To view images of all four October 2009 mystery tools and accompanying patent illustrations, click the Image Gallery link to the right.
A. Drill frame, as identified by Jim Bolt, Corsica, S.D.; Vernon Emery, Ekalaka, Mont.; Gary Whiteker, Williamstown, Ky.; Larry Thompson, Glen Ellyn, Ill.; Monte Reichenberg, Paris, Ill.; Charlie Smith, Knoxville, Md.; George Leonhardt, Shakopee, Minn.; J. Russell Bodkin, Staunton, Va.; Dennis L. Cederquist, Montague, Mich.; Lyle Olson, Faribault, Minn.; Donald Walker, Buchanan, Va.; Ray Knutson, Davis Junction, Ill.; Bruce Godlesky, Apollo, Pa.; Dennis Bely, Darlington, Md.; Dan Lang, Gatesville, N.C.; Leonard Keifer, Gaithersburg, Md.; Jack Shelly, Fountainville, Pa.; Bob Unick, Pleasanton, Neb.; Ed Sedlezky, Custer, S.D.; Marshall O’Shields, Buffalo, S.C.; Emil Vahrenberg, Chamois, Mo.; James R. Parker, Hanover, Md.; Robert Corbat, Fort Wayne, Ind.; J.E. Benson, Galesburg, Ill.; Charles McDowell, Wichita, Kan.; James Moss, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Robert Scholz, Elmo, Mo.; Philip Sponem, Jefferson, Wis.; Robert Blake, Pine River, Wis.; Michael Bleisch; Charlotte, Mich.; Craig Ricksgers, Linden, Mich.; Ed Bohlman, Bonners Ferry, Idaho; Garry Van De Weert, Geneseo, N.Y.; Paul Gudenkauf, Seneca, Kan.; Glenn Thompson, Penn Yan, N.Y.; Paul Schneider, Corydon, Ind.; Ron Meyers, Marshfield, Wis.; Marlin O. Herbst, Merrill, Iowa; Brownlee Bush, Tillamook, Ore.; Bob Edgemon, Springfield, Ore.; Buck and Cathy Evans, Greenville, Ill.; Harold Strotheide, Salem, Mo.; LeRoy Rich, Lewisville, Ind.; Donald E. McBride, Bedford, Ind.; John Ehrichs, Manning, Iowa; Donald Mitchell, Duncannon, Pa.; H.C. Doolittle, Cortland, Neb.; J.D. Schmidt, Wagon Mount, N.M.; Billy Fiveash, Hendersonville, Tenn.; Tom Janecke, Lake George, Mich.; Orrin Johnson, Alexandria, Minn.; Stephen Clemens, Mazeppa, Minn.; Gary Vorpahl, Pound, Wis.; Robert Bisping; James Stavros, Parshall, N.D.; Carl Smith, Falmouth, Mich.; Joel Croxton, La Prairie, Ill.; Dan Chambers, Hammond, Ill.; Bill Schrock, Medford, Wis.; Harry Glossner, Blanchard, Pa.; Harold Randall, Springport, Mich.; Dale Scott, Maquoketa, Iowa; Jimmy Newby, Athens, Ala.; James Monroe, Culpeper, Va.; Herbert Morey, West Bend, Iowa; Robert Holfinger, Covington, Ohio; Willard Ottman, Lemmon, S.D.; Joel Blasius, Tea, S.D.; Herbert Kamm, Peshtigo, Wis.; Wayne Cooper, Fombell, Pa.; Charles Bransford, Williamsburg, W.Va.; Laverne Kraus, Wichita, Kan.; Terry Brown, Wibaux, Mont.; Dennis Hensely, Bennington, Kan.; Joe Cucarola, Sterling, Colo.; Giles Greenway, Mitchell, S.D.; Allan Petersen, Exira, Iowa; Louis Harnish, Wayland, Mich.; and Gene Jerovitz, Kewaunee, Wis.
The term “post drill” is used for this type of drill press because the drill is attached to a vertical structural member (the “post”) in a shop. Floor model drill presses are freestanding and bench drill presses are attached to a bench. “I have one fastened to the wall in my old shop that I used many times for drilling holes in metal,” says Orrin Johnson. “This was before the Rural Electric Administration provided electricity to our farm and has since been replaced with an electric drill press. The shank of the drill bits was flat on one side and was kept from turning in the chuck by tightening a set screw against the flat area.” Photo submitted by Mark Yoder, Goshen, Ind. See patent 588,712 for a similar piece.
