Anyone know when the earliest Hex nuts appeared?

[Kozzy]

I can't seem to find a reference to the oldest known version of a hex nut or early appearances of hex nuts.  The information on the web seems to focus on "common" practice trends rather than historical existence.

So here's the reason for the question:  I was watching the "reality" TV show "Curse of Oak Island" yesterday.  That show is ripe with conclusive leaps miles long, wild speculations, and I suspect a LOT of planted finds.  In short, it's like any "reality" TV   Anyway--they pulled what looked to be hex nuts from a shaft stated to be 150+ feet deep.  They weren't shown clearly so I can't say much more than "looked to be hex nuts" about them.  I had one of those "Awww...C'mon" moments when I had to tell the TV it was trying to fake me out.

However, I realized that I didn't know what the earliest appearance of forged hex nuts was--only that square were the general  "norm" until roughly the late 1800's and the hex form started making more common appearances.  Anyone seen a reference to hex nuts that was way earlier?  A drawing in one of the very old metalworking books?  Some reference to very early hex nuts?

Just curious.

[ThomasPowers]

Check for patents for closed end wrenches that work with hex?

[Kozzy]

That's an interesting idea but I was wondering about further back--if hex was ever made in the old world forges C 1700's and before.  I know hex wasn't SOP but curious if hex was ever made in those early eras, even rarely.  Wondering of anyone had seen a reference pre-1800 to hex being used.

[SLAG]

The first U.S. patent was granted in 1790. There had been some patenting earlier in the 13 colonies. So, there are no U.S. patents before 1790. The modern form of patent in England. dates back to the Statute of Monopolies late May 1624. The first issued patent that had a required specification was 1718. A specification is a description of the invention.

Patents for improvements only came after James Watt's patent for a steam engine invention. ( for the separate condenser, i.i.r.c.)

The English Patent record in the 1700's is very spotty. Therefor a diligent search of that record would not be an exhaustive search. Do it, but definitely. also.  search the technical publications of those years.

SLAG.

[ThomasPowers]

Until the screw cutting lathe was invented bolts would pretty much have to have been quite expensive and so unlikely to be used in shafting when other things could have been used.  The popularization of hex headed bolts is dated to after the Bessemer Process (1850's) provided better steel for producing them.

searching on History of Hex Headed Bolts brings this question's previous ideas up.  (Practical Machinist forum for one)

I found no reference in the index to them in most of my history of technology books and some of the others---Sears & Roebuck catalogue of 1897 sells sq ones; but "Practical Blacksmithing", 1889, 1890, 1891 does include suggestions on making them.

Note that until the adjustable wrench was invented you were rather limited to hand made wrenches that would fit a very limited size of nuts/bolts and sq heads worked a bit better.  It took standardized sizes before you could expect to have a wrench that would fit bolts made by other smiths!  (Talk with gunsmiths working on early 1800's guns where every screw might be different!)

[Bill Lapthorn]

Amazing! I am not alone at what appeared on TV "Curse of Oak Island”. I too watched what seemed to be hex nuts picked out of that load. Everything I have researched would indicate hex nuts are not of the subject time period. On the show, the meeting that followed totally ignored the nuts. Other note is the lady Dr. (PHD) who is providing information on the show. She declared a gold cross to be 24 karat Rose Gold. Rose Gold is Rose because it is gold alloyed with another metal, commonly copper. Rose gold cannot be 24 karat (near 100%).

Now, to give credit to the show, they did mention previous treasure hunters used carbon burning furnaces to provide some kind of fresh air draft to workers in the tunnels. These furnaces may have been from a later time period, say 1800s, which may make the hex nuts acceptable, altho they looked quite large for use on a furnance of such the type mentioned. But then again, older things are, comparatively, big and clunky.

The directors may have removed the nuts, purposely leaving them on the cutting room floor only to be reattached in a later episode. After all, it is called "Reality TV", and unlike real life, It is edited to maintain the story.

[Will W.]

Slight hijack, but related:

How did they cut threads back in the 18th and early 19th century? The only slightly practical way I can think to do it is with files, or hot cut them in, and both methods would more likely than not lead to less than perfect threads, if they even worked at all. This is, of course, assuming that they didnt have taps and dies, which i dont believe they did (definitely could be wrong here.) But if they did, then it begs the question, how did they make taps and dies?

Always been curious about this one.   

[Farmall]

At Colonial Williamsburg the blacksmiths make their taps first with a file.  Once satisfied with the tap and hardened it, they punch an undersized hole, about the size of the diameter of the tap without the threads, in the piece to be used as a die, then heat up the die plate and run the tap through it while hot to cut the threads.  There is a paper titled “Screw-Thread Cutting by the Master-Screw Method since 1480” available from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31756/31756-h/31756-h.htm that should answer some of the questions. 

[Will W.]

Very interesting, thank you Farmall, for the info and the link. 

[ThomasPowers]

May I commend to your attention "Mechanicks Exercises", Moxon, published 1703  which in the blacksmithing section 

Of the Screw-Plate  and its Taps.  The Screw-Plate is a Plate of Steel well tempered, with several holes in it, each less than other, and in those Holes are Threads grooved inwards; into which Grooves, fit the respective Taps that belong to them. The taps that belong to them, are commonly made tapering towards the Point, as Fig. 7. shows. But these tapering Taps, will not serve for some sorts of works, as I shall show in its proper place. These are the most Essential Tools used the Black-Smith's Trade ; but some accidental work,may require some accidental Tools, which as they may fall in, I shall give you an account of in convenient place.

So by the last half of the 1600's, (when the bulk of ME was written), the screw plate and taps were considered essential tools for blacksmithing.  Isn't research much more fun than guessing!  There are several reprints of ME out there, I have one by the Astragal press  that is facsimile---uses F for some of the S's stilted phrasing and all.

Be sure when hunting a hard copy or a PDF that you don't get just the section on printing as that is a common re-print compared to the whole thing that includes Blacksmithing.