Help identifying this ratchet, .675 square thru hole drive

[Snip]

I picked this ratchet up at a flea market some years ago. I had never seen anything like it and thought it was kinda cool. The drive measures .675 (odd size, not 5/8" but about 19.5mm?) and can be set to ratchet left or right by rotating the upper brass collar to hold one or the other "dogs" away from the cog wheel. The dogs work independently of each other and if the collar is left in the center position it makes the wheel stationary. I have tried to research it and the name on it with no luck. I would be thankful for any help

 

[MBfreak]

I have seen similar tools used by plumbers to operate square shafts on steam valves.
Must be quite old, brass and wood.
Ola

 

[four.cycle]

are we seeing both sides of the drive-end head in the photo images?
is the only marking on the unit the "W.J. Griffin" stamp?

 

[Snip]

Yes, only markings are the W.J. Griffin stamped in the head. "Steam Valves" was one of the things I was thinking, possibly being used on a steam locomotive or farm tractor? Very unique ratchet as it can be left or right or "fixed" stationary and being a thru hole design could be flipped or easily moved from one shaft to another. Need thing is after all these years it still functions as it should.

 

[four.cycle]

That it still functions doesn't come to me as any surprise at all - some early mechanisms like that were seriously over-engineered (see photo attached.)
I sent an inquiry to someone who might be able to offer a clue. Hopefully he'll be able to offer some insight as to who made it.

 

[RTM]

There was a WJ Griffin inventor, but not turning up a wrench type device.

Google Patents

Search and read the full text of patents from around the world with Google Patents, and find prior art in our index of non-patent literature.

patents.google.com

there was also a WJ Griffin principal in Griffin Hardware in Rome, GA

 

[Snip]

Thank you, I had a couple of hits when googling the name but had not checked patents. good info