Boardman's Patent wrenches

J-sews · **on:** February 18, 2014, 09:32:44 PM

According to information I've read on the web, these combination-tools were in production for about 40 years, from at least 1865 through the early 1900's. They were rumored to have been made in four sizes, from a little 4-1/2 inch size (112mm) on up to a massive 10 inch size (250mm). The middle sizes though, 6 inch and 8 inch, seem to be the most common by far.

Below, from left to right, is an 8 inch, 6 inch, and 4-1/2 inch

The basis of the tool is an adjustable wrench, ideally suited to the big square nuts found on horse-drawn wagons in the United States and Canada (maybe elsewhere too?) in the late 1800's. On the opposite side of the wrench opening is a hammer, and beneath the hammer is another wrench opening. This second opening has a pivoting jaw with teeth in it, making it suitable for gripping round objects like pipe or a wagon axle. You can get the idea from this advertisement from 1875:

Spin the adjustment nut far enough and the Boardman wrench separates into two pieces. At the end of the center stem there is a hardened flat screwdriver bit:

The tool was patented on July 10, 1866 by Byron Boardman of Norwich, Connecticut. The markings also reference a May 30, 1865 patent by a Mr. A.W. Park, who also happened to hail from Norwich, Connecticut. (this all according to info from Datamp) http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?pn=56166&id=13746&set=5

Mr. Boardman's patent is remarkably similar to Mr. Park's patent, and the two gentlemen lived in the same town, and their patents are only about one year apart. One cannot help but wonder if their relationship was cooperative (perhaps they worked in the same shop?) or was it competitive? (hey, that SOB copied my invention!!)

Higgins617 · **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2014, 09:38:29 PM

Those are wicked cool looking, they look like pretty well made tools as well. It's even cooler that there is solid information about what they were intended to be used for. Sweet find!