Oldtuleguy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2017
- Messages
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They work fine. Most newer stuff use stretch bolts so you need a torque angle meter, but I still get some use from older foot lb versions for torqueing wheels and such
Torque!
- Thread starter bmwrd0
- Start date
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Another Apco Mossberg:
I picked this up as part of a haul today. I can't find any markings other than what's on the dial.
I picked this up as part of a haul today. I can't find any markings other than what's on the dial.
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slowtwitch73
Well-known member
That bad boy has seen some action. I wonder if the grooves in the handle are for hanging a weight to calibrate.
Be curious if it's reading accurately.
Be curious if it's reading accurately.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Interesting thought! I wonder what I can find for calibration weights? The only real ones I have are for precision scales--50, 100 and 500 gram. I guess any piece of scrap metal, weighed on one of our brewery scales would work... hmm....
I purchased it as a wall-hanger for the shop and never really gave any thought to using it. I understand the Apco are adjustable?
All I can say for sure is it needs some TLC before it could be used. I clamped the end in a vise and put all my weight on it. It moves smoothly and seems to indicate pretty much on, but doesn't return to zero.
slowtwitch73
Well-known member
Or use a scale and make your own with water and jugs...
Beerhippie
Well-known member
We have an Oregon Bureau of Trade cert scale that goes to 30kg. That should do it--but what about the fact it doesn't return to zero? Can I take the indicator apart to clean and oil it?
No where near the top of my list of priorities right now....
slowtwitch73
Well-known member
I'm no help on that... I just know one way to test/adjust is by hanging known weight on it square drive in vise).. something ideally in the middle of its range.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Another Apco Mossberg:
I picked this up as part of a haul today. I can't find any markings other than what's on the dial.
I did some cleaning on this old torque wrench today. I knocked the worst of the dirt and rust off and managed to clean and lube the measuring parts some.
The only parts that come off (with reasonable force) are these:
I was surprised to find that the splined drive is an adapter! I think it'll go in the box with my 1/2" breaker bar--I can see it coming in handy.
The adapter is also roll-embossed with the APCO Mossberg and Battleboro, Mass. With the adapter removed, the wrench just has the fixed 1/2" square post and detente ball.
I removed the screws, which allowed the two beams to slide a ways out of the handle, but they stopped after about 3/4". I chose not to force them, seeing as I have no idea what' going on in there( well, actually, I have a pretty good idea). The beam the screws go into is fixed relative to the handle, but the other beam slides in and out of the handle via a bronze or brass sleeve. Obviously, there is a rack of some kind mounted to that beam that runs a pinon for the dial indicator.
The adjustment of the wrench--and I assume the calibration--is done by rotating the bezel of the dial indicator. I got that broke loose while fiddling with it to see if I could pull it off. I worked some CLP and 30 wt into the sliding beam sleeve before I put the screws back in, which let me slit it back and forth while wiping up the crud that came out. It moves smoothly now and returns to zero.
With everything back together, the worst of the crud dealt with and a very light coat of BLO on the rust-prone parts, it now seems to work pretty damned well. I still need to give it a real test, but hanging my weight off of it produced reasonable results.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
I did some cleaning on this old torque wrench today. I knocked the worst of the dirt and rust off and managed to clean and lube the measuring parts some.
The only parts that come off (with reasonable force) are these:
I was surprised to find that the splined drive is an adapter! I think it'll go in the box with my 1/2" breaker bar--I can see it coming in handy.
The adapter is also roll-embossed with the APCO Mossberg and Battleboro, Mass. With the adapter removed, the wrench just has the fixed 1/2" square post and detente ball.
I removed the screws, which allowed the two beams to slide a ways out of the handle, but they stopped after about 3/4". I chose not to force them, seeing as I have no idea what' going on in there( well, actually, I have a pretty good idea). The beam the screws go into is fixed relative to the handle, but the other beam slides in and out of the handle via a bronze or brass sleeve. Obviously, there is a rack of some kind mounted to that beam that runs a pinon for the dial indicator.
The adjustment of the wrench--and I assume the calibration--is done by rotating the bezel of the dial indicator. I got that broke loose while fiddling with it to see if I could pull it off. I worked some CLP and 30 wt into the sliding beam sleeve before I put the screws back in, which let me slit it back and forth while wiping up the crud that came out. It moves smoothly now and returns to zero.
With everything back together, the worst of the crud dealt with and a very light coat of BLO on the rust-prone parts, it now seems to work pretty damned well. I still need to give it a real test, but hanging my weight off of it produced reasonable results.
I forgot to note that the only markings on this tool are the dial indicator and the splined drive adapter. It has absolutely no other markings.
It seems that every other Apco Mossberg torque wrench--which they long longer seem to make--searching the 'net had the military #s on it. Was this the only one made for the civilian market?
Hi Everyone: I just picked up this Apco Mossberg 1/4” drive Torque Tool Patent No. 2348098… I’ve never seen one like this b4. Haven’t been able to find much information on it yet. My guess is it’s from the 1930’s. It’ll make a nice addition to the rest of the torque wrenches I already have…
I did manage to find an Apco Mossberg a 10 page manual of their torque wrenches but I couldn’t find this one in that manual…
I did manage to find an Apco Mossberg a 10 page manual of their torque wrenches but I couldn’t find this one in that manual…
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RTM
Well-known member
RTM
Well-known member
No, almost all the patent numbers online have the A in the
The tool doesn't have to look the same for the patent to be applicable. Especially when it's something small that is patented, might be hidden inside the tool. I did not dig deeply, but typically it says your tool should be no older than 1944, and no newer than 1944+17 years, just to help with your searching in catalogs.
