Hi all,

Just bought a set of auger bits:
https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/plusw/1421634106.jpg

The tang is marked
LEWIS' PAT.
JUNE 1. 1889

AFAICT, the shank is marked with:
CONN VALLEY MFG CO.

I went through my auger bits notes and resources, and couldn't find
anything related. Google returned nothing, and of course the OT
archive gave me something.

From https://swingleydev.com/ot/get/106653/thread/#106653, about Ford
bits, Sandy said
-------------------------------------------------------------
I have another group of them that
are very similar to the Ford pattern.  But these are marked with the patent
date of June 1, 1869 of patent number 90,759 awarded to Henry C. Lewis, also
of New Haven, Conn.  The patent is for "auger bit with one lip, one spur."
Three of these bits differ only from the Ford pattern by having the single
spur located at 6 o'clock rather than 2 o'clock.  A fourth bit with the same
feature is marked only "Atlas Tool Co."  The patent records assembled by Jim
Price show another patent for an "auger bit with one lip, one spur" that was
awarded on the same day, June 1, 1869 (#90,755) to the brace maker, William
A. Ives, also of New Haven.
I don't have an example of this bit, but it
seems remarkable that New Haven was host to three patents for very similar
bits over a span of 22 years.
-------------------------------------------------------------

Looking at the tang again, yes it could very well be 1869, not 1889.

"CONN VALLEY MFG CO" yields quite some results, that seems coherent,
eg, a quick google gives:
https://cslib.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p128501coll0/id/1822/
https://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioConnecticut.html
and more.

Does anyone know what is "The patent records assembled by Jim Price"
that Sandy refers to?
Apparently there was a CD circulating back then:
https://swingleydev.com/ot/get/119390/thread/#119390
And it seems to refer to a book "A Sourcebook of U.S. Patented
Bitstock Tools and the Machines That Made Them".
Can't find much information about that book.
Update: actually title is "A Sourcebook of United States Patents for
Bitstock Tools and the Machines That Made Them"
and here it is https://www.amazon.com/SOurcebook-United-Patents-
Bitstock-Machines/dp/096344770X">https://www.amazon.com/SOurcebook-United-
Patents-Bitstock-Machines/dp/096344770X


Chris,
Enjoying a sunny Sunday, finished restoring a J Taylor back saw, and
looking at a wooden Stanley level no 2, "in good condition" (tm).
And not giving hints to Galootaclaus buddy, honest! :)