c.1926 "SPEEDNUT" wrench

[Private Lugnutz]

"SPEEDNUT" wrenches

I found this SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORPORATION “SPEEDNUT” wrench at the flea market on Thursday morning.

I just took it out of the de-rusting bath and lubed it up and snapped some pictures.

If you’ve never seen one before, there is no thumbscrew or lever or any other mechanism to open or close the dynamic jaw. You don’t even need two hands. It opens or closes by just turning the wrench over one way or another in your hand, with the weight of the dynamic jaw doing the work. It is literally that easy and that smooth.

The capacity is 9/16”...

...to 1-1/16”.

That little arm and pin is used to lock or un-lock an internal torsional spring that provides tension, or not, on the dynamic jaw. The original SPEEDNUT wrench, first made and sold by the Cochran Pipe Wrench Manufacturing Company in 1914, did not have this mechanism. Here it is in the locked position.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

SPEEDNUT wrenches pop up from time to time on GJ in various guises, but they typically elicit a few ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ and ‘I got one of those from my grandfather’ and then quickly peter out. Even a thread on the Cochran SPEEDNUT wrench that sprung from one of Ryan’s 2012 Blogs, linked here, didn’t last long up on the General Discussion board. (If you’re not aware, James Cochran, the founder of Cochran Pipe Wrench Manufacturing Company in Chicago, and the manufacturer of the Cochran SPEEDNUT wrench, was our founder and Administrator’s ancestor.)

So I did a little research. They were made in a few different styles for a number of years by a dizzying variety of manufacturers. I have not worked out the entire timeline, but I have lined up some of the major milestones. The relationships between the various manufacturers, if any, is not known. Right now that is in the category of ‘Needs More Research’.

Starting at the beginning, it looks like the first SPEEDNUT was made by Cochran Pipe Wrench Manufacturing Company in 1914. Or at least that’s the earliest reference I can find. (Ryan claims 1910 in his Blog entry, but I am not sure of his source for that. Could be family lore.)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This is where the quandaries and fun start.

The figure accompanying a design patent – D48,996 – looks an awful lot like the Cochran SPEEDNUT. Here is a summary courtesy of DATAMP.

It was issued to W.W. Taylor on May 2, 1916. A link to the full design patent at the USPTO site is provided here. The design patent was not assigned. It has not been established if W.W. Taylor worked for Cochran, whether he was an officer of the company, or whether he just licensed the design to Cochran. There is no doubt that the Cochran SPEEDNUT wrench exemplifies the design.

But there is a problem. The Cochran SPEEDNUT wrenches we have seen as examples and in advertising don’t align with the patent chronology.

One model seen has “PATENT PENDING” forged-in on the face of the jaw. Here is an image from AA.

These are thought to be 1st generation.

Another model seen has “PAT. MAY 2-1916” forged-in on the shank. Here is an image from Ryan's Blog post.

These are thought to be 2nd generation, with the “PATENT PENDING” on the earlier wrenches a reference to the design patent D48,996 that was later issued on that date. This theory has the Directory of American Tool and Machinery Patents (DATAMP) on its side. A link to their Cochran SPEEDNUT page is here.

The dilemma with this theory, which DATAMP is apparently oblivious to, is the fact that the patent application wasn’t filed until May 7, 1915. Cochran couldn’t have been making wrenches marked with “PATENT PENDING” on the jaw face in 1914. Since he was making and selling SPEEDNUT wrenches in 1914, if the “PATENT PENDING” mark refers to D48,996, there has to be an earlier model out there, probably not marked with any reference to a patent pending or otherwise, making the “PATENT PENDING” wrenches 2nd generation, and the date-on-shank wrenches 3rd generation.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Or there has to be another explanation.

One competing theory can be found on Alloy Artifacts. AA claims that the “PATENT PENDING” marking on the earliest Cochran SPEEDNUT wrench corresponds to Joseph Eifel’s 1,181,654 patent, issued in 1916, but filed in 1912. (Yes, that Joseph Eifel of the equally famous Eifel “Plierench”, also made in Chicago.) The Eifel patent can be viewed on the USPTO site here. Here is a summary image from DATAMP.

Coincidentally, that patent was also issued on May 2, 1916. And that theory has no anachronism. Its filing date (1912) is consistent with the 1st generation Cochran “PATENT PENDING” SPEEDNUT being made and advertised in 1914.

But this theory has a few problems as well.

