeWJmdnmAhUox1kKHU_hBxIQ6AEwBHoECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=roe%20v%20browning&f=false

It would appear the inventors were Roe V. Browning (tool joint patent), Roe V. Browning with Cecil F Badgely (ratchet mechanism).

I wonder if the third ratchet mechanism patent above by Brow ing applies to a separate tool, a 3/8 drive ratcheting spinner under the brand Browning Tool Inc.. I’ve seen two different drivers by them over the years, a solid red plastic handle and a translucent ruby red handle.


As for the ratchet tools, I had a 3/8” of theirs for some years now and knew little about it. This kit came with two 3/8” and a 1/2”, one cross bar in each size, and several unidentifiable pieces. I hope you guys can help with those.

There are three double sided aluminum items with what looks like a large ball bearing in the end. Only the largest one is stamped. Also not sure what the polished and pointed item is, which tapers to the same diameter as the 3/8” drive cross bar. The funny thing is all of these parts look familiar but I can’t place them.
I have no idea if they even go with the ratchets.

There is also an empty slot built in next to the trio of unknowns.

 

[3baygarage]

Cont..

Whatsits

 

[3baygarage]

Ratchets

The interesting thing is there are two different reverse lever mechanisms here. One where the user lifts the lever and shifts it to forward, reverse, or neutral, and one where the button is slid into the three positions as seen on some ratcheting screwdrivers. I had no idea the sliding mechanism existed on these until now.

They are stamped on the bottom Patent Pending.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very cool, 3bay. No swing. Those are some fat handles, but I can see their utility in close quarters. I love these guys who were still innovating that late. It didn't make it big, obviously, but still, kudos to all of them. Nice find!

I looked at your photos before I read you post and I was already wondering what the ball bearing ended things were. LOL.

 

[Bighead38]

I like it. Different design for sure.

 

[3baygarage]

I’m really curious to know if they even go together with the ratchets Lugz. Obviously from the same maker, but the seller seems to be in the gun business and I have to wonder if this set was pieced together simply for the name. His description didn’t help at all, he simply put that these tools were from an estate.

I find it strange that the two different directional levers would be found in one set, if this is a set.

Some shots of the case hinges.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’m really curious to know if they even go together with the ratchets Lugz.

Given the ball joint hinge head, my mind was all over the place, but I can't reckon it. Do they depress inside that opening? Or just spin?

the seller seems to be in the gun business and I have to wonder if this set was pieced together simply for the name.

Trust me, it took me about 3 minutes flat to be frustrated with searching on Browning! HAHA. Doesn't matter if you qualify, 99% of the hits still comes back the gun maker. We need to find the patent for those ball bearing doohickeys.

Some shots of the case hinges.

Those are the same hinges on my Syracuse and Miller boxes. EDIT: I take that back. Close, but not the same. I think I may have a box with those, though. Might not mean anything. Might be common.

 

[3baygarage]

Yeah, there isn’t much out there on the company. Some family info maybe.

Can’t even find an old post on the colored socket spinner. I think there was a thread over on the old Gazette. If anybody has those please post them up.

I like it. Different design for sure.

They are neat. Part ratchet driver, part breaker bar.

These pics are the one I’ve had for a while. You can see the directional lever on the handle, with the three notches for forward, neutral, reverse.

 

[RTM]

Bit on the company. Turns out the made a rifle scope mount, so excluding them from my search was a bad idea.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Bulletin.html?id=8OriAAAAMAAJ

Search for Browning inside the Bulletin, Issue 24 1958
Montana State Univ engineering Experimental station if the link breaks.

 

[3baygarage]

That’s a good little snippit. Nice research,thanks.

 

[woody 73]

Wait for it, wait...You know it had to be coming but any information about the inventors ???

Love the story 3bay very cool.

 

[RTM]

Wait for it, wait...You know it had to be coming but any information about the inventors ???

I found when Roe and Inez married in 1935... he was 26 in 1940, she 25,with a 3 yr old son.

But of course I can’t find the wedding link now.


https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Montana/Roe-Browning_2qk691

 

[3baygarage]

Wait for it, wait...You know it had to be coming but any information about the inventors ???

Love the story 3bay very cool.

It isn’t hard to find a grave or something, but it’s funny how little there is on a brand. It’s old (40’s-50’s), not exactly ancient. Must have been a very small operation.

We always hear about old tools from NY, IL, WI, CA, CT, etc.. Kind of neat to see something from Montana and labeled as so.

 

[RTM]

Here is a little info more from a 1958 directory of manufacturers.

Little more information here too. More text.

