I have a clue.

[Northwoods]

I posted a couple of days ago, asking for help finding info on my mystery screwdriver. Now I have found an ad for the type of brace bit tip that would fit my screwdriver.  Does this look familiar to anyone?  My original post is below the ebay link.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brace-Flat-Tip-Screwdriver-Bit-Inv-B1283/351910753649?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dadbd2644c6df48a8bebf40e1b6ef4d1b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112211104573

   

Need someone to do some Patent look up magic.
« on: June 03, 2017, 07:18:42 PM »


Came home yesterday with an unfamiliar screwdriver.
It is 12" long, made of three parts:  a wood handle, a receiver, and one interchangeable blade.  The present blade is just under 5/8" wide and 1/8" thick.
The blade base is the shape of a wood auger bit and is held in the receiver by a spring that contacts one corner of the base of the bit.
It is clearly a quality tool of quality steel.  Fit and finish are just right. I am likely to make another blade from a bit just for fun.
No maker mark--but a patent date: April 22, 1873.
Google image and DATAMP came up empty.
No pic, but any help will be appreciated.

[Twertsy]

I posted a couple of days ago, asking for help finding info on my mystery screwdriver. Now I have found an ad for the type of brace bit tip that would fit my screwdriver.  Does this look familiar to anyone?  My original post is below the ebay link.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brace-Flat-Tip-Screwdriver-Bit-Inv-B1283/351910753649?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dadbd2644c6df48a8bebf40e1b6ef4d1b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112211104573

   

Need someone to do some Patent look up magic.
« on: June 03, 2017, 07:18:42 PM »


Came home yesterday with an unfamiliar screwdriver.
It is 12" long, made of three parts:  a wood handle, a receiver, and one interchangeable blade.  The present blade is just under 5/8" wide and 1/8" thick.
The blade base is the shape of a wood auger bit and is held in the receiver by a spring that contacts one corner of the base of the bit.
It is clearly a quality tool of quality steel.  Fit and finish are just right. I am likely to make another blade from a bit just for fun.
No maker mark--but a patent date: April 22, 1873.
Google image and DATAMP came up empty.
No pic, but any help will be appreciated.

Ok, my apologies for not having the time to get through it but here's all patents for 1873: http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/annualreportofco1873unit

Here's a link to the Smithsonian and their annual searchable Patent reports: http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/annual-report-commissioner-patents-year

[mikeswrenches]

Here's a Bagshaw and Field handle that uses a bit like you described. It might also be a John Booth handle, but with out a picture it's a little hard to tell.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/36379

Mike

[Northwoods]

Here's a Bagshaw and Field handle that uses a bit like you described. It might also be a John Booth handle, but with out a picture it's a little hard to tell.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/36379

Mike

Thank you for the link.  The bits look right--right down to the little notch in the bit--but my tool has the latch contained within the shank, not on the outside.  And the bit is held inside by the notch and a friction spring gadget so that the bit can be pulled out with a little effort.  The one you show may be an earlier iteration, though.  The hunt goes on.

[Northwoods]

I posted a couple of days ago, asking for help finding info on my mystery screwdriver. Now I have found an ad for the type of brace bit tip that would fit my screwdriver.  Does this look familiar to anyone?  My original post is below the ebay link.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brace-Flat-Tip-Screwdriver-Bit-Inv-B1283/351910753649?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dadbd2644c6df48a8bebf40e1b6ef4d1b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112211104573

   

Need someone to do some Patent look up magic.
« on: June 03, 2017, 07:18:42 PM »


Came home yesterday with an unfamiliar screwdriver.
It is 12" long, made of three parts:  a wood handle, a receiver, and one interchangeable blade.  The present blade is just under 5/8" wide and 1/8" thick.
The blade base is the shape of a wood auger bit and is held in the receiver by a spring that contacts one corner of the base of the bit.
It is clearly a quality tool of quality steel.  Fit and finish are just right. I am likely to make another blade from a bit just for fun.
No maker mark--but a patent date: April 22, 1873.
Google image and DATAMP came up empty.
No pic, but any help will be appreciated.

Ok, my apologies for not having the time to get through it but here's all patents for 1873: http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/annualreportofco1873unit

Here's a link to the Smithsonian and their annual searchable Patent reports: http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/annual-report-commissioner-patents-year

Thank you so much for your effort, but according to p. 319 of the report, no patent of that sort was issued on April 22, 1873.  This does not compute....

[Yadda]

Maybe an English or Canadian patent?

[Northwoods]

The more I look at the Bagshaw and Field tools, the more I believe this is what I have. 
although my handle is not exactly like theirs, the principle is the same, and each example has a bit much, much like mine.
Thanks for all the help.

[Twertsy]

The more I look at the Bagshaw and Field tools, the more I believe this is what I have. 
although my handle is not exactly like theirs, the principle is the same, and each example has a bit much, much like mine.
Thanks for all the help.

A word of caution, we are dealing with "terminology" of 144 years ago.  Just because it isn't listed under "screwdriver" doesn't mean it's not in there somewhere under a different term.  I did however try "bit," "brace," "driver," and "screw" to no avail.  It could be under "flat tip" or who knows what obscure term.

[bill300d]

It sure wouldn't be the first time the patent date was off a year or few either.

[turnnut]

 on google searching, I came across this set.

 e-bay number 122473558952  closed on May 31, 2017

  Clark's best screwdriver,  mfg. by R.H.Brown, New Haven, CT  and on their lable is April 22, 1873

  in there description was;

  "a patent handle screwdriver as produced by Frank E. Clark, Westville, CT and marketed by R.H.Brown, & Co.
   is marked with a patent date of April 22, 1873. we have sold these before and could not locate the patent
   it is very likely that date is for a patent issued for a improvement to dental tools. it is for a spring clip
   to hold the tools in a handle.    patent # 138,150" issued to Charles P. Grout   New York, N.Y.

   I think that this listing was by M.D.Tools

    not seeing your handle, I am not sure if I am on the right track.   compare yours with a Clark's.

     I had sold a Clark's set a few years ago in a wood box.  I do not collect screwdrivers,

     

[Northwoods]

Boom!  We have a winner!  Now all I need is the wooden box and three more bits.
Thank you so much for sticking with it!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clark-039-s-Best-Quality-Screwdriver-R-H-Brown-amp-Co-Westville-Conn-Orig-Box-/122473558952?nma=true&si=mKUlcmIRLkgir1Qb%252BqmrHelxr2k%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[Twertsy]

Dollars to doughnuts the inventor is William Clark.  https://patents.google.com/?q=bit&inventor=William+Clark&sort=old

[turnnut]

 Twertsy,  what patent number did you find on the screwdriver  for William Clark with April 22, 1873 date ?

  I didn.t see it.

[Twertsy]

Twertsy,  what patent number did you find on the screwdriver  for William Clark with April 22, 1873 date ?

  I didn.t see it.

I didn't find the exact one, but I believe we're zeroing in on it.  I do not think the dental tool represents the spring/retaining method shown on that driver.

[mikeswrenches]

This is what Grout's patent looks like. I don't think that it is what was used on Clarks's screwdriver.

Keep in mind that just because there is a patent date on it, that does not necessarily mean that a patent was ever applied for or issued. Sometimes marking was used to keep others from applying for a patent.
Also, it was expensive, and time consuming, to do patent searches back then. Much easier and cheaper to just mark it and hope a potential inventor didn't check.

Mike