F.h. Ayer

[Oldtuleguy]

Here's maker I am not too familiar with. I see a few random post about ratchets. Anyway here is a set...

 

[four.cycle]

^ thanks!

Ayer / F.H. Ayer Mfg. Co., Chicago Heights, IL / patent 1072807 Sep 9 1913 & 1199737 Sep 26 1916 & 1199738 Sep 26 1916 Frederick H. Ayer / http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers.html#fh-ayer /

 

[AntiqueBen]

Here's maker I am not too familiar with. I see a few random post about ratchets. Anyway here is a set...

Nice set Oldtuleguy. I just bought an identical set today online. Of course I knew about Auto-Cle & Mossberg, but I didn't know there was another player in the pressed steel socket game that had a similar type ratchet like Auto-Cle's. Looks like F.H. Ayer Manufacturing Co went out of business in 2020. I don't think they made these sets very long. Finding information about F.H Ayer online as a company or their tools is almost non-existent. Your set & mine are the only sets I've ever seen. I think the ratchet has popped up only a couple of times here on GJ.

 

[AntiqueBen]

So far this is all I've found while looking for F.H. Ayer advertisements. I still haven't found even one ad or advertisement of their company or their tools. You can view the patent on the ratchet here:

US Patent: 1,072,807 - Ratchet Driving Mechanism

US patent 1,072,807 Ratchet Driving Mechanism was issued to Frederick H. Ayer of Chicago Heights, IL. It was granted on 09/09/1913. A projection on an external adjusting ring shifts a rocking ratchet dog to engage teeth cut in the internal surface of the extended shank of the tool.

www.datamp.org

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice set! We will see if some more pop up.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Nice set! We will see if some more pop up.

We'll see. Makes me wonder how they sold this set when I can't find any advertising what so ever anywhere? Like I was saying, could be this set was short lived since Mossberg came out with a better ratchet design in 1913. I could see people wanting the Mossberg ratchet design over the Ayer design for lots of reasons during that time.
For now, looks like it's just you & me in the F.H. Ayer club

 

[AntiqueBen]

Nice set! We will see if some more pop up.

I meant to ask you, could you take a good straight on picture of your label inside your lid & post it here? My set doesn't have one. I could print your pic on sticker stock paper & put a label inside my lid. That way I could have the original label on my set.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Your set & mine are the only sets I've ever seen. I think the ratchet has popped up only a couple of times here on GJ.

We will see if some more pop up.

...looks like it's just you & me in the F.H. Ayer club

@LesserSon kinda sorta beat you both to the punch, albeit in more haphazard fashion, piecing "a set" together in several phases, over the course of a couple years, finding an unmarked box with a mix of unmarked and Ayer marked sockets, then acquiring four more Ayer 4-point sockets, and finally the Ayer ratchet, posted in phases, ultimately altogether and discussed on the 'Ratchet Collection' thread. See page 38, posts #1505 through 1517.

 

[AntiqueBen]

@LesserSon kinda sorta beat you both to the punch, albeit in more haphazard fashion, piecing "a set" together in several phases, over the course of a couple years, finding an unmarked box with a mix of unmarked and Ayer marked sockets, then acquiring four more Ayer 4-point sockets, and finally the Ayer ratchet, posted in phases, ultimately altogether and discussed on the 'Ratchet Collection' thread. See page 38, posts #1505 through 1517.

I've seen the Ayer ratchet (not complete sets) discussed in a few spots on GJ, but I hadn't read the discussion you posted above. Good read. So, from you guys discussion in the "Ratchet Collection" thread, it seems to find this set complete with all Ayer stamped sockets is somewhat scarce?

 

[AntiqueBen]

kinda sorta beat you both to the punch, albeit in more haphazard fashion, piecing "a set" together in several phases, over the course of a couple years, finding an unmarked box with a mix of unmarked and Ayer marked sockets, then acquiring four more Ayer 4-point sockets, and finally the Ayer ratchet, posted in phases, ultimately altogether and discussed on the 'Ratchet Collection' thread. See page 38, posts #1505 through 1517.

Would like to see pics of your set Lugz for comparison....

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So, from you guys discussion in the "Ratchet Collection" thread, it seems to find this set complete with all Ayer stamped sockets is somewhat scarce?

Based on common empirical observation (i.e., collectors seeing them or even pictures of them here or elsewhere...), I think we'd have to say so.

Would like to see pics of your set Lugz for comparison....

I don't have one. I think you mean @LesserSon 's. I was describing his and how he put it together, memorable to me because they are rare, I was in the discussion with him, and I admire his tenacity on that kind of patient project. I tagged him twice now and I'm sure he'll be happy to update us on his make-shift set here.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Based on common empirical observation (i.e., collectors seeing them or even pictures of them here or elsewhere...), I think we'd have to say so.

