J.H. Williams, The SuperCompany

Illustration of J.H. Williams Brooklyn Factory from 1901 Catalog

Table of Contents

Introduction

J.H. Williams & Company was an early merchant drop-forger and grew to become one of the largest and most important tool makers. The company is generally credited with developing the industry-standard numbering system for wrenches widely used from the late 19th through the mid 20th centuries.

Company History

Fig. 2. 1871 Illustration of Bliss & Williams Press. [External Link]

J.H. Williams & Company was founded by James H. Williams and initially operated as Williams & Diamond in Flushing, New York.

Prior to his partnership with Diamond, Williams had been a partner in Bliss & Williams, a maker of machinery for stamping and shaping sheet metal.

Fig. 2 illustrates a Bliss & Williams press, as published on page 401 of the December 27, 1871 issue of American Artisan.

Fig. 3. 1881 Notice of Dissolution of Bliss & Williams Partnership.

On February 7 of 1881 Bliss and Williams dissolved their partnership by mutual agreement, and the partners moved on to new endeavors.

Fig. 3 shows a notice of the dissolution of the Bliss & Williams partnership, as published on page 20 [External Link] of the February 19, 1881 issue of The Metal Worker.

After leaving Bliss & Williams, J.H. Williams formed a partnership with Matthew Diamond in 1882 as Williams & Diamond to produce drop-forgings in Flushing, New York.

Fig. 4. 1884 Notice for J.H Williams & Company. [External Link]

In 1884 Williams & Diamond was reorganized as J.H. Williams & Company, and shortly afterwards the company moved to Brooklyn.

Fig. 4 shows a notice for J.H. Williams & Company, as published on page 152 of the May 1, 1884 issue of The Hub.

The text notes that the company formerly operating as Williams & Diamond in Flushing would be moving on June 1st (1884) to Brooklyn, at the corner of Richards and Bowne Streets. (In later catalogs Williams generally used the June 1, 1884 move to Brooklyn as its founding date, although the operating partnership began two years prior to this.)

Additional corroboration of the move to Brooklyn can be found in an obituary for James H. Williams on page 57 [External Link] of the December 8, 1904 issue of The Iron Age. The article notes that the company moved to Brooklyn on July 1, 1884 and was renamed to J.H Williams & Company. (This differs slightly from the June 1, 1884 date cited previously.)

The company was later incorporated on July 1, 1895 with Williams as president.

Chain Pipe Wrenches

Chain pipe wrenches based on various patents by W.H. Brock were an important early product for J.H. Williams.

Fig. 5. 1886 Ad for J.H Williams Chain Pipe Wrench. [External Link]

Fig. 5 shows an ad for a J.H. Williams "Brock's Patent" chain pipe wrench, as published on page iii of the March 20, 1886 issue of The Mechanical Engineer.

Standardized Wrenches

In the early years of the drop-forging industry, wrenches were typically made as custom orders, with each customer (typically a maker of machinery) specifying what sizes and combinations of openings they wanted. Since there was already a degree of standardization in bolt and nut sizes, Williams realized that making standarized wrenches would be much more efficient than handling lots of orders for custom wrenches.

By as early as 1883 Williams (as Williams & Diamond at that time) was already making standard open-end wrenches, based on a report on page 6 of the September 8, 1883 issue of American Machinist. Within a few years standard open-end wrenches were available in both single and double-ended styles, and in a wide range of sizes.

Fig. 6. 1888 Ad for Williams Drop-Forged Engineers' Wrenches.

Fig. 6 shows an ad for Williams drop-forged engineers' wrenches, as published on page 187 of the February, 1888 edition of the Locomotive Engineers' Monthly Journal.

The text notes that the wrenches were available in 42 sizes to fit U.S. Standard nuts and bolts, and mentions the 15 degree head offset to allow turning hexagon nuts with limited clearance.

Williams claimed to have originated the 15 degree offset design for open-ended wrenches, but the design was soon copied by other manufacturers.

Fig. 7. 1901 Catalog Listing for Williams Single-Ended Engineers' Wrenches.

By 1901 Williams had expanded their selection of U.S. Standard wrenches to include 25 sizes of single-ended engineers' wrenches and 48 sizes of double-ended wrenches.

Fig. 7 shows a listing of U.S. Standard single-ended engineers' wrenches, as published on page 11 of the 1901 Williams 10th edition catalog.

The 25 sizes cover a range of openings from 5/16 up to 5-3/8(!) inches.

Fig. 8. 1901 Catalog Listing for Williams Hexagon Cap-Screw Wrenches.

Double-ended wrenches for U.S. Standard nuts were listed in 48 sizes from model 21 (5/16x13/32) up to model 64 (4-5/8x5-3/8).

The 1901 catalog also offered wrenches for the Hexagon Cap-Screw standard in a 7xx series.

Fig. 8 shows a listing of Hexagon Cap-Screw wrenches in single and double-ended styles, as published on page 15 of the 1901 Williams 10th edition catalog.

The tables show 11 sizes of single-ended wrenches from model 700 (3/8) to 708 (1-1/4), and 21 sizes of double-ended wrenches from model 723 (3/8x7/16) to 737 (1-1/8x1-1/4).

The model numbers assigned by Williams formed the basis for the Industry Standard Numbering (ISN) system for wrenches, and these model numbers were adopted by most other wrench manufacturers.

More information on the ISN system can be found on our page on Industry-Standard Numbers for Open-End Wrenches.

The Big Nine

By mid 1918 the American involvement in World War I was increasing rapidly, and the War Industries Board was seeking changes in certain industries, in order to conserve manpower and materials in the event of a long conflict. In late summer J.H. Williams was one of the "Big Nine" tool companies to sign an agreement for the changes requested by the Board. The agreement can be seen as the 1918 War Conservation Changes in our article on Herbrand, another of the "Big Nine" companies.

The war ended shortly after that, so the changes had only a short-term effect, but the statement is significant in showing the structure of the tool industry at that time.

The Superrench Era

In 1925 Williams introduced its "Superrench" line of chrome-molybdenum alloy steel wrenches. Prior to this time Williams had experimented with tappet wrenches made of alloy steel, but had watched from the sidelines as Bonney Forge and Tool rolled out a full line of very popular "CV" chrome-vanadium wrenches beginning in late 1922.

The "Superrench" line initially offered four patterns: engineers' wrenches with 15 degree offset heads, general purpose "S" wrenches, single-ended construction wrenches with a 15 degree offset, and structural wrenches with a straight head and offset handle.

In its application for the "Superrench" trademark, Williams claimed a first use date of October 10, 1925.

Fig. 9. 1925 Notice for Williams "Superrench". [External Link]

Fig. 9 shows an early notice for the Williams "Superrench" line, as published on page 1890 of the November 19, 1925 issue The Iron Age.

The text notes that the wrenches were drop-forged from chrome-molybdenum steel, and that this allowed the tools to be designed with thinner sections and lighter weight.

Fig. 10. 1926 Ad for Williams "Superrench". [External Link]

Fig. 10 shows an early ad for the Williams "Superrench", as published on page 85 of the January, 1926 issue of American Exporter.

The text notes the use of chrome-molybdenum steel and a nickel-plated finish; by 1927 the finish had been changed to chrome plating over nickel.

By June of 1926 tappet wrenches had been added to the "Superrench" line, and "Superrench" angle-head obstruction wrenches were available by 1927.

Brake Service Wrenches

Automobile brake service required specialized tools for some brands, including wrenches with unusual openings or configurations.

Fig. 11. 1929 Ad for Williams "Superrench" Brake Wrench Set. [External Link]

Fig. 11 shows a full-page ad for the Williams "Superrench" No. 1950 brake wrench set, as published on page 31 of the January, 1929 issue of Motor Record.

This advertisement shows that by the late 1920s Williams had begun adding automotive specialty tools to the "Superrench" line.

Collaboration with Husky Wrench

By the late 1920s the Williams "Superrench" line had become very successful, but the company still lagged the tool industry in one aspect: Williams did not offer interchangeable sockets and drive tools.

Williams sought to address this gap in their product line by partnering with the Husky Wrench Company of Milwaukee, to offer "combination" sets consisting of Williams "Superrench" wrenches and Husky socket tools. Such sets were popular at the time, and since Williams didn't make socket tools and Husky didn't make open-end wrenches, the arrangement was potentially beneficial for both companies.

Fig. 12A. 1928 Notice of Williams and Husky Combination Set. [External Link]

Fig. 12A shows a notice of the collaborative arrangement between J.H. Williams and Husky Wrench, as published on page 66 of the May, 1928 edition of Power Wagon.

