Simplex Wrench Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Simplex Wrench Company is known primarily for their distinctive open-end wrenches with stepped sizes and a ratcheting action. These wrenches were offered by Snap-On in their Motor Tool Specialty catalogs of the mid 1920s, giving the company a national footprint for sales.

Company History

The Simplex Wrench Company was actually a "doing business as" name for Frank C. Reilly, an inventor whose later patent is noted on some of the company's products. Simplex wrenches were probably available by around 1923, shortly after the filing of patent 1,479,772 by W.H. Cook in 1922.

The idea of using an open-end wrench with one face cut away to provide a ratchet-like action had been pioneered by J.H. Williams with their "Ratcho" wrenches, first offered around 1910. The Simplex wrenches extended the idea by providing a face with stepped opening sizes, allowing the ratchet action to work on two or more nut sizes.

In 1927 Frank C. Reilly received patent 1,624,508 for a wrench with stepped opening sizes and a ratchet-like action, but in reviewing the patent claims and illustrations we have difficulty in seeing how this even differs from, let alone extends, the prior Cook patent.

It's interesting to note that the later Simplex wrenches are marked with the wrong date for the Reilly patent, a possible disinformation ploy to sidetrack would-be patent sleuths.

Patents

Trademarks

In 1928 Reilly received trademark #238,946 for the mark "Nickel-Molybdenum", as noted in the following figure.

Fig. 1. 1928 Notice for Trademark #238,946.

Fig. 1 shows a notice for trademark #238,946 for the mark "Nickel-Molybdenum", as published on page 288 of the February 14, 1928 issue of the Official Gazette.

The first use date is noted as October 1, 1924.

The trademark application clarifies that the company was actually the individual Frank C. Reilly doing business as ("dba") the Simplex Wrench Company.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts Collection.

Currently we do not have any catalogs for the Simplex Wrench Company.

Selected Tools

Simplex No. 11 7/16x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrenches

The next two figures show examples of the Simplex No. 11 wrench, with differences in the markings and alloy steel content.

Fig. 2. Simplex No. 11 7/16x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1925-1927.

Fig. 2 shows a Simplex No. 11 ratcheting open-end wrench with depressed panels and numerous forged-in markings. The front is marked with "Simplex Ratchet" and "Chrome Vanadium", and the back side shows "Simplex Wrench Co N.Y." plus patent notices and "Fastnut License".

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel with a few traces of nickel plating.

The first patent notice states "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924" and refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922. A second notice states "Other Patents Pending", but only one of the corresponding patents has been found.

Fig. 3. Simplex No. 11 7/16x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1925-1927.

Fig. 3 shows another Simplex No. 11 7/16x15/16 ratcheting open-end wrench, marked with "No. 11 Simplex Ratchet" and "Nickel Molybdenum" forged into the front panel, with the S.A.E. sizes forged into the shank. The back side has "Simplex Wrench Co N.Y." plus "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924" and "Other Patents Pending" forged into the panel, with "Fastnut License" and "S.A.E." near the ends.

The overall length is 6.7 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

The patent date refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922. The pending status refers in part to patent 1,624,508, filed by F.C. Reilly in 1925 and issued in 1927.

The opening sizes for the larger (left) end are marked "S.A.E. 7/16 1/2-5/8", corresponding to across-flats sizes 5/8, 3/4, and 15/16 respectively. The smaller (right) end opening sizes are marked "S.A.E. 1/4 5/16-3/8", corresponding to across-flats sizes 7/16, 1/2, and 9/16 respectively.

Simplex No. 12 1/2x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench

Fig. 4. Simplex No. 12 1/2x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1925-1927.

Fig. 4 shows a Simplex No. 12 1/2x15/16 ratcheting open-end wrench, marked with "No. 12 Simplex Ratchet" and "Chrome Vanadium" forged into the front panel, with "S.A.E." and "0" forged at the ends of the shank. The back side panel is marked "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924" and "Other Patents Pending" with "Simplex Wrench Co. N.Y." near the bottom, with "Fastnut License" and "S.A.E." forged near the ends.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, with some losses due to rust.

The patent date refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922. The pending status refers in part to patent 1,624,508, filed by F.C. Reilly in 1925 and issued in 1927.

This wrench is unusual in not having the opening sizes forged into the shank. The opening sizes for the larger (left) end are 3/4 and 15/16, and for the smaller (right) end are 1/2, 9/16, and 5/8.

