c.1901 Roebling's Sons "Alligator" wrench

[Private Lugnutz]

This “ALLIGATOR” wrench, a frozen fleamarket find this morning, has an interesting pedigree.

The “ROEBLING” marking refers to John A. Roebling's Sons, of Trenton ("TRENTON MAKES, THE WORLD TAKES"), NJ. If you don't recognize the name, they designed and constructed several suspension bridges here on the east coast, including the Brooklyn Bridge, depicted in this period Currier & Ives painting.

On June 21, 1887, American Saw Works, Trenton, NJ, was granted a trademark (#14,524) for the term “ALLIGATOR” with respect to wrenches. In 1901, J.A. Roebling's Sons bought the American Saw Works. According to trade mags, Roebling's Sons was going to raze the buildings to construct new wire pulling and galvanizing plants, and sell off the drop forges, patents and trademarks. Apparently, that never happened.

AA has one of these in their collection. According to them the “PAT’D” marking refers to the American Saw trademark, and they go to great lengths to explain that the USPTO issues both patents and trademarks. That seems very squirrely to me. All manufacturers know the difference between a patent and a trademark, and I highly doubt that any mfgr would intentionally make the mistake of confusing one for the other. In addition to that, American Saw did own a Design Patent (D27,471) for an alligator wrench, granted August 3, 1897. That Design Patent was passed to Roebling's Sons and I would bet my next paycheck that this design patent is what the "PAT'D" marking refers to.

This is a No. 1.

 

[McFarmer]

I’ve got a couple around. Don’t know the maker. Pretty popular on farms back in the day.

 

[notlob]

Roebling Co. also made wire and wire rope, including the design and manufacture of wire rope for suspension bridges, including the Golden Gate Bridge.

ca. 1935

http://goldengate.org/exhibits/exhibitarea4_6.php

 

[woody 73]

Interesting reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Roebling

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’ve got a couple around. Don’t know the maker. Pretty popular on farms back in the day.

If you mean alligator wrenches, colloquially, generically, me too, McFarmer. I have a few Bonney Vixens, a Kilborn & Bishop Saxon, and The Victor (adjustable alligator wrench). But only American Saw and then Roebling had the rights to actually mark it an "ALLIGATOR" wrench, before it was "crescented" into tool vernacular. This is the first Roebling I have seen in the wild.

Roebling Co. also made wire rope, including the design and manufacture of wire rope for suspension bridges, including the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yup. As I am sure you know, there is an eye-popping cross-section of wire rope from the Golden Gate Bridge in a display case in a park on the San Francisco side of the bridge.

 

[Bdgjr215]

There's a town in Burlington county NJ named after Roebling,there is a museum there with lots of company history that's open to the public

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I didn't know about the museum! Thanks, Bdgjr215. Very kind of you to mention that. On the day trip list now!

 

[Corvair]

There's a town in Burlington county NJ named after Roebling,there is a museum there with lots of company history that's open to the public

My wife's grandfather (and great-grandfather) lived there (circa 1900-1940's) and I believe both of them worked for Roebling back in the day.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice Avatar!
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found another ROEBLING "ALLIGATOR WRENCH" at the flea market this morning. Again, the only "alligator" style wrench actually marked eponymously due to Roebling owning the trademark. This one, a "No. 3", is quite a bit larger (16" long) than the No. 1 upthread. The "PAT. FEB. 8. 1898" marking refers to Design Patent D28,270, owned by S.T. Freas of the American Saw Works, which, as explained above, was bought out by Roebling's Sons in 1901. The full patent can be viewed at the USPTO site, linked here.

 

[Old Camper]

Hey Private Lugnutz: I'm just an old guy who loves to collect all types of trash.
While cleaning out my mother's shed in OCTOBER (she's 102 and still kicking), I found several old, rusted wrenches. Little did I know that one of them has a direct link to my family history. The man who married my mother's sister worked in the John A. Roebling mill in Roebling, NJ in the 1950's and 60's. His father also worked in the mill, I think in the 1920's to 40's. I worked in the same mill during the summers of 1967 and 68, earning money to help pay for my education. By then the mill was owned by Colorado Fuel and Iron Co.

When I got my rusted treasures home from Mom's shed I began wire brushing the rust. One of the wrenches is labeled:No 2 ROEBLING'S TRENTON, N.J. The other side has a logo in a circle, JAR, just below the jaws. The handle is labeled ALLIGATOR WRENCH PAT'D. Don't know how old it is.