Fig. 12B. 1928 Notice of Williams/Husky Reciprocal Sales Agreement.

A slightly later notice provides further clarity on the agreement between Williams and Husky.

The scan in Fig. 12B shows a notice regarding the reciprocal sales agreement between Williams and Husky, as published on page 65 [External Link] of the July 14, 1928 issue of Automotive Industries.

The text notes that the reciprocal agreement was only for sales purposes, and that the agreement covered only part of the product lines of the companies.

One result of the Husky agreement was that Williams developed a new line of "Midget Superrench" ignition wrenches, which were then included with Husky's 5/16-hex drive miniature sockets to create a "Combination Electrical Set".

Williams apparently kept good records of their development work, as the later filing of the "Midget" Trademark #277,309 provides a precise first use date of May 17, 1928 for the "Midget Superrench" ignition wrenches.

An example of these sets can be seen as the Williams No. 287 Combination Electrical Set.

The collaboration with Husky Wrench was short-lived, but served to convince Williams of the importance of the socket market. By mid 1930 Williams was making its own sockets and drive tools, but continued to use the 5/16-hex drive size for the miniature sockets.

The Volume Line

More than a decade ago we rediscovered an almost-forgotten secondary brand for Williams called "Volume" in a distributor catalog. Subsequently we were able to acquire a modest selection of "Volume" tools, including wrenches, drive tools, and even a reasonably complete socket set.

With the recent (February 2022) discovery of the "VOLUME" Trademark #256,651, filed in January of 1929, we now have a clearer view of Williams' intentions in establishing in the brand.

Fig. 12C. 1929 Ad for Williams "Volume" Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 12C shows an ad for Williams "Volume" wrenches, as published on page 104 [External Link] of the July, 1929 issue of Popular Science Monthly.

The illustration at the bottom shows wrench set "VA", a set of six chrome-molybdenum open-end wrenches with openings ranging from 3/8 to 1 inch.

The wrenches were secured in a metal clip described by patent 1,889,203, filed by W.C. Kress on June 14, 1929 and issued in 1932. The metal clip had a novel fanfold design that provided a separate pocket for each wrench.

Readers familiar with the Vlchek Tool Company will recognize similarities between the two company's wrench sets. Vlchek had long provided popularly priced carbon-steel wrenches, but in the late 1920s began offering chrome-molybdenum alloy steel wrenches in "FITZ ALL" sets secured by a metal clip.

A Full Service Vendor

By the mid 1930s Williams had become a full-service vendor for automotive and industrial service tools.

Fig. 12D. 1940 Ad for Williams Wrenches and Socket Tools. [External Link]

Fig. 12D shows a full-page ad for Williams wrenches and socket tools, as published on page 19 of the December, 1940 issue of Motor.

The illustration provides an overview of Williams' extensive selection of service tools, including open-end, box-end, combination, and adjustable wrenches, as well as socket tools in drive sizes 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4.

Patents

Trademarks

Williams registered a number of trademarks, including the W-Diamond logo, "Williams", "Agrippa", "Vulcan", "Superrench", and "Superratchet". Information on some of the more important trademarks is summarized in the table below.

Tool Identification

W-Diamond Logo

Fig. 12B. W-Diamond Logo.

The scan in Fig. 12B shows the W-Diamond logo as presented for trademark #104,112.

This logo was typically stamped on or forged into tools made by J.H. Williams.

AZ-Circle Logo

Fig. 12C. AZ-Circle Logo.

During the 1950s and 1960s J.H. Williams supplied adjustable wrenches to Sears Roebuck for their Craftsman line. These wrenches were stamped with an "AZ" manufacturer's code, as seen at the left.

Fig. 12C shows the AZ-Circle logo.

Manufacturing Dates

Williams tools are generally not marked with a date code or other explicit indication of the manufacturing date. When an estimate of the manufacturing date is needed, it will have to be based on other information such as company name markings, tool design style, patent markings, and other factors.

In order to assist with estimating manufacturing dates, we hope to develop some guidelines based on tool markings and other characteristics. For now, the following list of events and observations may be helpful in determining the manufacturing date for some tools.

• W-Diamond Logo. The Williams W-Diamond logo was registered as a trademark, with the first use listed as 1884.

• Buffalo Factory. Williams built a new factory in Buffalo (New York) in 1914. Since tools were then being made in two locations, it's likely that Williams introduced slightly different face markings to distinguish production at Brooklyn from production at Buffalo.

• Brooklyn Marking. The company moved its headquarters from Brooklyn to Buffalo some time after 1919.

• Williams Scroll Logo. The Williams name underlined by the "S" was registered as a trademark, with the first use listed as 1924. The initial use on wrench faces included a W-Diamond logo below the scroll, with "Forged in U.S.A." or similar text.

• Superrench Trademark. The "Superrench" trademark was filed in 1925 with a first-use date of October 10, 1925.

• Across-Flats Sizes for Wrench Openings. Until about 1927 Williams generally marked wrench openings with the nominal bolt size, using the older U.S.S., S.A.E., or other appropriate size convention. With the adoption of the American Standard system of sizing, wrench openings were marked with the fractional across-flats size.

• Chrome-Plated Finishes. The "Superrench" line initially offered a nickel plated finish, but by November of 1927 the standard finish was chrome plating over nickel.

• "Chrome Alloy" Marking. In the 1930s Williams began changing its alloy markings to a more generic "Chrome Alloy", even while continuing to use chrome molybdenum steel for most of its production. By around 1935 it's likely that most forged-in markings had been updated to "Chrome Alloy". We have an extensive discussion of this in the section below on Alloy Specifications and Markings.

• Transitional Duohex-Box Markings on Angled Box Wrenches. Angled box wrenches were introduced in 1937 and initially carried a transitional form of marking derived from the earlier Duohex-Box wrenches. By 1940 the standard marking for oval-shank box wrenches was likely in use.

• NX Series of 1 Inch Drive Tools. In the late 1930s Williams introduced 1 inch (square) drive tools in the NX series, a replacement for older hex drive tools.

• NM Series of 1/4-Drive Tools. In 1940 Williams introduced 1/4-drive tools in the NM- series as a replacement for 9/32 drive.

• Oval-Shank Box Wrenches. By 1940 Williams was producing box wrenches in the oval-shank style with the standard markings.

• Cadmium, Painted, or Plain Finish During Wartime Years. Due to material shortages during the 1941-1945 wartime years, the standard chrome plated finishes were replaced with cadmium plated, painted, or plain steel finishes.

• Rough Surface Finish on Wrench Faces During Wartime Years. Williams generally applied grinding and polishing operations to wrench faces prior to plating. During the 1941-1945 wartime years these final finishing steps were sometimes omitted, leaving the wrench faces with obvious lines from the last machining or grinding step. This type of rough machined surface can be easily distinguished from the random pitted surface caused by extensive rusting. An good example of the rough surface finish is provided by the Williams 1725B Open-End Wrench.

• Alloy Marking on "Superrench" Tools. In 1942 or soon thereafter Williams began using the "Alloy" marking for some tools, instead of the earlier "Chrome-Molybdenum" or "Chrome-Alloy" markings. This change was probably made due to material shortages during the wartime years, but shortly after the war Williams stopped mentioning specific alloys in its catalogs. We have a more extensive discussion of this in the section below on Alloy Specifications and Markings.

• "Williams U.S.A." Logo on Wrench Faces. Around 1947 the wrench face markings were updated to use the Williams scroll with "U.S.A." below, replacing the older W-Diamond logo. The W-Diamond logo continued to be marked on some tool shanks, and on smaller wrenches faces when the full Williams name wouldn't fit.

• Double-Groove Style for Sockets. The double-groove style for sockets (see for example the 1/2-Drive Double-Groove Sockets) was introduced around 1948.

• Ribbed-Style Open-End Wrenches. The "ribbed" style for open-end wrenches was introduced in 1952. This style remained in use until 1959, when it was replaced by the flat shank style.

• Raised Panels on Wrenches. The raised-panel wrench style was introduced in the mid 1950s, some time after the 1952 advent of the ribbed style. This style remained in use until 1959 for combination wrenches and until 1960 for box-end wrenches.

• Flat Shanks on Wrenches. The wrench style with flat shanks was introduced in 1959 for open-end and combination wrenches, and by 1960 for other wrench types.

• Cross-bar Holes with 1/2-Drive Deep Sockets. The SD-12xx series deep sockets were fitted with cross-bar holes until at least the mid 1950s, but by 1960 cross-bar holes had been discontinued.

• Cold-formed Sockets. By 1968 Williams was using a cold-forming process (called "Impact Extruded" in the catalog) for making most sockets in 3/8 through 1 inch drive sizes. Some sockets may have been cold-formed as early as 1960.

