The Allen Manufacturing Company is responsible for the commonly used term Allen wrench. C E Billings, of Billings & Spencer, established the American Specialty Company in 1894. William G Allen became superintendent and later served as president. The initial product was the “Ezy” raisin seeder patented by C L Spencer in 1894. While at this company, Allen received patents for detailed machinery used to manufacture bicycle components.
In 1910, William G Allen, Ira Dimock, Stanley K Dimock, and J T Noyes incorporated the Allen Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut. They manufactured hand tools in addition to the famous “Allen” set-screw.
Allen left his company in 1921 to join the Henry & Wright Manufacturing Company. Wright had died and the drilling machine company was being reorganized.
Important patent numbers include 578850, 580171, 585169, 578437, 597756, 598620, and 605050.
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