Miscellaneous Service Tools

In addition to its broad line of wrenches and sockets, Williams produced a wide range of tools for industrial service. Some of these tools were also marked as part of the "Superrench" line.

Pliers

No. 76 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers with Side Cutters

Fig. 587. Williams No. 76 6 Inch Needlenose Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 587 shows a pair of Williams No. 76 6 inch needlenose pliers with side-cutters, marked "Made U.S.A." near the pivot, and stamped "V" on the underside of the handles (see lower inset).

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

PL-6 6 Inch Combination Pliers

Fig. 588. Williams PL-6 6 Inch Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 588 shows a pair of Williams PL-6 6 inch slip-joint combination pliers, stamped "U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the embossed gripping pattern on the handles.

The handle pattern is easily recognized as the familiar Crescent Tool "Checkerdot" design, identifying Crescent as the contract maker of these pliers. An example of the "Checkerdot" pattern on Crescent pliers can be seen as the CeeTeeCo 8 Inch Combination Pliers.

PL-16 6 Inch Thin-Nose Combination Pliers

Fig. 589. Williams PL-16 6 Inch Thin-Nose Combination Pliers, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 589 shows a pair of Williams PL-16 6 inch thin-nose combination pliers, stamped "U.S.A." near the pivot.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The inset shows a side view of the pliers, illustrating the thin nose construction and the embossed pattern on the handles.

The handle pattern is easily recognized as the familiar Crescent Tool "Checkerdot" design, identifying Crescent as the contract maker of these pliers. The equivalent Crescent model can be seen as the Crescent L-26 Thin-Nose Combination Pliers.

1515 Snap-Ring Pliers

Fig. 590. Williams 1515 Snap-Ring Pliers, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 590 shows a pair of Williams 1515 snap-ring pliers, stamped with "Williams U.S.A." logo and model number near the pivot.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

1520 10 Inch Waterpump Pliers

The next figures show two generations of the Williams 1520 waterpump pliers.

Fig. 591. Williams 1520 10 Inch Waterpump Pliers, with Inset for Handle Pattern, ca. 1937 to Early 1940s.

Fig. 591 shows an early pair of Williams 1520 "Superplier" 10 inch waterpump pliers, stamped with the Williams scroll logo between the model number and "Superplier" on the top line, with the W-Diamond logo between "Chrome-Alloy" and "Forged in U.S.A." on the second line.

The overall length is 10.2 inches fully extended, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows the knurled gripping pattern on the handles.

These pliers have an eight-position slip-joint, allowing for a parallel grip up to about 1.8 inches.

The "Chrome-Alloy" marking suggests production from the mid 1930s to the early 1940s. The model 1520 pliers were available by 1937 or earlier, based on a listing in a Williams catalog from that year.

Fig. 592. Williams 1520 10 Inch Waterpump Pliers, ca. 1947 to 1950s.

Fig. 592 shows a later pair of Williams 1520 10 inch waterpump pliers with a distinctive gripping pattern on the handles, marked only with the model number and Williams logo.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is polished steel.

The 1947 Williams catalog mentions the use of the distinctive diamond gripping pattern seen on the handles of these pliers.

Other Tools

472 3 Inch Adjustable Spanner

Fig. 593. Williams 472 1-1/4 to 3 Inch Adjustable Spanner, with Insets for Marking Detail.

Fig. 593 shows a Williams 472 adjustable spanner with a 1-1/4 to 3 inch capacity, marked "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Buffalo, N.Y. U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo. (The upper inset has been rotated for readability.)

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is black paint.

1472 "Superrench" 3 Inch Adjustable Spanner

Williams also produced an alloy steel version of its adjustable spanners as part of the Superrench line, as illustrated in the next figure.

Fig. 594. Williams 1472 "Superrench" 1-1/4 to 3 Inch Adjustable Spanner, with Insets for Marking Detail.

Fig. 594 shows a Williams 1472 "Superrench" adjustable spanner with a 1-1/4 to 3 inch capacity, stamped with "The Superrench" and "Alloy" on the front, with "Made U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo on the back side. The handle is marked with the size range and "Adjustable Spanner" forged into the front, with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Buffalo, N.Y. U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo forged into the back side. (The upper inset has been rotated for readability.)

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is nickel plating.

483 3 Inch Adjustable Face Spanner

Fig. 595. Williams 483 3 Inch Adjustable Face Spanner, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 595 shows a Williams 483 adjustable face spanner in the 3 inch size. The arms have forged-in markings "No. 483 Adjustable Face Spanner" on one, with forged-in markings "J.H. Williams & Co." and "U.S.A." plus the W-Diamond logo on the other. The back side is also marked "3 Inch Size", as seen in the inset.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the pin diameter is 0.24 inches. The finish is black paint.

