Post your strangest ratchet
- Thread starter eschoendorff
- Start date
OP
eschoendorff
Well-known member
One side says “Liberal Ratchet Handle” and the other says “USA Patent 4051935 9.5mm NKO.”
Anyone come across anything like this? Maybe it’s just weird to me but it’d be nice to know a little more about it - like who made it?
Anyone come across anything like this? Maybe it’s just weird to me but it’d be nice to know a little more about it - like who made it?
Attachments
woody 73
Well-known member
Op I wish I could tell you more about Eiji Nakayama, my guess is he is still alive and kicking as they say. If I had to make a guess lets say he was 25 years old in 1976 and if we add that to 2019 then he would be about 68 years old today give or take a few years; (Guessing he was about 25 years old in 1976).
woody 73
Well-known member
He must be very a very brilliant man with 5 pages of patents to his name.
https://patents.justia.com/inventor/eiji-nakayama
https://patents.justia.com/inventor/eiji-nakayama
OP
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Ok it took me through all 6 pages of patents to the very last entry to find that Eiji was the inventor of my ratchet. Pretty cool stuff. Most of his work, though, seemed to be in electronics and battery powered tools.
Ign
Well-known member
Mine had a huge head and you could spin the handle to rotate the square drive. It was old, not modern gimmick. I posted it for sale here years ago and someone really wanted it
It was a Hudgins apparently
It was a Hudgins apparently
M_George
Well-known member
anndel
Well-known member
Must be Democrat ratchet vs a Republican.
OP
eschoendorff
Well-known member
x2!
Very cool. I don't have anything comparable! Have some weird screwdrivers but lets stay on topic!
I have the exact same bent flex snap on ratchet and its my favorite go to ratchet.
Sine Swept
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 440
I'll have to work on getting a photo, but I have a 1/4" drive Canadian Tire ratchet with a nice big thumb wheel. The thumb wheel is probably an inch or so.
Perrorojo
Well-known member
Work tool
Patent number: 4051935
Abstract: A torque-applying hand tool includes a stepless mechanism for turning an object in a desired direction through an unlimited range by swinging the handle thereof. The stepless mechanism comprises a polygonal shaft and rollers each being placed in touch with each side of the polygon shaft. Each roller is selectively forced to one end or the other of each side so that the polygon shaft may be turned in one direction when the tool handle is turned. At one end of the polygon shaft is formed a socket or box shaft to engage with the object to be turned. In such a tool, the stepless mechanism can be made compact with an unlimited turning range of the object.
Type: Grant
Filed: April 15, 1976
Date of Patent: October 4, 1977
Inventor: Eiji Nakayama
OP
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Perrorojo
Well-known member
See posts #5 & 6
I did. i quoted it for those not wanting to follow a link.
OP
eschoendorff
Well-known member
B_Bimmer
Well-known member
I am that guy. Thanks.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
The absolutely strangest (but also the coolest) ratchet I own is the "Onli-1", made by the King Tool Company in Asbury Park, NJ, in the 1920's. The 7/16-inch hex drive stud on the business end is turned with that crank handle you see on the back, the action transferred through the bent pipe by rods and two sets of beveled gears. It can be disengaged to turn like a conventional wrench. Advertised for hard to reach close quarter spaces. Came with a set of sockets and an extension.
The full story of the tool, the inventor, and the company can be found on a thread down on the Vintage Board, linked here.
The full story of the tool, the inventor, and the company can be found on a thread down on the Vintage Board, linked here.
Attachments
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I just picked one up at the flea market today. Oddly enough, that is how I found this thread, searching for the name "Hudgins" on GJ, to see if anyone else had already found one and did any research on it. (I normally hang out down on the Vintage Board and don't venture up here much.) Ironically, the Hudgins ratchet works very similar to the Onli-1 (see post #20, this thread). That large head has a set of beveled gears inside it, and his first patent for the idea (4,086,829, granted May 2, 1978) actually had a little crank at the **** end of the handle, just like the Onli-1. His second patent, which is what I found, and what you have (4,311,072, granted Jan 19, 1982) eliminated the crank on the back by actuating the gears by turning the entire handle.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
nbpt100
Well-known member
metaldad
Well-known member
Ign
Well-known member
As mentioned I sold it here long ago.
Whoever bought it told me via PM they registered just to contact me about my sale in the Classified section to get it.
So, apparently there is a cult following.
I'll stick with my M12
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Ah, I missed that. Thanks. Yeah, they're rare critters.
I found this post because I have one of these (9.5mm or 3/8inch) and I was trying to find a 1/4 inch version. It is exactly as described with a "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker on the side. I have no recollection of where I got it. It has a stepless rotation and a pivoting head. Very neat.
Last edited:
Snakebyt
Well-known member
ex-x-fire
Well-known member
I have an older version of this snan-op head ratchet in 3/8. It has 3 squares to drive it. You can use extensions as a long or short handle or even use a breaker bar to make a flex head. I used it last week to R&R a transfer-case, that with a short extension to get a 90 degree angle and another ratchet, it tightened up some hard to get to bolts. I'd like to have another one in my on the road tool box.
Attachments
Made in USA
Well-known member
Here's a link to the patent for OP's ratchet, with drawings:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4051935A/en
https://patents.google.com/patent/US4051935A/en
anndel
Well-known member
Must be for democrat use only.
Snakebyt
Well-known member
not alot of info on it that i have found, other than its a palm ratchet, and apparently not made anymore
https://www.matcotools.com/productassets/web-documents/APR8T_PartsBreakdown_01.pdf
superautobacs
Well-known member
Esch,
After the Japanese earthquake/tsunami in 2012, NKC shut its doors for good.
They supplied auto manufacturing plants like Volkswagen.
Here's a link that's still valid, showing some of the stuff NKC offered: http://www.winpal.net/~nkc/seihin/ratye-s.html
After the Japanese earthquake/tsunami in 2012, NKC shut its doors for good.
They supplied auto manufacturing plants like Volkswagen.
Here's a link that's still valid, showing some of the stuff NKC offered: http://www.winpal.net/~nkc/seihin/ratye-s.html
davethorik
Well-known member
I don't have one of these, don't really have the need. If i found a deal on one, I'd buy it just because.
Wright Tool 3482 which is an open gear ratchet with 3/8 drive on one side and 1/4 on the other. Made in USA. There must be a reason they make it, its not advertised so not a gimmick...or is it?
Wright Tool 3482 which is an open gear ratchet with 3/8 drive on one side and 1/4 on the other. Made in USA. There must be a reason they make it, its not advertised so not a gimmick...or is it?
Attachments
Not that unusual but it's my most unique ratchet. It's a Blackhawk with a push button swivel that is indexed at 45 and 90 degrees to normal. I often end up using it because it winds up being a couple inches longer overall than other 3/8 ratchets I own. 
Attachments
jgromada
Well-known member
I got one of these but to be honest haven't used it much . Indexable Pittsbrgh pro
In
This is one I want a Proxxon Rotary . twist the handle for ratchet to turn. Actually its pricey ($74) but i just think its cool
In
This is one I want a Proxxon Rotary . twist the handle for ratchet to turn. Actually its pricey ($74) but i just think its cool