Hello Galoots,

Following the MWTCA meeting in Omaha the week before last we took off for our 
family vacation along the northern coast of California.  It is beautiful 
country, with quite a few old (but expensive) tools.  I hope to post a trip 
report when we return in a couple of days if the work e-mail is not too 
overwhelming.

I came across an interesting old tool today in a second-hand shop in Eureka 
that I wanted to toss out for discussion.   Never being far from my laptop PC 
and my digital camera, I shot a couple of pictures of it in the hotel room 
and have uploaded for them your viewing pleasure.  The links are below.  The 
pictures could use some more light, but it's the best I could do on short 
notice.

http://members.aol.com/jlmoore/pics/bevel1.jpg
http://members.aol.com/jlmoore/pics/bevel2.jpg

I was rooting around in a pile of rust at the shop and I saw what I thought 
was the handle of a bevel sticking out.  Since I am a sucker for a bevel (I 
got yet another one on this trip as well), I pulled it out.  Instead of a 
bevel, out popped what appears to be a steel square attached to a bevel 
handle.  It is marked;

Topps Framing Tool
U.S. Patent Nov. 1. 1892
Canadian Patent Dec. 9.1893

(Then a picture of a horse head and the word "trademark" under it)

A Topp & Co.
Indianapolis, IND
U.S.A

On the long portion of the arm is a table listing Principal Scale and Jack 
Scale pitches on one side, and Hip and Valley Scales on the other.  The body 
has a brass inlay along its outside edge and degrees markings acting as a 
protractor to set the rafter angle.  There may also be some markings on the 
brass plates at the ends of the bevel handle, but if so, I can't make them 
out.  The gizmosity bug bit me on this one and I so it is coming home with me 
to Missouri in a couple of days.  Has anyone come across one of these before? 
  Are they very common?


Thanks,
John Moore
(Seeing plenty of old tools in California)

John Moore asked for info on this tool's commonality, etc. The tool's
were apparently fairly widely used and are pretty common. On most of
them, however, the markings have become pretty illegible. For John to
have been able to make out as much as he has on his, he may have one of
the  scarcer ones still in fairly decent condition. There is a slightly
different version on which the arc has a rougher form; that type
apparently predates the patent and is much scarcer.
The tool was patented by a Thomas R. Cook; he assigned part of its
rights to George A. Topp and two others.

I have a copy of the patent. If John (or anyone else) would like a copy,
please ping me directly with a snail mail address.

Best Wishes,
Bob