Mystery Craftsman Wrench

[spokesman]

I picked up a set of these Craftsman ratcheting box end wrenches but cant seem to find any info on them. There seem to be a lot of the reversible type wratcheting box end wrenches but these are Not the reversible type but have lever that switches them from right /left or forward to reverse.

They are numbered 42385, 4, 3 , 2, 1. They sat Pat. Pend. and Pat NO. 2,5000,835 and have an odd shaped 2 stamped on them (kinda looks like a Snap On date code but does not match any of Snap on's 2's) No other typical Craftsman date codes that I could see i.e. V VV etc.

So does any one know they history and age of these? Please advise Thanks
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/images/smilies/dunno.gif

 

[lbgradwell]

...and have an odd shaped 2 stamped on them (kinda looks like a Snap On date code but does not match any of Snap on's 2's).

2002 Snap-on code.

They're just the typical old-style ratcheting wrenches produced by Lang for 60+ years. They supplied just about everyone over the decades.

 

[spokesman]

Thanks fir the reply. Why would Craftsman have a snap on date code?
The patent no. Was issued in the 1950's and as mentioned all the more modern ones I've seen don't have the lever to switch directions. .....????

 

[lbgradwell]

Why would Craftsman have a snap on date code?

Those wrenches all seem to have the codes regardless of what brand ends up stamped on the other side in a later production step. I don't know why.

 

[Underground]

i know why, I have one. And this is the part your missing...

A craftsman damaged bolt/nut remover set

thats why one end has that overlap thingy.

 

[lbgradwell]

Ummmm.... What?

 

[LXCam]

Ummmm.... What?

Parkay?

 

[Underground]

I did kinda jump the gun a little bit, And did not know about lang wrenches but....

I might have to show you all some pictures of something very similar.

Sorry guys, its late and the 9 month old hasn't let me get any good sleep in over a week.

 

[spokesman]

What are Lang wrenches?

Also why would these wrenches say Pat. Pend.? Which as I understand it means that at the time these were mfg. the patent for this design is pending. The actual pat number is a 1950 number so I'm thinking these are probably from the 1950's???

 

[jim faston]

Those are actually CrownLock wrenches.

 

[Strouty]

Did gearwrench make crownlock style wrenches? I have a few that popped up in sets, I thought it was a mistake. I was actually going to swap them out.

 

[laser3kw]

I got a whole set similar to those (somewhere). Bought them from Sears back in the late 70's ~early 80's?

 

[spokesman]

Hey Jim Faston
THANKS
Crown lock wrenches.. Cool

 

[lbgradwell]

And I understand what Underground meant now too.

And that "Patent Pending" likely refers to the Crown-Lock application of the old Lang design.

 

[Richard Cranium]

underground is correct, they are part of an easy out set, I have it also. Instead of having the size as the crown top wrench has these wrench's have the number easy out that fits the end of the wrench...Rich

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

definitely newer, not 1950's. I had a 1950's set with the "heritage" logo on them... as well as a "crowntop" set as well.