The Ratchet Collection Thread

[r_olson_06]

Last year, on page 29 and 30, we had a brief spree on "ratchet adapters" (sometimes called ratcheting adapters, barrel ratchets, cogs, and even ratchets in very early period catalogs), starting with twertsy, and then r_olson_6, d42jeep, and senlow contributing examples of Snap-On, Blackhawk, Plomb, New Britain/NONE BETTER, and Craftsman =V=, collectively. Linked here for convenience.

I said I didn't have any, but I was mistaken.

View media item 78945

That looks like an old one. Male hex input with female hex output? Any brand or stamping on it?

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[Private Lugnutz]

It is old, Roy. In fact, I think it could well be the first of its kind. Still reading up on the category, in terms of history and sequence, so I say that cautiously. But I know that it was being made as early as 1920, and patented in late 1922, well before Snap-On's No. 6, which was patented in early 1923, and widely considered to be the first. Even more amazing, it's an in-line design, whereas Snap-On's No. 6 was the open-geared clutch type with two pieces that spring together. Snap-On would not introduce an in-line type until 1939.

It is 5/8-inch hex drive. Unique design is an understatement. It's not marked, but I know what it is, because it came in a complete set, in a wood box, with an intact label. One of my favorite all-time most admired socket sets. And yes, I am being vague and coy on purpose. I want to see you guys have some fun trying to figure this one out, if you're up for it.

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks for the hints. Can you take a picture of the output side of it? I am very curious now. My guess and I am very very green in this older stuff would be Bay State. But I will wait and see what the experts have to say.

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[Private Lugnutz]

Can you take a picture of the output side of it?

I am going to hold off on posting that for now so as to prolong the suspense. It has a unique attribute that might immediately give it away. EDIT: Just saying that is probably saying too much for someone read-up on obscure mfgr's of that era.

 

[four.cycle]

"...Snap-On, Blackhawk, Plomb, New Britain/NONE BETTER, and Craftsman =V=..."

No Herbrand "Ratch-a-Dapter" or Walden?

I have a Walden 1/4" drive unit here somewhere in the mess. Don't know why. Not like I have a shortage of ratchets now.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No Herbrand "Ratch-a-Dapter" or Walden?

It was a very short spree!

My guess and I am very very green in this older stuff would be Bay State. But I will wait and see what the experts have to say.

Not Bay State. A valiant idea, though! I am not sure there are too many experts on this particular mfgr. It doesn't pop up too often. There aren't any examples on Alloy Artifacts or Tool Archives (not yet anyway and soon to be remedied!). I haven't seen any on GG or Papaw's or anywhere like that, as far as I know. I do know of one fairly complete set here on GJ, found in 2016, not surprisingly by one of our most understated and underrated Garage Sale Thread pickers. If he's around, he'll recognize it.

 

[Bockscar]

Hello all
This is my first post and I have just started to get interested in old U.S.A. tools the amount of tool makers at one time astonishes me..... I picked up this ratchet and am curious as to who made it..... the only visable mark is an H. I picked it up at an auction in a box with a bunch of None Better sockets

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[r_olson_06]

Hello all
This is my first post and I have just started to get interested in old U.S.A. tools the amount of tool makers at one time astonishes me..... I picked up this ratchet and am curious as to who made it..... the only visable mark is an H. I picked it up at an auction in a box with a bunch of None Better sockets

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Welcome to the thread. That is a Walden ratchet. Usually marked around the non knurled part of the handle.

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[Bockscar]

Welcome to the thread. That is a Walden ratchet. Usually marked around the non knurled part of the handle.

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Thanks for the info.... there is nothing in the band between the two knurled parts.....I was curious of the age of the ratchet.... it still works but the gear is pretty shot..... must have been the persons favorite

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[r_olson_06]

Thanks for the info.... there is nothing in the band between the two knurled parts.....I was curious of the age of the ratchet.... it still works but the gear is pretty shot..... must have been the persons favorite

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I am not sure. AA date range is wide maybe twersty could shed some light. Here is the AA website link
http://alloy-artifacts.org/walden-worcester-p2.html#sockets


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[Ole Slewfoot]

It looks to me like that gear is just very poorly cut.

