Alloy Artifacts  

K-D Manufacturing Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The K-D Manufacturing Company (K-D Tools) is a well-known maker of automotive specialty tools.


K-D Manufacturing Company

K-D Manufacturing began in 1918 as a partnership between Harry W. Kulp and Martin C. Dellinger, two inventors who were working on a new type of valve lifter. By 1919 their prototype was functional and the company began production from a home workshop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

[1924 Notice for K-D Manufacturing]
Fig. 1. 1924 Notice for K-D Manufacturing. [External Link]

The brief notice in Fig. 1 reports the beginning of K-D Manufacturing as a partnership in 1918, as published on page 686 of the 1924 Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Volume II.

A full-page article outlining the early history of K-D Manufacturing can be found on page 431 [External Link] of the December 1, 1924 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal. The article tells the story of how Kulp and Dellinger developed of their first valve lifter, a design with parallel jaw movement to avoid binding of the spring and washer. As with many auto tools of that time, the valve lifter was intended for servicing the Ford Model T.

After the prototype was completed and tested in early 1919, the two inventors pooled $40 to buy a stamping press and began production. According to the article, the two were able to make 10,000 units in their first year, which were sold through a local distributor.

Kulp and Dellinger filed a patent application for their new tool in October of 1919 and received patent 1,359,814 in November of 1920.

Kulp had previously filed a patent application in April of 1919 for what might be called a "proof of concept" parallel-jaw lifter, and received patent 1,330,542 in February of 1920.

[1921 Ad for K-D parallel Jaw Valve Lifter]
Fig. 3. 1921 Ad for K-D Parallel Jaw Valve Lifter. [External Link]

Fig. 3 shows an early advertisement for the K-D parallel jaw lifter for Ford service, as published on page 105 of the July 21, 1921 issue of the Motor Age.

The original K-D lifter was designed to service the Ford Model T, the highest selling make of automobile at that time. The text notes that the parallel lift prevents binding of the spring and washer on the valve stem.

[1922 Ad for K-D Universal Valve Lifter]
Fig. 4. 1922 Ad for K-D Universal Valve Lifter. [External Link]

By 1922 the company was offering a "universal" valve spring lifter with a similar parallel jaw design.

Fig. 4 shows an advertisement for the K-D universal valve spring lifter, as published on page 284 of the June 1, 1922 issue of the Automobile Trade Journal.

The universal valve lifter included two extra jaws that allowed it to work other makes of cars, in addition to the Ford Model T.

[1929 Ad for K-D Tools]
Fig. 5. 1929 Advertisement for K-D Tools.

Kulp and Dellinger went on to collaborate on a number of patents for specialty tools. K-D's products include pliers, valve-spring compressors, wrenches, and other automotive specialty tools.

The scan in Fig. 5 shows an advertisement for K-D "flat rate" tools, as published on page 11 [External Link] of the April, 1929 issue of Motor Record.

The illustrations show a number of K-D tools, including the No. 300 universal valve lifter with six jaws, the No. 307 valve lifter for Ford Model "A", the No. 320 heavy-duty valve lifter, the No. 510 wheel puller, and the No. 9 adjustable hacksaw.


Ignition Pliers

By 1936 the company was offering kits of miniature pliers for ignition service.

[1936 Ad for K-D Pliers]
Fig. 6. 1936 Advertisement for K-D Pliers.

The scan in Fig. 6 shows an advertisement for K-D pliers and other tools, as published on page 69 of the March, 1936 edition of Automobile Digest. The illustration shows a kit with four pairs of pliers, each approximately 4.5 inches in size.

Other tools listed in the ad include a valve keeper inserter, a valve seat grinder, valve spring compressors, and knockoff type wheel pullers.


Ratcheting Box-End Wrenches

By 1940 K-D was offering ratcheting box-end wrenches in various opening sizes, a type of tool that would become quite popular in later decades.

[1940 Ad for K-D Ratcheting Box Wrenches]
Fig. 7. 1940 Advertisement for K-D Ratcheting Box Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 7 shows a No. 20 set of four ratcheting box wrenches (along with other tools), as published on page 50 of the February, 1940 issue of Motor Age.

K-D's ratcheting box wrenches were made of stamped sheet metal laminated to form a slightly convex handle, a construction technique amenable to relatively inexpensive production. K-D appears to have been to first company to offer laminated sheet metal ratcheting wrenches in multiple sizes.

We have an example of a K-D No. 23 Ratcheting Box Wrench marked with a "Pat. Appl'd For" notation, but have not yet located the patent.

Ratcheting box wrenches actually have a long history extending back to the 1901 Lord patent 666,202. This patent was used by Bay State Tool in the early 1900s for a series of ratcheting wrenches with forged handles, in both single- and double-ended styles. An example can be seen as the Bay State 5/8 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

Another example of an early ratcheting box wrench can be seen in the Mossberg 645 11/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench, a specialty tool for adjusting the reverse and brake bands on the Model T Ford. This tool was constructed of laminated sheet metal and is described by patent 1,165,995, issued to Frank Mossberg in 1915.

