FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * FARRELL W JAMES   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC [ITW] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/16/2004 (Street)   4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 08/08/1998   A   0 A $ 0 141,413 I See Footnotes (1) (2) Common Stock (3) (4) (5) 12/16/2004   F   22,951 D $ 91.98 207,825 D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 54.62

12/12/1997

A

100,000

12/12/1998

12/12/2007

Common Stock

100,000

$ 54.62

100,000

D

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 58.25

12/11/1998

A

100,000

12/11/1999

12/11/2008

Common Stock

100,000

$ 58.25

100,000

D

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 65.5

12/17/1999

A

200,000

12/17/2000

12/17/2009

Common Stock

200,000

$ 65.5

200,000

D

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 55.875

12/15/2000

A

412,000

12/15/2001

12/15/2010

Common Stock

412,000

$ 55.875

412,000

D

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 62.25

12/14/2001

A

400,000

12/14/2002

12/14/2011

Common Stock

400,000

$ 62.25

400,000

D

Employee Stock Option

$ 92.04

09/17/2004

A

23,069

09/17/2005

12/15/2010

Common Stock

23,069

$ 92.04

23,069

D

Employee Stock Option (6)

$ 94.26

12/10/2004

A

400,000

12/10/2005

12/10/2014

Common Stock

400,000

$ 94.26

400,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FARRELL W JAMES	X		Chairman & CEO

Signatures

W. James Farrell by S. S. Hudnut, Sr. V.P., Gen. Counsel & Secretary Attorney-In-Fact POA on File		12/17/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	7,436 shares held in revocable trust.
(2)	133,977 shares held in JM investment partners L.P.
(3)	7,043 shares allocated to my account in the Illinois Tool Works Inc. Savings & Investment Plan -- Information reported as of 12/8/04..
(4)	Includes Grant of Restricted Stock vesting over 3 year period: 12/16/03, 12/16/04, 12/16/05.
(5)	Includes Grant of Restricted Stock vesting over 3 year period: 12/16/04, 12/16/05, 12/18/06
(6)	Options vest in four equal annual installments beginning one year from date of grant.

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