Hand Tools
Allen Wrench
The "Allen screw" name for the socket head cap screw and "Allen key" for the wrench originate from the products of the Allen Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. According to Bates, it is widely reported that the company trademarked the name "Allen wrench or key" for its range of hex wrenches in 1943.
The Allen wrench trademark of the Allen Manufacturing Company was taken out in 1943, Allen became such a successful brand of hex key that many consumers in following decades have assumed (reasonably but incorrectly) that the internal-wrenching hexagon drive was invented by someone named Allen.
Like the Unbrako name, the name of the popular Allen brand influenced terminology regarding the tool. The Allen Manufacturing Company no longer exists, but the Danaher Corporation of Washington, DC. took over the name and continued production of the Allen wrench. Industry-Standard Numbers for Open-End Wrenches
Open-end wrenches were one of the first tools to be offered in standardized sizes, and from an early date these tools were assigned "standard" model numbers. These numbers actually evolved from the more-or-less sequential model numbers assigned by J.H. Williams & Company, generally credited as being the first tool maker to offer wrenches in standard sizes. As the system proved to be useful, other manufacturers started adopting the same numbering, and soon the wrench models were considered as "Trade Numbers" or "Industry-Standard Numbers".By the time of the 1912 15th Edition of the Williams catalog, open-end wrenches could still be covered by two-digit model numbers. However, additional size combinations were needed within a few years, and the system was expanded by adding a "7" prefix to some numbers, plus an alphabetic prefix (A, B, or C) to others.Not all manufacturers adopted the Williams system, at least not at first. Billings & Spencer was probably the most significant manufacturer with a separate numbering system, and they
The "Allen screw" name for the socket head cap screw and "Allen key" for the wrench originate from the products of the Allen Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. According to Bates, it is widely reported that the company trademarked the name "Allen wrench or key" for its range of hex wrenches in 1943.
The Allen wrench trademark of the Allen Manufacturing Company was taken out in 1943, Allen became such a successful brand of hex key that many consumers in following decades have assumed (reasonably but incorrectly) that the internal-wrenching hexagon drive was invented by someone named Allen.
Like the Unbrako name, the name of the popular Allen brand influenced terminology regarding the tool. The Allen Manufacturing Company no longer exists, but the Danaher Corporation of Washington, DC. took over the name and continued production of the Allen wrench. Industry-Standard Numbers for Open-End Wrenches
Open-end wrenches were one of the first tools to be offered in standardized sizes, and from an early date these tools were assigned "standard" model numbers. These numbers actually evolved from the more-or-less sequential model numbers assigned by J.H. Williams & Company, generally credited as being the first tool maker to offer wrenches in standard sizes. As the system proved to be useful, other manufacturers started adopting the same numbering, and soon the wrench models were considered as "Trade Numbers" or "Industry-Standard Numbers".By the time of the 1912 15th Edition of the Williams catalog, open-end wrenches could still be covered by two-digit model numbers. However, additional size combinations were needed within a few years, and the system was expanded by adding a "7" prefix to some numbers, plus an alphabetic prefix (A, B, or C) to others.Not all manufacturers adopted the Williams system, at least not at first. Billings & Spencer was probably the most significant manufacturer with a separate numbering system, and they