Firstly, the Eifel patent bears little to no resemblance to the SPEEDNUT wrench and the mechanical aspects of the patent as described pertain to the action of a lever handle moving a dynamic jaw by manual operation of the lever. There is no lever on a SPEEDNUT wrench. That’s the whole point of its moniker. As anyone who has one of these things knows, and as I described in post #1, they simply and smoothly flop open and closed with the weight of the dynamic jaw by flipping the wrench over one way or another in your hand.

Secondly, there is no known connection between Eifel and Cochran and it’s a little wonky to claim that the Cochran SPEEDNUT used the Eifel patent, when Eifel’s aim was production and retail (he marketed the heck out of his “Plierench” and the Cochran SPEEDNUT would’ve been a direct competitor) without a substantially evidenced explanation.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

AA has an example of a SPEEDNUT wrench branded by Chicago Manufacturing & Distributing.

The Chicago Mfg & Dist’g version is helpfully marked with two utility patent numbers, 1,602,620 (1926) and 1,830,033 (1931), both granted to J.V. Larson, with no assignment to a manufacturing company.

It is not known whether Larson had some relationship with Chicago Mfg & Distibuting, or whether the patent was licensed. And it’s not known if there is any connection between Larson and W.W. Taylor (the owner of the 1916 design patent), Cochran (the manufacturer of the earliest SPEEDNUT wrenches), or with the SPEEDNUT Corporation.

The second patent was an improvement on the shape of the gears.

The first patent is the defining patent for these later SPEEDNUT wrenches. It can be viewed on the USPTO site here. Here is an image from DATAMP.

Unlike the Chicago Mfg & Distributing models, my SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP "SPEEDNUT" wrench does NOT have the Larson patent numbers forged-in to the shank, it only has the “PAT. MAY 2, 16” forged in, which is strange, since it obviously has the Larson patent spring arm and pin.

As I said, the Cochran original SPEEDNUT wrench did not have this mechanism, and neither did the earlier SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP versions. Here is a 1924 SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP ad.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Other complications include an Evans Mfg, also of Chicago!, which was advertising SPEEDNUT wrenches in 1918...

...and a SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP ad in this 1929 issue of Motorboating, which introduces the wrench as something new!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As I said in the first post, examples show up here on GJ from time to time.

Jim whitney posted a SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORPORATION model here.

Leon67 posted an unidentified brand here.

Farmer J has one branded FASTFIT that he posted here.

 

[Provincial]

If Larson patent parts could be installed on modified earlier production parts, that could explain the lack of Larson patent (or date) forged into these wrenches. Salvaging stock on hand may have been the incentive.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Good thinking, Provincial. It is a good possibility.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Cool find Lugz. Never seen one of these before. What is your "derusting bath" exactly?

 

[Richard Cranium]

thanks for doing the leg work and posting

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Cool find Lugz. Never seen one of these before. What is your "derusting bath" exactly?

Thanks, Tex. I've been using Metal Rescue for the last 3 months. It is a water-soluble non-acid non-toxic type solution, like Evaporust.

thanks for doing the leg work and posting

You're welcome, sir.

 

[woody 73]

Good job sigh...yes I too wish the stories would last a little bit longer but they vanish at the speed of light.

 

[four.cycle]

is this yet another King-Ray-Bog-Boston thing?
that one of Leon's is most intriguing... what is that logo?
all I have here at present... probably more here I haven't found yet....

 

[Private Lugnutz]

is this yet another King-Ray-Bog-Boston thing?

It could be! A little more spread out, temporally, though, less concurrent production. It's really early for summarizing, but it's falling out like this so far...

Early/no Spring-Pin (1914-1921?): Cochran, Evans
Late/with Spring-Pin (1924?-1931): SPEEDNUT CORP, C M & D, FASTFIT

all I have here at present... probably more here I haven't found yet....

No worries. I found a lot more ads, probably 12 or so in total. I didn't post them because they are redundant (no new info). In this case, an ad earlier than 1914 would be new and significant, and any ads that help establish when Cochran production ended and when SPEEDNUT CORP production began.

 

[Farleyfan]

Ive never seen one either, now ive got something else to look for
on my flea market days !

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Happy hunting, Farleyfan!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I did find a few more research tidbits and timeline events, including proof positive that J.V. Larson, the guy who patented the SPEEDNUT with the spring and pin, was connected to the SPEEDNT WRENCH CORP. He was the founder and President.

A 1919 edition of The Metal Worker, Plumber, and Steamfitter Vol 92, page 624, reports that the Cochran Pipe Wrench & Mfg Company changes its name to Cochran Mfg & Forging Company. Link here.

