Van Norman Machine Tool Company

[1] Van Norman was most noted for their "ram type" milling machines, which due to their swiveling head design could be converted quickly and easily from horizontal to vertical spindles.

The ram type mills were produced for many years and in a wide range of sizes, from the home-shop-sized No.

In addition to milling machines, Van Norman pursued several other machining-related lines of business.

[3] The Van Norman rotary surface grinders, primarily used to resurface engine flywheels, are currently manufactured by Irontite Products Inc. as of 2014, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

In keeping with many manufacturers of the era, some Van Norman machines use a proprietary spindle taper.

This taper was also used in some of Van Norman's smaller dividing heads and auxiliary milling subheads.

Larger machines used an assortment of tapers—earlier mills will most likely have either some size of Brown & Sharpe taper or Van Norman's "No.