B. Brush ax, as identified by Jim Bolt; Vernon Emery; Gary Whiteker; Larry Thompson; Monte Reichenberg; Charlie Smith; George Leonhardt; J. Russell Bodkin; Donald Walker; Ray Knutson; Bruce Godlesky; Carl Hellstrom, Portsmouth, Va.; Dan Lang; Leonard Keifer; Marshall O’Shields; Emil Vahrenberg; James R. Parker; Robert Corbat; Robert Scholz; Philip Sponem; Craig Ricksgers; Ed Bohlman; Garry Van De Weert; Paul Gudenkauf; Glenn Thompson; Ron Meyers; Brownlee Bush; Bob Edgemon; Buck and Cathy Evans; Harold Strotheide; Donald E. McBride; Donald Mitchell; H.C. Doolittle; Billy Fiveash; Tom Janecke; John Shaddy, Conway, Mo.; Carl Smith; Joel Croxton; Dan Chambers; Harry Glossner; Harold Randall; Dale Scott; Jimmy Newby; James Monroe; Herbert Morey; Robert Holfinger; Willard Ottman; Wayne Cooper; Charles Bransford; Dennis Hensely; Louis Harnish; Henry Schoppmann, Wallkill, N.Y.; and Stephen Clemens.
“I’m 73 years old and was raised on a farm in the Tidewater region of Virginia from infancy until I went off to college,” Carl Hellstrom says. “Over the years I used this exact same tool. It was used primarily to clear heavy brush on ditch banks and hedgerows.” Garry Van De Weert notes that “you need a weak brain and a strong back to use one.” Photo submitted by Mark Yoder, Goshen, Ind. See patent 1,030,429 for a similar piece.
C. Metal-cutting shears, as identified by Vernon Emery; Monte Reichenberg; Charlie Smith; George Leonhardt; J. Russell Bodkin; Lyle Olson; Donald Walker; Ray Knutson; Helen Myers, Blain, Pa.; Jack Shelly; Ed Sedlezky; Robert Corbat; Robert Scholz; Jackie Shanks, Garden Prairie, Ill.; Philip Sponem; Craig Ricksgers; Ed Bohlman; Paul Gudenkauf; Brownlee Bush; Buck and Cathy Evans; Donald E. McBride; John Ehrichs; Donald Mitchell; H.C. Doolittle; Billy Fiveash; Harold Randall; James Monroe; Herbert Morey; Willard Ottman; Wayne Cooper; Terry Brown; Joe Cucarola; and Stephen Clemens. Photo submitted by Mark Yoder, Goshen, Ind. See patent 938,122.
D. Dehorner, as identified by Ken Martin, Papillion, Neb.; Jim Bolt; Vernon Emery; Bernard Selensky, Comfort, Texas; Gary Bader, Edison, Ohio; Gary Whiteker; Larry Thompson; LeMars Deyle, West Fargo, N.D.; Monte Reichenberg; Charlie Smith; George Leonhardt; J. Russell Bodkin; Dennis L. Cederquist; Lyle Olson; Donald Walker; Ray Knutson; Dennis Bely; Dan Lang; Rick Heitman, Wausau, Wis.; Leonard Keifer; Jack Shelly; Bob Unick; Kenneth Burgess, Nickerson, Kan.; Leo Vanada, Sylvan Grove, Kan.; Ed Sedlezky; Marshall O’Shields; Brent Young, Dallas, Wis.; Emil Vahrenberg; James R. Parker; Robert Corbat; J.E. Benson; James Moss; Robert Scholz; Jackie Shanks; Philip Sponem; Howard Craven, Waterloo, Iowa; Robert Blake; Michael Bleisch; Craig Ricksgers; Ed Bohlman; Garry Van De Weert; Paul Gudenkauf; Paul Schneider; Ron Meyers; Marlin O. Herbst; Brownlee Bush; Bob Edgemon; Buck and Cathy Evans; Harold Strotheide; LeRoy Rich; Donald E. McBride; John Ehrichs; Donald Mitchell; H.C. Doolittle; Bill Bohannon, Conway, Mo.; J.D. Schmidt; Billy Fiveash; Tom Janecke; Orrin Johnson; Stephen Clemens; James Stavros; Joel Croxton; Dan Chambers; Bill Schrock; Harry Glossner; Harold Randall; Dale Scott; Jimmy Newby; James Monroe; Herbert Morey; Robert Holfinger; John Shaddy; Willard Ottman; Joel Blasius; Herbert Kamm; Wayne Cooper; Charles Bransford; Terry Brown; Dennis Hensely; Joe Cucarola; Giles Greenway; Allan Petersen; Louis Harnish; Gene Jerovitz; Henry Schoppmann; and Gary Vorpahl.
“A lot of times a bull’s horns would grow in a curve into their cheek,” Ken Martin notes. “The horn would have to be clipped off or totally removed.” Dehorning also protects cattle from injuring other animals, “especially in feedlots,” J.D. Schmidt says. “Horns are often left on cows that roam free where there may be predators such as coyotes, so they can better protect themselves and their calves. Some breeds of cattle do not grow horns.” Photo submitted by Mark Yoder, Goshen, Ind. See patent 534,112.
To submit photos:
Send prints to Farm Collector, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609. Send digital images to: editor@farmcollector.com.
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To identify an item:
Send answers (accompanied by your name and address) to Farm Collector, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609. Send e-mail responses to editor@farmcollector.com.