Now for the mystery: How did the wrench end up in Mom's shed? Did my uncle's father 'appropriate' the wrench and hand it down to his son and my Mom's sister, who later lived next door to my Mom & Dad. Maybe my dad borrowed the wrench and it ended up staying in his shed? Did my uncle directly acquire the wrench while he was working at the mill? In my lust for all things old, did I bring the wrench home in 1968-69. I don't recall doing so.

If you have any information about the age of the wrench, I would enjoy hearing from you.

Based upon your story of how you acquired a JAR Alligator wrench, I thought you might enjoy my wrench-journey through time.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hey Private Lugnutz: I'm just an old guy who loves to collect all types of trash.

In that case, you've come to the right place! 'One man's trash...,' as they say.

I very much enjoyed your backstory on your JAR wrench find. Stories are the real reason most of us are in this hobby, and it's telling how many of them start with old people and old sheds!

Most of these "Alligator" style wrenches, whether made by Roebling and actually bearing that name, or one of the many, many knockoffs that don't bear that name, fell out of vogue by the 1930's. It was almost certainly made before then, and probably well before then. All of your scenarios are possible. Whether you, your uncle-in-law, or his father before him, someone may have brought it home from the plant. Note, though, that JAR was making and selling these to distributors, jobbers, and hardware dealers, etc, as well. They were popular in the railroad, power, and plumbing and heating industries. They were everywhere. So the provenance may be less interesting than you think. Regardless of the path it took to get in that shed, the marking will always connect it to your family history.

Does it look like my No. 3 above, only shorter?

I have included easy instructions for posting a photo in the 'Sticky' at the top of the page. You may not be allowed to do so until you reach x number of posts (a rule meant to discourage fly-by sales or spam). If so, and you don't plan on sticking around that long, feel free to send me a Private Message (PM), where I will provide you an email address to send it to me and I will post it for you. EDIT: To PM me, simply click on my username above my avatar on the left, and then 'Send a private message to Private Lugnutz.'

 

[taumac]

I have one of these so took some pictures for your research.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah, that's what I was picturing. 'Preciate that, taumac.

 

[four.cycle]

Happy anniversary to the Alligator thread!

Great research as always, Lugnutz!!!

 

[GlennRem]

Great thread, thanks much! I like my "Alligator" with the casting QA missing year's last number

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Great thread, thanks much! I like my "Alligator" with the casting QA missing year's last number

Love it! Casting iron into molds is as old as 5th century B.C., but I don't think there were alligator wrenches in 189 A.D.! HAHA. Great wrench.

 

[Old Steamer]

View media item 108699 View media item 108698
#4 Roebling Alligator Wrench I picked up at Spring Carlisle several years ago. As alligator wrenches go, this one is big.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

#4 Roebling Alligator Wrench I picked up at Spring Carlisle several years ago. As alligator wrenches go, this one is big.

Thanks for contributing that magnificent example, Old Steamer.

Now I'm curious. What is the length? My No. 3 (see post #10) is 16". Also, does it have the "PAT. FEB. 8, 1898" marking on the flip side?

None of my Roebling "Alligator" wrenches have that circle-JAR logo that are on yours and GlennRem's. I'm going to have to do some research to figure out which are older, but I am guessing the wrenches with just the name, not that logo.

 

[davethorik]

If I had to guess the #4 is 21-22" long.
It seems that Roebling and Armstrong used approximately the same numbering system. Did Roebling have half sizes?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hi Dave. Roger on the numbering system. I think it may have been standardized across the entire industry. All my "Alligator" type wrenches regardless of mfgr (Whitman & Barnes, Williams, Bonney, etc) have similar numbers. I don't have a No. 4 from any mfgr, but multiple catalogs show 21" OAL. Looking to confirm from Steamer.

As I have pointed out and emphasized earlier in the thread, it's kind of funny (both haha and interesting) how various mfgrs skirted Roebling's sole rights on the actual "Alligator" name for these wrenches as a trademark. (Something that AA completely misunderstands and gets wrong, by the way.)

Note how Armstrong used the term "Alligator Type", for example, in the page you posted, which is the closest I have seen any mfgr come to pressing the issue. (In today's overly litigious society, I gotta believe that would've been contested.)

Bonney cleverly and a little more safely used the name of a close cousin in a different family of giant carnivorous reptiles with large jaws ("Crocodile") in their branding and marketing.

 

[davethorik]

That's what I figured, I recently picked up Armstrong nos. 3-1/2 & 4-1/2. Seems the guys out in the shop didn't get the notice.

