Millers falls No 1980 ratcheting hand drill

A pure luck hazard, the sign says no yard sales until further notice but there was this guy out standing in the field.... and this is what I found :-)

There were three models of two speed hand drill from Millers Falls, they were
the Model No 98, 980 and 981
The differences being in the handle
The other two speed models introduced in the MF line up came from Goodell-Pratt.

No 98

1913-1922

Flat top handle like a No 2

No 980

1913-1944

Same but bulbous handle

No 980D

1922-1925

Same as No 980 but first model that came with twist drill bits

Handle shown is a different vintage variation

Notice the addition of a third idler gear (1917).

The 2 above illustrated, only had 2 gears (1913-1916)

No 981

1913-1917

Came with a detachable breast plate

Drawings above from oldtoolheaven site

Later on they introduced a ratchet feature .  Adding a 1 in front of the models Nos turned them into the ratcheting models No 198 (1913-1922), No 1980 (1914-1944), No 1981 (1914-1917)

My model is the No 1980

MF No 1980 ratchet hand drill.

Probably the smoothest running hand drill I ever picked up.  

And there are three set of gears meshing 1921-1944

Millers Falls, Mass address 1914-1930

Driving wheel red 1915-1944

Patented 10 Jun 1913

The patent No 1,063,984 was submitted Feb 26 1912 and awarded 10 June 1913
It covers both the ratchet and the speed selector (Fast/Slow)

Patent show a slider for switching speed, actual production models

 had a bulbous twist knurled sleeve instead

These two sets of gears are always engaged.

The two speed selector is the knurled cylinder in the middle.

 Pins within determined which gear would be driving the drilling shaft

.

The ratchet selector feature

Pull, turn, reengage down.

The plate under has square holes, and the spring loaded shifter pin has a square edge on one side, 

a bevel on the other.  Depending on orientation it ratchet or not

Pretty simple ratchet mechanism

Handle is bent

There are no front wiper to keep gear engaged  (meshed)

Replaced by the addition of a 3rd gear, idler

1921 -1944

Handle is fixed, non removable

and has no hollow storage.

1925-1944 

3 points chuck operate and align just fine

Ryther's chuck 1922-1944

0-3/8 inch capacity

Side handle is present

and removable

Accordingly my model was fabricated between 1925 and 1930

The speed selector is currently stuck, but I'm working on it
I don't really want to take it apart, but will If I have too
See inside the mechanism   Model shown is No 980, without the ratchet feature (which would made it No 1980)

Finally here is a size comparison

As a rule hand drills are usually less than 15 inches.
At 15-3/4 the No 1980 fall in between a hand drill and a Breast drill

From Top - Bottom

MF No 1  10-1/2 in

MF No 5  12-7/8 in

MF No 2  14-1/2 in

MF No 1980  15-3/4 in

MF No 012 Breast drill  17-1/2 in

He said he had another I may be interested in, came back the next day, he shown me a MF No 012 breast drill, I already have 2 so I passed :-)
Bought a screwdriver instead Moore & Wright ratcheting screwdriver

Bob, where the picking is getting slim...