Agreed. The "Speednut" thread has info and examples of the early US made versions. See the A to Z Index in the Sticky at top of forum. Wera makes a modern version today in their Joker line.
Deutsches Reichs Gebrauchsmuster does not have an exact equivalent in US, British, or French patent law, so it's hard to make a comparison, but it operates more like a limited patent than a copyright or trademark. They had a Deutsches Reichs Patent ("D.R.P.") at the same time that offered more and longer protection, but the D.R.G.M. was definitely oriented on design, product, and utility, not name. Other collectible markets and fora (guns, clocks, silverware, etc) have more elaborate explanations if you google around as Tom suggested. I have seen some variance in cut off (1945, 1951, and 1952).
Yeah, I don't know if Europe appropriated the design from us (Cochran), or the other way around, to be honest, but it was obsolete here as a serious tool before the war and its last legs in the gimmick market probably ran out in the 70s, whereas it never really went away as a serious tool for serious use in Europe. I admire that.
