Peter M. Roberts Pat. # 3,208,318 Quick Release Ratchet.

For most of us, we have heard this story before of David and Goliath;
in that story David took on the big brute Goliath and in the end he won.

Peter Roberts was just that David and Goliath was the the mighty Sears behemoth, it took many long years of lawsuits but in the end Mr. Roberts got some satisfaction out of it.

Mr. Roberts patent was filed on April the 24th, 1964 and Granted on Sept. the 28th, 1965 for the quick release ratchet we all come to know and use.

When he was 18 years old and working as a clerk in a Sears Roebuck Store in Gardner, Mass. he invented the quick release ratchet; his boss at the time said why not sell it to Sears and he thought that would be a good idea at the time.

Sears gave him $10,000 dollars but they told him his patent had no value, of course we all know they went on to make over 44 million dollars from that patent of no value.

I have some nice links for you to look over and a few pictures of his ratchet design; and if I failed to mention it he did win more money in the end of a long court battle.

http://datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?number=3208318&typeCode=0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Roberts_(inventor)

http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-14/business/fi-19337_1_wrench-case

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/03/b...-suit-clerk-wins-5-million-in-sears-case.html

http://www.google.com/patents/US3208318

http://patents.justia.com/inventor/peter-m-roberts

http://alearnedit.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-teenager-invented-quick-release.html

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/573/976/123507/

http://vintagemachinery.org/MfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=732&tab=7

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/723/1324/320127/

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/23/us/a-new-trial-is-ordered-in-sears-wrench-case.html

I've always been told that "Leopards don't change their spots" This is proof

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Peter Roberts ingenuity was not only applied on the ubiquitous Craftsman quick-release ratchet, but also on other items that went a step further.

Peter Roberts (dba Roberts Tool) later designed, manufactured and marketed the "LINK" locking quick-release ratchet system under patent number 4,420,995

Here is an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-3-8-Drive-LINK-Socket-Set-USA-Nice-/182445009155?




Here is a contemporary online review of the "LINK" product published upon its release: http://toolmonger.com/2009/08/05/hot-or-not-link-tools/

In the early 1980s, Roberts' locking quick-release design was used on the "Indestro Roberts" ratchets, as shown here in the 1982 Indestro catalog:



full-size photo images of the above catalog pages can be found HERE:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/79622803@N02/30854477066/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/79622803@N02/30854477056/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/79622803@N02/30854477046/in/dateposted-public/
or in the "Indestro Tool Catalog Thread" HERE:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344222

four cycle good information

yes indeed he has a lot more patents, one of my links lists more patents and I believe it was one of the patent numbers you listed good job.

four.cycle said:

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Peter Roberts ingenuity was not only applied on the ubiquitous Craftsman quick-release ratchet, but also on other items that went a step further.

Peter Roberts (dba Roberts Tool) later designed, manufactured and marketed the "LINK" locking quick-release ratchet system under patent number 4,420,995

Here is an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-3-8-Drive-LINK-Socket-Set-USA-Nice-/182445009155?




Here is a contemporary online review of the "LINK" product published upon its release: http://toolmonger.com/2009/08/05/hot-or-not-link-tools/

In the early 1980s, Roberts' locking quick-release design was used on the "Indestro Roberts" ratchets, as shown here in the 1982 Indestro catalog:



full-size photo images of the above catalog pages can be found HERE:
https://flic.kr/p/P1vg5w https://flic.kr/p/P1vg5m https://flic.kr/p/P1vg5b or in the "Indestro Tool Catalog Thread" HERE:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344222

Click to expand...

I came across one of these Link ratchets for sale about a year and a half ago. Interesting design which caught my attention immediately. It was made by Roberts Tool Co. USA. The tear drop style head resembles something made by Apex Tool Group (formally Danaher), as I originally thought it was, but it wasn't. I had never seen one like it before which was why I bought it. Pretty cool detailed design, raised panel ratchet, neat design on the selector and quick release button. Although I did just stumble upon a rather interesting feature of the q-r feature on this ratchet. If you attach a socket/extension...etc, it can be completely locked on by turning the q-r button clockwise (only, not counterclockwise) all the way until it stops. I don't know if this is an actual design feature, meant to be? Or if this is a accidental bonus of it's design? EDIT: I just noticed an earlier post on this thread, the twist lock q-r is a patented design. My bad. It also has a 23 tooth gear, is 7 7/16" long, and it's used of course.