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Henry adalbert Smith Patent No. 584,019

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woody 73

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Special notes: tip to myself looking up death records for the name of Smith...aaaughh.
Second tip to myself, get a good nights sleep the information will flow much better the next day!


Henry Adalbert Smith was born in July 1851 in NY. He married Maud Adaline Guilfoil, daughter of John Charles Guilfoil and Helen Jane Ball, on June the 28th 1899.

Census records indicate that on June 1st 1900 in Elgin, Kane Co., IL. Adalbert S. age 48 works for the Elgin Tool & Socket Company, with wife Maud.

Census then indicates April 15th 1910, in Elgin, Kane co. IL H.A. age 59, b. NY, Commercial traveler for an implement manufacturer with, second wife Maud, living with parents in-law John and Helen Guilfoil.

As of the 1930 April 1st Census it would appear he was divorced from his wife.

Wish I could tell you more about this inventor but I will tell you he had several patents to his name; I did not find the year he died.

I did find that the Elgin Tool & socket Co. was formed in 1895 to produce the "live Alligator" wrench which later was produced by the Star mfg. co.( of special note the Star Co. is still in business, be sure and see all the links).

http://www.google.com.ar/patents/USD46889

http://datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=13885&set=17

http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#elgin

http://www.google.com/patents/US885191

https://www.google.com/patents/US584019

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/0809755.html

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/0885191.pdf

http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=242.0

http://www.toolexchange.com.au/our-tools/wrenches/7717

https://www.google.com/patents/US1104563

https://www.google.com/patents/US1196818

http://www.newenglandballproject.com/g3/p3253.htm

https://books.google.com/books?id=8...JjAE#v=onepage&q=henry adalbert smith&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=6...JDAD#v=onepage&q=henry adalbert smith&f=false

http://starmfg.com/page/21/stars-history
 

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twertsy

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Incorporated 1/2/1895 by Harrison P. Nichols, Frederick D. Woodruff, and James M. Stimpson.

According to this Iron Age article from 1895, they took over the Omaha Mfg. Co., makers of the Mascot Whip Socket among other articles.

According to this Iron Age article, the "property" was sold to H. A. Smith and Chas Sherman in 1901.

I find multiple references to the company looking to relocate due to a fire in 1901. Possibilities include Dubuque, IA and Freeport, IL.
 
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four.cycle

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I have no idea why, but I had two entries in my list for "Star", one of them in Carpentersville, Il., and the other in Freeport, Il. (in addition to the entry for "Elgin".)

Elgin / Elgin Tool & Socket Co., Elgin, Illinois / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#elgin / patent 584019 809755 1062047 / (see also Star) /

Star / Star Mfg. Co., Carpentersville, IL / Elgin Wrench / patent 584019 809755 1062047 / http://starmfg.com/page/21/stars-history / http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351474 / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#elgin

Star / Star Mfg. Co., Freeport, IL. / Elgin Wrench / patent 584019 809755 1062047 / http://starmfg.com/page/21/stars-history / http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351474 / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#elgin
 
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Private Lugnutz

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Thanks for the revival, 4.c.

I don't ever remember seeing an example of an Elgin wrench with the loop handle (first patent). It was probably improved to a solid handle in that same shape before it went into production.

Interesting that they never put the third patent number on the wrench. Woody's example in post #1 is a third patent wrench, as is the eBay example, but they both have the first patent date. I see that the insertable die stock has the second patent number on it.

The patent timeline itself is also interesting. 1897. 1906. 1913. It took several years for he and his partner (Frenk) to realize they could make some use of the round end of the solid round handle for re-threading, and it took several more to improve the guts of the adjustable jaw mechanism.

EDIT: I don't have an Elgin wrench. I do have a Kraeuter "VICTOR" look-alike. That was a Charles S. Bonney patent after he sold Bonney. The distinction is a better adjusting nut, and located in the middle. Also appear branded as C.S. Bonney and Keen Kutter. No re-threader on those.
 
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four.cycle

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Private Lugnutz said:
The patent timeline itself is also interesting. 1897. 1906. 1913. It took several years for he and his partner (Frenk) to realize they could make some use of the round end of the solid round handle for re-threading, and it took several more to improve the guts of the adjustable jaw mechanism.
Click to expand...

I found the progression of improvements interesting as well.

I wasn't as thorough as I should have been in my search yesterday and overlooked a folder full of stuff. Here are a couple later catalog snips which push the timeline a bit farther:

1917 Dunham Carrigan & Hayden Co. catalog Elgin ad pp 195.jpg 1920 Baker Hamilton & Pacific Co. catalog Elgin ad pp 66.jpg

Star Mfg. Co., Carpentersville, IL / Elgin Wrench / patent 584019 809755 1062047
 
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Ayrhead

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I came across this Elgin Adjustable Alligator Wrench today along with a Kraeuter one as well.
 

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d42jeep

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I found this one today and when I did some checking on it I was led to Woody’s great thread. Thanks for starting these threads, Woody!
As found.IMG_7072.jpegIMG_7085.jpeg
It cleaned up pretty well considering how old it is. IMG_7091.jpegIMG_7092.jpegIMG_7102.jpegIMG_7103.jpeg
The price on the jaw is pretty amusing.
-Don
 
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Ayrhead

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d42jeep said:
I found this one today and when I did some checking on it I was led to Woody’s great thread. Thanks for starting these threads, Woody!
As found.IMG_7072.jpegIMG_7085.jpeg
It cleaned up pretty well considering how old it is. IMG_7091.jpegIMG_7092.jpegIMG_7102.jpegIMG_7103.jpeg
The price on the jaw is pretty amusing.
-Don
Click to expand...
Nice find. The attachment that goes in the opposite end of the alligator jaw I thought was a genius move. But maybe that was available at a later date as I see the handle doesn’t have the small 3/16- 1/4” hole in it…
 
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Private Lugnutz

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d42jeep said:
I found this one today...
Click to expand...
I suspect it's very early, Don. Between 1897 and 1904 - when they submitted the patent for the insertable die stock attachment.
d42jeep said:
The price on the jaw is pretty amusing.
Click to expand...
It's even cooler that you can see the exact same marking rendered on the tool in all the early advertising. Plenty of examples upthread.
Ayrhead said:
But maybe that was available at a later date as I see the handle doesn’t have the small 3/16- 1/4” hole in it…
Click to expand...
The insertable die stock attachment definitely came later. Post #2 shows the progression in patent diagrams. And I remarked on the evolution here...
Private Lugnutz said:
I don't ever remember seeing an example of an Elgin wrench with the loop handle (first patent). It was probably improved to a solid handle in that same shape before it went into production.

Interesting that they never put the third patent number on the wrench. Woody's example in post #1 is a third patent wrench, as is the eBay example, but they both have the first patent date. I see that the insertable die stock has the second patent number on it.

The patent timeline itself is also interesting. 1897. 1906. 1913. It took several years for he and his partner (Frenk) to realize they could make some use of the round end of the solid round handle for re-threading, and it took several more to improve the guts of the adjustable jaw mechanism.
Click to expand...
 
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