W & B Co Hercules wrench

[stanley62]

Found this guy at the antique store today.  I have been looking thru the glass case at it for weeks.  finally had the guy open the case and it followed me home.
It  is stamped W & B Co Herecules.  Looked it up in Cope and it is made by Whitman and Barnes Co.  It has a pat. date of Feb 27 ??  Looks like 83 or 93.  Haven't looked for the patent yet.

 Jim

[jimwrench]

 I have the same wrench but without the maker stamp. I notice both your wrench and mine have threaded portion on jaw side of wrench while the Whitman shown in Cope has the thread on the opposite rod like an Acme. Hercules by Whitman is also like the Acme in Copes picture. Very curious.

[jimwrench]

 Feb 27,1883 was original Acme patent 273170 . Evidently several companies used that patent and Whitman & Barnes was one of them. Datamp says some were made with twisted handles like the Acme and some with straight handles. Still don't know why some were made with thread on back rod and some with thread on rod on jaw side although intuitively it would seem like jaw side thread would give better grip with less flexure.

[Wrenchmensch]

That looks like nickel plating on your Hercules wrench. If you have a brass wheel, it will bring up the nickel without removing it.  Herb Keane taught me that some years ago.

[stanley62]

Thanks.  I'll give it a try.

 Jim

[amertrac]

I just bought one from wv tools you can count on any price there is 20/30 % less. than e-bay   
bob w.