 

[RTM]

And an article in the local paper about a contract with the Air Force. If someone has a Newspaper.com subscription, maybe you can get a better shot of this. Else I will pull it from the OCR.

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/239096830/

Roe V. Browning and his wife are manufacturing equipment needed in the national defense program. Products made by Browning Tools, Inc., include mounts for high powered rifles, adjustable scope mounts, and super-torque racheting handles now being manufactured for use in the Air Force. Browning Tools, Inc., was awarded a contract from the Navy to manufacture Browning super-torque racheting handles with square drive tips for the Air Force. The super-torque handle was invented by Roe Browning who is a director of the corporation and manager of the plant. Since receiving the contract 60 days ago, the plant has manufactured 4,000 units for the Air Force and now has back orders for 1,100 additional units.

 

[RTM]

Just found a website which has digitized Montana newspapers.

http://montananewspapers.org/search...=20&searchType=basic&proxtext=“Browning+tool”

Unfortunately, searching for “Browning Tool” returned some brown tool bag results, but there was mention of Roe V leaving a trading company to go to the manufacturing of tools.

 

[JAYoung]

Livingston had a big repair shop for the Northern Pacific Railroad back in the day, so there would have been a lot of machinist talent around. Browning might have incorporated down the road in Bozeman because that's where the lawyers were.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

We always hear about old tools from NY, IL, WI, CA, CT, etc.. Kind of neat to see something from Montana and labeled as so.

It is. The "Billmont" in Billmont tools, which were made in Chicago, is a portmanteau of Billings and Montana, because that's where Edgar C. Guthard was from originally. But it's neat to see something this innovative designed and manufactured in Montana, regardless of how quirky and short-lived.

What are the diameters of the hex bodies on the three ball-bearing ended pieces?

I have inquiries with the Google Books team to unlock three books...

- One of them is the 1963 edition of that Mont. State Univ. Engineer Station Bulletin, which indicates that Browning Tool Company, still located at 213 South Main Street in Livingston (not Bozeman), MT, still manufacturing the ball-joint socket sets and the "Montana Mount" rifle scope, had changed their name to the General Research Corporation.

- Another is a 1954 edition of The New Official Gun Book, which cites a "Montana Mount" on page 54.

- The third is a 1948 edition of Popular Science, which has a write-up on Browning Tool Company ratchets.

And I have a newspaper article on the founding that I will post later.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

3bay,

I think you'll enjoy these newspaper article excerpts.

Pics 1, 2, & 3 are from the Great Falls Montana Tribune, February 1, 1948. Pics 4 & 5 are from a few different articles in 1949, attribution included in the images.

We would love to have some photos of these ratchets for TA 2.0. They would be linked to the company Bio, which would include information gleaned from these articles and anything else we collectively find.

I am leaning toward those three mystery pieces being related to the "high-speed joints" referenced in one of the articles.

 

[RTM]

A bit more on the defense plant I mentioned above, bottom center. Looks like 1954 Aug 19.

http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn85053032/1954-08-19/ed-1/seq-1.pdf


If you search google images for Roe V Browning, Lugz’s avatar shows up now.

 

[jabberwoki]

What you have there is a treasure for sure.

 

[3baygarage]

Noted, Jabber. I’m happy to have gotten it and been able to share it here.


Wow, outstanding research RTM and Lugz! It pays to know where and how to look. Thank you guys for that, and JAY for the info.



Lugz- I don’t think I knew that name fact (on Billmont).

On the unknown pieces in the box, I’ll check the sizes and get back on that.

Those pictures are just GREAT. The “universal ratchet handle” said to do the work of 4 tools. Looks like a speeder, fixed t handle with u joint maybe, and a ratchet, on the table. Can’t tell what else.

*There seems to be some contradiction between the photo captions and the articles, on whether Roe V. Browning or brother John W. Browning is the inventor of the tool.



RTM- some of your links clipped for all to read. It would appear the story is already out there with all these old articles and biz listings. Nice bringing them together.

 

[3baygarage]

Lugz- I’d forgotten to check the hex sizes. We’re looking at 1-1/8”, 7/8”, and 5/8”.

 

[drivesitfar]

3bay: better put that set on a shelf INSIDE THE HOUSE for now.

ALL: good research guys and first thought I had too was GUNS, but like Parker vises Parker made guns too.

very interesting.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have inquiries with the Google Books team to unlock three books...

- One of them is the 1963 edition of that Mont. State Univ. Engineer Station Bulletin, which indicates that Browning Tool Company, still located at 213 South Main Street in Livingston (not Bozeman), MT, still manufacturing the ball-joint socket sets and the "Montana Mount" rifle scope, had changed their name to the General Research Corporation.