Face Markings on Wrenches

Williams changed the style of the face markings on its wrenches several times over the years, and these markings therefore provide an approximate guide to the manufacturing date.

Fig. 13. Williams Early "Brooklyn" Face Markings.

Fig. 13 shows an example of one of the earliest face markings, consisting the text "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A.", typically stamped on the face of a wrench. Tools bearing this face marking generally also have a W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

This marking is believed to have been used on early production, when the Brooklyn address referred to both the company's headquarters and its principal factory location. This mark will be referred to in the text as the Early Brooklyn face marking.

Fig. 14. Williams Oval "Brooklyn" Face Markings.

Fig. 14 shows the first of a pair of similar markings, consisting of an oval outline with the text "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, U.S.A.", with the W-Diamond logo in the center. On smaller tools, the text was generally abbreviated to fit in the available space.

The Brooklyn address suggests that this marking was used distinguish production in the Brooklyn factory, with the other oval logo indicating the Buffalo factory. Williams built its Buffalo factory in 1914, and the oval logos are believed to have been used from around 1914 until 1924. This mark will be referred to in the text as the JHW-Brooklyn face marking.

Fig. 15. Williams Oval "Forged" Face Markings.

Fig. 15 shows the very similar oval outline with the text "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Forged in U.S.A.", again with the W-Diamond logo in the center.

This marking was likely used to distinguish production at the Buffalo factory (or other facilities) from the main Brooklyn factory and headquarters (see previous figure). Williams built its Buffalo factory in 1914, and the oval logos are believed to have been used from around 1914 until 1924. This mark will be referred to in the text as the JHW-Forged face marking.

Fig. 16. Williams "Forged in U.S.A." Face Markings.

Around 1924 Williams updated its wrench face markings to the style shown at the left. The Williams name is underlined by a scroll from the terminal "S", and the text "Forged in U.S.A." appears below, with the W-Diamond logo in the center. The 1924 date is based on the trademark registration for the Williams name with the scroll underline, which lists 1924 as the first use date.

Several alternate forms of this style were used for smaller tools with insufficient space for the full "Forged in U.S.A." text. These alternates (in order of decreasing size) were "Made in U.S.A.", then "Made U.S.A.", and finally just "U.S.A." for the smallest tools.

Fig. 17. Williams "U.S.A." Face Markings.

By 1947 Williams had updated its wrench face markings to the simpler style shown in Fig. 17 at the left. The Williams name remained underlined by a scroll, but the text below was simply "U.S.A." without the W-Diamond logo. (This example is highly polished, and the reflection made it a bit difficult to photograph.)

This style of marking was generally used on wrench faces from about 1947 until around 1955, after which the adoption of the ribbed wrench style forced the markings to move to the shank. This marking was also used on tools without a well-defined "face", being placed on the shank or some other part of a tool. We'll refer to this as the "Williams U.S.A." marking in the text.

Alloy Specifications and Markings

One slightly puzzling aspect of the Williams "Superrench" line is the variation in the markings for alloy content. The wrenches believed to be of the earliest production are invariably marked "Chrome-Molybdenum" (or equivalent), but tools of possibly later production are sometimes marked "Chrome-Alloy" or simply "Alloy". When we first noticed the variation in markings, we had hoped that this would provide a simple means of estimating the manufacturing date. After extensive analysis of the markings, we can show that in certain cases the alloy markings do provide some information on the production date.

To begin researching this issue, we first did a quick review of the alloy composition noted in various Williams catalogs, and have summarized the observations in the table below. Note that the table reflects only what was printed in the catalogs, not necessarily what was marked on (or used for) the tools themselves.

Several comments are worth noting here. Our first observation is that the stated alloy composition is consistent across all types of tools for a given catalog edition, with the exception of the early combination wrenches. This suggests that if changes in the alloy usage were going to be made for a particular year, the change was made across the board.

Secondly, note that for 1947 (and later) no specific guidance is provided for the alloy composition; the catalogs simply note the use of "Selected Alloy Steels". This gave Williams the maximum flexibility to match their alloy steel usage with engineering requirements (or market conditions) as needed.

Our last observation is that (obviously) chrome-molybdenum steel is a chrome alloy, and a wrench marked "Chrome Alloy" and made of chrome-moly steel has met its specification.

We can extend this discussion by asking a trick question: is chrome-nickel-moly steel a chrome-molybdenum alloy? A "yes" answer might argue that since a chrome-nickel-moly alloy does contain chromium and molybdenum, it's also a chrome-molybdenum alloy. But chrome-molybdenum has a degree of specificity to it and identifies a class of alloys such as AISI 4140, whereas chrome-nickel-molybdenum identifies a different class of alloys, such as AISI 8640, 8740, and 8742. All of these alloys have highly desirable properties for toolmaking, but there may be engineering or economic reasons for choosing one over the others. If Williams generally intended to use chrome-moly steel, but wanted flexibility to substitute chrome-nickel-moly or even chrome-vanadium steel, a chrome-alloy marking would cover all cases.

We actually tested some Williams wrenches for alloy content and found that an early wrench marked "Chrome-Molybdenum" had a composition similar to AISI 4140 chrome-moly steel, while two later wrenches marked "Alloy V" were similar to AISI 8640 chrome-nickel-moly steel. (See our article on Alloy Steels for discussion of the testing.) Thus it's possible that Williams may have had discussions of this sort internally and decided in favor of a more generic marking.

After reviewing the catalog information, the next step should be to compare the actual markings on tools with the printed specifications. This would be easy if Williams tools were marked with date codes, but without date codes it's generally not possible to determine the manufacturing date with sufficient precision. However, it turns out that a small number of tools have markings or other features to provide a relatively precise estimate of the manufacturing date.

The list below summarizes the special cases we've identified so far, and hopefully others will be found as well.

1. Patent Pending Markings on Obstruction Wrenches.

   Obstruction wrenches were first offered in the mid 1920s, and some of these tools are stamped with a "Pat. Pendg" notation. The earliest catalogs also mention the patent pending status, but later catalogs (after the 1920s) no longer mention a patent. Hence it's reasonable to assume that the wrenches with the patent notice are from the mid 1920s, and all of the available examples are marked "Chrome-Molybdenum". The examples include the Williams 2021 Obstruction Wrench and Williams 2027C Obstruction Wrench.

2. Patent Notice on Waterpump Wrenches.

   Waterpump wrenches were introduced in the early 1930s, and some examples are known to be marked with a patent notice for the Gillett 1929 patent #RE17,417. This patent is also noted in catalogs from 1931 and 1933, but not in catalogs from 1937 and later. It's reasonable to assume that the patent-marked waterpump wrenches are from the early 1930s, and all of these wrenches are marked "Chrome-Molybdenum". See for example the Williams 8962 Waterpump Wrench.

3. Transitional "Duohex-Box" Marking on Oval-Shank Wrenches.

   Angled box wrenches with the oval shank style were introduced around 1937, and some examples of these wrenches have been found with a "Duohex-Box" transitional marking. The modern box wrench marking was introduced around 1940, so that the examples with transitional markings were likely made from 1937-1939. An example of a transitional wrench can be seen as the Williams 7025 "Duohex-Box" Wrench.

   Of the transitional wrenches examined so far, four out of six are stamped "Chrome-Alloy", and the other two have no alloy markings. Significantly, none of them are marked "Chrome Molybdenum", although chrome moly steel was standard during the time these wrenches were made.

4. Cadmium or Plain Finish on Oval-Shank Wrenches.

   The standard chrome-plated finish was generally replaced by cadmium, plain, or painted finishes during the wartime years of 1942-1945. Numerous examples of oval-shank wrenches with cadmium or similar finishes have been found, and almost all of these have been stamped "Alloy Steel". Examples include the Williams 7721 Box Wrench, Williams 4731A Box Wrench, and Williams 4731B Box Wrench.

5. Review of Markings on Oval-Shank Wrenches.

   A review of the markings on all 29 examples of oval-shank box wrenches in our collection (at that time) found that all except for three were marked "Alloy Steel". The three exceptions were marked "Chrome-Alloy".

6. Cadmium or Plain Finish on Open-End Wrenches.

   As noted above, during the 1942-1945 wartime years chrome finishes were generally replaced by cadmium, plain, or painted finishes. A number of examples of the open-end "Superrench" series have been found with cadmium or similar finishes, and the majority of these are marked with "Alloy" forged into the shank, but with some examples marked "Chrome-Alloy" being noted as well. Examples include the Williams 1725B Wrench (Painted), Williams 1725B Wrench (Plain), Williams 1027 Wrench, Williams 1029 Wrench (Painted), Williams 1029 Wrench (Plain), Williams 1029 Wrench, and Williams 1034A Wrench (Plain).

