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List of North Bros. Patents applying to
Yankee drills & screwdrivers
by
George Langford
Revised August 7, 2009

Click on the bold patent numbers to see text and drawings of patents using Google Patents.
You can use the DATAMP website to find many but not all of the patents issued to the inventors: Fegley, Furbish & Leopold.
Underlined/linked patent descriptions are on this site.
Inventor(s) Description of invention   Date granted  Patent No.
Zachry T. Furbish Ratchet mechanism used in the Yankee 2100 and 2101 braces and in Yankee screwdrivers.   November 2, 1897 593,157
George O. Leopold Ratchet mechanism used in the 3- and 5-speed Yankee drills that have double (reversible) gearing, No's 555, 1555, 1550, 550, 1540, 540, 1545, 545, and 1530.  July 28, 1908 894,673
Thomas J. Fegley Detachable-blade mechanism used in the Yankee No. 65 & 66 screwdrivers.  October 27, 1908 902,387
Zachry T. Furbish Locking mechanism used in Yankee spiral push drills & screwdrivers which holds the blade in a retracted position.   November 3, 1908 902,957
George O. Leopold Speed-change gear mechanism used in the two-speed, reversible Yankee drills, No's 1555, 555, 1545, and 545.  December 15, 1908 906,902
George O. Leopold Speed-change gear mechanism not used in any production Yankee drill ...   April 6, 1909 917,319
George O. Leopold Ratchet,  reverse, and speed-change mechanisms exactly as used in the two-speed Yankees drills, No's 1555, 555, 1545, and 545.   November 2, 1909 939,042
Thomas J. Fegley Chuck - North Bros. version of the Millers Falls "protected spring" design.
 March 15, 1910
 952,320
George O. Leopold Ball bearing used in the front thrust & radial bearing of the larger Yankee drills, No's 1555, 555, 1550, 550, 1545, 545, 1540, 540, 1455, 455, 1445, and 455.  August 23, 1910 968,372
George O. Leopold Ratchet & reverse mechanism used in the Yankee 1530 drill.  January 24, 1911 982,510
T.J.Fegley & G.O.LeopoldMeans of attaching blades of tools to handles. October 15, 19121,041,451
George O. Leopold Gearing - Alternative I for the 1445 Yankee drill.
 January 16, 1912 1,015,235
T.J.Fegley & G.O.Leopold Means for attaching handles to tools - Hollow handles for holding drill bits, e.g., the Yankee 1530.
 April 15, 1913
 1,059,132
George O. Leopold Clutch mechanism - Alternative II for the 1445 Yankee drill.
 August 14, 1917 1,236,848