Tool Talk

Farm and Implement Wrenches and Tools => Farm Implement Wrenches and Tools => Topic started by: jimwrench on June 19, 2014, 10:07:02 PM

Title: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: jimwrench on June 19, 2014, 10:07:02 PM: They only had three wrenchs at auction tonight. Two were Ford wrenchs which I had no interest in,but the third was a St Louis Wrench Co (C) wrench which I thought would enhance my basement décor. Finally asked the ring girl to sell the stupid wrench so I could go home (asked her to sell it alone but auctioneer insisted all three should be sold together) Anyway it now is mine. Rathbone shows (A) and (B) versions of this wrench selling at auction but not the (C).Anyhow I,m happy,happy,happy with my new buggy wrench.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: bear_man on June 20, 2014, 02:02:03 AM: Nice! I was just looking at a similar wrench downstairs today, thinking I should clean it. It's got what I think is a capital "E" in a circle, and some numbers — but like I hinted at, it needs some cleaning. I've moved this wrench out of the way for just about exactly long enough and only now learn it's a buggy wrench. Thanks, Jim.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Bus on June 20, 2014, 01:00:39 PM: Jim,
I got the "A" version at the York Spring Auction. It's 6.5" long.

Patent was issue to John A. Miller of St. Louis. Patent feature was the eight point openings. Similar wrenches are marked Miller Vehicle Wrench.

http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=445451&id=13959&set=171 (http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=445451&id=13959&set=171)

(http://www.datamp.org/images/13959-1.jpg)
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Plyerman on June 20, 2014, 02:35:23 PM: So it looks like that 8-point opening is designed to fit two different size square nuts, is that correct? Were the sizes of square nuts fairly standard back then? (because I had the impression that nothing was standardized back then)
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: leg17 on June 20, 2014, 07:11:10 PM: "E" in a circle could be manufactured by Eberhard.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: jimwrench on June 20, 2014, 08:59:34 PM: Looks like their (A)(B)(C) designation might have just been a length change but maybe the patented end changed size also. The (C) has a 1.25 square on the patented end and I don,t have the other two to compare. THe length of (A) (per Bus) is 6.50 and the (B) per Saak sale was 8.25 and the (C) measures 8.75.
Looks like Binghampton wagon used Millers patent also. Looks like St Louis wrench co and Binghampton Wagon co were both in business a short while in the 1890,s
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: rusty on June 20, 2014, 11:05:17 PM: Stray random bit...

John A. Miller of St. Louis and Eberhard were both exhibitors in the same building in the 1894 exhibition....(Columbian)
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Bus on June 21, 2014, 12:13:04 AM: Quote from: bear_man on June 20, 2014, 02:02:03 AM
Nice! I was just looking at a similar wrench downstairs today, thinking I should clean it. It's got what I think is a capital "E" in a circle, and some numbers — but like I hinted at, it needs some cleaning. I've moved this wrench out of the way for just about exactly long enough and only now learn it's a buggy wrench. Thanks, Jim.

Does your "E" in a circle (Eberhard) wrench have the eight point opening? I have never seen one that did.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: rustcollector on June 21, 2014, 04:58:55 PM: The correct spelling is Binghamton, no P in it. Well, at least in the word, Binghamton itself smells like P most of the time. Rathbone goofed in the header for the company. I've also found evidence Binghamton Wagon was around a few years before the date Rathbone listed, and know for sure they were done by 1900, as the building was sold and making chairs at that point. The thing I can't seem to find is if they just went under or were bought by another outfit.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: bear_man on June 21, 2014, 10:50:37 PM: Thanks, leg17 and rusty! Bus, no, it doesn't. Square-four on the big box end and three open-ends on the other end (middle of which is cut out more like for 6-point bolts/nuts, while the others are square/90° bottomed). 9-1/8" overall.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Carl Wagner on June 23, 2014, 10:22:54 PM: I have the A B and O versions of the St. Louis buggy wrench. In my opinion the C is far far more rare than the others. I've looked for a few years for the C version with no luck. And I'm in MO so I thought maybe one would pop up someday. Great find. I hope to get that one someday.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Charles Garrett on August 12, 2014, 11:46:42 AM: As I recall E could stand for Emerson. Chuck Garrett
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: bear_man on August 15, 2014, 12:48:23 AM: Chuck, I'll make note of that on it's string-tag too, and thanks. I've owned this wrench for close to 15 years and didn't know what it was till here recently. Color me slow.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: Bus on August 15, 2014, 03:10:26 PM: Quote from: Charles Garrett on August 12, 2014, 11:46:42 AM
As I recall E could stand for Emerson. Chuck Garrett

The "E" in a circle logo wrench belongs to Eberhard. I have Eberhard catalogs that show it.

I was at the home of John Miller's Great Grandson yesterday. He has a picture of his Great Grandfather on the
wall of his office and quite a few of his wrenches.
Title: Re: St Louis Wrench Co
Post by: four.cycle on February 17, 2021, 12:05:07 PM: RE: John A. Miller / St. Louis Wrench Co. / "Miller's Patent Vehicle Wrench" / "Miller's Reducing Wrench"

This one was confusing me because the advertisements and patent documents show two different addresses for Mr. Miller in St. Louis, and then another address in St. Charles, MO. Fortunately DataMP was already way ahead of me on this one.

Miller / John A. Miller, St. Charles, MO / patent 239972 April 12, 1881 / patent 243942 July 5, 1881 /

Miller / John A. Miller, 303 Lucas Ave., St. Louis, MO / "Miller's Patent Vehicle Wrench / patent 445451 Jan. 27, 1891 / (see St. Louis Wrench Co.) /

Miller / John A. Miller, 212 Morgan St., St. Louis, MO / "Miller's Reducing Wrench" 1891 / patent 239972 April 12, 1881 /patent 253549 Feb. 14, 1882 /