Apco Mossberg ratchet

 This is the ratchet was included with the Autokit of a couple of days ago. It's not the original one, though from reading online there seems to have been some connection between the two companies. The pressed steel ratchet shown here was designed and patented in 1913 by Frank Mossberg, and enjoyed a production run past the 1927 acquisition of the APCO company and resultant name change to Apco Mossberg. 

Frank Mossberg started making tools in the late 1880s for the local Attleboro jewelry companies, but soon started patenting and manufacturing adjustable wrenches and various bicycle tools as that market took off. The automotive tool market brought more growth for the company and the 1908 acquisition of the Quincy, Manchester, Sargent company added their pressed steel socket wrenches to the lineup. Unfortunately business declined through the 1920s as they failed to respond to the new tool designs entering the market. 

  Apco Mossberg settled into a niche making torque screwdrivers and is around today also making custom CNC parts for medical, electrical, aerospace and similar applications.

Once again see Alloy Artifacts for their usual detailed company histories.