By 1907 William Edward Villinger, under the banner W. E. Villinger, had a machine shop where he designed and built custom machinery. In late 1909 the business was incorporated as the Villinger Manufacturing Co. and they immediately began making the "Williamsport Drill", a 14-inch friction-feed drill press that automatically stopped the spindle whenever the feed lever was at the resting position. It appears that this drill achieved only modest success. By 1922 the business employed 20 people but before the end of that year the business had gone under and the factory was acquired by the Imperial Band Instrument Manufacturing Co., which hired Villinger to do lathe and mill work plus polishing and plating.

From 1910-01-06 American Machinist

Information Sources

• The findagrave page on William Edward Villinger shows that he was born 1864-02-10 and died 1950-11-25, both in Williamsport.
• 1899 Boyd's Directory of Williamsport lists "Villinger W. Edward, foreman, h 1015 Louisa".
• September 1907 Popular Mechanics, classified ad: "Special machinery built to order: dies and tools for sheet metal stamping and forming. Inventions perfected. W. E. Villinger, Williamsport, Pa."
• 1907-09 List of Charters of Corporations Enrolled in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "VILLINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY—Williamsport, November 30, 1909. Capital $20,000. Manufacturing machinery, tools, dies, hardware specialties and machinist's supplies from wood, iron, steel or other articles of commerce and dealing in and selling the same."
• Ad in 1910-01-06 American Machinist for Villinger Mfg. Co.'s "Williamsport drill".
• March 1910 Popular Mechanics, classified ad: "Metal specialties manufactured, models, dies and special machinery; inventions perfected. Villinger Mfg. Co., Williamsport, Pa."
• 1912 book Examples of Success by Correspondence Training.

  W. E. VILLINGER, Williamsport, Pa., was born in the same city on February 10, 1864. He obtained his education in the public schools until he was 13 years old, when he went to work. While he was earning a machinist's wages, $3.50 a day, at the age of 33, on August 25, 1906, he enrolled for a Mechanical Course. He is the general manager and treasurer of the Villinger Mfg. Co., Williamsport, Pa., manufacturers of high-grade machinery.

• July 1915 The Automobile Trade Directory lists "Villinger Mfg. Co., Williamsport, Pa." as the maker of "Williamsport" sensitive drilling machines.
• According to a page on the history of the Williamsport Chamber of Commerce, in 1915 the "United States Sales Company", working through the Chamber of Commerce, ordered "the manufacturing of up to 1000 vending machines from the Villinger Manufacturing Company."
• 1922 Industrial Directory of Pennsylvania lists Villinger Mfg. Co., 643 Elmira St. (Williamsport), makers of hardware and specialites. They had 15 male and 3 female employees, none under 16 years of age. There were also 2 office employees, for a total of 20.
• 1922-09-09 The Music Trade Review.

  WILLIAMSPORT, PA ., August 28.—The Imperial Band Instrument Manufacturing Co. has been organized with the following officers: President, Charles W . Mink; vice-president, Felice N. Galetti; secretary, Harry A . Fischler; treasurer, George L. Reeder. A State charter will be asked for. The new concern has purchased the plant and equipment of the Villinger Mfg. Co., 643 Elmira street, and new machinery has been ordered which will be added to that secured from the Villinger Co. Mr. Galette has been making band instruments since 1888, while Mr. Fischler is a well-known cornetist, and for a time was official tester of band instruments for the United States Government. The new concern will start producing musical instruments at once, the officers report.

• According to a PDF document on the history of the Imperial Band Instrument Mfg. Co., in 1922 that firm "purchased the former Villinger Mfg. Co. plant at #643 Elmira St. in Williamsport (top photo). (Villinger did lathe & milling work, polishing & plating)".