French vs. American tire valve nut wrenches

[Wrenchmensch]

These are two tire valve tools used to remove tire valve nuts in the first decade of the 20th century. One was given to Michelin tire users in France and the English-speaking world, the other to Goodrich in the English-speaking world (principally the United States).  The difference in approaches is marked. Michelin used a simplistic 4" stamped open-ended wrench, with a 19 mm opening, and pinned a valve stem remover to the end. Goodrich used the more creative 1909 patented 5" Walden Worcester 3/4" ratchet (with no valve stem remover). The engineers' conclusions as to the valve nut size required to secure the valves to the rims were similar; 19mm is only a hairs-breadth smaller than 3/4"


Vive la difference!

[Hm Wrench]

Very interesting, I should pay better attention i just passed up the bottom one this morning.


Thanks,
Kirk