 

[four.cycle]

Walden Worcester. Equivalent to their model 1150.
Was one of the first questions I asked when I joined this site.
Not a bad piece of machinery for the time - a little dab of white lithium grease and some Marvel Mystery Oil dampens the "clack clack" somewhat.

You can pick those up pretty cheap on Ebay - usually the sellers don't know what they are. My guess on the unmarked units is they were made for some private label account or possibly a military/government contract.

Some have a lever type selector, some have a round knob.
Some have the knurling on the handle, some don't:





And welcome to the site!

 

[Fialaja]

Here are mine:
1/2 drive: Digitorque craftsman, (2)craftsman rhft, (2)rhft Armstrong (2) S91 Armstrong, Frankenstein SK, drop out mechanism craftsman, USA made master mechanic, Williams super ratchet, flex head Husky, rhft Ridgid with long handle, and an SK that I picked up at a hardware store that was closing for $3 because it was missing the guts (a call to Sk got me a rebuild kit at no charge)

3/8drive: (3)rhft craftsman ratchets, (2) stainless steel craftsmans, a craftsman triwing with Husky guts for quick release and durability, a craftsman drop out style mechanism, (2)Easco flex heads, a stubby craftsman tri wing flex (again with Husky guts), a Williams super ratchet, (2) long handle professional craftsman tear drop ratchets, a 60 tooth comfort grip craftsman and a craftsman head from a flex head(no handle) for getting into tight places.

1/4 Drive: (2) craftsman rhft, a professional style tear drop craftsman, a stainless steel craftsman, a triwing with Husky guts, a drop out mechanism craftsman.

 

[Fialaja]

Pictures of my collection

 

[Fialaja]

More pics

 

[Odes]

Here is the ratchets I picked up today
A round head just marked USA
Cornwell 1/2
1/4 husky
3/8 Blackhawk
3/8 kraeuter
3/8 action
3/8 wright

 

[RagTopTA]

More pics

nice collection you have going! those stainless have eluded me so far!

Here is the ratchets I picked up today
A round head just marked USA
Cornwell 1/2
1/4 husky
3/8 Blackhawk
3/8 kraeuter
3/8 action
3/8 wright

that old Cornwell is a score. Post a pic of the whole thing ?

 

[Odes]

I will post some more pics when I get off work the cornwell needs a cleaning but the action is really smooth I just used to night

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here ya go, Roy. (I don't think anyone else is playing...)

 

[r_olson_06]

Here ya go, Roy. (I don't think anyone else is playing...)

Broken attachment. The suspense continues.

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[Private Lugnutz]

That's weird. Fixed.

 

[alton1911]

Here are a couple of Penens ratchets I recently got. Missing a select lever on the 3/8 drive.


But I like these two very much. Hope I find more like them.

 

[LesserSon]

That's weird. Fixed.

That’s the “unique attribute”?!! I thought if I waited for it, I might recognize the manufacturer, but I don’t. Looks like an embryonic Ridley Scott alien coiled up inside the female hex. What is it really? And how does it give away the manufacturer?

 

[four.cycle]

But I like these two very much. Hope I find more like them.

Don't know about the 3/8" drive, but those 1661 1/2" drive models can be had cheap on Ebay if you keep your eye out for them. Like "Fleet" brand, seems like nobody wants them. I got a 1661 in a "grab bag" box of stuff and was surprised at the action considering how coarse the mechanism is.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That’s the “unique feature”?!! I thought if I waited for it, I might recognize the manufacturer, but I don’t. Looks like an embryonic Ridley Scott alien coiled up inside the female hex. What is it really? And how does it give away the manufacturer?

A very vivid and imaginative description, LS!

That thing is actually a split pin made of spring steel. The male hex drive tangs on all the pieces of the set, sockets and handles (see the other end of the ratchet for an example) are hollow. It's like an un-threaded elongated hex nut. When the male hex drive tang is inserted into a female counterpart, it squeezes the two halves of the spring steel split pin together, putting force on the inside wall of the hollow male hex drive tang, holding the socket (or handle, as the case may be) in place on the ratchet. Akin to the same function as a friction ball or a detent ball in other more common attachment designs. Only much more exotic. And unique. As far as I know, the mfgr is the only mfgr to use such a design.

But I think I may have understated the obscurity of the mfgr and overstated the power of the hint.

