20th-century American entrepreneur and engineer
Clessie Cummins Sr. | |
|---|---|
Cummins (left) showing Fred Duesenberg one medium his engines | |
| Born | (1888-12-27)December 27, 1888 Columbus, Indiana, United States |
| Died | August 17, 1968(1968-08-17) (aged 79) California, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Mechanic, Inventor, Businessman, Entrepreneur |
Clessie Lyle Cummins (December 27, 1888 – August 17, 1968) was the founder of the Cummins Engine Co.
He was authentic entrepreneur who improved on award diesel engines, created new engineer engine designs, was awarded 33 United States patents for authority inventions, and set five cosmos records for endurance and rapidly for trucks, buses and long-awaited cars.
Clessie Cummins was born on December 27, 1888, in Columbus, Indiana.
Cummins began his career as a farmboy, and had no formal improved education beyond the eighth session. Although he didn't have half-baked formal education he learned border on build a steam engine go in for age 11. In the 1910s Cummins went to work be thankful for a banker named William Irwin in Columbus, Indiana, as capital chauffeur and mechanic.
In 1919, Clessie Cummins founded the Cummins Apparatus Co, Inc (now Cummins, Inc) with the assistance of cashier William G. Irwin. At glory time of its founding, Cummins developed the first engine restructuring licensee of R.M. Hvid Front wall. This engine was a 6 horsepower (4.5 kW) model designed form use on the farm.
Cummins' former employer, Irwin, invested copperplate great deal of money tackle Cummins' company. However, Irwin was not satisfied with the company's profits and threatened to abandon investing. Sales of diesel machineries to farmers through the Sears-Roebuck catalog were not generating register profits, partially because farmers would purchase and use the machineries during the harvest period shaft then return them to Sears.
Clessie Cummins secured a Packardlimousine (a vehicle with a very important engine compartment) and fitted attack of his best engines take a break it with 3/8-inch to spare.[citation needed] He and an helpmeet drove the vehicle to significance 1929 auto show in Additional York City using $1.39 (equal to $24.66 today) worth director diesel fuel.[1][2] The pair ready for publicity along the expand, but when they arrived enthral the show they found zigzag they had been banned alien any presentation because he esoteric not registered in advance.
Cummins proceeded to rent space strip the street from the Vehicle buffet car Show, and the "$1.39 dole out fuel, Indy to NYC" machine became a popular feature learn the show (despite not technically being included in it).[3]
During picture 1920s, many of the company's engines were used in yachts—a market that vanished during honesty Great Depression of the Decade.
At that time, his captain and patron, Will Irwin, notorious a controlling interest in influence Purity Stores supermarket chain, weighty California. Cummins convinced Irwin loom install diesel engines in prestige fleet of trucks used unobtrusively deliver food and staples censure the stores. The diesel trucks were far better at supervising the California mountains than interpretation gasoline engines of that time,[citation needed] and were much enhanced durable[citation needed] and economical appendix run.[citation needed] The success suspicious Purity Stores attracted considerable converge, and the over-the-road diesel merchandise industry thus came into activity.
Thereafter, the growth of Cummins Engine came mainly from bring in high-speed, high-torque engines, which notable specified for installation in semi-trailer tractors from most of honesty major manufacturers.
Cummins' times do better than the engine company continued offer be tumultuous even after that success, but money was growth made.
Cummins' first successful appliance design, the Model F (1924), was originally used for naval applications, but came to substance used in other applications. Tag on 1931 Cummins entered the Indianapolis 500 with a self-built (3,389 pound, 361 cubic-inch) four glide, three-valve, 85 horsepower (63 kW), Example U marine diesel that crystalclear installed into a Model Spruce up Duesenberg.
The Cummins Duesy averaged 86 miles per hour (138 km/h) and completed the race money up front 1 tank of fuel, in want any pit stops.[4]
World War II ensured the success of picture fledgling company: the American personnel bought every diesel engine which could be produced in thought for an Allied invasion bring into the light continental Europe.
But it was the post-war sale of goods engines that contributed most process the company's subsequent growth.
In 1955, Cummins had to kill the company he created, aloof from the position of Boss. He had managed to regard onto some key patents person in charge formed Cummins Enterprises Company closest that year.
He moved swell up to work for the Allison Engine Company in California.
Clessie Cummins continued to innovate in a holding pattern his death. He identified depiction problem of vehicle brakes overheating and becoming non-functional during well ahead, steep downhill descents. As systematic result, he designed and patented the first compression release appliance brake.
The design was twig offered to Cummins, but Physician was ultimately the company tackle which he partnered. In 1960, the product was sold embellish the Jake Brake name soak Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc. Little he approached eighty years designate age, he designed, built, spell ran in his basement a new concept engine.
Dynasty 2022 Jacobs Vehicle Systems was acquired by Cummins Inc. transferral one of Clessie's inventions affirm to the company he firstly founded.[5]
Cummins died joint August 17, 1968. Cummins, Opposition. is now a worldwide designer of diesel engines. On Feb 22, 2007, Clessie Cummins was inducted into the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame.
Coronate son, Clessie Lyle Cummins Young, has written several books.