Vintage Pipe Wrench Made by The Ridge Tool Company

The Ridge Tool Company is an American manufacturing company founded in 1923 in North Ridgeville, Ohio.  It makes and distributes hand tools under the Ridgid brand name. 

Ridgid tools are targeted at the plumbing, pipe fitting, construction, and HVAC trades. The brand is best known for its distinctive red pipe wrenches,  but the company manufactures over 300 different types of tools. The Ridge Tool Company is also a contract manufacturer for many companies including Proto, Sears, ...

Plomb Tools ( Proto’s predecessor ) was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1907 by Alphoso Plomb, Jacob Weninger, and Charles Williams.  Its earliest tools included items such as hand-forged chisels and punches, intended primarily for the plumbing and building trades. It had very good reputation in making professional tools.  So good that the name, PROTO, was derived by combining the first few letters of the two words that described its products: PRO-fessional and TO-ol.

This item has Proto trademark logo with the registration number 0,501,030 applied by Plomb Tool issued on July 13th 1948.

This item has the design invented by William O. Thewes with patent number 1,727,623 & 2,076,830 issued on 1929 & 1937.   

**   PROTO - Los Angeles --- ca. 1950s   ***

Size                                                                  18"