Mechanics' Tool Co. No. 75

[Plyerman]

I picked this one up at last month's MVWC auction. (thanks again Bus and Stan!) Been meaning to get these pictures posted up for a few weeks now, but computer time has gotten hard to come by ever since the snow melted.





She is a bizarre one to be sure. With the secondary handle removed, it's a fairly ordinary 6-inch adjustable wrench, albeit with an alligator on the opposite end.   





The toothed-jaw insert on the removable handle allows the wrench to grip round objects. Also, there is a square hole that adjusts in size to drive taps, reamers, etc.




The square drive hole is located right where the worm gear would be on a typical crescent-style wrench. So instead adjustments are made by turning the knurled nut located outboard of the wrench head. (the original nut was missing on the wrench when I got it, so I made a new one)





One handle is stamped MECHANICS' TOOL CO. ROCKFORD, ILL. U.S.A., both handles are stamped 75. I found a picture of it in a 1916 copy of American Machinist magazine on Google Books. The article talks about how the company manufactures wrenches and tools, but it does not specifically mention the No. 75. (left hand picture below, second from the right)



 

[Papaw]

That's one to display for sure!

[john k]

That would have been an excellent wrench to leave at the bench for all kinds of work.   In the catalog on the RH page, I have one of the heavy pliers.    But I'd sure taken that wrench if I had seen it first. 

[Nolatoolguy]

That's one you don't see everyday, very nice wrench there.

Thanks for sharing :)

[Plyerman]

Patent was issued in 1913. Other than a couple of minor changes, the patent drawings look pretty much like the production model.