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Thanks for the prompt response and your input RTM. This torque tool is a little different than what I’m used to seeing. Most torques have the male socket at the bottom of the tool where this one is on the top. As well it seems to have little legs on the bottom which I’ve never seen b4 but then I’m not as knowledgeable as other people on this site. Thanks again RTM
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Only Google adds that "A" suffix, @RTM. Not sure why/what it signifies, because I don't use Google Patents, but it does not appear in the USPTO system.
@Ayrhead - Look at the original patent number on the patent itself (no "A"). I agree with @RTM. That model you have clearly has really wide wings supporting the beam indicator scale, but if you look at how the actual torque is measured, it's the same basic mechanism.
I've never seen this type of torque wrench from APCO-Mossberg or this patent (Storrie). The one I posted in post #7 - 2169223 (Apr 9, 1940 / Montgomery), with a wartime FSN on it, which is a Dial Indicator type, was preceded by Montgomery's 2125945 (Aug 9, 1938). They were busy bees in torque wrench design between 1938 and 1944!
@Ayrhead - Look at the original patent number on the patent itself (no "A"). I agree with @RTM. That model you have clearly has really wide wings supporting the beam indicator scale, but if you look at how the actual torque is measured, it's the same basic mechanism.
I've never seen this type of torque wrench from APCO-Mossberg or this patent (Storrie). The one I posted in post #7 - 2169223 (Apr 9, 1940 / Montgomery), with a wartime FSN on it, which is a Dial Indicator type, was preceded by Montgomery's 2125945 (Aug 9, 1938). They were busy bees in torque wrench design between 1938 and 1944!
Here’s a couple more pictures… I should have measured the length… it’s about 7” long…
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Thanks for adding your thoughts Private Lugnutz. It will go nicely into the portable man cave… it will be my first Torque Tool where the head is on the top instead of the bottom of the tool.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
They were apparently fond of that configuration. If you look at the Dial Indicator type model I posted in post #7, page 1, with the wartime FSN, it's configured the same way. Curiously, @Beerhippie found one like mine with no FSN (post #42-50, this page) and the drive stud faces down.
Yes, I just did. Thanks again for your input
Beerhippie
Well-known member
"Inch-grams". Now there's something to irritate both metric and inch adherents!
It looks like it was made for bench work... but no idea what kind. Calibrating something else?
As for the top-mount stud, I can see it coming in handy for torquing a fastener that faces down without lying on one's back... assuming said fastener is near the edge of whatever it's on. Maybe for up-wards facing fasteners that are overhead and near the edge of the equipment?
Seems like pretty limited applications.
It looks like it was made for bench work... but no idea what kind. Calibrating something else?
As for the top-mount stud, I can see it coming in handy for torquing a fastener that faces down without lying on one's back... assuming said fastener is near the edge of whatever it's on. Maybe for up-wards facing fasteners that are overhead and near the edge of the equipment?
Seems like pretty limited applications.
Oregon rock crusher
Well-known member
Here is a torque wrench I picked up at the Redmond swap meet yesterday. The unusual shape of the Beam was cool and the interesting brand, "Miniature Train & Railroad Co." was barely visible under a grimy layer. For $5 it landed in the cart. I found a little info on these. Possibly made in a one year run in 1936. With scale to 100 ft lbs I'd say these were for the small scale trains you can ride on. I think not many are still around. Ed.
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Mintgrun
Well-known member
I found one too, so now you've seen two! Thank you for dating piehammer's example and explaining the numbering system.
I like that the lens is glass, but wish I could remove it to clean the face. The removable/reversible plug is a cool detail.
Tom
Mintgrun
Well-known member
This 3/8" drive spark plug tension wrench came in an old Snap-on box-o-tools last summer.
(I shared it in the Snap-on thread along with the other tools; but it fits better here, so I will indulge in posting it again).
On the handle it says, "Blue Crown spark plugs are always dependable" and Pat. Pend.
Here's a 1939 printed ad that's for sale on ePay.
"Now you can install spark plugs with MICROMETRIC precision!"
Tom
(I shared it in the Snap-on thread along with the other tools; but it fits better here, so I will indulge in posting it again).
On the handle it says, "Blue Crown spark plugs are always dependable" and Pat. Pend.
Here's a 1939 printed ad that's for sale on ePay.
"Now you can install spark plugs with MICROMETRIC precision!"
Tom
d42jeep
Well-known member
Here is a 3/8” drive Walden I posted on that thread.
-Don
-Don
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
It seems like everyone has the Snap-on U-boat jobbie Torqometers. But there’s probably not too many of this model floating around!
Not quite as small, but functional. I tried to talk my dentist out of one of these when I had one of my implants done...
Measures in Newton/Centimeters - Good to about 1.8 inch lbs... I just wasn't sure what I'd ever use it for other than bragging rights.