   Significantly, no examples of apparent wartime production have been found with "Chrome Molybdenum" markings. Since open-end wrenches of this era had forged-in markings, this implies that Williams had already converted its forging dies to "Chrome Alloy" prior to the wartime era.

7. Late Production of Angle-Head Obstruction Wrenches.

   Production of angle-head obstruction wrenches was discontinued around 1945. We have one example of an obstruction wrench that appears to be of mid 1940s production, based on its gray-green powder-coat finish instead of the standard chrome plating. This wrench has a forged-in "Alloy" marking on the shank, and can be seen as the Williams 2033A Obstruction Wrench.

8. Williams U.S.A. Face Marking.

   In 1947 Williams updated the face markings on wrenches to use the "Williams U.S.A." logo instead of the older W-Diamond logo. Based on our catalog review, in 1947 and later we would expect to find only an "Alloy" marking. These two rules would imply that wrenches with the "Williams U.S.A." face logo should have an "Alloy" marking, and a quick check of the examples available here has found no exceptions to this rule.

Conclusions

We'll now attempt to summarize the observations noted above into some guidelines for interpreting the alloy markings.

• First Use of "Alloy" Marking.

  Several of the numbered observations above (4, 5, 6, and 7) establish the extensive use of the "Alloy" marking during the 1942-1945 wartime years, and we have no documented uses of the "Alloy" marking before this time. Although Williams didn't change its catalogs to specify "Alloy" until 1947, once the tooling was set up for this marking, it would have been advantageous to continue its use, especially when the marking is incised in a forging die.

  Based on these arguments, we believe that the "Alloy" marking very likely indicates production from 1942-1943 or later. Thus the "Alloy" marking and other factors may serve to significantly narrow the potential production dates for a particular tool.

• Transition to "Chrome-Alloy" Marking.

  The fact that Williams listed its specifications as "Chrome Alloy" in the 1931 and 1933 catalogs shows that the company realized it needed some flexibility in its alloy usage. Since many of its tools had the markings incised into the forging dies, it would have been difficult to update the markings quickly.

  Observation number (3) above shows that when alloy markings were added to the new angled box wrenches beginning in 1937, only "Chrome Alloy" was used. Observation number (5) above notes that for oval-shank wrenches made from 1940 onward, only "Chrome-Alloy" or "Alloy" markings were used. And finally, observation number (6) shows that substantially all of the forging dies for open-end wrenches had been updated to "Chrome Alloy" prior to the wartime years.

  These observations show that Williams had worked during the 1930s to change its alloy markings to "Chrome Alloy", and that it chose not to use the more specific "Chrome Molybdenum" even for stamped markings that would have been easier to change should the need arise. Based on these observations, we think it's likely that the "Chrome Alloy" marking would have been used for most wrenches from about 1935 onward. Since the change in markings probably occurred in stages, as worn forging dies were replaced, a "Mid 1930s" date is probably the most appropriate time expression.

References and Resources

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

Catalog Coverage

J.H. Williams published many catalogs over its long history, and fortunately the catalogs were printed in sufficient quantity so that even the older ones are still relatively available. Major catalog editions were published every few years or so, and update booklets were printed as often as needed to keep up with changes.

However, the catalog numbering system changed over the years, making it a bit confusing to keep track of the numerous publications. So to help organize the material, we've arranged our catalog resources into the table below, sorted by issue date.

Industrial Distributors

Williams tools were widely available from industrial and automotive supply companies. The list below includes some of the catalogs that have proven to be useful for our research.

• Chanslor & Lyon 1910. The 1910 catalog from the Chanslor & Lyon Motor Supply Company, a West Coast dealer, lists Williams open-end wrenches on page 177 and the Vulcan auto tool on page 177.

• Ducommun "E" 1918. The 1918 catalog "E" from the Ducommun Hardware Company of Los Angeles has extensive listings for J.H. Williams wrenches on pages 225 through 236, with an early set of tappet wrenches shown at the bottom of page 236. Other tools include Vulcan chain pipe wrenches on page 256 and Vulcan pipe vises on page 265.

• Harron, Rickard & McCone 1918. The 1918 catalog No. 2 from Harron, Rickard & McCone, an industrial distributor, lists an extensive selection of Williams drop-forged wrenches on pages 106 to 119. Other listings include Williams spanner wrenches on page 125 and Williams chain pipe wrenches on page 129.

• Dunham, Carrigan Catalog 1925. The 1925 catalog No. 73 from the Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden Company shows six pages of Williams tools, beginning on page 220. The listings (all for wrenches) show only carbon-steel tools, with the exception of four alloy-steel tappet wrenches, models 90, 92, 94, and 96.

• McMaster-Carr Supply 1928. The 1928 catalog No. 28 from the McMaster-Carr Supply Company of Chicago lists Williams wrenches on pages 558-562, including "Superrench" engineers', tappet, and obstruction wrenches.

  Also listed are the Husky-Williams wrench sets E-642 (engineers' and tappet wrenches) and O-642 (obstruction and tappet wrenches) on page 12.

• White Tool and Supply 1928. The 1928 catalog "B" from the White Tool and Supply Company, a Cleveland-based industrial distributor, lists Williams wrenches on pages 127 through 135. The listings include chrome-molybdenum alloy steel wrenches in three styles, engineers', "S"-shaped, and tappet wrenches. The listings also include Vulcan pipe tongs on page 137.

• C.W. Marwedel 1929. The C.W. Marwedel catalog No. 12 of 1929 lists Williams wrenches on pages 70 through 82, including the chrome-molybdenum Superrench line in Engineers', tappet, S-shaped, obstruction, and midget styles. Page 82 lists Williams-Husky wrench sets with Nos. 287, 321-1/2, and 642-1/2 sets.

• H. Channon 1930. The 1930 catalog No. 101 from the H. Channon Company lists a wide variety of Williams tools, including "Superrench" open-end and tappet wrenches, carbon steel wrenches, and automotive wrench sets. One of the more interesting items listed is the "Combination Electrical Set 287", a set of midget Superrenches plus eight small hex-drive sockets, a sliding T-handle, and a rotating-grip extension. This is the earliest known catalog listing for interchangeable sockets from Williams; even more interesting, the model numbers and illustrations of the T-handle and extension exactly match the Husky Wrench L-2 T-Handle and Husky Wrench L-147 Rotating-Grip Extension.

• Ducommun "H" 1933. The 1933 catalog "H" from the Ducommun Corporation lists a variety of Williams tools beginning on page 136, including the "Superrench" line in open-end, obstruction, and box-end styles. "Duohex" box-end wrenches are listed in both single-offset and double-offset styles. Four pages of Williams socket sets are listed beginning on page 144A, including sets with 1 inch hex drive.

  Page 136 shows a rare table of Williams "Volume" open-end wrenches, which notes the construction from chrome-molybdenum steel. This is currently our only catalog reference for the "Volume" brand.

• H. Channon 1936. The catalog No. 102 from the H. Channon Company (undated but from around 1936) lists a variety of Williams tools, including the only known descriptions of the M-310 (9/32-drive), B-315 (3/8-drive), and S-320 (1/2-drive) socket sets. The product lines include "Superrench" open-end, tappet, and box-end wrenches, carbon steel wrenches, automotive wrench sets, and socket tools from 9/32-drive up to 1 inch hex drive. A hint for the publication date is provided on page 199, which mentions the use of the Williams SD-1228T socket for Buick cars up to 1936.

  Another listing known only from this catalog is the "Cromal" second-line of box wrenches, not specifically marked as Williams but appearing in the middle of the section. The wrenches were offered in four sets, Nos. 176, 185, 186, and 193, and were described as chrome-alloy steel with cadmium plating.

Early Tools

The earliest tools produced by Williams were generally marked with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." stamped on the face, or with similar markings forged into the tool. In some cases only the W-Diamond logo was marked on the tool.

No. 0 Brock Patent Chain Wrench

J.H. Williams became an early leader in the market for chain pipe wrenches, and developed or licensed a number of patents for such tools. We'll begin this section with an early example of one of their chain wrenches.

Fig. 18. Williams No. 0 Brock Patent Chain Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1888-1895.

Fig. 18 shows an early Williams No. 0 chain wrench, marked with the W-Diamond logo and "Brock Chain Wrench" on the face plate, and with "Made By J.H. Williams & Co" and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." forged into the handle.