- Another is a 1954 edition of The New Official Gun Book, which cites a "Montana Mount" on page 54.

- The third is a 1948 edition of Popular Science, which has a write-up on Browning Tool Company ratchets.

3bay

I got two of these unlocked (the first and third). Unfortunately, the one in the middle is the one I really wanted to see, but it was denied.

 

[RTM]

From 24hourcampfire, found this one in text, no pics yet.

Mr. Atkinson, did you ever see the Montana Mount? The .300 I mentioned had its K4 in such a mount. It was a quick detachable mount made in Livingston MT. I've seen an ad for it in a 1955 American Rifleman. My uncle would remove the scope and replace it just to show me it could be done. He never lost his sight-in to minute of jackrabbit, I can tell you!

 

[RTM]

The New Official Gun Book Charles R. Jacobs Crown Publishers, 1954 has 3 references to “Montana Mount” if you can get it unlocked. ( Oops, never mind)

The big-game rifle Jack O'Connor Knopf, 1952 also has 3.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The New Official Gun Book Charles R. Jacobs Crown Publishers, 1954 has 3 references to “Montana Mount” if you can get it unlocked.

Already tried, denied. Read post #25.

 

[twertsy]

Here's the first patent...……...still searching.

Here's another

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: thanks for doing another great job of research. speaking of that since you all seem to have a link to old patents do any of you have your own patents and do tell? maybe a good idea for a thread to bring out more of the guys that thought of and produced these old tools?

i'll host if any of you want to follow along.

3Bay: have you tried using any of your Brownings yet or do they just look too good in their box?

 

[3baygarage]

They sure look nice in the case Drives, but when I need a t handle ratchet or t handle with a swivel to it I wouldn’t mind breaking them out.

Apparently guys, there is always more to uncover.

RTM, maybe we’ll have a member come along down the road with their mount examples.

Twertsy, thanks for adding these patents. They certainly have brother John’s name.

Lugz, cross bar with knob too? Where does it end? These guys were up to a lot.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

These guys were up to a lot.

Indeed, and whether it was them, or a wholly new set of guys (owners, etc) who bought them out and changed the name to General Research Corporation, they were still selling the "Browning" branded tools and mount in 1963! Now if we could only solve the mystery of those danged longitudinal hex pieces with the rotting balls on both ends.

 

[RTM]

Already tried, denied. Read post #25.

Sorry, working on an iPad, and don’t do my best work here. Usually I’d catch that right after I post, and have to delete...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No sweat, just letting you know.

 

[earlspoon]

My cousin has that set with the ratchets and the other things that we can't figure out what they are either, they are in the box with the ratchets so thinking they are used together, going to keep watching to see if anyone figures it out.

 

[Les Nielson]

My first post. I was going through some of my Dad’s old tools and found this 3/8 inch driver. My Dad was lived in Ogden Utah as a child, so I always assumed this was related to Browning firearms.

 

[RTM]

Too funny. I apparently have not remembered what I saw last time I checked in on this thread. I recently found this driver, and was thrilled that it fit some bits I had previously found. Then someone more knowledge than I, and our host on this thread, 3bay, tells me its a Browning. A quick google turns up this thread, and reading to the very end (again), I see Les posted the brother to mine. Others I saw did not look like mine. I owe it a bit of a cleaning, as the reversing the action is not smooth, and switches back and forth some times. Mine apparently has a cover over the handle, and looking into the rear, it appears it is a translucent plastic. Don't think I will be taking it off to see if it has the patent.

 

[3baygarage]

It’s been a while since I visited this thread.

Oh, so that’s the translucent handle under there. They made a few different handles. Your driver with issues isn’t alone RTM. I’ve got a red one like Les posted and it’s wonky too.

I’d love to see the other set of those.

Still can’t believe how cool the newspaper photos are Lugz.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Still can’t believe how cool the newspaper photos are Lugz

Right? Real people doing extraordinary things. Still one of the oddest brands on GJ, and now it's "catching" I see!

 

[RTM]

Oh, so that’s the translucent handle under there. They made a few different handles. Your driver with issues isn’t alone RTM. I’ve got a red one like Les posted and it’s wonky too.

Just a follow on. Took mine outside, sprayed some WD40 between the reversing collar and the body. Twirled it around a bit, and the action is much smoother. Locks in both directions, doesn’t seem to switch without being requested to. Added some dry lube, wiped out the buildup of dark matter between the body and the collar, letting it dry now, then putting all the pieces in a small marked box so I can find them when I need them.