A forged-in code "T" can be seen on the arms at the right of the depressed oval.

807 Single-Box Wrench

Fig. 596. Williams 807 1-1/16 Single-Box Wrench.

Fig. 596 shows a Williams 807 1-1/16 single-box wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A" with the W-Diamond logo.

The overall length is 9.9 inches, and the finish is black paint.

8808 1-1/4 Slugging Wrench

Fig. 597. Williams 8808 1-1/4 Slugging Wrench, with Inset for Side View.

Fig. 597 shows a Williams 8808 1-1/4 slugging wrench, marked with the "Williams U.S.A." logo.

The overall length is 11.0 inches, and the finish is black oxide.

C-98 1 Inch Wood Chisel

Fig. 598. Williams C-98 1 Inch Wood Chisel.

Fig. 598 shows a Williams C-98 1 inch wood chisel, stamped "USA" on the shank.

The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is black paint.

Refrigeration Tools

Refrigeration service was a specialty field that hadn't existed at all much before the late 1920s, but which grew rapidly in the 1930s and beyond. Williams was offering specialty tools for refrigeration applications at least as early as 1933, with its R-19A refrigeration socket set, and selection was expanded in later years.

F-50A Refrigeration Ratchet

The next two figures show examples of the Williams F-50A/B-50A refrigeration ratchets, adapted from the standard F-50/B-50 ratchets.

Fig. 599. Williams F-50A 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1933-1936.

Fig. 599 shows a Williams F-50A 1/4 female drive refrigeration ratchet, stamped with "Made U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo on the face. The shank is marked with "Drop-Forged in U.S.A." forged into the front, with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Buffalo, N.Y." plus the W-Diamond logo forged into the back side.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel, possibly with traces of cadmium plating.

The ratchet body is basically identical to the Williams F-50 3/8-drive ratchet. The standard model has been adapted for refrigeration service by fitting it with a 1/4 drive gear and by broaching the handle end with a 1/4 square opening.

B-50A 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Ratchet

Fig. 600. Williams B-50A 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1936-1947.

Fig. 600 shows a Williams B-50A 1/4 female drive refrigeration ratchet, stamped "Made U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the back side face.

The shank is marked with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Buffalo, N.Y." forged into the front, with "Drop-Forged in U.S.A." forged into the back side.

The overall length is 6.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The ratchet body is basically identical to the Williams B-50 ratchet, which is normally configured as a 3/8-drive model. The standard model has been adapted for refrigeration service by fitting it with a 1/4 drive gear and by broaching the handle end with a 1/4 square opening.

MR-51 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Ratchet

Fig. 601. Williams MR-51 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Ratchet, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 601 shows a Williams MR-51 1/4 female drive refrigeration ratchet, stamped with the "Williams U.S.A" logo on the face, and with "J.H. Williams & Co." forged into the shank.

The tool is also marked with a "Patd." patent notice forged into the shank, but the corresponding patent is not known at this time.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is chrome plating.

The ratchet mechanism is an open design with a 24-tooth drive gear, and the reversible pivoting pawl has two contact teeth on each side.

The handle is equipped with broached openings for 3/16 square, 1/4 square, 5/16 square, and 1/2 hex.

R-19A 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Socket Set

The R-19A socket set was one of the earliest refrigeration service items offered by Williams. The set offered a mix of standard and specialty sockets along with a ratchet, sliding Tee-handle, extensions, and drive adapters.

Fig. 602A. 1949 Catalog Listing for Williams R-19A Refrigeration Socket Set.

The scan in Fig. 602A shows a catalog listing for the Williams R-19A refrigeration socket set, as published on page 41 of the 1949 Williams Automotive and Aircraft catalog.

The drive tools in the set will be familiar to most readers, but the sockets include some unusual specialty types that may be unfamiliar.

These include the "Kerotest" valve packing nut socket with an truncated oval opening, and the packing gland nut sockets with two projecting tabs on the opening end.

The conventional socket models and sizes are the 1/4-drive NM-406 (3/16), NM-407 (7/32), NM-408 (1/4), NM-810 (5/16 square), and NM-812 (3/8 square), and the 3/8-drive B-1214 (7/16), B1216 (1/2), and B-1218 (9/16).

For the specialty sockets (all 1/4-drive) the models are the Kerotest NMR-15 and the packing gland nut NMR-2, NMR-4, NMR-6, NMR-8, and NMR-10. The specifications for the specialty sockets are given in the catalog listing.

