Photo Index - Sears | Companion - S-3152 Bench Grinder (Sunlight motor)

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Sears | Companion
Chicago, IL

True Manufacturer:
Sunlight Electrical Manufacturing Co., Warren, OH

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Grinder, Bench
Machine Size:	7" x ¾"
Submitted By:	Tony Shaftel

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	S-3152 Bench Grinder (Sunlight motor)
Date of Manufacturer:	1936
Serial Number:	none
Last Updated	6/8/2016 11:47:58 AM

Comments:

I bought this Sears Companion bench grinder at a local garage/estate sale.

On the label:

Sears Companion Ball Bearing A.C. Motor
Model S3152
1/3 H.P.
110 Volts
50 Cycles (corrected to 50/60 later)
?? Amps
2850/3350 R.P.M.
Motor No. E26
Sears Roebuck And Company U.S.A.
Patent No 1,864,654
Other Patents Appd. For

It has been suggested that the S prefix in the Model number indicates the motor (if not also the assembled grinder) was made for Sears by the Sunlight Electrical Manufacturing Company. Patent 1,864,654 was filed in 1930, issued in 1932, and appears to have been assigned to Sunlight by their motor designer Frederick Kingston between then and 1934 per this link: http://www.vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2013

There was an initial suggestion that the motor number E26 might indicate it was built in the fifth month (E) of the year 1926, which would seem unlikely with a 1932 patent listed on the motor label. Another suggestion is that that last digit might indicate 1936.

However, the underside of the base has the cast-in characters '26-4-8' which could be a date in 1926. This suggests the base, at least, was built in 1926 or from a mold made in 1926.

Per the Sears Craftsman history, at http://www.vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=222, motors and grinders built for Sears by Sunlight used the motor number prefix 115, which is nowhere to be found on this unit.

One possibility is that Sears sold an existing line of Sunlight grinders early on in their relationship before moving on to the 115 models. Or maybe the motor is a later replacement for an earlier model grinder that had nothing to do with Sears.

Noting that the label title is for a motor and not for a grinder, yet another possibility is that the grinder was assembled by an individual who found a base and motor that happened to fit. Supporting this possibility is the statement by the seller at the garage sale--I don't know who he was but he was obviously a later model than the deceased tool owner--that "The grinders are all homemade." I didn't question him about it because he was busy, but I'm skeptical since the motor fits quite nicely on the mount.

If you have an opinion or other information on this, let me know.

Photo 1:

Comments: Grinder as purchased
Source: My digital camera

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IMG Code

Photo 3:

Comments: Side/back view
Source: My digital camera

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Photo 4:

Comments: Motor label plate
Source: My digital camera

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Photo 5:

Comments: Underside of base
Source: My digital camera

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