Yankee Push Drill Patented Models

The first patented spiral push drill date back into the 1800's.  Many of the first models patented are rare and hard to find.  Most models were designed and patented post 1900.  Above is a picture of a few brass models, the two are actually alike, but these two are marked with different company names on each.;

The picture above shows 5 different YANKEE brand push drills, made by either North Brothers, or Stanley Tools.  Three of them have the old style screw chuck (turn the chuck sleeve to hold or loosen the drill point), the others have the newer spring chuck, (simply push the chuck sleeve away from the drill handle to release the drill point, let go of it and it automatically closes the chuck to hold the point fast in place).  As you can see the top push drill (Model No. 42) has a wooden handle and no drill point storage feature.  Also, you can see it has an exposed spiral shaft, unlike the others that are all concealed.  This was one of the earliest push drill patents.  This particular drill has two patent dates, one in 1898, the other in 1900.  Below the No. 42 is two No. 41's first introduced in 1900 with a screw chuck, the No. 41 below has the later spring chuck. The No. 41 has been the best seller in the Yankee push drill line, and is still very popular today.  Below the number 41's are two No. 44's, again older and newer.  The No. 44 model was introduced in 1905 and has an adjustable spring tension, allow for lighter spring return tensions for small diameter drill points.  It does have drill point storage in the handle, but since the tension control is at the end of the handle on this one, the opening to get to the drill points is on the other end of the handle, where there is a threaded, and knurled ferrule that is used to open that end of the handle to expose the drill points.  A very good design, most all 44's we have seen are in very good working order.  A sturdy tool!  

In the photo above, the lower black handle drill is the Stanley No. 45, first offered in 1950, it functions the same as the others from the earlier days, but is short, and has a smaller diameter main shaft, yet is surprisingly sturdy.  The end cap on the handle is threaded and can be removed to expose the drill points, stored in the handle.  Depending on the year, some end caps are aluminum, other steel, and there is a noticeable weight difference in the two.  The black part is heavy molded plastic and is very sturdy since it is re-enforced, and fit on a steel inside shaft.  Under the No. 45 is the No. 46, the new one sometimes marked No. 03-046, this one was introduced by Stanley as a YANKEE, and a HANDYMAN brand tool, in the later 1950's.  Basically, it is very similar to the No. 45, but with a metal re-enforce, molded  plastic handle cap in this case.  By 2005 Stanley had sold out all of it's inventory of this model, the last of their inventory to be sold as I understand it, it was the last model to be sold out also.  There was other Yankee brand models made over the years, but these were the best known and the best sellers to my knowledge.;

Various models, all push drills.  From the left, the first two are Greenlee, Craftsman, last four are Millers Falls.

The first patented spiral push drill date back into the 1800's.  Many of the first models patented are rare and hard to find.  Most models were designed and patented post 1900.  Above is a picture of a few brass models, the two are actually alike, but these two are marked with different company names on each.;

The lower push drill is a Goodell-Pratt.  The upper drill is a Millers Falls.  Note the chuck design is different.  One holds the Yankee style with the notch and flat on the shank, and the other holds only the + shaped shank drill points.