EDIT: BTW, the fancy toggle on the other end of "the ratchet" (the mfgr did not call it an adaptor, it literally was the ratchet, and the only ratchet in the set) is the direction switch!

 

[LesserSon]

Ah-ha! So this is the William H Gates patent # 1,428,840, Sept. 12,1922. (Apparently NOT an ancestor of the Microsoft founder.)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Ah-ha! So this is the William H Gates patent # 1,428,840, Sept. 12,1922.

Bingo! Give that man a cigar! (See, I told you it was - with a little more explanatory prodding - a dead give-away!)

Granted four months before the Joe Johnson/Snap-On patent (1,443,413, Jan. 20, 1923) for a "ratchet adapter" often credited, erroneously, as the first of its kind.

My admiration for the Eastern Machine Screw Company ratchet- and socket-wrench set tools is boundless. Snowed- and frozen-in, I've been using the opportunity to catch up on some documentation efforts. I will be posting a bunch of 1920's era socket sets, including Eastern, here on GJ and on the Tools Archive soon.

 

[LesserSon]

Was he the vice president of the company? If so, he was about 55 in 1922. In the 1920 census, he was living at 295 Bradley Ave, Branford, CT, with his wife, Minnie; son-in-law, Carl Welch Bettcher; daughter, Natalie; and infant grandson, Carl (one-time plant manager of Eastern Screw and later president/owner of Van Dusen & Meyer, aero/nautical precision parts manufacturer). Seems like mechanical and managerial brilliance ran in the family.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Was he the vice president of the company?

Yes. Prior to that he was a machinist for a firearms maker. He owned several patents that were brought over to the new company. EDIT: I may as well let more of the cat out of the bag and say that I think the "G" in the heretofore inexplicable "H & G" branding on all the Eastern Machine Screw products was for Gates. And I believe that the "H" signified the other Vice President, Hubinger. Much more on all this in a more appropriate thread for it.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

No tools, but a nice h&g socket set ad on aa, under eastern machine screw.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Herbrand Van-Chrome 1/2" drive ratchet I found at the flea on Saturday. I don't see this exact ratchet in the catalogs or on AA. My best guess is 1941 right before the metal restrictions but perhaps a Herbrand collector has a better idea. The ratchet works like new.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No tools, but a nice h&g socket set ad on aa, under eastern machine screw.

I have that set. I've been doing research, taking photos, and preparing descriptions of the tools and "bios" of the mfgrs for several 1920's sets, including Eastern's. I will try to post them soon.

 

[RagTopTA]

Got this today.... Weird that BernzOmatic would even make a ratchet but there it is.

 

[RAS61]

I have a 60's Armstrong S-91 ratchet coming from ebay like the one pictured. Question: is the hole at the end of the handle for a crossbar, and if so, where do you find a crossbar and how do you use it? I've read that for breaker bars a crossbar will turn it into a T handle spinner, which makes sense, but that's pointless for a ratchet, especially w/o a flex head, so I can't figure out how this would work or what it's purpose is (?)

 

[J.A.F.E.]

It's a hang hole for use on a tool board or a pegboard. Could also be used as a place to connect a tether if working on a scaffold or at height. It's a nice ratchet.

 

[four.cycle]

^ so the retailer could hang it from a display board.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

If you had to crank something a lot, you could use a pin handle, large nail, or bolt on a handle.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you had to crank something

+1. In fact, seizing on that same idea a little more permanently, socket wrench ratchets were commonly modified into cranks by Plomb, Williams, Armstrong, and others on contract with the military, AT&T, power line companies, and others with a need for a ratcheting speed crank.

 

[paulm12]

recent garage sale find: Husky H4725. Still need to disassemble and clean, but it works well. I don't know much about these (ratchets or Husky tools) but I thought for $1 I would grab it.

 

[RAS61]

It's a hang hole for use on a tool board or a pegboard. Could also be used as a place to connect a tether if working on a scaffold or at height. It's a nice ratchet.

Hah! The answer is much simpler than I imagined

I hope it is nice and the 44 teeth and dual pawl make for a smooth action in an old tool. I've read it's suppose to have low back-drag too - seems to be a bit of a sleeper for a 1/2 ratchet, maybe the Armstrong brand isn't as **** or prestigious as some others?