Fig. 602B. Williams R-19A 1/4-Drive Refrigeration Socket Set, ca. 1950s.

Fig. 602B shows a Williams R-19A 1/4-drive socket set for refrigeration applications, consisting of 1/4-drive tools and a mix of standard and specialty sockets.

The drive tools in the set are based on 1/4-drive and consist of an MR-51 refrigeration ratchet, NM-20A sliding Tee handle, M-115 6 inch extension, ratchet plug (a replacement), and BM-150 3/8-drive adapter.

Fig. 603. Top Cover of Williams R-19A Socket Set, ca. 1950s.

Fig. 603 shows the top cover of the Williams R-19A socket set. The decal on the top is marked with the "Williams Supersocket" logo and the "R-19A" model number, with "J.H. Williams & Co. Buffalo, N.Y." and "Made in U.S.A." at the bottom.

The dimensions of the box are 8.1 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep by 1.3 inches high. The finish is gray paint.

1316 1/2 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench

In the late 1940s Williams began offering a combined open-end and flare-nut wrench style, with both ends of the same size. Typically these were used for refrigeration or hydraulic line applications, where the better grip of the flare-nut opening helped avoid damage to softer fittings. The wrenches were given model numbers in a 13xx series in sizes ranging from 3/8 (1312) up to 1-1/16 (1334).

Initially the wrenches were designed with 12-point flare openings for all sizes, but by the mid 1950s Williams was using 6-point flare openings. The model numbers were not updated for this change to the specification, so it's possible to find both 6-point and 12-point wrenches with the same model number.

Fig. 604. Williams 1316 1/2 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1947-1955.

Fig. 604 shows a Williams 1316 1/2 combination open and flare-nut wrench, stamped with the W-Diamond logo and "U.S.A" on the face.

The shank has forged raised-letter markings for the "Superrench" trademark on one side, with "Alloy" and a "B" code on the back side.

The overall length is 6.3 inches. The finish is chrome plating, but much of the chrome has worn off to reveal the copper underplating.

The W-Diamond and "U.S.A." face marking is a variant of the "Williams U.S.A." logo used for smaller wrenches. The face marking and raised-letter markings on the shank indicate a production date in the late 1940s to early 1950s, before the advent of the raised-panel shank style.

1322 11/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 605. Williams 1322 11/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Mid 1950s.

Fig. 605 shows a Williams 1324 3/4 combination open and flare-nut wrench, stamped with the "Williams U.S.A" logo on the face. The shank is marked with the "Superrench" trademark forged into the front, with "Alloy" and a "B" code forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "Williams U.S.A." logo on the face indicates production in 1947 or later, and the 6-point flare opening indicates production in the mid 1950s.

1324 3/4 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 606. Williams 1324 3/4 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. Mid 1950s.

Fig. 606 shows a Williams 1324 3/4 combination open and flare-nut wrench, stamped with the "Williams U.S.A" logo on the face. The shank is marked with the "Superrench" trademark forged into the front, with "Alloy" and a "B" code forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The "Williams U.S.A." logo on the face indicates production in 1947 or later, and the 6-point flare opening indicates production in the mid 1950s.

1328 7/8 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 607. Williams 1328 7/8 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1947-1955.

Fig. 607 shows a Williams 1328 7/8 combination open and flare-nut wrench, stamped with the "Williams U.S.A" logo on the face.

The shank has forged raised-letter markings for the "Superrench" trademark on one side, with "Alloy" and a "V" code on the back side.

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The Williams logo on the face and raised-letter markings on the shank indicate a production date in the late 1940s to early 1950s, before the advent of the raised-panel shank style.

1334 1-1/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench

Fig. 608. Williams 1334 1-1/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. Mid 1950s.

Fig. 608 shows a Williams 1334 1-1/16 combination-flare wrench, stamped with the "Williams U.S.A" logo on the face.

The shank is marked with "Superrench" trademark forged into the front, with "Alloy" forged into the back.

The overall length is 10.7 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The Williams logo on the face and raised-letter markings on the shank indicate production before the advent of the raised-panel shank style, and the 6-point flare opening suggests a date in the mid 1950s. (The face logo from this wrench served as the example for this style, shown on the first page of this article.)

This wrench was obtained as a "New Old Stock" item and appears to have never been used or even handled much; the satin chrome finish on the shank was still rough to the touch.

1312 3/8 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, Flat-Shank Style

The next two figures show examples of later combination open and flare wrenches in the flat-shank style.

Fig. 609. Williams 1312 3/8 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1960+.

Fig. 609 shows a later Williams 1312 3/8 combination-flare wrench in the flat-shank style, stamped "Superrench" and "U.S.A" on one side, with the Williams logo and fractional sizes on the back side.

