Hercules/Economy Gas Engine Wrenches

47E095 - (pictured as 095) auto wrench (pictures standard adjustable auto wrench) Ref-1

097 small size - igniter wrench Hercules Gas & Kerosene Engines 1 3/4 to 3 1/2 HP (pictures a 90 degree "L" shaped double socket wrench) Ref-2

097 large size - igniter wrench Hercules - Gas & Kerosene Engines 5 to 14 HP (same wrench as 097 above but larger size? Cost 5 cents more.) Ref-2

097 size? - igniter wrench Hercules - Gas & \ Kerosene Engines 3 to 12 HP Ref-9

4G097 (pictured as 097) - igniter wrench (pictures socket x closed box (at an angle) wrench) Ref-3

23X097 (pictured as X097) - wrench combination (pictures a straight wrench with open sided box socket with two holes for handles) Ref-4/i>

47E097 (pictured as 097) - igniter wrench (pictures a 90 degree "L" double socket wrench like 097 below) Ref-1

47T101 small size (pictured as 101) - wrench for wrist pin set screw - Thermoil Kerosene Engines - Model "T" 2.5 & 5hp (Hard to tell from the parts pictures but wrench seems to be similar to the 4G097 wrench above but with less or no angle on the box end) Ref-5&6

47T101 large size (pictured as 101) - wrench for wrist pin set screw - Thermoil Kerosene Engines - Model "T" 7HP (same wrench as 47T101 above but larger size? Cost 5 cents more.) Ref-5&6

Note: picture below is from "Thermoil Model T Engine Instruction Book and Parts List" c. 1915-18 (Ref-5)


and picture below is from Sears and Roebuck's "Hercules Economy Engines Models T, U, and UA Parts List" (Ref-6)

47B152 - igniter wrench (not pictured) - Ref-7

47U190 -socket wrench (not pictured) -Thermoil Kerosene Engines Models "U" 6 and 8 HP and "UA" 7 and 9 HP - Ref-8

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I have six wrenches that I am fairly confident belong to the Hercules family. They are: A ribbed double L-shaped socket wrench that measures 3" by 7-1/2" with a 5/16" square socket on the long end and a 3/4" hex socket on the short end. This would be the smaller 097 L-shaped wrench. All seen have had no markings. Another ribbed L-shaped socket wrench like the above but measuring 3-3/8" by 8-5/8" with 7/16" square and 15/16" hex ends. This would be the larger size 097 L-shaped wrench. All seen have been unmarked. 7-1/2" ribbed wrench with a 5/16" square socket on one end and a 15/32" hex socket on the other. The large end has a round opening below the head, probably for a rod type handle. The larger end is at about a 20 degree angle to the body of the wrench. Marked "1151" (this looks exactly like the 4G097 wrench pictured in the 1926 Economy Parts book.) . A wrench that looks like the above but slightly longer at 7-7/8" with a 3/8" square scoket and a 11/16" hex socket. No markinigs. A similar wrench to the above but slightly bigger and with only about 5 degrees angle on the big end. This wrench is 8-1/4" long with 1/2" square and 15/16" hex socket ends. The hex end has the two front sides of the hex opening only about half the depth of the other sides. This might be on of the 47T101 wrenches probably the larger size. Marked only "L". A wrench that looks exactly the 23X097 wrench shown in the parts book picture above. The wrench is 7-1/4" long with a 5/16" square socket on one end and a 11/16" hex socket (with one side open) on the other. Each end has a round hole for a rod handle. Marked "1151B" and "T".

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Brief History of The Hercules Gas Engine Company

The Hercules Gas Engine Company of Evansville, Indiana was formed in 1912 and lasted till 1934. It was an off shoot of the Hercules Buggy Company that was started c.1902 and at one time was one of the larges buggy manufacturers in the world. They started producing truck bodies in 1912 and refrigerated truck bodies in 1932. In 1957 they relocated to Henderson, Kentucky and are still in business today as the Hercules Manufacturing Company producing refrigerated and other specialized truck van bodies.

Besides manufacturing Hercules Engines they provided engines for several other companies including the Economy and Thermoil (diesel powered) for Sears and Roebuck, the Jaeger for the Jaeger Machine Company (later purchased by Hercules), and the ARCO for the Hardie Manufacturing Company.

They also manufactured several lesser know brands including Reeco, Saxon, Phillips, Champion, Williams, Rohaco, Ajax, Atlas Mixer, Enen, American and Loane.

The first Sears Economy Engines were manufactured by the Holm Machine Manufacturing Company of Sparta, Michigan from 1909 to 1912 or 1913 when Hercules Company purchased all the equipment, patients, and unfinished engines and moved the facilities to Evansville, Indiana, thus getting started in the gas engine business.

Around 1934 a different Sears Economy engine line was made by Stover Manufacturing and engine company of Freeport, Illinois and in 1942 The Sears Economy engine was made by Cushman.

On a related note of interest to wrench collectors; the Peru Plow and Wheel Company furnished the engine trucks for Hercules. There are two wrenches associated with this Peru, Illinois company. There is one known wrench associated with Stover Manufacturing.

Note:
The source for most of the Hercules history, the logos at the top of this page, and all but one of the parts catalogs is Keith Kinney's great website  "Hercules Engines".  It contains an unbeliveable amount of information on Hercules Engines and all things related..

References:
1 - Inst. Book & Repair List for Hercules Model E Engines c.1914 to 1916 (Keith Kinney's website)
2 - Inst, Book & Repair List (Hercules gasoline & kerosene engines) (Series 127) Hercules Products Inc., Evansville, Indiana. 1 3/4 to14 HP (models E to S) printed 1933 (Keith Kinney's website)
3 - No. 1926A Inst. Book & Parts List Economy Gasoline Engines Models D, E, F, G, H, & N (Sears Roebuck) (Russ Marshall collection)
4 - Inst. Book & Parts List Hercules Economy Kerosene & Gas Engines Model XK 1-3/4 to 4 HP (Sears Roebuck) c. 1929 to 1934 (Keith Kinney's website)
5 - Thermoil Model T Engine Inst. Book & Parts List c. 1915-18 (Keith Kinney's website)
6 - Hercules Economy Engines Models T, U, & UA Parts List (Sears Roebuck) (Keith Kinney's website)
7 - Economy Gas Engine Inst. Book for Models A, B, C, CA, & CX (manuf. by the Holms Machine Company Sparta, Mich. ca. 1912) (Keith Kinney's website)
9 - Inst. Book & Parts List Hercules Kerosene & Gasoline Engines - 3, 5, 7, 9, & 12 HP Printed 8-20-1925.(Bus Haury collection)

Complied July 2003 by Don Haury

Ó 2003

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