First combination wrench?

[stage20]

Who made or patented the first combination wrench? Ilve searched and maybe I don't know what to put in search bar. I keep coming up short.

 

[twertsy]

Much debate on that. It's between Plomb and Bonney and I've seen a couple pre production Plombs so I'm going with them, as most do.

 

[Kensgarage]

Whitworth was the first guy to standardize a thread in the mid 1800's so he probably did the same for the head sizing and maybe configuration. Somewhere along the line hex came into play for clearance issues and the need for a hex wrench was probably conjured up and a wrench soon followed.
I think English history might actually be a better place to look for a combo wrench to have showed up.
BUT. Like everything else 'merka, I'm sure, was the first to produce a million!

 

[John in OH]

I have absolutely no idea who "invented" the combination wrench, but I'd tend to agree that you should take a close look at England or Germany. Most likely, the design of our current "combination" wrench was an evolutionary process that still continues today (witness the current enhanced gripping designs now being incorporated in the open ends).

 

[notlob]

From Alloy Artifacts:

"Combination wrenches occupy a special place in Plomb history, as Plomb is generally credited with being the first to produce the modern combination wrench. These models were offered as early as 1933 and were even called "Combination" wrenches; as other companies adopted the design, the wrenches sometimes received odd names such as "TuType", "Multi-Type", or "Half & Half"."

http://alloy-artifacts.org/plomb-gallery-p2.html#combo

Plomb stated they came up with the idea in this and other ads:

 

[3baygarage]

Great topic. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like working in any industry and seeing the combination wrench for the first time.