Vanished Tool Makers: Chicago Specialty Manufacturing Company

Below, nine tools made by this company.  First, a 1-1/4"-27 TPI die, probably for sink tailpieces:

Second, a very unusual tool which I presume was used to cut copper tubing. The top arm has a circular cutting disc at the end and is scribed as a ruler, so you can set the length of the piece of pipe you want to cut by moving the adjustable stop.  The bottom arm is a V-shape to support the outside of the pipe.  I tried it on a piece of 1/2" copper pipe and didn't find it effective, although to be fair the cutting wheel is very dull.

Third, a slip and lock nut wrench:

Fourth, a faucet handle puller:

Fifth, a strap wrench:

Sixth, a flaring tool:

Seventh, a copper pipe cleaning tool under the "Speedy" brand name:

Eighth, a pair of water pump pliers, also with the "Speedy" name:

Finally, a No. 3330 compass saw:

Other plumbing tools:

This company specialized in plumbing tools, but also made other tools like hacksaw frames.  Actually, if you search the net and also google patents, the company had inventions in a remarkably wide range of products.  They had offices/facilities in Skokie, Illinois, Sun Valley, California and even Brantford, Ontario.

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=4924.0

Popular Mechanics, November 1970

They were acquired by Beatrice Foods sometime in the 1960's. Beatrice itself underwent a leveraged buyout in 1987, and its plumbing group became part of EII Holdings before being spun off to American Brands which in turn sold off some of the plumbing divisions.  It would seem that Chicago Specialty disappeared around this time, possibly in 1992 when one of its 1950 trademarks (shown below) expired.