Screw driver

[Boringgeoff]

Over the last few months my attention has been drawn to this brace based screw driver. The general opinion seems to be that it is British, there is no brand that I can see, the only marks are M, 26, on one side of the head casting and 9 & 12 on the other. The brace has a 5inch sweep, a pair of jaws at the front that hold the screw onto the driver blade, the screw can be retracted back into the head then as you drive it into the wood (or whatever material) the sliding mechanism pushes the screw forward. Any ideas?
Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[AndyT]

That's a weird one!
It's a complicated design with a lot of parts, just to achieve the objective of holding the screw onto the tool. I've never seen the like in a catalogue and presumably neither have you Geoff.

So my first fumbling guess is that it was made by a company who made mainstream braces (and so already had the normal looking parts such as the head and handle) but made as a special order.

What sort of customer would have needed its staff to be able to fix lots of screws into awkward places where they couldn't use two hands and an ordinary brace?

Maybe a company where speed of construction mattered more than cost. A wartime builder of wooden framed military aircraft perhaps?

 

[toolsntat]

I've seen the like before but cannot remember if it was in a tool catalogue or in a tool auction.
Cheers, Andy

 

[toolsntat]

Try this one

 

[toolsntat]

 

[AndyT]

Brilliant! Facts beat guesses every time. Now we also know the reason for the prominent numbers and Geoff just has to find the other size "nozzles" to complete the set!

PS Is there a date on that catalogue Andy?

 

[Eric the Viking]

Oddly, the telegraphic address is "VIKING, BIRMINGHAM", when really it should be "GREEK, BIRMINGHAM".
So any enquiry might not be received. ;-)

 

[Boringgeoff]

Thanks very much for this info Andy, I'll have to try to work out how you'd swap the nozzles out. Looking at the photo in the catalogue, I think mine is missing what looks like a knurled nut at the rear of the driving mechanism. Mine's also got the ratchet, so it's a model No 2. This has been a great start to my day, so thanks again.
Edit: I've added another photo showing the loading chamber.

Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[Boringgeoff]

A contributor to an Australian Forum found this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/157305333406

 

[toolsntat]

Brilliant! Facts beat guesses every time. Now we also know the reason for the prominent numbers and Geoff just has to find the other size "nozzles" to complete the set!

PS Is there a date on that catalogue Andy?

It's not dated and I was trying to piece the information together on Grace's Guide but I found it difficult to nail it down.
Cheers, Andy

George H. Alexander Machinery - Graces Guide

 

[Spectric]

I have seen a modern version of that in the form of a chuck that fits in your drill, it holds a screw in place and you drive it home where at a set torque it releases. Sold on the basis that it allows you the freedom to hold and screw without worrying about the screw itself.