The overall length is 12.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The face plate also lists no fewer than five patent dates, which must be something of a record. The dates and patents are October 4, 1881 (Brock, #247,987), December 13, 1881 (Brock, #250,641), March 14, 1882 (Brock, #254,862), May 13, 1884 (Brock, #298,442). and February 14, 1888 (Williams, #377,795).

Vulcan No. 30 Bijaw Chain Pipe Wrench

Fig. 19. Williams No. 30 Vulcan Chain Pipe Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1908-1920.

Fig. 19 shows a later Vulcan No. 30 "Bijaw" chain pipe wrench, marked "J.H. Williams & Co" and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo forged into the face plate.

The face is also marked with a "Pat'd in U.S. Jan. 21 08" and several foreign patent notices.

The overall length is 13.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to patent 876,926, filed by G. Amborn in 1907 and issued in 1908.

Vulcan Auto Tool

In 1910 Williams began offering a combination tool called the "Vulcan Auto Tool".

Fig. 20. 1910 Notice for Williams Vulcan Auto Tool. [External Link]

Fig. 20 shows a notice illustrating and describing the new tool, as published on page 375 of the February, 1910 issue of Hardware Dealers' Magazine. This was in the "New Goods" section of the magazine, suggesting that the tool was introduced around this time.

The numbered points in the illustration correspond to the list of functions in the text, e.g. (1) hammer, (2) lug wrench, (3) cotter pin puller, and so on.

An advertisement on page 20 of the January 1910 Proceedings of the Brooklyn Engineers Club also provides a functional illustration of the various parts of the Vulcan Auto tool.

The Vulcan Auto wrench was offered in the J.H. Williams Fifteenth Edition catalog of 1912, and description lists 12 different functions performed by the tool, with an annotated illustration to point out the operations. The catalog also states that the tool was patented. The price was $12.00 per dozen in either blued or nickel-plated finish.

Fig. 21. Williams Vulcan Auto Tool, with Insets for Back Side Detail, ca. 1910-1915.

Fig. 21 shows the distinctive Williams "Vulcan Auto Tool", a combination tool for auto repair. The tool has forged-in markings "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo, and the back side is marked "Vulcan Auto Tool" and "Pat. Pendg." (see insets).

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent corresponding to the pending notice has not yet been found.

Early Wrenches

Open-end wrenches were among the early tools produced by J.H. Williams, and the model numbering system developed for open-end wrenches became widely adopted by the industry.

Early "White" No. 729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 22. Williams Early "White" No. 729 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench, ca. Before 1914.

Fig. 22 shows an early Williams No. 729 5/8x3/4 open-end wrench, apparently made for the White company (possibly the truck manufacturer). The face is stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn. N.Y. U.S.A." on one end with the 729 model number on the other, and the "White" name is engraved in script on the shank. The shank also has a forged-in "29" and a W-Diamond logo, but the latter has been partially ground off.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "7/16" and "1/2", references to the older S.A.E. size convention.

Early No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 23. Early Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. Before 1914.

Fig. 23 shows an early Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 open-end wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn. N.Y. U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "7/16" and "3/8", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention for the 25/32 and 11/16 openings, respectively.

Early No. 731B 13/16x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 24. Early Williams No. 731B 13/16x7/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. Before 1914.

Fig. 24 shows an early Williams No. 731B 13/16x7/8 open-end wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on one face with the model number on the other end. The shank also has a forged-in W-Diamond logo at the left.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "9/16" and "5/8", references to the older Hex Capscrew size convention.

Early No. 679A "A.L.A.M. STD." 9/16x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 25. Early Williams No. 679A "A.L.A.M. STD." 9/16x11/16 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1910-1913.

Fig. 25 shows an early Williams No. 679A 9/16x11/16 S-shaped open-end wrench, stamped with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the face, with "A.L.A.M. STD." stamped on the shank.

The back side faces are stamped "7/16" and "3/8", and the back side shank has a forged-in W-Diamond logo at the left.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

This wrench is listed in the 1912 Williams catalog as part of the No. 2 "Light" Automobile Set, with the openings described as fitting "A.L.A.M. Standard Nuts". Although the A.L.A.M. size convention is usually associated with the later S.A.E. sizes, the "7/16" marking for an 11/16 opening is not part of the S.A.E. convention.

Early 761 Special 7/16x1/2 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench

Fig. 26. Williams 761 Special 7/16x1/2 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. Early 1900s.

Fig. 26 shows an early Williams 761 Special 7/16x1/2 textile-pattern wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on one face, with "Special" on the other face. The shank has a forged-in W-Diamond logo and is also stamped "S.L.S.", and the back side has a forged-in "761" model number.

The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

761C 19/32x11/16 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench

Fig. 27. Williams 761C 19/32x11/16 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 27 shows an early Williams 761C 19/32x11/16 textile-pattern wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the face, with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "5/16" and "3/8", references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

Brooklyn and Buffalo

In 1914 J.H. Williams built a new factory in Buffalo, New York, a location favored by many metal industries for its abundant electricity and good transportation. Williams continued to use the Brooklyn facility for some time, but eventually moved its headquarters to Buffalo.

The wrenches produced by Williams during the earlier part of this era were marked with either the JHW-Brooklyn face marking or the JHW-Forged face marking. Both markings had an oval outline with the familiar W-Diamond logo in the center and the text "J.H. Williams & Co." along the top, with either "Brooklyn, U.S.A." or "Forged in U.S.A." along the bottom. (In some cases only the W-Diamond logo was marked on the tool.)

In 1924 Williams began using the "Williams Scroll" trademarked logo, composed of the Williams name underlined on top with "Forged in U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo underneath. This marking remained in use until 1947.

In this section we'll look at examples of carbon-steel tools produced from around 1914 up through 1947.

No. 723A "Pierce-Arrow" 3/8x1/2 Open-End Wrench

We'll now turn to some early wrenches marked with the JHW-Brooklyn logo.

Fig. 28. Williams No. 723A "Pierce-Arrow" 3/8x1/2 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 28 shows an early Williams No. 723A 3/8x1/2 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, with the industry-standard model number on the other face. The back side shank is stamped with the "Pierce-Arrow" logo, indicating that this wrench was contract production for the Pierce company.

The overall length is 3.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.

The back side faces are stamped "3/16" and "5/16", references to the older Hex Cap Screw size convention.

No. 725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 29. Williams No. 725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 29 shows an early Williams No. 725 7/16x1/2 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking, but with the company name in the "J.H.W." abbreviated form. The back side face is stamped with the industry-standard model number, but the opening sizes are not marked.

The overall length is 4.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.

No. 725B 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 30. Williams No. 725B 1/2x9/16 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 30 shows a Williams No. 725B 1/2x9/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking on the left face, with the industry-standard number on the right face. The back side faces are stamped with "3/8" and "5/16", references to the older S.A.E. Size Convention.

The wrench is also marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 25 1/2x19/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 31. Williams No. 25 1/2x19/32 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 31 shows an early Williams No. 25 1/2x19/32 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking, but with the company name in the "J.H.W." abbreviated form. The shank is marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the front, with the "25" model number forged into the back side.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "5/16" and "1/4", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

No. 726 1/2x5/8 Open-End Wrenches

The next two figures show early examples of the No. 726 wrench.

Fig. 32. Williams No. 726 1/2x5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 32 shows an early Williams [No. 726] 1/2x5/8 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The back side shank also has a forged-in number "128" as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 6.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "5/16" and "7/16", references to the older Hex Capscrew size convention for an industry-standard 726 wrench.

Fig. 33. Williams No. 726 1/2x5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 33 shows another early Williams No. 726 1/2x5/8 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The back side face is stamped with the 726 model number, but the sizes are not marked.

The overall length is 5.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 27 "Kelly Press" 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 34. Williams No. 27 19/32x11/16 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 34 shows an early Williams No. 27 19/32x11/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The shank also has a stamped marking "Kelly Press", which was probably the customer for contract production, and the back side has a forged-in number "27" (see lower inset).

The overall length is 5.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The middle insets show the back side face markings "3/8" and "5/16", references to the older U.S.S. size convention for an industry-standard 27 wrench.

The upper inset shows a side view of the wrench. Note the grinding marks on the edge, indicating that only relatively coarse finishing operations were being performed at this time.

No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrenches

The next figures show two examples of early No. 29 wrenches.

Fig. 35. Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 35 shows an early Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking. The shank has the W-Diamond logo forged into one side, with the industry-standard model number 29 forged into the back side, as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "3/8" and "7/16", references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

Fig. 36. Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 36 shows a somewhat later Williams No. 29 11/16x25/32 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, with the model number stamped on the other end.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 731 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 37. Williams No. 731 3/4x13/16 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 37 shows an early Williams No. 731 3/4x13/16 open-end wrench, marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank, and with the JHW-Forged face marking. The industry-standard model number 731 is stamped on the other front face.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "1/2" and "9/16", references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

The use of a stamped rather than forged-in model number suggests later production than the previous example.

