Karl Andersson
02-04-2015, 7:41 PM
Just thought I’d post a short message about the brace I showed in the cleaning series; it turns out it is identifiable and may be relatively rare, so I want people to be able to find this on the internets.
Thanks to Kim Malmberg for pointing out the similarities to another Chantrell brace described at Georgesbasement.
So, here is the brace in full
306129306138306139
John Chantrell apparently started patenting mechanical innovations in Connecticut, but most of his patents from 1885-1896 list him in Reading, PA.
306130306131306134
This drill has a number of his patent details – the solid frame “chuck” and spring-connected jaws (#328648, 1885), and the same ratchet concept as two of his mid-1880’s patents, except instead of having pins to push on top of theindividual ratchet dogs (the “stops”), a cupped disc was added that pushes one or the other out of contact with the pawl – instead of the pins, there are ball-headed knobs attached to the cup.
306140
The only marking of any kind is the number 128 stamped in the frame
On the Google books project, I found more in the Feb 2, 1893 issue of Iron Age magazine (a weekly trade magazine for hardware, iron, tool, and associated manufacturers). On page 283, there is an article stating that the Chantrell Tool Co. of Reading PA & John H. Graham and Company, 113 Chambers Street, New York are “Offering the brace illustrated…The ratchet mechanism is operated by a circular plate provided with two small knobs and conveniently located back of the head... the steel sweep is nickel plated, the head of Lignum Vitae and the handle of cocabola”. In the illustration, it appears the ball-headed knobs of the ratchet selector were added for this “new” bit brace.
Link: https://books.google.com/books?id=VOM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=chantrell+brace&source=bl&ots=XYVGW54fJp&sig=oPEarLO-N7gDivpk130tmnjtEYc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VDLSVLz8Aoq1ggTbsoDYDw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=chantrell%20brace&f=false (https://books.google.com/books?id=VOM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=chantrell+brace&source=bl&ots=XYVGW54fJp&sig=oPEarLO-N7gDivpk130tmnjtEYc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VDLSVLz8Aoq1ggTbsoDYDw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=chantrell%20brace&f=false)
John Chantrell evidently established the Chantrell Hardware and Tool Co. in Reading PA in the 1880s. In some documents, it appears they also called it the Reading tool Co. sometimes. I haven’t found much in the way of tool information, but they continued into the 1930’s producing door locks and door/ window hardware. They had an iron foundry and warehouse built for them in 1922, so business must have been good.
So, this brace started production in 1893; no information yet on how long it was produced. If you have more to share, please let me know. Guess I'll have to clean off a different 8-inch brace to use...
thanks all,
Karl
Thanks to Kim Malmberg for pointing out the similarities to another Chantrell brace described at Georgesbasement.
So, here is the brace in full
306129306138306139
John Chantrell apparently started patenting mechanical innovations in Connecticut, but most of his patents from 1885-1896 list him in Reading, PA.
306130306131306134
This drill has a number of his patent details – the solid frame “chuck” and spring-connected jaws (#328648, 1885), and the same ratchet concept as two of his mid-1880’s patents, except instead of having pins to push on top of theindividual ratchet dogs (the “stops”), a cupped disc was added that pushes one or the other out of contact with the pawl – instead of the pins, there are ball-headed knobs attached to the cup.
306140
The only marking of any kind is the number 128 stamped in the frame
On the Google books project, I found more in the Feb 2, 1893 issue of Iron Age magazine (a weekly trade magazine for hardware, iron, tool, and associated manufacturers). On page 283, there is an article stating that the Chantrell Tool Co. of Reading PA & John H. Graham and Company, 113 Chambers Street, New York are “Offering the brace illustrated…The ratchet mechanism is operated by a circular plate provided with two small knobs and conveniently located back of the head... the steel sweep is nickel plated, the head of Lignum Vitae and the handle of cocabola”. In the illustration, it appears the ball-headed knobs of the ratchet selector were added for this “new” bit brace.
Link: https://books.google.com/books?id=VOM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=chantrell+brace&source=bl&ots=XYVGW54fJp&sig=oPEarLO-N7gDivpk130tmnjtEYc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VDLSVLz8Aoq1ggTbsoDYDw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=chantrell%20brace&f=false (https://books.google.com/books?id=VOM-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=chantrell+brace&source=bl&ots=XYVGW54fJp&sig=oPEarLO-N7gDivpk130tmnjtEYc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VDLSVLz8Aoq1ggTbsoDYDw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=chantrell%20brace&f=false)
John Chantrell evidently established the Chantrell Hardware and Tool Co. in Reading PA in the 1880s. In some documents, it appears they also called it the Reading tool Co. sometimes. I haven’t found much in the way of tool information, but they continued into the 1930’s producing door locks and door/ window hardware. They had an iron foundry and warehouse built for them in 1922, so business must have been good.
So, this brace started production in 1893; no information yet on how long it was produced. If you have more to share, please let me know. Guess I'll have to clean off a different 8-inch brace to use...
thanks all,
Karl