 

[Old Steamer]

The #4 Roebling measures 21 1/2 inches long. It does say "Pat.Feb. 8 1898" at the bottom. The backside has no markings.

This is the only Roebling I have in alligator wrenches. The rest are Williams Bull Dogs and a few that have no markings. They are fascinating tools.

My apologies for the poor pictures. I've just begun to figure out how to post them.

Private Lugnutz if you determine an age, please post. I'm curious now. Thanks!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's what I figured, I recently picked up Armstrong nos. 3-1/2 & 4-1/2. Seems the guys out in the shop didn't get the notice.

Unless they cut a licensing deal with Roebling.

The #4 Roebling measures 21 1/2 inches long. It does say "Pat.Feb. 8 1898" at the bottom. The backside has no markings...[ ]...Private Lugnutz if you determine an age, please post. I'm curious now. Thanks!

Will do.

 

[PSCo1867]

Here's a Roebling #5 that I just found in a cabinet. Haven't even wiped off the dirt yet. Wondering if it paint is original (what's left of it).

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a big'n.

 

[Old Steamer]

That's a big'n.

X2.

All I can say is wow.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Neat find this morning at the flea. As I explained in post #1, American Saw Works of Trenton, NJ was granted a trademark (#14,524) for the term “ALLIGATOR” with respect to wrenches in 1887. In 1901, J.A. Roebling's Sons bought the American Saw Works. Post #1 concerns a Roebling "Alligator." This one is an original American Saw Works, which dates it from 1887 to 1900.



Here they are together.

 

[4xdog]

The back end of those almost look like the cutout would work as a bottle opener, @Private Lugnutz. Is there any (known) logic to the shape?

 

[BMoscato]

The back end of those almost look like the cutout would work as a bottle opener, @Private Lugnutz. Is there any (known) logic to the shape?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Provincial]

The metal bottle cap (as we know it) was patented on Feb. 2, 1892. If that handle design was produced before that date, it is unlikely that it was designed for the purpose of removing those caps. It could have been designed to remove a similar cap.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The back end of those almost look like the cutout would work as a bottle opener

I was thinking the same thing.

Yeah, because what could go wrong building the Brooklyn Bridge and popping a couple cold ones on your lunch break?!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Seriously, the smaller Alligators (No. 20, 10, 1, and Pocket) have different size and shaped internal openings in the handle. Only the No. 1 looks like a bottle opener. I have never found any of the others. I am pretty sure the internal openings were functional, maybe also for turning things like stay bolts or something like that. The Pocket jobbie has a screwdriver blade forged on the back end.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

But I like the way you guys think. Unfortunately, the geometry of the opening is not right. It is too long, too thin, and too bulky to grab anything.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This super secret super rare S-K wrench works great though!

 

[steaks&anvils]

just guessing, could the handle cut outs be for gas turn off valves?

 

[four.cycle]

Excellent side-by-side of the American Saw and Roebling units there. Like "Kleenex" and "Band-Aid", "Alligator" got applied to a plethora of models made by a number of companies.
I have one of those little ones here somewhere... a Roebling, I think... I figured the punched (or forged) openings were for turning nuts - unless they're just a means to save metal.

 

[Shiftless]

Yeah, because what could go wrong building the Brooklyn Bridge and popping a couple cold ones on your lunch break?!

I don’t know if these ironworkers were drinking beers up here while building a skyscraper in NYC but here is a famous photo taken in 1932.

.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Like "Kleenex" and "Band-Aid", "Alligator" got applied to a plethora of models made by a number of companies

More appropos to GJ, like "hand me the channellocks" (all water pump pliers) and "pass me the crescent" (all adjustables). Roebling went to great lengths to prevent and disrupt it contemporaneously, though, as I discussed in several posts (see 5, 12, and especially 21) above. They advertised against it vigorously and protectively, for one. The statement embedded in the photo caption I just posted (see 33) is a good example. And it worked to some extent, with some interesting outcomes, perhaps none as simultaneously clever and bold as Bonney's "Crocodile."

 

[Private Lugnutz]

openings were for turning nuts

Possibly. Like older drain plug wrenches. The smaller ones were apparently aimed at the nascent Brass Era automobile trade, whereas the larger ones were aimed at RR, plumbing, and construction.

- unless they're just a means to save metal.

I thought about that, but the cutouts are different shapes. The smallest one has a single stepped opening, like you sometimes see on tank wrenches. I remember paging through dozens of old trade mags and giving up.