 J. Lester Osgood invented both the jaws and the ratchet mechanism for this brace, which may have been made by the Amidon-related firm of Saxton & Osgood. See Note 1 for my list of firms with which Charles H. Amidon was associated. That note explains how the law firm of Wilhelm & Bonner as well as many common witness signatures helped me decipher these associations. The ratchet mechanism in the upper patent at right uses a sliding pawl with opposing and overlapping bevels; this brace works OK, but I'd be mighty careful not to apply much force with the pawl in the locking position, where the strength of the contact area between the pawl and wheel appears rather compromised. The jaws have carefully designed grooves that meet up with projections in the spindle that retain the jaws when they are peened over during assembly. |
    Ratchet patent above, jaws patent below.     |