I think you mean @LesserSon[/USER] 's. I was describing his and how he put it together, memorable to me because they are rare, I was in the discussion with him, and I admire his tenacity on that kind of patient project.

Gotcha. I agree. That's takes an extreme level of patience to track down rare specific Ayer pressed steel sockets. Outside of Auto-Cle, QMS & the Railway Appliance Company, I didn't realize there was another maker with a ratchet similar to Contal's design. Have you ran across any ads or advertising of any type for the F.H. Ayer socket set or for Ayer period? I can't find any ads advertising this set.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Nice set! We will see if some more pop up.

Well, looks like You, me & LesserSon is in the club I invited LesserSon to this thread to share pics & info on his set. I'm sure more will pop up. Glad you started this thread. It's an interesting set.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Outside of Auto-Cle, QMS & the Railway Appliance Company, I didn't realize there was another maker with a ratchet similar to Contal's design.

I talked about it before on your 'Antique Ratchets' thread, identifying it for @Patrick Eubanks. He has one of the Packer Auto "RAY" sets that the Ayer ratchets were apparently put in. His is one of several. See posts #32 thru 36 on page 1 of the thread.

Have you ran across any ads or advertising of any type for the F.H. Ayer socket set or for Ayer period?

I haven't looked.

I invited LesserSon to this thread to share pics & info on his set.

He got two Alerts that his name was mentioned by me in this thread. That's what I meant by "tagged". Referring to people by their user name with the @ sign does that. For future reference.

 

[AntiqueBen]

My F.H. Ayer set showed up today. It has 33 circle A sockets. Not sure if the 1/2" plug in the ratchet is original? Even though the ratchet concept is similar to Auto-Cle's, the differences is night & day.

 

[jonludwick]

Here's my set I inherited, and thank you for all the posts.
I always thought this was the craziest set and guess I'm not alone!

 

[four.cycle]

Hello @jonludwick and welcome to the site!

keep this link handy at all times

and this one!

Enjoy!

 

[LDavies]

Nice set Oldtuleguy. I just bought an identical set today online. Of course I knew about Auto-Cle & Mossberg, but I didn't know there was another player in the pressed steel socket game that had a similar type ratchet like Auto-Cle's. Looks like F.H. Ayer Manufacturing Co went out of business in 2020. I don't think they made these sets very long. Finding information about F.H Ayer online as a company or their tools is almost non-existent. Your set & mine are the only sets I've ever seen. I think the ratchet has popped up only a couple of times here on GJ.

Hi, this is totally random, but my dad worked at FH Ayer for his entire life as a machinist. I was just doing a little casual research on the company to see if they were still around. I can ask my dad if he's still in contact with anyone from FH Ayer to see where similar tools are now manufactured.

 

[LesserSon]

Well, looks like You, me & LesserSon is in the club I invited LesserSon to this thread to share pics & info on his set. I'm sure more will pop up. Glad you started this thread. It's an interesting set.

I talked about it before on your 'Antique Ratchets' thread, identifying it for @Patrick Eubanks. He has one of the Packer Auto "RAY" sets that the Ayer ratchets were apparently put in. His is one of several. See posts #32 thru 36 on page 1 of the thread.

I haven't looked.

He got two Alerts that his name was mentioned by me in this thread. That's what I meant by "tagged". Referring to people by their user name with the @ sign does that. For future reference.

Sorry for the delay. Better late than never, I hope.
I must have my settings not right, because I don’t get alerts when my @LesserSon is dropped into a thread. I’ll have to check into that.
I looked into this thread because I’m getting around to organizing my extruded sockets.
So, here is what I now think is an Ayer steel box, with Ray stuff inside.

Here is the bottom half of a chestnut box with Ayer stuff inside.

Becaude there was no visible branding on either, I may have switched the original contents, or the contents were already pretty mixed, and maybe both boxes really are Ayer, and my Ray stuff is squatting.
Here is a cardboard box where I’ve tossed extra Mossberg, Apco, Larson and unmarked.

I’ve already pulled the sockets for a No10 Mossberg set, but I mean to buff the rust and dirt off all these by Tuesday and confirm.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

It's tough trying to piece one together. This stuff is old.

 

[LesserSon]

Here are a couple posts with more pics of mine on a different thread in 2021.

 

[LesserSon]

So, here is what I now think is an Ayer steel box, with Ray stuff inside.

Here is the bottom half of a chestnut box with Ayer stuff inside.

Truth is, since the black metal box isn’t labeled, maybe it could be either Packer/Ray or FH Ayer.
AA compliments the early application of spot-welding construction of their Ray box, providing measurements of 11x6x2”. Those match the dimensions and construction of my unmarked box.
Has anyone measured a labeled Ayer box? Potentially, they are identical.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks like same box

 

[four.cycle]

^ I'm guessing I know a place where a guy might find a mess of loose sockets like that..... I'm going to add that to my "list to look for".