Automatic Transmission Company, lima Ohio ATCO

[Northwoods]

I found an 8" adjustable wrench like this one:    Automatic Transmission Company Lima Ohio U.S.A
I found the same wrench on the bay labeled :  ATCO WRENCH CO
Then I found this old wrench on the web by ATCO
What the heck is going on?  How could there be an ATCO company of Lima, Ohio in 1916?  Were automatic transmissions being built in 1916? or did the term refer to another machine or process.

Label me confused--as usual.




https://www.ebay.com/itm/lima-ohio-transmission-adjustable-wrench/263504926086?hash=item3d5a1e1586:g:YrwAAOSwb6daicfk

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ATCO-WRENCH-CO-10-IN-AJUSTABLE-WRENCH-REDUCED/143224913951?hash=item2158dec01f:g:qCoAAOSw4CFY7a2l:sc:USPSPriority!66512!US!-1

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-angle-wrench-atco-wrench-co-412542675

[Plyerman]

Huh, good question. So far I've not been able to turn up much of anything on Atco.

[lptools]

Acme Tool Co., Alliance Tool Co., Allied Tool Co.  Just guessing!!!!! Regards, Lou

[Northwoods]

But how could there be an ATCO wrench w/ a 1916 patent long before automatic transmissions were developed?
Unless the wrench was manufactured long after the 1916 patent?  But then, why forge the Nov 1916 date on a much later wrench?

When would a 1916 patent have run out?

[mvwcnews]

Based on results from google "advanced book search." == Automatic Transmission Co of Bloomington, ILL moved to Lima, OH (built a new plant there) in 1918.
Directory listings  in trade directories  include listings for universal joints, power transmission in factory & foundry setting.  One interesting listing under "change gears" in one Chilton  automotive trade directory.
So probably not transmissions in motor vehicles (as is our first thought).  ATCO was also one of the makers of the "ANY ANGLE" adjustable angle wrench ( http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?number=1205149&typeCode=0 ) which was patented in 1916.

[Northwoods]

Note that according to the patent, the other company licensed to manufacture the wrench was the Imperial Tool Company of Bloomington, Ill.
Do you suppose ATCO was a decendant of Imperial Tool--or that they were one and the same?
Note that the heads are slightly different, that the Imperial tool uses a screw instead of a rivet, and that the Imperial tool has a reinforced hanging hole.
Thank you so much for your research.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-IMP-Imperial-Tool-Push-Button-Adjustable-Angle-Wrench-Bloomington-/202651418980?hash=item2f2ef74164%3Ag%3AfiEAAOSwhMJcr1fF&nma=true&si=mKUlcmIRLkgir1Qb%252BqmrHelxr2k%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://alloy-artifacts.org/Photos/tools/any_angle_adj_8in_wrench_pat_f_cropped_inset2.jpg

[Plyerman]

This is interesting stuff. The Bloomington, Ill. connection seems unlikely to be a coincidence. Also, regarding the differences between tools, the biggest change that jumps out at me is the "open" versus "closed" window around the adjustment worm.


Pictures saved below:

[d42jeep]

Here is an 6" adjustable I picked up on Saturday. Looks to me like it was probably made by Crescent.
-Don

[Northwoods]

Mine has that same forged in D mark.  Or is it D inside D.
Is it familiar?