No. 33 7/8x31/32 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 38. Williams No. 33 7/8x31/32 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 38 shows an early Williams No. 33 7/8x31/32 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The industry-standard model number is forged into the back side of the shank, as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 8.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The middle insets show the back side face markings "9/16" and "1/2", references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

The upper inset shows a side view of the wrench, illustrating the coarse grinding marks remaining after the finishing operations. The rough finish indicates a relatively early production date for this example.

No. 34 7/8x1-1/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 39. Williams No. 34 7/8x1-1/16 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 39 shows an early Williams No. 34 7/8x1-1/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, with the model number on the opposite end. The opposite faces are stamped "5/8" and "1/2", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention for the 1-1/16 and 7/8 openings, respectively.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 35 31/32x1-1/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 40. Williams No. 35 31/32x1-1/16 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 40 shows an early Williams No. 35 31/32x1-1/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn face marking, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The industry-standard model number is forged into the back side of the shank, as shown in the inset.

The overall length is 9.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "9/16" and "5/8", references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

No. 737 1-1/8x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 41. Williams No. 737 1-1/8x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 41 shows an early Williams No. 737 1-1/8x1-1/4 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Forged face marking, and with a W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The industry-standard model number 737 is stamped on the back side face (not shown).

The overall length is 11.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

1474 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 42. Williams 1474 5/8x11/16 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 42 shows a Williams 1474 5/8x11/16 open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Later No. 725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench

Later carbon-steel wrenches were marked on the face with the Williams scroll trademark, plus "Forged in U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo. This type of marking was used beginning in 1924, the date listed on the Williams scroll trademark registration.

Fig. 43. Williams No. 725 7/16x1/2 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Side View, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 43 shows a Williams No. 725 7/16x1/2 open-end wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, with the model number stamped on the shank.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of black paint on the shank.

The back side faces are stamped "1/4 ⬡C 1/4 S.A.E." and "1/4 U.S.S. 5/16 ⬡C 5/16 S.A.E.", references to the older side conventions.

The markings on this particular wrench provide a fairly precise estimate of the manufacturing date. The Williams scroll trademark on the face indicates production in 1924 or later, and the use of the older U.S.S. and S.A.E. size conventions places the production in 1927 or earlier.

A somewhat earlier example of this model can be seen as the Williams 725 Open-End Wrench.

No. 727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 44. Williams No. 727 9/16x5/8 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 44 shows a Williams No. 727 9/16x5/8 open-end wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, with the model number stamped on the shank. The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes (not shown).

The overall length is 6.3 inches, and the finish is black paint with polished faces.

No. 30 11/16x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 45. Williams No. 30 11/16x7/8 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 45 shows a Williams No. 30 11/16x7/8 open-end wrench, stamped on the face with "Forged in U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo.

The overall length is 8.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of black paint on the shank.

The back side faces are marked with the fractional sizes of the openings.

No. 31 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 46. Williams No. 31 25/32x7/8 Open-End Wrench, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 46 shows a Williams No. 31 25/32x7/8 open-end wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face.

The overall length is 9.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of black paint on the shank.

No. 41 "Mack" 1-7/16x1-5/8 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 47. Williams No. 41 "Mack" 1-7/16x1-5/8 Open-End Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 47 shows a Williams No. 41 1-7/16x1-5/8 open-end wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and stamped with the Mack script logo on the shank.

The overall length is 15.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The insets show the back side face markings "1 U.S.S. 1 1/8 ⬡C 1 1/8 S.A.E." and "7/8 U.S.S. 1 S.A.E.", references to the older U.S.S., Hex Capscrew, and S.A.E. size conventions.

The markings on this particular wrench provide a fairly precise estimate of the manufacturing date. The Williams scroll trademark on the face indicates production in 1924 or later, and the use of the older U.S.S. and S.A.E. size conventions places the production in 1927 or earlier.

Single-Open Engineer's Wrenches

Single-open "Engineer's" wrenches were actually the first tools offered by Williams, at least if we use the model numbers as a guide. When the numbering system was laid out, single-open wrenches for U.S.S. bolts were assigned numbers 1 through 20, with the U.S.S. double-open wrenches picking up at number 21. A second series of single-open wrenches for the Hex Cap Screw sizes was introduced later, with model numbers running in a 700 series.

No. 2 19/32 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench

Fig. 48. Williams No. 2 19/32 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 48 shows an early Williams No. 2 19/32 single-open wrench, stamped with the abbreviated JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The back side shank is stamped with the size as "5/16", a reference to the U.S.S. Size Convention for the 19/32 opening.

The overall length is 4.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 3 11/16 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench

Fig. 49. Williams No. 3 11/16 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 49 shows an early Williams No. 3 11/16 single-open wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 5.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 704 3/4 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench

Fig. 50. Williams No. 704 3/4 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench, ca. 1924-1947.

Fig. 50 shows a later Williams No. 704 3/4 single-open wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and with the model number stamped into the shank.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of the original black paint.

No. 5 7/8 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench

Fig. 51. Williams No. 5 7/8 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 51 shows a Williams No. 5 7/8 single-open wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and with the model number stamped into the shank. The back side face is stamped with the fractional size.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

No. 6 31/32 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench

Fig. 52. Williams No. 6 31/32 Single-Open Engineer's Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 52 shows a Williams No. 6 31/32 single-open wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and with the model number stamped into the shank. The back side face is stamped with the size as "9/16 U.S.S.", a reference to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

The overall length is 9.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The use of the Williams scroll face logo with the older U.S.S. size convention indicates production in the range 1924-1927.

Textile-Pattern Wrenches

The next figures show examples of textile-pattern open-end wrenches, tools that were often used for servicing looms and other textile machinery.

762 Special "Johnson & Bassett" Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench

Fig. 53. Williams 762 Special "Johnson & Bassett" Textile Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 53 shows a Williams 762 "Special" textile-pattern wrench with measured sizes 5/8x23/32, stamped on the face "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo. The back side shank is stamped "Johnson & Bassett", presumed to be the customer for this special-order wrench.

The overall length is 7.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

762C 11/16x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrenches

The next figures show two generations of the Williams 762C textile wrench.

Fig. 54. Williams 762C 11/16x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 54 shows an early Williams 762C 11/16x7/8 textile-pattern wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Bklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the face, with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 6.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "3/8" and "1/2", references to the opening sizes in the old U.S.S. size convention.

Fig. 55. Williams 762C 11/16x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench.

Fig. 55 shows a later Williams 762C wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A. on the face with the W-Diamond logo.

763A 25/32x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrenches

Fig. 56. Williams 763A 25/32x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 56 shows a Williams 763A 25/32x7/8 textile-pattern wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face. The back side faces are stamped "1/2" and "7/16", references to the U.S.S. Size Convention for the 7/8 and 25/32 sizes, respectively.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Fig. 57. Williams [763A] 25/32x7/8 Textile-Pattern Open-End Wrench for Crompton & Knowles, with Inset for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 57 shows another Williams [763A] 25/32x7/8 textile-pattern wrench, made as contract production for Crompton & Knowles, a maker of textile machinery.

The face is stamped with the JHW-Forged logo, and the shank is stamped "Crompton & Knowles 6" for the customer's model.

The overall length is 8.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "7/8" and "25/32", the actual across-flats size.

Toolpost Wrenches

525 Toolpost Wrench

Fig. 58. Williams 525 1/4x5/16 Toolpost Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 58 shows a Williams 525 1/4x5/16 toolpost wrench, marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank, and with the abbreviated variant of the JHW-Brooklyn logo stamped on the face.

The overall length is 3.9 inches.

529 Toolpost Wrenches

Fig. 59. Williams 529 3/8x7/16 Toolpost Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 59 shows an early Williams 529 3/8x7/16 toolpost wrench, marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank, and with the abbreviated variant of the JHW-Brooklyn logo stamped on the face.

The overall length is 5.8 inches. The finish is plain steel with some traces of the original black paint.

Fig. 60. Williams 529 3/8x7/16 Toolpost Wrench.

Fig. 60 shows a later Williams 529 3/8x7/16 toolpost wrench, marked with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank, and with "Made U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo stamped on the face.

The overall length is 5.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

595 "Skinner Chuck" 3/8x11/16 Toolpost Wrench

Fig. 61. Williams 595 "Skinner Chuck" 3/8x11/16 Toolpost Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. 1924-1947.

