Groton Carriage Co.

rustcollector · March 17, 2013, 04:22:38 PM

This was just one of the true treasures I was able to get in the Tired Iron Auction.
Groton, NY is not far away from me, yet I have never seen one of these wrenches before. Patent Date is Mar 26, 1895.

Lewill2 · March 17, 2013, 06:30:23 PM

Erwin Woodward patent.

rustcollector · March 17, 2013, 06:44:53 PM

lewill2, I was looking at the patent on uspto and Datamp earlier. Datamp refers to one selling in 2001, but nothing else. I have no interest at all in selling it, but wonder how rare it really is, have any idea?

wrenchguy · March 17, 2013, 07:59:36 PM

i been messing with buggies wrenches 20 year and ain't seen one. does russ marshall frequent here? he'd know. good one.

Plyerman · March 17, 2013, 09:35:04 PM

Naive questions here, but did all buggies have square-headed nuts? And was it automobiles with hex-headed nuts that came along and ended the square nut era?

rustcollector · March 17, 2013, 09:55:59 PM

Most buggies did that I've seen. Having said that, I have seen a couple, probably less than 5 out of all of them I've seen, that did have hex nuts. I do not know if the hex were original to the buggies though either. Very possible somebody did that to them later on in the buggy's life.

I've never really paid attention to when the switch really started, does seem like it was right about the time of the switch from buggies to horseless carriages though.

Now I'm a bit curios as to what the more modern Amish buggies have. I've never looked at those ones that close.

Plyerman · March 17, 2013, 09:57:32 PM

Hey, that's a good point, I've never thought to look either.

EDIT: I just now googled "amish carriage". Of the pictures of carriages not in motion, they all looked to have greased wheel bearings with caps. Nary a square nut to be seen.

rustcollector · March 17, 2013, 10:23:55 PM

That's interesting. Guess they are catching up with the times after all...lol

Wrenchmensch · March 23, 2013, 04:33:48 PM

I used to demonstrate greasing carriage axles at the Mercer Museum. All their carriages had square axle nuts

mvwcnews · March 23, 2013, 05:32:56 PM

Quote from: rustcollector on March 17, 2013, 04:22:38 PM
This was just one of the true treasures I was able to get in the Tired Iron Auction.
Groton, NY is not far away from me, yet I have never seen one of these wrenches before. Patent Date is Mar 26, 1895.

HELLO,
As the DATAMP "wrench steward," can I copy your images for the DATAMP entry for Pat. 536,312?
As to rarity, these probably only received limited regional distribution.
Regards, Stan Schulz, editor MVWC Newsletter & DATAMP "wrench steward."

rustcollector · March 23, 2013, 06:57:51 PM

Quote from: mvwcnews on March 23, 2013, 05:32:56 PM

HELLO,
As the DATAMP "wrench steward," can I copy your images for the DATAMP entry for Pat. 536,312?
As to rarity, these probably only received limited regional distribution.
Regards, Stan Schulz, editor MVWC Newsletter & DATAMP "wrench steward."

Absolutely, always willing to help in any way to help preserve and contribute to the knowledge we have and find of these great old tools.

If you need anything different with the photos, don't hesitate to ask. I can try to take better ones, or modify them if need be.

mvwcnews · March 23, 2013, 11:24:32 PM

Quote from: rustcollector on March 23, 2013, 06:57:51 PM

Quote from: mvwcnews on March 23, 2013, 05:32:56 PM

......
Absolutely, always willing to help in any way to help preserve and contribute to the knowledge we have and find of these great old tools.

If you need anything different with the photos, don't hesitate to ask. I can try to take better ones, or modify them if need be.
Thanks -- since DATAMP images are limited to 400 pixels maximum in longest dimension, I "photosh*ped" them together. Regards, Stan S.

rustcollector · March 15, 2014, 02:54:07 PM

Kind of strange, almost exactly 1 year after finding the adjustable Groton Carriage wrench, I just acquired a second style Groton. The patent for this one is a wild looking thing, and the wrench I have does not really look like it. But the name of the inventor was the President of Groton Carriage works at the time, so I'm positive it's based off the patent. When I bought it I thought it was incomplete, upon receiving it and studying it, I now believe it may be. I don't think they ever put the nut locking spring on it. I don't think their design was practical to do so. Patent # is 510,441, which, until I sent a message to Stan, was not known to have been produced.

I've been doing as much research as I can on the Groton Carriage Co., it seems they were a rather predominant carriage maker in the east for quite a number of years. Started in 1855, but only under that name since 1870, can't find a date where they went away, but I have found stuff where they were still going in 1900.

I hoping I can throw together a respectable shadowbox and bring them out to York in April.

Whether my wrench is complete or not, I know I have not seen another like it, and highly doubt I ever will.

The first picture is of both styles.

Plyerman · March 15, 2014, 03:51:40 PM

It must be exciting to find an old wrench that no one knew existed. Congrats RC!

rusty · March 15, 2014, 03:58:44 PM

>can't find a date where they went away, but I have found stuff where they were still going in 1900.

A History of Banking in the State of New York mentions them referring to the great depression (doesn't give an exact year)

They were forced to pledge all the remaining assets of the company against a debt of $60,000 to the First National Bank of Groton...

My guess would be that was the end of the road...

News:

Groton Carriage Co.