In 1921 the Larco Wrench & Mfg Company bought out Cochran Mfg & Forging. Larco planned to continue using the brand name.

A 1924 directory of copyrights lists a document called “Speednut Owner”, by the Speednut Wrench Corporation, under Larson (J.V.). I am assuming this is a marketing pamphlet of some kind. The copyright entry connects Larson and his utility patent to the Speednut Wrench Corporation. Snippet View only.

A 1928 book called Engineers: Listing of the Engineers of Corporations with Their Official Duties and Connections names John V. Larson as the President of Speednut Wrench Corporation. This one is also a Snippet View only and very fuzzy, sorry.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks similar to the davenport hastee 8 wrench

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Never heard of it, but I agree, clearly some kind of more modern knock-off, with a similar rack and pinion gearing. Looks like it has a thumb lever to move the dynamic jaw, though.

 

[6PTsocket]

Thanks, Tex. I've been using Metal Rescue for the last 3 months. It is a water-soluble non-acid non-toxic type solution, like Evaporust.


You're welcome, sir.

I've always used Evaporust. Is Metal Rescue a better product?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[coljar]

I don't recall ever seeing one either which is surprising. That is a cool wrench. I looked to see if one shows up in my October 1, 1922 copy of Automotive Trade Journal, but no.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yes it has a thumb lever. Davenport tools made a number of gimmicky tools in 70s, this one a version of the speednut. Also made the spinut ,crik it,and sidewinder ratchets...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've always used Evaporust. Is Metal Rescue a better product?

I've used both. The results are very similar.

Yes it has a thumb lever.

I can't over emphasize how easily this SPEEDNUT wrench jaw slides open and closed with just a twist of the wrist. It's times like these I wish I had a GoPro. I would strap one on my head and make a short video. I read that part of the impetus for the tension spring and pin being added was the jaw opening too easily. Unfortunately, in trolling the various sites and forums (JJ, Papaw's, etc), it seems as though most of the survivors are missing the pin and have a broken spring. Glad I lucked into a goodie.

 

[Farmer J.]

There is an entry ones like mine in 'Graces Guide' , the Fastfit adjustable wrenches were advertised from 1913. The company had been making the Fastnut, a style of locking nut, from before that. Link:

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Fastnut

They come up for sale on eBay uk occasionally.

 

[Farmer J.]

This one is for sale on eBayuk, and says 'Made in England' so for sure the 'Fastfit' is a different production to the 'Speednut' although working on the same principle.
Wonder if there's any link between the makers, or if one just copied the other..

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Farmer J. Very interesting. Clearly the same rack and pinion principle.

 

[wrenchguy]

is this yet another King-Ray-Bog-Boston thing?

what does this mean?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not sure about the "Ray-Bog" part, but I read it like "King-Newton-Service-Boston thing," and I knew he meant it as a reference to identical and distinctive socket sets sold under several different brands by several different companies in the Boston area in the mid to late 1920's, including King Pressed Steel, Newton Pressed Steel, Service Engineering Company, and Boston Wrench Company. You can read more (and if we discuss it, please let's discuss it further) here.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks to a tip from twertsy, we now have proof positive of a connection between W. W. Taylor (who owned Design Patent D48,996, granted May 2, 1916) and James M. Cochran. According to the July 20, 1910 edition of the Chicago Tribune, they were co-founders, along with Francis E. Hinckley, of the Cochran Pipe Wrench Mfg Company, with $100,000 capital. Here is a clipping.

Not sure why they named the enterprise after Cochran. All three were engineers and inventors. My guess would be he had the larger investment.

This notice eliminates the baseless claim on Alloy Artifacts that the “PAT. MAY 2-1916” marking on the 3rd generation Cochran SPEEDNUT wrench refers to the Eifel patent.

As I suspected, it also means there has to be a 1st generation wrench out there somewhere that does not have the 2nd generation “PATENT PENDING” marking on it. To re-hash, if you haven’t been following, W.W. Taylor filed the application for the Design Patent 48,996 on May 15, 1915. But Cochran Pipe Wrench Mfg Co was making and advertising the SPEEDNUT in 1914.

 

[Farmer J.]

Some good research there, thanks, what an interesting thread.
So, in 1913 the 'Fastfit' was advertised in England, and in 1414 the 'Speednut' was advertised in America.
Both of the same new design, I suspect there is likely to be a link somewhere...
Looking forward to see if any earlier 'Speednut' wrenches or references to them show up.

My internet connection is very poor connection and slow, and it's raining here so likely to go off completely soon when the moisture soaks in to the perished cracked old 1950's cables on the way to the farm.. No more online research for a while!