The overall length is 5.6 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

1318 9/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, Flat-Shank Style

Fig. 610. Williams 1318 9/16 Combination Open Flare-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1960+.

Fig. 610 shows a Williams 1318 9/16 combination-flare wrench in the flat-shank style, stamped "Superrench" and "U.S.A" on one side, with the Williams logo and fractional sizes on the back side.

The shank is also marked with a forged-in "B" code visible at the left.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

Contract Production

In this section we'll look at some examples of tools produced by Williams but marked with a customer's brand.

Craftsman Production

J.H. Williams produced some tools for the Sears Craftsman line, and we'll show various examples in this section.

Craftsman 8-In-1 Multi-Socket Wrench

Fig. 627. Craftsman 8-In-1 Multi-Socket Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1954-1968.

Fig. 627 shows a Craftsman 8-In-1 multi-socket wrench, marked with the Craftsman double-line logo on the raised panel, and with the fractional sizes and "Forged in U.S.A." on the back side.

The socket sizes are 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, and 19/32 on the small head, with 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, and 7/8 on the large head.

A close comparison with the Williams No. 1999 Multi-Socket Wrench showed that the tools are virtually identical except for markings, confirming that Williams was the contract manufacturer for Sears for this tool.

The Craftsman 8-In-1 wrench was first introduced in the 1954 catalog at a price of $3.98. By 1957 the price had been reduced to $2.98, and the 8-In-1 model remained available at least through 1968, with the price gradually rising to $3.99 in 1968.

Craftsman "JW" 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

The next two figures show examples of Williams adjustable wrenches produced for the Craftsman brand.

Fig. 628. Craftsman 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1968-1972.

Fig. 628 shows a Craftsman 8 inch adjustable wrench, stamped "Forged" on the front with "Made in U.S.A." and "JW - Alloy" on the back side. The back side shank also shows a forged-in code "L" next to the hole.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.50 inches.

The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The upper inset shows a side view of the wrench, and a close look shows the square shoulder for the sliding jaw and keyway. The square shoulder was a patented feature of the J.H. Williams adjustable wrenches, and is not known to have been used by any other manufacturers.

This wrench can be identified as Williams' production by the square-shouldered keyway, and the stamped "JW" code further confirms the maker. The forged-in "L" code has also been observed on J.H. Williams wrenches; see for example the Williams AP-8 "Superjustable" Wrench.

This particular wrench is believed to have been purchased new in the late 1960s to early 1970s, a time before Craftsman began marking model numbers on its tools. The next figure shows a similar wrench with a Craftsman model number.

Craftsman 44604 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 629. Craftsman 44604 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 629 shows a somewhat later example of Williams' production, a Craftsman 44604 10 inch adjustable wrench. The shank is stamped "Forged" on the front with "Made in U.S.A." and "JW - Alloy" on the back side, and a forged-in code "L" appears on the back side as well.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.2 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.60 inches.

The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The upper inset shows a side view of the wrench, with the square shoulder visible on the sliding jaw and keyway.

Production for Cornwell

J.H. Williams produced at least one tool for Cornwell, as the next figure shows.

Cornwell AJ-10B 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 630. Cornwell AJ-10B 10 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 630 shows a Cornwell AJ-10B 10 inch adjustable wrench, stamped with the company name and model number on one side, with "Cornwell - U.S.A." on the back side.

The shank is also marked with a forged-in code "L", seen at the right side of the lower inset.

The overall length is 10.2 inches and the maximum jaw opening is 1.1 inches. The head thickness was measured at 0.58 inches.

The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

The top inset shows a side view of the wrench, and a close look shows the square shoulder of the sliding jaw and keyway. The square shoulder indicates that this example was produced for Cornwell by J.H. Williams, and the identification is confirmed by the forged-in "L" code noted above. A similar example can be seen as the Williams AP-8 Adjustable Wrench.

Production for Duro/Indestro

Duro-Chrome 2087A 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 631. Duro-Chrome 2087A 8 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1968+.

Fig. 631 shows a Duro-Chrome 2087A 8 inch adjustable wrench, stamped "Duro-Chrome" and "U.S.A." on the shank, with "8 In." and "Forged Alloy Steel" on the back side.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the maximum opening is 1.0 inches. The finish is chrome plating with polished faces.

One construction detail to note is the square-shouldered keyway for the sliding jaw, visible in the top inset. The square shoulder was a patented feature of the J.H. Williams adjustable wrenches, and this detail plus the general construction identify Williams as the maker of this wrench. A similar example can be seen as the Williams AP-8 Adjustable Wrench.