In about 1946, Joseph B. Koett established Koett Universal, Inc. to manufacture a patent tool post grinder. The company achieved some success in the first few years but went bankrupt in 1958.

Information Sources

• Article in the 1948-11-13 Oneonta Star.

  If enthusiasm means anything, Joseph B. Koett, president of the Koett Universal, Inc., 35 Otsego St., is a man destined to make his mark in this world. Attracted by a classified advertisement for male help in The Star, we visited the Koett plant the other day, and what we discovered proved not only astonishing but surprising to say the least. In the little plant we found out that Oneonta has an industry manufacturing a machine that i.s unduplicated and in wide use in some of the major industrial plants in the United States. "Yes, we're a small outfit now," said Mr. Koett, "but many times it is better to do business this way and we have every hope that we will progress as production increases."

  Right now the plant is equipped to turn out 100 units a month. There are 15 employees on the payroll, but the total will be stepped up to between 25 or 30 before the year is out, according to Mr. Koett. The Koett universal is unique in its field, and the president of the firm claims that no competitor can build a machine for the same price. Repeat orders from large manufacturers would seem to bear out his statement.

  Mr. Koett took us on a tour of the plant. We found that the Koett universal is a versatile machine tool. It can be mounted on a lathe, milling machine, planer, shaper, etc. It can also be used as a machine in itself. The machine performs internal or external grinding, milling, boring or drilling. What impressed us, however, was the speed of the unit. By turning a little knob on top of the machine, Mr. Koett had it traveling from 500 to 31,200 revolutions per minute. The speeds are made possible by pulley changes and a rheostat control. "It's a grand all-purpose machine, and at high speed there is no vibration or friction," said Mr. Koett. We know that the machine will do 187 jobs in the wood, iron and plastic industries, both in conjunction with other machines and itself."

  Koett is now manufacturing universals for General Electric and International Business Machines. The complete unit includes various types of quills for operations in milling, internal or external grinding, cutting, making gears, threading, etc. The Oneonta firm aim manufactures high speed spindles built to specifications. These spindles are being used in several plants. At the Ford Motor Co, they are used in boring connecting rods. Mr. Koett explained that in some cases the spindles an being used in grinding the ball races in the ball bearing. Mr. Koett, who is also the inventor of the equipment, emphasized that the universal has taken the place of machines costing much more and in many cases has done a better job. It is especially designed for a company that cannot afford every piece of equipment, he said. "We're not kidding ourselves about this machine," said Mr. Koett "Being a new item, it takes a lot of push to put it over, but we've had excellent results to date and the prospects are good that it will be a success in the manufacturing field.

  The plant is now operating on two shifts, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 3:30 to 11:30 p.m. New machinery has been installed, and right now the firm is interested in hiring experienced turret lathe, engine lathe and milling machine operators, and external grinder on shifts. The firm plans to hire apprentices in the near future. Mr. Koett started paper work an his machine back in 1935, and shortly before World War Two obtained his patents. His first models were manufactured in a plant on Road Street. He is a native of Kansas and a graduate of the American School of Engineering, Chicago, Ill. John V. Clark is vice president of the firm and Clarence Preston is secretary and treasurer. Mr. Koett and the other officers serve on the board of directors with Earl R. Elmore and N. A. Kino. The Koett units are sold through distributors with sales offices in many large cities. including Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland. Eventually, according to Mr. Koett, the firm plans to establish its own sales organization. "We've got a lot of missionary work to do yet," said Mr. Koett. "but we've got a beautiful piece of equipment and once we hit the production aimed at, things should really hum around here."

• April 1949 Modern Machine Shop.

  Koett Universal Attachment—A universal attachment may be mounted on a lathe, milling machine, planer, shaper, and so on, or used as a machine in itself to perform internal grinding, external grinding, milling, boring, and drilling has been placed on the market by Koett Universal, Inc., Oneonta, N. Y. The attachment is powered by a 5/8 h.p. universal a.c. and d.c. motor with rheostat control. Changeable spindle and motor pulleys, together with rheostat control, make possible speed changes of from 500 to 31,000 revolutions per minute. The Koett Universal Attachment has a horizontal travel of approximately 2 inches by thousandths of an inch and a vertical travel of approximately 5 inches by thousandths. In addition, the attachment can be tilted 30 degrees right or left so that compound angles can be obtained when the unit is mounted on a machine tool. The high speeds provided by the attachment are said to be of particular advantage where carbide end mills or carbide burrs are used.

  The spindle of the Koett Universal Attachment is rigidly built for strenuous work up to the limit of its horsepower capacity. The spindle is 1 inch in diameter and has a 2-inch diameter ball bearing, the assembly being dynamically balanced to provide for fine finishes. The spindle is also sealed at the factory so...

• 1958-09-23 Oneonta Star. "KOETT UNIVERSAL, INC., will sell the following personal property at the rear of 14 Center St. in the City of Oneonta, New York, on the 26th day of September, 1958, at ten o'clock in the forenoon: 3 Koett Units, 3 partially completed Koett Units, 20 Motors, 15 Carrying Cases, miscellaneous machine parts, nuts, bolts, screws and other parts. TERMS CASH. HAROLD O. HALL 4 Ravine Parkway Oneonta, N. Y."
• 1975 Robert D. Fisher Manual of Valuable and Worthless Securities, p. 437, lists "Koett Universal, Inc. (N. Y.) 1958". This is likely the year that the company was dissolved.
• Brief Practical Machinist discussion, including photos of a Koett grinding attachment.