 

[four.cycle]

"Some good research there..."

^ definitely.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The Early Years with the early wrench (W.W. Taylor design patent, no spring-pin) are coming together nicely.

Exceptions are:

- no physical examples of the earliest (1914, no "PATENT PENDING" marking) wrenches. Ryan has twenty (20) Cochran SPEEDNUT wrenches in his personal collection. I asked him to sort them by variants and send me one photo of each variant.

- we don't understand how Evans Mfg fits in. Licensed or short-lived ripoff? But I am not overly vexed by this one.

And the Later Years with the later wrench (1926 Larson spring-pin patent, SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP) are also coming together nicely.

Exceptions are:

- We don't understand how Chicago Mfg & Distributing and others were making them concurrent to SPEEDNUT WRENCH CORP. Licensed? Appropriated? etc. But again, I am not too worried about it.

It's the Middle Years that are still foggy that I would like to resolve. We know that Larco of Chicago bought out Cochran in 1921 and that there were Cochran SPEEDNUT wrenches being advertised as late as 1921. We know that SPEEDNUT Wrench Corp of Chicago existed as early as 1924, that J.V. Larson was the founder, that they were making the early version of the SPEEDNUT wrench (no Larson patent spring-pin), and that they were making the patented spring-pin version from 1926 to at least 1931.

What we don't know is what happened to Larco/Cochran production in 1922 and 1923 and how SPEEDNUT Wrench Corp came to be by 1924. It seems to be some kind of direct successor with a new name, but we don't know how. Yet.

 

[Farmer J.]

Don't want to hijack your 'Speednut' thread Lugz, but I have a feeling there is sure to be some connection between the English 'Fastfit' and the American 'Speednut'...

The wrench illustration in post no. 2 is almost identical to the one on the advertisement I posted in no. 25..

The patent for the other pattern of 'Fastfit' wrench shown in the advert, link here:

http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?pn=194041&id=56178

Also says:

The British patent notes 1902 Alexander Taylor patent GB-190,219,816; this patent is not noted in the Canadian and U.S. descriptions.

I wonder. Any connection with the Walter w. Taylor of the Cochran Pipe Wrench Mfg Co ?

Some good information about Fastfit in the Ron Geesin Adjustable Spanner book, Here's the link to the google books page. I had to 'cut and paste' it in to a new computer window to get it to open..

books.google.co.uk/books?id=z1FMDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT233&lpg=PT233&dq=fastnut+patent&source=bl&ots=m2Tuh89-sG&sig=QG5npPqcQoZBNzESNeTa4Vo7NO4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwis5cbvgLzfAhV0unEKHURZDVwQ6AEwC3oECAQQAQ#v=onepage&q=fastnut%20patent&f=false


Happy Christmas!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't consider that kind of origination excursion hijacking, Farmer J. As I said upthread, the rack and pinion gearing is surely the same. And it wouldn't be the first time a wrench or tool design patented in Europe was appropriated and patented here. It happened quite a bit at the turn of the century, especially with saws, nippers, and pliers. But the best (or least most infamous and noteworthy) example is the wildly popular Wilton bullet vise. Hugh Vogl, a Czech immigrant, completely ripped off the design of the York vise he was selling for his employer here in the states, filed for a Design Patent (which have a quicker turnaround time), and started making them for his own company.

It's not my primary interest, but if you find something more substantive than the sme last name, be sure to report it.

 

[sselander]

Some more tidbits?

"The Larco Wrench & Mfg. Corporation has purchased the plant at Seventy-eighth street and Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, of the Cochran Mfg. & Forging Co., and its wrench business" The Cochran company and its forging business are now being operated as the Great Lakes Forge company"

Forging and Heat Treating, Volume 7 page 204
March 1921

& this:

"The American Brake Shoe and Foundry Company, New York, on April 1, purchased the Great Lakes Forge company, Chicago"

Railway Age, Volume 108, no. 14 1940

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That is actually very helpful. It resolves a perceived inconsistency between my research and Ryan's blog, where he states that Cochran sold out to Great Lakes. It was actually Larco, which changed their name. Thanks for posting!

 

[3baygarage]

Larcoloy 6” wrench.

Hastee-8 wrench, different than OTG’s.

and

Versa Wrench. Probably not real old, but has a like design.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I didn't notice that the Larcoloy was a 6-incher on the GS thread, 3bay. That is cool. I've never seen one that short.

 

[3baygarage]

It’s good to see it in nice working shape. It was quite rusted and wouldn’t move.