On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The tool represented in our engraving is a combination of many, and is remarkable for its compactness and portability. It contains a punch, a screw-driver, an awl, and two square screw wrenches of different sizes. It is applicable as a vademecum to the wants of the machine-shop, factory, store, hotel, household and oflice, and will be a great aid to mechanicians who travel from city to city doing light work. In our engravings, Fig. 1 represents it open, showing all its parts, and Fig. 2 shows it as closed, to go into the pocket or box. A B, A' B' are two arms of a pair of pincers pivoted together at c, and provided at the short end, A', with a punch, D, fitting into a corresponding recess in B' ; in each of the short arms is cut a V-shaped recess, which when closed makes a square screw wrench, a. Close to the pivot on the longer wma is an- 0 , -- .....ouch of a different size, b. KacTi of the arms, A B, uo . ..Q mt ia iu ana jn these recesses fit the tools, E and i ; tlio awl, E, being pivoted to the end of A, so that it can turn and fold back, as in Fig. 2 ; to B is pivoted a screw-driver, F, which can also fold back when not in use; a spring is arranged at the back of these recesses to open the pincers. The recess is so cut at the cnA of the long arms that it forms a step or support for the tool that is in use ; the tool that is shut up leaving sufficient room for it to fit partly into its recess, so that both arms-lave a hold upon it. It is a combination of the roost useful tools, and was invented by I . A. J. Lamson, of New Worcester, Mass., who will give any desired information. It was patented September 15, 1837.