Several other companies offered comparable 11/16 ratcheting box wrenches for Model T service, including Blackhawk, Bog, and Duro Metal Products.

When K-D introduced its No. 20 set of ratcheting box wrenches in 1940, the company appears to have been to first to offer laminated-body wrenches in multiple sizes.

Another advancement came in the mid 1940s when the Nagel-Chase Manufacturing Company produced ratcheting box wrenches based on patent 2,421,038, filed by E. Schulz in 1944 and issued in 1947. These wrenches were sold under the Sears Dunlap brand, and an example can be seen as the Dunlap 3/8x7/16 Ratcheting Box Wrench. The Nagel-Chase wrenches had a clam-shell case stamped from sheet metal and riveted together.

By the late 1940s A&E Manufacturing was offering a line of laminated ratcheting box wrenches based on patent 2,500,835, filed by J.W. Lang in 1947 and issued in 1950. The A&E wrenches became very popular and were made as contract production for numerous companies, making the A&E design something of a de facto standard for a number of years. An example can be seen as the Early A&E 3/4x7/8 Ratcheting Box Wrench.

Ratcheting box wrenches arguably reached their apex (pun intended) with the 1996 introduction of the GearWrench brand, developed by the Lea Way Hand Tool Corporation of Taiwan. GearWrench used a fine-tooth ratchet mechanism with multiple teeth on the pawl for added strength, and their wrenches were built with a forged body and a highly polished finish, initially as a ratcheting combination wrench. An example can be seen as the GearWrench 11/16 Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrench.

For readers interested in exploring our collection of ratcheting box wrenches, these tools are all indexed under "Ratcheting Wrench" in the site index.


Later Operations

K-D Manufacturing remained independent through the 1970s, but by the late 1980s had become part of EASCO, a company which had previously acquired Moore Drop Forging along with its major Craftsman tool contract.

Then in 1990 K-D became part of Danaher when EASCO was acquired by the Danaher Group, a conglomerate of tool companies which also included Matco and Armstrong.

In 2010 most of the Danaher tool brands (except for Matco) were combined with the tool operations of Cooper Industries as a joint venture, forming the Apex Tool Group. The Apex Tool Group was later sold to a private equity holding company, where it continues in operation today.


Patents

Kulp and Dellinger (and sometimes Kulp alone) received a number of patents, mostly for valve spring lifters or related tools.

K-D Manufacturing: Issued Patents
Patent No.InventorFiledIssuedNotes and Examples
1,330,542 H.W. Kulp04/21/191902/10/1920 Valve lifter
K-D No. 600 Valve Lifter
1,359,814 H.W. Kulp et al10/21/191911/23/1920 Valve Spring Lifter
1,461,275 H.W. Kulp et al03/09/192107/10/1923 Valve Lifter
K-D No. 600 Valve Lifter
1,713,761 H.W. Kulp et al06/18/192405/21/1929 Valve Spring Lifter Lock
1,713,762 H.W. Kulp et al02/26/192505/21/1929 Valve Spring Compressor
1,713,763 H.W. Kulp et al03/05/192505/21/1929 Valve Spring Compressor
1,815,980 H.W. Kulp et al12/12/192807/28/1931 Valve Spring Lifter
1,850,268 H.W. Kulp et al05/29/193003/22/1932 Positioning Tool
1,879,331 H.W. Kulp05/29/193009/27/1932 Gear or Wheel Puller
1,902,711 H.W. Kulp11/21/192803/21/1933 Bushing Remover
1,913,084 H.W. Kulp08/03/193106/06/1933 Valve Spring Lifter
1,917,183 H.W. Kulp11/23/192907/04/1933 Positioning Tool
1,998,548 H.W. Kulp et al06/15/193404/23/1935 Valve Tool
2,057,781 H.W. Kulp12/16/193510/20/1936 Merchandising Display
2,064,264 H.W. Kulp03/07/193612/15/1936 Valve Lifter
K-D No. 700 Valve Lifter
2,531,135 H.W. Kulp09/24/194611/21/1950 Adjustable Hacksaw Frame
2,533,121 H.W. Kulp05/08/194712/05/1950 Valve Spring Compressor
K-D No. 700 Valve Lifter

Trademarks

The company claimed a trademark on "K-D Tools", but we haven't yet found a registration.

K-D Manufacturing: Registered Trademarks
Text Mark or Logo Reg. No. First Use Date Filed Date Issued Notes
Kay-Dee 137,808 04/30/1920 05/10/1920 12/07/1920 For valve-spring lifters.
"Kay-Dee" in oval logo.
Serial 132,253. Published 08/24/1920.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts Collection.


