Photo Index - American Machine & Foundry Co. (AMF) - Float-Lock Safety Vise

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Manufactured/Badged by:
American Machine & Foundry Co. (AMF)
New York, NY

True Manufacturer:
American Machine & Foundry Co. (AMF), New York, NY

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Other
Machine Size:	18-9
Submitted By:	Jerry Fiore

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Float-Lock Safety Vise
Date of Manufacturer:	Circa 1952
Serial Number:	NA
Last Updated	6/24/2025 8:38:03 PM

Comments:

I purchased this vise on eBay. It came with part of an early mounting bracket. I did a little research on the inventor and company and included it below. This may be an early version (1952-1953) because the casting says patent pending.

Float-Lock Safety Vise and Inventor Henry Persson (1896-1976).

Henry Sigfrid Persson was born in Braknehol, Sweden in 1896 and immigrated to the US in 1922. His brother Tage came a year later. Henry was an engineer/inventor and along with his brother, Tage, had many patents. In 1945, Henry and Tage lived in a house that included a small, attached machine shop named T.G. Persson Co. at 224 Glenwood Ave in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

In 1949 Henry filed the first patent for the Float-Lock Vise, and it was assigned to Float-Lock Corp, Bloomfield, New Jersey.

In 1950 Float-Lock Corp introduced the first Float-Lock Safety Vise.

In 1951 the patent 2,552,580 was granted to Henry.

In October, 1951 American Machine and Foundry (AMF) purchased Float-Lock Corp. AMF marketed the Float-Lock Vise under the Wahlstrom/Float- Lock Brand. Wahlstrom was another company AMF had acquired that made drill press chucks. AMF continued to use the 224 Glenwood Ave in Bloomfield, NJ address as well as Float-Lock Corp. or Wahlstrom Float-Lock Sales Dept., American Machine & Foundry Co., 511 Fifth Ave., New York, NY.

In 1953, AMF announced in the Modern Machine Shop magazine that they completely redesigned the new AMF Float-Lock to be faster, huskier, greater in capacity (9” and 12” jaw openings). I think they added a slight angle to the table locking clamp to add some force to hold the vise on the table. This new design is immediately visible in the thicker ratcheted jaw face plate.

Henry continued to work for AMF and submitted several more patents:
• 1952 Patent RE23,519 Granted to Henry Persson
• 1955 Patent 2,724,295 Granted to H. Persson
• 1970 Patent 3,520,527 Granted to H. Persson

The 1971 Bloomfield Phone Book list Henry as the President of Sigivel Corporation at the 224 Glenwood Avenue address and his last Patent list him in Miami, Florida. Henry passed away in 1976 at the age of 80.

In the 1960s and 70s AMF started to divest many of their subsidiaries due to financial issues. AMF was purchased by Ministar Inc. in a hostile takeover and Ministar sold off the remaining divisions. AMF can still be seen in some of the former AMF brands relating to bowling.

As early as 1968 in Western Machinery and Steel World publication, Wahlstrom Float-Lock Products Company was listed as a division of R.J. Okon in Linden, NJ. This is the earliest time the Wahlstrom Float-Lock Products Company is mentioned. Richard J. Okon started Okon & Company around 1961 and in 1966 the R.J. Okon Company was listed on a patent for a keyless drill press chuck (3,467,403). The company was based in Chicago (1545 N. Western Ave. Chicago IL 60622). Their manufacturing facility was at 1618 E. Elizabeth Ave., Linden, NJ 07036. Richard Okon passed away in 1982.

In 1981, the Wahlstrom Float-Lock Products Company moved to 1911 Industrial Dr., Libertyville, Illinois, 60048-9731. This is the same address as Burgess Manufacturing, and Allen J. Bassel Sr. is listed as the owner of both companies in the 1984 American Export Registry. Another common address for both companies was 6201 N. Pulaski, Chicago IL 60646. Allen J. Bassel Sr. passed away in 2019.

In 1999, Eagle Rock Technology, Bath, Pennsylvania, purchased the rights to the Wahlstrom Float-Lock Products Company, and is still in business.

Photo 1:

Comments: Float-Lock Safety Vise
Source: My iPhone

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