Cheney Wrenches

[jtc]

I was puzzled when I first came across a Cheney wrench marked Little Falls, NY. I mean, it was called the Henry Cheney *Hammer* Company, not the Henry Cheney Tool Company. But besides finding a 6" adjustable Cheney wrench I found a 1921 trademark registration that states the company made hammers and wrenches. And then I came across U.S. Patent 1,397,214. This patent was issued on November 15, 1921 to Titus S. Hose for an Adjustable Wrench. But it's not the same wrench I've found -- it has a different adjustment mechanism.

Titus Sheard Hose (20 Mar 1890 - 24 Nov 1948) ran the Henry Cheney Hammer Company from 1917 to 1925 while his step-father, David Jenkins Williams, held controlling interest in the company. So far I've found six patents issued to Titus. Only one of those was assigned to the Henry Cheney Hammer Company, but it seems likely that they used all six. The other five all have to do with hammers and hammer manufacturing.

Has anyone seen a wrench that matches this patent?



It might not be immediately obvious from the drawings, but it has a spring-loaded slider holding the lower jaw in position.

Looks like a great design!

[jtc]

I added an image of the drawing, but modifying the original message didn't trigger any notification that this topic had any new information, so I'm posting this reply...

[Bus]

Can you post a photo of your wrench?

[jtc]

I need to work on some better photos...



The handle on this side is marked "Cheney Corp." "Little Falls, N.Y."



And on this side "6 IN" "Cheney" "Drop Forged Warranted."

Otherwise it appears to be a perfectly ordinary adjustable wrench. I would normally refer to it as a Crescent wrench, much like I would ask for a Kleenex rather than a facial tissue...

[Bus]

Does look like a regular Crescent wrench but with a rare brand name. There was one on the 2006 Freeman Auction. I think that's the only other one I've seen.

[jtc]

I've only seen two like this one pictured above. I'm fairly certain that they must have been produced right around 1920. Maybe a year earlier, maybe a couple of years later. Definitely during Titus Sheard Hose's management. Unfortunately Mr. Hose was noted for being opposed to advertising.

[jtc]

I stumbled upon this interesting wrench:

http://gulfstatesafety.firefightertool.com/chrome-rapidslide-adjustable-wrench.html

Here's the picture:


It's a Crescent "Rapidslide" adjustable wrench. It's not exactly the same as Titus' patent, but it appears to use the same principle -- a spring-loaded slider to hold the adjustable jaw in position.

[rusty]

But Crescent's wrench is at least usable with one hand.

There are problems with Rose's wrench design, and I suspect it didn't make it much past prototype, when someone actuly tried to use it.

To put it on a bolt, you have to hold the wrench with one hand, draw back the dogging block with , I suppose your thumb, and push in the jaw piece with your other hand (now using both hands at once) and also wiggle it on the bolt to make it fit tight. And then , the dogging block, which is knurled, will slip back to the last full knurled groove, so the wrench will never be quite , entirely tight on the bolt.....

I suspect that a wrench was promised to customers, the new design didn't work out, so someone made a panic call to Crescent (or whoever) ...

[jtc]

Rusty, I respectfully disagree. Titus Hose's design requires careful study. The "clutch block" only needs to be moved to open the jaws, there's a "button" on the bottom of the movable jaw that is pressed to adjust the jaw inward. The movable jaw has ratcheting teeth that press against the clutch block. It is designed to be used with one hand. Gravity should suffice to open the movable jaw once the clutch block is disengaged. And only a thumb or finger is needed to ratchet the movable jaw in to a snug position.

It's pretty clear that Titus was responsible for wrenches being produced by the Henry Cheney Hammer Corporation. He ran the place from 1917-1925 while his step-father held controlling interest. Six months after his step-father died the company was sold to the Prentiss Vise Company. Production of wrenches probably stopped when Titus left. Perhaps he took his patent with him. Perhaps he licensed it to another company.

Titus appears to have given himself a golden parachute, in the form of U.S. Patents 1,548,603 and 1,550,962. These are for a method of forging a hammer in two steps with one heating and the die for this process. These patents were applied for in April. The company was sold in June. The patents were granted in August. They were assigned to Titus' wife, Agnes H. Hose.

[jtc]

I found some more Cheney wrenches:

U.S. Patent 457,107 granted 04 Aug 1891 to Charles Warren Cheney of Athol, MA.

U.S. Patent 581,267   Apr. 27, 1897   Daniel A. Cheney of Central Park, MT.

U.S. Patent 611,771   Oct. 04, 1898   Daniel A. Cheney of Central Park, MT.

I don't think any of these are related to the Henry Cheney Hammer Company.