Loring Coes (April 22, 1812 – July 13, 1906) was an American inventor, industrialist and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician who invented the screw type wrench, commonly known as the

monkey wrench The monkey wrench is a type of adjustable wrench, a 19th century American refinement of 18th-century English coach wrenches. It was widely used in the 19th and early 20th century. It is of interest as an antique among tool collectors and is sti ...

and who served as a member of the

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 census, making it the second- most populous city in New England after ...

City Council and Board of Aldermen, and as a member of the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

in 1864–1865.

Early life

Coes was born in

on April 22, 1812.

Family life

On January 14, 1835, Loring married Harriet Neal Read of

Attleboro, Massachusetts Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers. According to the 2020 census, Attleboro had a population of 46,461. Attleboro is ...

Invention of the screw wrench

Coes and his brother Aury Gates Coes worked for the firm of Kimball and Fuller, a company that made machinery for the woolen industry. In 1836 the Coes brothers purchased the business, and formed the L. & A. G. Coes Company as a partnership. In October 1839 the facility where they worked was destroyed by a fire. The Coes brothers were unable to continue in businesses so they moved to

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, th ...

to work as pattern makers in the foundry of Laurin Trask. It was while they were living and working in Springfield that Loring Coes invented the screw wrench commonly known as the

. Previous to the invention of the Screw Wrench, previously the wrenches of the time, the two common wrenches of the time the English patent wrench; and the Merrisk wrench, also known as the Springfield wrench, needed two hands to adjust, the new screw wrench could be used and adjusted with one hand. The Coes brothers sold their pattern for spinning machines that they had rescued from the fire that destroyed their plant, and used the money to pay for the patent on the Screw Wrench that Loring Coes was granted on April 16, 1841.

L. & A. G. Coes

After they were granted the patent, the brothers' company L. & A. G. Coes went back into operation and they began to manufacture their new wrench.

Death

Coes died at his

home on July 13, 1906. Loring coes mansion 1049 main st worcester ma

References

External links

US Patent: 2,054 Method of Constructing Screw WrenchesLoring Coes Screw Wrench
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coes, Loring 1812 births 1906 deaths 19th-century American inventors American Congregationalists Massachusetts city council members Republican Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Businesspeople from Worcester, Massachusetts Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts Burials at Hope Cemetery (Worcester, Massachusetts) 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American businesspeople