Simplex No. 13 1/2x3/4 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench

Fig. 5. Simplex No. 13 1/2x3/4 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1925-1927.

Fig. 5 shows a Simplex No. 13 1/2x3/4 ratcheting open-end wrench, marked with "No. 13 Simplex Ratchet" and "Hi-Nickel Molybdenum" forged into the front panel, with the (S.A.E.) size ranges forged into each end. The back side panel is marked "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924" and "Other Patents Pending" with "Simplex Wrench Co. N.Y." near the bottom, with "Fastnut License" and "Reilly License" forged near the ends.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, with some losses due to rust.

The patent date refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922. The pending status refers in part to patent 1,624,508, filed by F.C. Reilly in 1925 and issued in 1927.

The opening sizes for the larger (left) end are marked "S.A.E. 7/16-1/2", corresponding to across-flats sizes 5/8 and 3/4 respectively. The smaller (right) end opening sizes are marked "S.A.E. 5/16-3/8", corresponding to across-flats sizes 1/2 and 9/16 respectively.

Simplex No. 14 1/2x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench

Fig. 6. Simplex No. 14 1/2x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1927+.

Fig. 6 shows a Simplex No. 14 1/2x15/16 ratcheting open-end wrench, marked with "No. 14 Simplex Ratchet" and "Nickel Molybdenum" forged into the front panel, with the size ranges forged into each end. The back side panel is marked "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924 & April 27, 1927" and "Other Patents Pending" with "Simplex Wrench Co. N.Y." near the bottom, with "Fastnut License" and "Reilly License" forged near the ends.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, with some losses due to rust.

The first patent date refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922.

The second patent date was apparently intended to refer to patent 1,624,508, filed by F.C. Reilly in 1925, but issued on April 12, 1927 rather than the April 27 date marked on the wrench. (It's not uncommon to find an incorrect patent date on a tool.)

The stepped openings allow the wrench to handle the three nut sizes 1/2, 9/16, and 5/8 on the small end, and two sizes 3/4 and 15/16 on the large end.

Simplex No. 15 3/4x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench

Fig. 7. Simplex No. 15 3/4x15/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1927+.

Fig. 7 shows a Simplex No. 15 3/4x15/16 ratcheting open-end wrench, marked with "No. 15 Simplex Ratchet" and "Hi-Nickel Molybdenum" forged into the front panel, with the size ranges forged into each end. The back side panel is marked "Pat. Jan. 1, 1924 & April 27, 1927" and "Other Patents Pending" with "Simplex Wrench Co. N.Y." near the bottom, with "Fastnut License" and "Reilly License" forged near the ends.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is nickel plating, with extensive losses due to rust and pitting.

The first patent date refers to patent 1,479,772, filed by W.H. Cook in 1922.

The second patent date was apparently intended to refer to patent 1,624,508, filed by F.C. Reilly in 1925, but issued on April 12, 1927 rather than the April 27 date marked on the wrench. (It's not uncommon to find an incorrect patent date on a tool.)

The stepped openings allow the wrench to handle nut sizes 3/4 and 7/8 on the small (right) end, and two sizes 13/16 and 15/16 on the large (left) end.

Simplex No. 9 5/16x1/2 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench

Later production of the Simplex wrenches was marked with the Frank C. Reilly Ltd. company name and used a patent by Reilly.

Fig. 8. Simplex No. 9 5/16x1/2 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, 1935.

Fig. 8 shows an example of the Reilly production, a Simplex No. 9 5/16x1/2 ratcheting open-end wrench. The wrench is marked with "No. 9 Simplex Ratchet" forged into the front panel, with "Reilly License" and "Fastnut License" forged into the shank. The back side is marked with "Patent No. 1624508 Other Patents Pending" and "Frank C. Reilly Ltd. N.Y." forged into the depressed panel.

The overall length is 5.4 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The patent notice refers to patent 1,624,508, issued to F.C. Reilly in 1927. The patents corresponding to the pending status (if issued) are not known.

The stepped openings allow the wrench to handle the sizes 5/16 and 3/8 on the small end, plus sizes 7/16 and 1/2 on the large end.

The front panel of this wrench is also marked with a forged-in code "L:M" which closely resembles a Bonney date code. (Bonney is known to have done contract production for other companies.) Assuming that this is a Bonney date code, it would likely indicate production in 1935.