Catalog Coverage

Product information can be obtained from a number of K-D catalogs, as summarized in the table below.

K-D Manufacturing: Catalog Resources
Catalog Date Format Notes
      No. 16 (1934, Full):
No. 16 1934 Full No copyright, dated January 1, 1934. 16 Pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.
Lists wide variety of valve spring lifters and other valve tools.
      No. 17 (1935, Full):
No. 17 1935 Full No copyright, dated January 1, 1935. 20 Pages. Canadian prices.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.
Lists wide variety of valve spring lifters and other valve tools.
Lists No. 307 valve lifter for Models "A" and "B" Ford.
Lists Nos. 520, 530, 540, and 550 wheel pullers.
Lists K-D No. 99 adjustable hacksaw.
      No. 24 (1948, Full):
No. 24 1948 Full Copyright 1947 K-D Manufacturing Company. 20 Pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.
Lists wide variety of valve spring lifters and other valve tools.
Lists "New" K-D No. 700 valve spring lifter.
Lists "Improved" K-D No. 99 adjustable hacksaw.
Lists K-D No. 20 ratcheting box wrench set, sizes 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, and 9/16.
      No. 25 (1950, Full):
No. 25 1950 Full No copyright, dated November, 1950. 26 Pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.
Lists wide variety of valve spring lifters and other valve tools.
      No. 64 (1964, Full):
No. 64 1964 Full No copyright, dated February, 1964. 31 Pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.
      No. 74 (1973, Full):
No. 74 1973 Full Copyright 1973. 65 Pages.
Available for Download [External Link] from ITCL.

Industrial Distributors

K-D tools were available from some distributor catalogs.


Selected Tools


K-D No. 600 Valve Spring Lifter

[K-D No. 600 Valve Spring Lifter]
Fig. 8. K-D No. 600 Valve Spring Lifter, with Insets for Top View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 8 shows a K-D No. 600 valve spring lifter based on two of the company's early patents. The handle is stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." with the Kay-Dee logo, and the lifter arm is marked "Made in U.S.A." with a "Pat. 2.10.20 7.10.23" patent notice.

The overall length is 10.2 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The patent notice includes two dates, with the earlier one referring to patent 1,330,542, issued to H.W. Kulp in 1920. The second date refers to patent 1,461,275, issued to H.W. Kulp and M.C. Dellinger in 1923.

An example of a valve lifter from another maker based partially on the 1920 Kulp patent 1,330,542 can be seen as the BHM No. 24 Valve Lifter.


K-D No. 700 Valve Spring Lifter

[K-D No. 700 Valve Spring Lifter]
Fig. 9. K-D No. 700 Valve Spring Lifter, with Inset for Top View, ca. 1950+.

Fig. 9 shows a later K-D No. 700 valve spring lifter, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on the lower arm. The arm is also stamped "Pat. 2,064,264" and "Pat. 2,533,121" plus "Made in U.S.A." near the adjusting screw.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

The two patents noted in the markings are the Kulp 1936 patent 2,064,264 and Kulp 1950 patent 2,533,121, both assigned to K-D Manufacturing.


K-D No. 7 Ignition Pliers

[K-D No. 7 Ignition Pliers]
Fig. 10. K-D No. 7 Ignition Pliers, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a pair of K-D No. 7 ignition pliers, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." with "Made in U.S.A." on the back side.

The overall length is 4.5 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.


K-D No. 23 1/2 Reversible Ratcheting Box Wrench

[K-D No. 23 1/2 Reversible Ratchet Wrench]
Fig. 11. K-D No. 23 1/2 Reversible Ratchet Wrench, with Insets for Back Side and Edge View, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 11 shows a K-D No. 23 reversible ratcheting box wrench with a 1/2 hexagonal opening, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on one side, with "Made in United States of America" and "Pat. Appl'd For" on the back side.

The overall length is 4.0 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

A diligent search has failed to find a patent for this tool, and we suspect that the patent was not granted.

K-D is believed to have been the first company to make laminated ratcheting box wrenches in multiple sizes. The interesting history of Ratcheting Box Wrenches was briefly summarized in an earlier section.


K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 Reversible Ratcheting Box Wrench

[K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 Reversible Ratchet Wrench]
Fig. 12. K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 Reversible Ratchet Wrench, with Insets for Marking Detail and Edge View, ca. 1940s.

Fig. 12 shows a K-D No. 27 1/4x5/16 reversible ratcheting box wrench, stamped "K-D Mfg. Co." and "Lancaster, PA." on one side, with "Made in United States of America" and "Pat. Appl'd For" on the back side. (The middle inset had been rotated for readability.)

The overall length is 3.8 inches, and the finish is cadmium plating.

A diligent search has failed to find a patent for this tool, and we suspect that the patent was not granted.


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