Info on Snap-on Lic-Reissue 3/4 drive socket.

[damon18]

Among some 3/4 drive sockets I picked up is this older Snap-on LDH-422-A 1-5/16 inch 12 point. Noticed the Lic-Reissue text and couldn't anything about it. Was it a patent or trademark renewal?

Thanks for any info.

 

[d42jeep]

I have one as well. Mine has a 1940 date code but I don’t know anything else about it.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The lock button was patented by blackhawk, who licensed it to snapon

 

[damon18]

The lock button was patented by blackhawk, who licensed it to snapon

Thanks, so the original license from Blackhawk expired, but was renewed in 1928 and then again later (no date?) on the socket @d42jeep posted?

The model LDH-422-A socket is still available new on the Snap-on website ($79) so at some point the Blackhawk license didn't need to be renewed?

And one more question. In the same batch of sockets I've got a couple of Blackhawk's with the same pin. How was that pin used? It's not a ball detent, was it pressed/pounded into the drive square to prevent it coming off? The two Blackhawks don't appear to be impact sockets since they have the remains of a chrome finish.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Blackhawk kept the patent, snapon paid them a fee to use it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Damon,

Separate the patent (to Blackhawk) and the re-issue of the patent (again, to Blackhawk) from the licensing of the use of the mechanism that is patented to others, including Snap-on. That "RE-LIC" marking is what's tripping you up.

The patent (1,896,645), issued in 1933, is for the entire coupling - a spring-loaded locking pin installed in the drive tools and the release button installed in the sockets. The first generation of the Lock-On sockets just had a hole in them, and Blackhawk sold a separate little tool like a key that fit into the hole to release them. What you are seeing on your sockets is the release button. Due to administrivial issues, they had to submit it again and it was re-issued 1934 (RE19,287). That re-issue patent number along with the original Lock-On patent or two later Lock-On related patents (angling the hole so the socket locks itself, and refining the mechanism) appear on all late 30's into 40's Blackhawk sockets.

The "RE" in the Snap-on marking refers to the RE19,287 re-issued patent, and the "LIC" in the marking refers to Snap-on using it under fee-bearing license from Blackhawk, as OTG alluded to.

 

[damon18]

Thanks @Private Lugnutz very educational!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's the long answer!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks @Private Lugnutz very educational!

No prob. If I didn't know the background, I would also be totally confused by the "LIC-REISSUE" marking.

That's the long answer!

Snerk.