Fox's patent wrench

[lennard]

Can someone please give some information on this wrench? I have gone through thousands of pics and patent sketches, but I can't find something similar.







Any help will be appreciated.

Lennard

[gibsontool]

Interesting, first one I've ever seen.

[turnnut]

does it say Fox on it ??

it looks like something from England

[Papaw]

Welcome to Tool Talk! I did get your email and intended to respond today. I found nothing on that wrench at all.

Did you check with http://www.htpaa.org.au/index.php , The Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia?

[Yadda]

Neat tool.  Another combo/multi for Bob to add to his list....

[lennard]

Thanks for the positive replies and the link - it did help.

Can there be a possible link between my tool and these:

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioBostonWrench.htm  ?

I can understand that my tool was intended to be patented, but probably not patented because the mechanism on mine is much more complicated than those of the Boston group without making it a better tool? Can it be that the Fox guy did the "improvement" and stamped his name on his "invention" to protect it? Can this probably be a "prototype" that was never manufactured in quantities?

I would like to know how I can find possible blacksmiths, inventors or toolmakers named Fox?

Lennard

[turnnut]

Lennard,

   I believe that the wrench that you show, is a much later made wrench.

   compare yours with the pictures of the ones from Davistown Museum in Liberty Maine
   and the ones in the pictures supplied by Herb Page.

   I am refering to the construction of the movable jaw,  look closely at the ring around the
   handle and the brace.  your brace is the only one with a round rod and it is pinned together,
   whereas the othors look like an open loop.

   the threads should give you some indication to the era of manufacture also.

   p.s. I have been to the Davistown Museum, it's a small but interesting place, lots of old
   made in Maine tools.
   it is right accross the street from Liberty Tool store. home of old/user tools for sale.

[mvwcnews]

I'll second  the suggestion that the design & manufacture is British.    Very little of the early British patent materials are available through google / books but I did find enough different British tool patents granted to  W. P. Fox in the late 19th Century to make him a likely candidate.
Does this forum have an active participant with access to a major research library that might have a set of British patents?  Out here in the Nebraska corn fields is not the best place to try conducting patent research.

[Lewill2]

Maybe one of or UK members can add something but I am under the impression that UK patents start out at zero every year so if you don't know the patentee it is a lot harder to research then US patents. I've never heard of a patent listing like a UK Shockley's. I've never had much luck researching UK patents.

[Lewill2]

I contacted Ron Geesin in the UK. He is in the process of publishing a book on UK wrench makers and UK wrench patents his response is as follows.


"Fox Brothers were very active between 1890 and 1920 as one of the many makers in Sheffield. They are fully covered in the book and the patent is attached here.

Yes, I delivered all material (text & pics) to the publishers in March. Since then, I found another 5 entries and have just sent off the extra new material. We are at layout stage: that is, the designers are juggling text and pics to get items as close to my spec as possible (not always possible!). It is called THE ADJUSTABLE SPANNER and is scheduled for October. I will send you a PDF of the cover soon, so you can start advertising!"

The pdf file of the patent is to big to post here. If someone has a file share service that we can use I can email the file to them. It is UK patent 15,851 issued in 1891. The patent drawings show a wrench as pictured and a second drawing of a wrench with a guide bar on both sides of the wrench without the hammer head.

[Lewill2]

More then one way to skin a cat. Hope the images are big enough to make out.

[Papaw]

Great research, Les!

[lennard]

I contacted Ron Geesin in the UK. He is in the process of publishing a book on UK wrench makers and UK wrench patents his response is as follows.


"Fox Brothers were very active between 1890 and 1920 as one of the many makers in Sheffield. They are fully covered in the book and the patent is attached here.

Yes, I delivered all material (text & pics) to the publishers in March. Since then, I found another 5 entries and have just sent off the extra new material. We are at layout stage: that is, the designers are juggling text and pics to get items as close to my spec as possible (not always possible!). It is called THE ADJUSTABLE SPANNER and is scheduled for October. I will send you a PDF of the cover soon, so you can start advertising!"

The pdf file of the patent is to big to post here. If someone has a file share service that we can use I can email the file to them. It is UK patent 15,851 issued in 1891. The patent drawings show a wrench as pictured and a second drawing of a wrench with a guide bar on both sides of the wrench without the hammer head.

Thank you very much for doing the research on the tool- I appreciate all the time and effort very much! The lack of knowing haunted me and I did a lot of research - now I can come to rest and enjoy the tool.

Doing a lot of research I have decided to start my own collection of wrenches. There are thousands of wrenches  laying around in pawn shops here and I have already spotted other nice ones. Being a teacher the school holidays starts in a weeks time and I am going to spend a lot of time going through the wrenches. I still have to decide what I am going to collect.

I am going to record all the makes and will post them here for others who are interested.

Thanks again.

Lennard

[Bus]

Good work Les.  Please keep us posted on the availability of the book.

[lennard]

This is then the correct engraving:



FOX'S PATENT STEEL BAR WRENCH?

Lennard