Fig. 61 shows a Williams 595 3/8x11/16 toolpost wrench made for the Skinner Chuck Company. The wrench is marked with "Made U.S.A." and the W-Diamond logo stamped on the face, with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The back side faces are stamped with the fractional sizes, and the back side shank is stamped "The Skinner Chuck Co.", presumed to be the customer for the wrench.

The overall length is 6.5 inches, and the finish is black paint.

556 Toolpost Wrench

Fig. 62. Williams 556 5/8 Open-Box Toolpost Wrench, with Inset for Side View, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 62 shows a Williams 5/8 toolpost wrench in the open-box style, marked with a variant of the JHW-Brooklyn logo with abbreviated names.

The overall length is 6.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The top inset shows a side view of the wrench, illustrating the massive construction typical for this type of tool.

Check-Nut Wrenches

Check-nut wrenches were the forerunners of the modern tappet wrench, a type of thin open-end wrench designed to service opposing nuts on a variety of machinery.

Single-ended check-nut wrenches were being offered as early as 1901 in the Tenth Edition catalog. Wrenches as that time were available in models ranging from No. 602 (5/16 U.S.S.) up to No. 610 (1 Inch U.S.S.).

624 13/32x19/32 Check-Nut Wrench

Fig. 63. Williams 624 13/32x19/32 Check-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 63 shows a Williams 624 13/32x19/32 check-nut wrench, stamped "J.W.H. & Co." in a variant JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face. The shank has a depressed panel with "Check Nut Wrench" and a raised W-Diamond logo at the end, and the back side has the forged-in "624" model number.

The overall length is 4.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "3/16" and "5/16", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

625 1/2x19/32 Check-Nut Wrench

Fig. 64. Williams 624 13/32x19/32 Check-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 64 shows a Williams 625 1/2x19/32 check-nut wrench, stamped "J.W.H. & Co." in a variant JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face. The shank is marked with "Check Nut Wrench" forged into a depressed panel and a W-Diamond logo forged at the end, with the "625" model number forged into the back side.

The overall length is 4.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "5/16" and "1/4", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

628 19/32x25/32 Check-Nut Wrench

Fig. 65. Williams 628 19/32x25/32 Check-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Back Side.

Fig. 65 shows a Williams 628 19/32x25/32 check-nut wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face. The shank has a depressed panel with "Check Nut Wrench" and a raised W-Diamond logo at the end, and the back side has the forged-in "628" model number.

The overall length is 5.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows the back side face markings "7/16" and "5/16", references to the wrench sizes in the older U.S.S. convention.

632 25/32x31/32 Check-Nut Wrench

Fig. 66. Williams 632 25/32x31/32 Check-Nut Wrench.

Fig. 66 shows a Williams model 632 check-nut wrench with sizes 25/32 and 31/32, marked with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face.

The shank has several forged-in markings, including the "632" model number at one end, a depressed panel with "Check Nut Wrench" in the center, and the W-Diamond logo at the other end.

The overall length is 8.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are marked "7/16" and "9/16", references to the wrench sizes in the U.S.S. convention.

635E 1x1-1/4 Check-Nut Wrench

Fig. 67. Williams 635E 1x1-1/4 Check-Nut Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

Fig. 67 shows a Williams 665E 1x1-1/4 check-nut wrench, marked with the JHW-Brooklyn logo stamped on the face.

The shank is marked with "Check Nut Wrench" forged into a depressed panel, and the model number and W-Diamond logo are forged into the ends of the shank. (The "E" suffix of the model is stamped, indicating that the wrench blank could be used for multiple sizes.)

The overall length is 10.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel, possibly with black paint originally.

The back side faces are marked "3/4" and "1", apparent references to the older "Hex Cap Screw" size convention.

633 Mack 7/8x1 Check-Nut Wrench

The next several figures show later examples of the check-nut series.

Fig. 68. Williams 633 "Mack" 7/8x1 Check-Nut Wrench, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 68 shows a later Williams 633 7/8x1 check-nut wrench made for Mack. The face is stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo, and the shank is stamped with the Mack script logo.

The overall length is 9.0 inches.

634 7/8x1-1/16 Check-Nut Wrenches

Fig. 69. Williams 634 7/8x1-1/16 Check-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 69 shows an earlier Williams 634 7/8x1-1/16 check-nut wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, with the model number stamped on the shank.

The insets show the back side face markings "5/8 U.S.S. 3/4 S.A.E." and "1/2U.S.S. 5/8 ⬡C 9/16 S.A.E.", references to the older size conventions.

The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The markings on this wrench allow us to make a reasonably precise estimate of the manufacturing date. The Williams scroll trademark on the face indicates production in 1924 or later, and the use of the older U.S.S. and S.A.E. size conventions places the production in 1927 or earlier.

Fig. 70. Williams 634 7/8x1-1/16 Check-Nut Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1942-1945.

Fig. 70 shows a later Williams 634 7/8x1-1/16 check-nut wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face. The shank is stamped with the model number, and the back side shank has a forged-in code "T" (see lower inset).

The overall length is 8.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The shank of this wrench is rough and irregular, suggesting that the forged metal didn't quite fill the die. The finish is also fairly rough, with plainly visible grinding marks on the edge (see top inset). The rough finish suggests production during the 1942-1945 wartime years, when shortages of materials or labor required compromises in quality.

990 5/8x5/8 Angle-Head "Brake Adjustment" Wrench

This next example, while not strictly a check-nut wrench, is similarly thin and was designed for a specialized automotive application.

Fig. 71. Williams 990 5/8x5/8 Angle-Head Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Marking Detail, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 71 shows a Williams 990 5/8x5/8 "Brake Adjustment" angle-head wrench, stamped "Made U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face (see center inset). The back side faces are stamped "7/16 S.A.E. 7/16 CAP" on both ends, references to the older S.A.E. and Hex Capscrew Size Conventions. The shank is stamped with "Brake Adjustment", the presumed application for this early angle-head or obstruction wrench.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel with traces of black paint.

The Williams scroll logo and S.A.E. size markings allow a fairly precise 1924-1927 estimate of the manufacturing date.

A later version of this wrench (in chrome-moly steel) can be seen as the Williams 1990 Brake Wrench, and a later wrench for a similar application can be seen as the Williams 1990 "Special" (A183907) Brake Wrench.

S-Shaped Wrenches

Williams produced S-shaped open-end wrenches in several product lines, with the 66x series being probably the most familiar. This series is almost comical in its use of letter suffixes, as more and more sizes were squeezed into the originally small series.

662D 7/16x1/2 S-Shaped Wrenches

The next several figures show examples of the Williams 662D wrench.

Fig. 72. Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-Shaped Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 72 shows an early Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-shaped wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face, with the "662" model number forged into the shank. (The "D" suffix is stamped.) The back side faces are stamped "5/16" and "1/4", references to the older S.A.E. or Hex Capscrew Size Conventions.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel, with extensive pitting due to rust.

Fig. 73. Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-Shaped Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 73 shows a Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-shaped wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face.

The overall length is 4.9 inches, and the finish is plain steel with polished faces.

The back side faces are stamped "1/4" and "5/16", references to the older Hex Capscrew sizing convention.

This wrench has an unusually clear "Brooklyn" logo, so this image was used for our table of logos.

Fig. 74. Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-Shaped Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 74 shows a later Williams 662D 7/16x1/2 S-shaped wrench, stamped "Made U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and with a "T" code forged into the back side shank.

The overall length is 5.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

662F 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Wrench

Fig. 75. Williams 662F 1/2x9/16 S-Shaped Wrench, ca. 1927-1947.

Fig. 75 shows a Williams 662F 1/2x9/16 S-shaped wrench, stamped "Made U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face. The back side shank also has a forged-in "T" code.

The overall length is 5.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

662B 1/2x19/32 S-Shaped Wrench

Fig. 76. Williams 662B 1/2x19/32 S-Shaped Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 76 shows a Williams 662B 1/2x19/32 S-shaped wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 5.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The insets show the back side face markings "5/16" and "1/4", implicit references to the older U.S.S. size convention.

663E 9/16x3/4 S-Shaped Wrench

Fig. 77. Williams 663E 9/16x3/4 S-Shaped Wrench, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 77 shows a Williams 663E 9/16x3/4 S-shaped wrench, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is black paint with polished faces.

The back side faces are stamped "3/8 S.A.E." and "1/2 S.A.E.", references to the older size convention.

The use of S.A.E. opening sizes with the Williams Scroll face markings indicates production in the range 1924-1927.

664A 11/16x7/8 S-Shaped Wrenches

The next figures show two versions of the Williams 664A S-shaped wrench.

