ENGINEERS TOOL CHECKS  

Part of a longer article by Priscilla Langridge published in 1974 by Coin Monthly

Most engineering companies allocate to each of their mechanical engineers a number of tool check tokens. These are generally round and coin-like with a punched hole in them, and are usually marked with the engineers personal identification number. Generally ten such tool checks are issued to each mechanic when first employed by a company, and thereafter he must personally account of these. When ever he requires to borrow a tool from the work store he must hand in one of his tokens for each tool required. The storeman places the token either on a rack or on a cup hook over the borrowed tools place, and this enables him to keep a check on tools borrowed. At any time necessary he can tell who has borrowed a particular tool. If the tool is loaned out and is then urgently required before its return, it can be sent for as the person borrowing can quickly be traced. Many engineering tools are very costly items and using this ‘tool check’ system such tools are less likely to be misused or mislaid. No one is considered to need more than ten tools from the stores at any one time.

STRICT SECURITY.   Engineering companies have their own distinctive ‘tool checks’ which they have minted to order, and which arrived from the maker in sealed bags, and these are guarded as closely as money! Strict security is observed over these carefully guarded checks and their allocation. It is the practice for an engineer’s clocking in number to be punched onto each one of the ten tool checks allocated to him. Generally the supervisor or chief chargehand has either his surname or his initials punched onto his checks, whilst all other mechanics under him only their personal number. A careful record is kept in a book by the storeman of all the employees’ names, numbers and initials used on the issued ‘tool checks’.  Once a tool is borrowed by a mechanic, he becomes responsible for that tool. When finished with he must hand it in personally to the storeman, who will in turn hand back the mechanic's personal check. Early issues of tool checks appear mainly to have been struck in brass. All pieces I have so far noted have been uniface, having a small hole in them, and bearing on them the name of the issuing engineering company and the words TOOL CHECK. Many of today's modern issues are made from a brass alloy, some from aluminium, but plastic tool checks are now used by some companies. The illustrated uniface tool check of C A Parsons Ltd is made of brass and is 26 mm in diameter. It has a raised outer rim and in a beaded border and bears the engineer’s clocking in number. Due to the strict security enforced by engineering companies over their tool checks, collectors are likely to find it extremely difficult to obtain any sample specimen for a token collection. Whenever they are obtainable, and indeed obsolete issues are occasionally offered for sale by dealers, a small selection of such pieces make for variety amongst more modern tokens. Together with a brief description of the engineering company to whom they once belonged, details of where minted is available, and period used will add to their interest.

FAMOUS ENGINEER.   Charles Parsons was the founder of C A Parsons. He was a famous Tyneside engineer and in the year 1884 he invented the steam turbine. The Admiralty showed no interest in his invention so he went ahead and built his own ship THE TURBINIA. In 1897 at the Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Naval Review at Spithead he sailed his new ship in and out of the majestic lines of battleships at a fantastic speed of 34 ½ knots. It was after this that he received contracts for his invention. Parsons was the son of an Irish peer and studied maths at Cambridge. In 1876 he patented his epicycloidal engine which was the forerunner to his steam turbine. He established his own engineering works at Heaton in 1889. His steam turbine engines were used in two famous ships, the Lusitania and the Mauritania. He was appointed head of the electrical department of Clarke and Chapmans. The company of C A Parsons has amalgamated with a number of others throughout its history.

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