Spiral Ratchet Screwdrivers

[Eric Brown]

I see that most of the sizes from Highland Hardware are shown as discontinued. I have some older adapters that are Apex, but their website shows most of those as discontinued also. Years ago I recall making an adapter from a bit holder with a 1/4"hex stem using a grinder and file, but it may have only fit the 35/135 smaller size Yankees.

The ones from LV are less expensive and feature a quick release. The Highland ones use a threaded nut to clamp the hex. They both have grip areas that are free to spin. My preference is the LV. You need to determine what size. There are at least four different sizes. The smallest size fits push drills. The rest spiral ratchets. You might also try to get some 3-jaw chucks with 1/4 hex shafts. Then you can drill too.

 

[RTM]

see that most of the sizes from Highland Hardware are shown as discontinued.

Dang, missed that little detail on my laptop.

 

[Eric Brown]

Posted some G&J Products ratchet screwdrivers on the G&J thread, but wanted to explain details about them. The design is copied from the Zachary Furbish patent 593157 (Nov. 2, 1897) assigned to North Brothers.

Disassembly requires removing the screw close to the handle on the sleeve and then sliding it over the selector while holding the selector down. Then the selector and two pawls can be removed. The handle is simply pressed on. To remove take a board and drill a hole sized to fit over the main body. Clamp body in vice with board close to handle and then use hammer on board to knock handle off.

Removing the shaft requires removing a keep (stop) on the backside of the main body closest to the screwdriver end. I found using a small jewelers saw and cutting a slot where the keep is allows removal. Picture #2 shows the backside and two keeps.

Re-assembly starts with first putting the shaft back in the body and replacing the keep. I used a washer with a flat inserted into the groove and then ground down to match the body.

Next put the pawls in. Note that if put in upside down, it will reverse the switch position for direction.
Put the slide switch in and slide the sleeve on while holding the switch down. Put a drop of oil into the screw hole and replace screw.

G&J post https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/gormully-jeffery-tools.425971/#post-11440847

 

[RTM]

Posted some G&P Products ratchet screwdrivers on the G&P

G&P post

Few typos you might want to fix, maybe more, way too earlier here for technical review.


Seems like exactly how to do a Yankeee driver too.

 

[Eric Brown]

Few typos you might want to fix, maybe more, way too earlier here for technical review.


Seems like exactly how to do a Yankeee driver too.

Thanks. Guess I was still somewhat asleep. Hope I got them all.

 

[Eric Brown]

I'm about half way through filling out a spreadsheet on spiral ratchets and drills. Anyone interested in seeing a preview I can send a ZIP file to you. Just let me know. Looking for constructive criticism.

 

[Eric Brown]

Ok, I'm done with spiral ratchet screwdrivers and also ratchet screwdrivers. Many share the same ratchet mechanisms. The files are ZIP files that un-compress to Excel. They are both big files. About 50MB and 12MB.

When it opens you will be on the home page. The drivers are listed alphabetically. There are small pictures of each driver. Clicking on the picture takes you to another sheet with more information on that maker. There are RETURN buttons to take you back to the home page.
At the bottom left you can see the different sheets. You can click on them also. At the bottom right is a magnification adjuster so you can enlarge (or shrink) the pages and pictures. I tried to put things so they will print out in landscape orientation.

Note: My main concern was finding matches of Fulton tools to German makers. I added a bunch of USA made ones as a comparison.
They are not complete lists by any means.

Edit: Added North Brothers Yankee 33H

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Utility brand ratcheting screwdriver.
-Don

 

[WisJim]

I've been spending time sorting my related screwdrivers to figure out patent info for older screwdrivers that I have. I haven't paid much attention to imports or secondary brands--I'm finding some oddities just in the basic Yankee/Stanley and Millers Falls tools that I haven't figured out. I'm away from home for awhile so nothing happening with them now.

 

[RTM]

Here is a Utility brand ratcheting screwdriver.
-Don

DAT says Utility was a Brand mark of E C Simmons, but for saws and wrenches. I suspect other tools as well, now that we have more catalogs to look in.

DAT Directory of American Toolmakers (pre 1900)

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

 

[four.cycle]

DAT says Utility was a Brand mark of E C Simmons, but for saws and wrenches. I suspect other tools as well, now that we have more catalogs to look in.

I was able to find only one listing for "Utility" in the material that I have in a 1908 Simmons catalog page. (I did not check ITCL yet.)

It makes perfect sense, and I've had "Utility" in the list for a long time. Simmons sold quite a few private label brand names.

 

[Ayrhead]

Yankee spiral push drill… this is my 3rd one…. 2 Yankees and one from Bell