Fig. 78. Williams 664A 11/16x7/8 S-Shaped Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 78 shows a Williams 664A 11/16x7/8 S-shaped wrench, marked with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows the forged-in "664" in the back side with a stamped "A" code.

Fig. 79. Williams 664A 11/16x7/8 S-Shaped Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 79 shows a very similar Williams 664A S-shaped wrench, but stamped with the JHW-Forged logo instead of the Brooklyn variant. The "664" base model number is forged into the shank with the "A" suffix stamped, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the other end.

The overall length is 7.5 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows a close-up of the stamped JHW-Forged logo.

864F 9/16x3/4 S-Shaped Wrench With Concave Handle

In addition to the 66x series, Williams also produced an 86x series of heavy-duty S-shaped wrenches with concave handles. These were listed in the 1912 catalog as '"S" Wrenches with Concave Handles', and were available in sizes for both square toolpost nuts and hexagon head cap screws.

Fig. 80. Williams 864F 9/16x3/4 S-Shaped Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 80 shows a Williams 864A 9/16x3/4 S-shaped wrench with a concave paneled shank, marked with the abbreviated variant of the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face, and with the model number "864" forged into the shank. (The "F" suffix is stamped.) A forged-in W-Diamond logo also appears on the back side shank.

The overall length is 7.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

79S "Mack" 9/16x5/8 S-Shaped Wrench

Williams also produced "S" wrenches in a series typically numbered 75B, 77B, 79, 81B, and 83B, but with letter variants and sometimes with a 600 prefix appended. (An earlier example was shown as the Williams 679A A.L.A.M. Wrench.) The next several figures shows examples of these wrenches.

Fig. 81. Williams 79S Mack 9/16x5/8 S-Shaped Wrench, with Insets for Back Side Detail, ca. 1924-1927.

Fig. 81 shows a Williams 79S 9/16x5/8 S-shaped wrench made for Mack, stamped "Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo on the face, and with the model number and the Mack script logo on the shank.

The overall length is 8.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The insets show the back side face markings "7/16 ⬡C 7/16 S.A.E." and "3/8 ⬡C 3/8 S.A.E.", references to the older S.A.E. and Hex Capscrew size conventions.

The use of the older S.A.E. size convention with the Williams Scroll face markings indicates production in the range 1924-1927.

83B 7/8x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 82. Williams 83B 7/8x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 82 shows a Williams 83B 7/8x1 S-shaped open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the left face, and with "83B" on the right face, and with the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank. The back side faces are unmarked.

The overall length is 10.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

683A 15/16x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench

Fig. 83. Williams 683A 15/16x1 S-Shaped Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 83 shows a Williams 683A 15/16x1 S-shaped open-end wrench, stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on one face, and with "683" and the W-Diamond logo forged into the shank.

The overall length is 10.3 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The inset shows a close-up of the stamped JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face.

"Ratcho" Ratcheting Open-End Wrenches

Williams was one of the first companies to offer open-end wrenches with a ratcheting action, made possible by means of a special cut-away opening which allowed the wrench to turn a nut in one direction, but slip in the opposite direction. These wrenches were covered by a 1910 patent and were sold under the "Ratcho" brand.

1127C "Ratcho" 9/16x11/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 84. Williams "Ratcho" 1127C 9/16x11/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1910-1915.

Fig. 84 shows a Williams 1127C 9/16x11/16 "Ratcho" open-end wrench, designed to give a ratcheting action in one direction. The shank has depressed panels with forged-in markings "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the front, with "Ratcho Wrench" and "Patd. U.S.A. Apr. 26, '10" on the back side. The shank also has a W-Diamond logo forged into the front.

The overall length is 5.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date corresponds to patent #956,259, filed by G. Amborn in 1908 and issued in 1910.

The face markings on this wrench are confusing, as both ends are stamped "3/8" for the size. This wrench is the equivalent of a 27C industry standard size and uses mixed size conventions for the openings, with 3/8 S.A.E. for the smaller opening and 3/8 U.S.S. for the larger.

1125 Special "Ratcho" Whitworth 3/16Wx1/4W Open-End Wrench

Williams also produced "Ratcho" wrenches in Whitworth sizes, as the next figure illustrates.

Fig. 85. Williams "Ratcho" 1125 Special 3/16Wx1/4W Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1910-1920.

Fig. 85 shows a Williams 1125 Special 3/16Wx1/4W "Ratcho" open-end wrench with Whitworth sizing, stamped "1125" and "Special" on one face. The shank has forged-in markings "Ratcho Wrench" and "Patd. U.S.A. Apr. 26, '10" on one side, with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the back side.

The overall length is 4.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The back side faces are stamped "3/16" and "1/4", references to the Whitworth sizing convention. The measured opening sizes were approximately 0.45 and 0.54 inches.

The patent date corresponds to patent #956,259, filed by G. Amborn in 1908 and issued in 1910.

1729 "Ratcho" 5/8x3/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 86. Williams "Ratcho" 1729 5/8x3/4 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 86 shows a somewhat later Williams 1729 5/8x3/4 "Ratcho" open-end wrench. The shank has depressed panels with forged-in markings "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." on the front, with "Ratcho Wrench" and "Patd. U.S.A. Apr. 26, '10" on the back side.

The overall length is 6.6 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The faces are stamped "7/16" and "1/2", references to the older S.A.E. Size Convention.

The patent date corresponds to patent #956,259, filed by G. Amborn in 1908 and issued in 1910.

1134 "Ratcho" 7/8x1-1/16 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 87. Williams "Ratcho" 1134 7/8x1-1/16 Ratcheting Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1915-1920.

Fig. 87 shows a Williams 1134 7/8x1-1/16 "Ratcho" open-end wrench, marked with "J.H. Williams & Co." and "Brooklyn, N.Y. U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Ratcho Wrench" and "Patd. U.S.A. Apr. 26, '10" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 9.4 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The faces are stamped "1/2" and "5/8", references to the older U.S.S. Size Convention.

The patent date corresponds to patent #956,259, filed by G. Amborn in 1908 and issued in 1910.

Other Tools

255A 5/8 Socket Wrench

Fig. 88. Williams 255A 5/8 Socket Wrench, with Inset for Marking Detail.

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

969A Offset Socket Wrench

Fig. 89. Williams 969A 5/8 Socket Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail.

Fig. 89 shows a Williams 969A 7/8 offset socket wrench, stamped "J.H. Williams & Co." with "969A Offset" and the W-Diamond logo on the back side. The bottom of the socket also has a forged-in "969A" model number.

The overall length is 7.8 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Early 993 9/16x7/8 Spark Plug Wrench

Fig. 90. Williams 993 9/16x7/8 Spark Plug Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 90 shows a Williams 993 spark plug wrench with a 7/8 hex offset box end and a 9/16 open end. The wrench is marked with the "993" model number and W-Diamond logo forged into the shank, and with a small JHW-Brooklyn logo stamped on the back side face.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The model 993 wrench was listed in the J.H. Williams Fifteenth Edition catalog of 1912, with the 7/8 opening noted for use on a size 1/2 spark plug. The list price was $0.60 semi-finished or $0.80 finished with lacquer.

993 [Special?] 9/16x15/16 Spark Plug Wrench

Fig. 91. Williams 993 [Special?] 9/16x15/16 Spark Plug Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail, ca. 1914-1924.

Fig. 91 shows a later Williams 993 spark plug wrench with a 15/16 hex offset box end and a 9/16 open end. The wrench is stamped with the JHW-Brooklyn logo on the face, with the "993" model number on the shank.

The overall length is 8.0 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The Williams 17th Edition catalog from around 1919 lists three models of spark plug wrenches, but the opening sizes for this wrench don't match any of the published specifications. The closest match is the model 993A wrench with a 15/16 hex box opening, but this model normally had an 11/16 open end.

It's possible that this example was made as a special order.

No. 2 Bull Dog Wrench

Around 1920 Williams acquired the Whitman & Barnes Company, the maker of the well known "Bull Dog" line of alligator wrenches. Williams continued the production of the Bull Dog wrenches at least into the 1950s.

Fig. 92. Williams No. 2 Bull Dog Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 92 shows a Williams No. 2 "Bull Dog" wrench, a tool with serrated teeth in a tapered opening, sometimes called an alligator wrench. The shank has forged-in markings "Drop Forged in U.S.A." with the W-Diamond logo, with "J.H. Williams & Co." forged into the back side.

The overall length is 9.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The "Bull Dog" brand of alligator wrenches was originally produced by the Whitman & Barnes Company (W&B), which was acquired by J.H. Williams around 1920.