Greenfield Tap & Die

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Greenfield Tap & Die Corporation was a maker of taps, dies, and other tools operating in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The company was formed by a merger in 1912 and grew to become the dominant force in the tap and die industry.

Company History

The Greenfield Tap & Die Corporation (GTD) was a maker of taps, dies, pipe wrenches, and other tools operating in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The company was established on April 2, 1912 by the merger of Wiley & Russell Manufacturing with the Wells Brothers Company. Wiley & Russell had been established in 1870 and the Wells Brothers Company was established in 1876.

Shortly after its formation GTD purchased the A.J. Smart Manufacturing Company in October of 1912.

Fig. 1. 1916 Notice of Catalog for Greenfield Tap and Die. [External Link]

Fig. 1 shows a notice for catalog No. 37 from Greenfield Tap and Die, as published on page 667 of the October 13, 1916 issue of Railway Age Gazette.

The text notes that the new catalog reorganized the products previously listed separately for the Wells Brothers, Wiley & Russell, and A.J. Smart.

Patents

Trademarks

On January 8, 1921 the company filed a trademark application for "GTD" in a logo, with the first use date claimed as October 1, 1915. The application was published as serial 141,980 on June 14, 1921. The trademark was registered as #147,322 on October 11, 1921, along with other trademarks 147,318, 147,319, 147,320, and 147, 321.

References and Resources

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

Catalog Coverage

Industrial Distributors

Greenfield Tap & Die tools were widely available from industrial distributors. We'll add references as time permits.

Selected Tools

GTD "Little Giant" 8 Inch Offset Pipe Wrench

Fig. 2. GTD "Little Giant" 8 Inch Offset Pipe Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Back Side Detail, ca. 1913+.

Fig. 2 shows a GTD "Little Giant" 8 inch offset pipe wrench, marked with "Greenfield, Mass." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "Little Giant" and "Pat. Feb. 4 1913" forged into the back side.

The overall length is 8.1 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

The patent date refers to patent 1,052,313, filed by A.B. Carll in 1912.

GTD 14 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench

Fig. 3. 1921 Catalog Listing for GTD Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrenches.

By 1921 GTD was offering Stillson-pattern pipe wrenches in sizes ranging from 6 to 48 inches.

Fig. 3 shows a catalog listing for GTD Stillson-pattern pipe wrenches, as published on page 305 for the 1921 Catalog No. 46.

The illustration shows both wooden-handled and steel-handled wrenches, with the wooden handles available only for sizes 14 inches and under.

Fig. 4. GTD 14 Inch Stillson-Pattern Pipe Wrench, with Inset for Back Side, ca. 1920s to 1940s.

Fig. 4 shows a GTD 14 inch Stillson-pattern pipe wrench, marked with "Greenfield, Mass." and "Made in U.S.A." forged into the shank, with "G.T.D. CORP'N" forged into the back side.

The upper jaw is marked with the "GTD" logo forged into both sides.

The overall length is 11.9 inches closed and approximately 13.5 inches fully extended. The finish is plain steel.