Snap-on Speeder Ratchets

[J.A.F.E.]

These were sold roughly 30's through 60's. There was a modern version for a while I'll post up later. Some find them useless, some useful and some neat just because they're different (well there is at least ONE who fits that last category).

There were four versions RS4, RS4-B, RS-4-L and RS-4-LB. I have two of them - the bottom two are RS4 the beat to death one I think is dated 39 and the middle one dated 40 but the date stamps are really hard for me to see so I could be wrong although the era is correct. Even though both have the same part number the handle shape differs between them. The top one is an RS-4-L dated 54 (which parenthetically is my favorite date code symbol).



More detail - this thing really saw a lot of use in roughly 80 years but works flawlessly.

[bonneyman]

Those look weird!

Me thinks the alien is pulling a Uri Geller and is bending those handles with his mind.

[J.A.F.E.]

I wish. I can only do spoons and that's on a good day.

[snapmom]

It should clean up,  with a bit of work.  Nice collection.

[J.A.F.E.]

It should clean up,  with a bit of work.  Nice collection.

Thank you!

I am going to leave it as is for the time being. It is not dirty even though it appears that way it just is what it is. I hope I am as presentable when I'm that old which reminds me - how old is ratchet years in people years?

[coolmercury]

I didn't realize they made that type of ratchet.  Certainly different.

[J.A.F.E.]

They are different and I suspect those that had them typically used them for a specific job. I don't think they were big sellers.

[bonneyman]

They are different and I suspect those that had them typically used them for a specific job. I don't think they were big sellers.

I'm gonna take a SWAG and say they were for aircraft maintenance, like prop planes. The years of production is one clue.The shape seems to me to be designed to get around specific obstructions, like the cylinders on a radial engine. You can't take everything off to get to those hidden couple of bolts.  Lastly, the bends don't lend themselves toward a high-torque tool. The specs in the olden days fit the use of such a tool. Like with speed handles themselves - people used to put car tires on with them.    Now it's high torque and air impacts.
Like I say - just a SWAG.

[J.A.F.E.]

I really don't know. They did show up in the general catalogs but lot's of specialty stuff did. I had always thought they used mostly like speeders but where you couldn't get 360 swing in and was faster to ratchet back but aircraft sounds reasonable.

[Matt_T]

Back in the day I used to use a ratchet adapter with a speeder. Makes it easy to get the speeder indexed for max torque for initial loosening and final tightening.

[bonneyman]

I really don't know. They did show up in the general catalogs but lot's of specialty stuff did. I had always thought they used mostly like speeders but where you couldn't get 360 swing in and was faster to ratchet back but aircraft sounds reasonable.

I have no actual proof of the aircraft connection but something in the back of my mind keeps nagging at me about a WW2 flightline scene on a PBS special or something. The guys pulled the front round cowl off the front so you could see the radial engine cylinders but the bolts holding those on were buried further in and they didn't take the body panels off. Being a mechanic I'd recognized a regular breaker bar wouldn't have fit - but one of the bent speeders might.

[snapmom]

the 4th one,  rs4lb

[bonneyman]

So, most have a extra bend mear the ratchet head, while one of JAFE's is straight. Is that an indicator of manufacture date?

[snapmom]

His order is correct from bottom to top.  Mine is the 4th one.  the first one has different geometry and was shorter,  I think the only thing different about the other three are the handles.   The first and last ones are the hardest to find.   

[J.A.F.E.]

Thank you for posting that snapmom! I have not seen one before so now I know what to look for...

(Like I'd pass one up no matter the number.)