Briggs & Stratton
Encyclopedia
Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines primarily for outdoor power equipment. Current production averages 11 million engines per year.
in 1908 and today is based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
. Briggs and Stratton engines are commonly used on lawnmowers, as well as pressure washer
s, electrical generator
s, and a wide variety of other applications. Their original cast-iron engines were known for their durability, but the company's success was established following the development of lightweight aluminum engines in 1953. The aluminum engine was the perfect solution for the recently invented rotary lawnmower due to its lighter weight and lower cost. The company has developed a good reputation because of its independent central services distributors (CSDs), low cost replacement parts and well designed service literature.
The company started in 1908 as an informal partnership between Stephen Foster Briggs
and Harold M. Stratton
. The original intent of the founders was to produce automobiles. In 1922, the company set a record in the automotive industry
, selling the lowest-priced car ever called the Briggs & Stratton Flyer (also called the "Red Bug") which sold at only US$125-US$150.
Eventually the company settled on manufacturing automotive components and small gasoline engines. Briggs purchased an engine patent from A.O. Smith Company and began powering early washing machines and refrigerators. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange
in 1928.
During World War II, Briggs and Stratton produced generators for the war effort. Some components in these generators and engines were made with aluminum, which helped the company develop its expertise in using this material. This development, along with the post-war growth of 1950s suburbs (and lawns), helped secure Briggs and Stratton's successful growth throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Stephen Briggs went on to purchase Evinrude
and Johnson Outboards
and start the Outboard Marine Corporation. Fredrick P. Stratton, Sr. (the son of Harold Stratton) served as Chairman of Briggs & Stratton until his death in 1962. Fredrick P. Stratton, Jr. served as Chairman until his retirement in 2001.
In 1995, Briggs & Stratton sold the automotive component business. The resulting company is Strattec Security Corporation.
In 2003, the company acquired its consumer generator business from the Beacon Group and formed Briggs & Stratton Power Products. The Beacon Group had previously purchased the Consumer Products Division of Generac Corporation (now Generac Power Systems
) in 1998. In 2005, the company added Simplicity Manufacturing Inc
, Snapper, Inc
, to the Briggs & Stratton Power Products line. Murray, Inc, one of its largest customers, collapsed owing the company $40 million, and to minimize the loss B&S purchased the name, marketing rights & product designs of that company.
On 4 June 2008 Briggs & Stratton announced it would be acquiring the Victa Lawn Care business from GUD Holdings Limited Australia for A$
23 million.
was always a masthead, but it had been changed several times over the course of the company's 80+ years.
Library of Congress Catalog #: 95-060793; ISBN 0-945903-11-1
History
The company was founded in Milwaukee, WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1908 and today is based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, and was incorporated on May 27, 1897. As of the 2006 census estimate, the city's population was 44,798. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area...
. Briggs and Stratton engines are commonly used on lawnmowers, as well as pressure washer
Pressure washer
A pressure washer is a high pressure mechanical sprayer that can be used to remove loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles, and concrete road surfaces. The volume of a pressure washer is expressed in Gallons Per Minute, which is designed...
s, electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s, and a wide variety of other applications. Their original cast-iron engines were known for their durability, but the company's success was established following the development of lightweight aluminum engines in 1953. The aluminum engine was the perfect solution for the recently invented rotary lawnmower due to its lighter weight and lower cost. The company has developed a good reputation because of its independent central services distributors (CSDs), low cost replacement parts and well designed service literature.
The company started in 1908 as an informal partnership between Stephen Foster Briggs
Stephen Foster Briggs
Stephen Foster Briggs was an American engineer, co-founder of the company manufacturing Briggs & Stratton small internal-combustion engines and founder of Outboard Marine Corporation....
and Harold M. Stratton
Harold M. Stratton
Harold Meade Stratton , aka Harry Stratton, was the president of the Stratton Grain Company and chairman of the Briggs & Stratton engine manufacturers....
. The original intent of the founders was to produce automobiles. In 1922, the company set a record in the automotive industry
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
, selling the lowest-priced car ever called the Briggs & Stratton Flyer (also called the "Red Bug") which sold at only US$125-US$150.
Eventually the company settled on manufacturing automotive components and small gasoline engines. Briggs purchased an engine patent from A.O. Smith Company and began powering early washing machines and refrigerators. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
in 1928.
During World War II, Briggs and Stratton produced generators for the war effort. Some components in these generators and engines were made with aluminum, which helped the company develop its expertise in using this material. This development, along with the post-war growth of 1950s suburbs (and lawns), helped secure Briggs and Stratton's successful growth throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Stephen Briggs went on to purchase Evinrude
Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors is a company that builds a major brand of outboard motors for boats. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907, it was formerly owned by the publicly traded Outboard Marine Corporation , and is now owned by privately held Bombardier Recreational Products.-...
and Johnson Outboards
Johnson Outboards
Johnson Outboards was a US based manufacturer of outboard motors. The original company to make Johnson inboard motors and outboard motors was the Johnson Bros. Motor Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, United States...
and start the Outboard Marine Corporation. Fredrick P. Stratton, Sr. (the son of Harold Stratton) served as Chairman of Briggs & Stratton until his death in 1962. Fredrick P. Stratton, Jr. served as Chairman until his retirement in 2001.
In 1995, Briggs & Stratton sold the automotive component business. The resulting company is Strattec Security Corporation.
In 2003, the company acquired its consumer generator business from the Beacon Group and formed Briggs & Stratton Power Products. The Beacon Group had previously purchased the Consumer Products Division of Generac Corporation (now Generac Power Systems
Generac Power Systems
'Generac Power Systems is a manufacturer of backup power generation products serving residential, light commercial and industrial markets. Generac’s power systems range in output from 800 watts to 9 megawatts, and are available through a broad network of independent dealers, retailers and wholesalers...
) in 1998. In 2005, the company added Simplicity Manufacturing Inc
Simplicity Outdoor
Simplicity Manufacturing Company is a company based in Port Washington, Wisconsin that builds lawn and garden equipment under various brands. It was founded by William J. Niederkorn in 1922, and started building riding garden tractors in 1939...
, Snapper, Inc
Snapper Inc.
Snapper, Inc. is a United States company that makes residential and professional lawn care and snow removal equipment, based in McDonough, Georgia...
, to the Briggs & Stratton Power Products line. Murray, Inc, one of its largest customers, collapsed owing the company $40 million, and to minimize the loss B&S purchased the name, marketing rights & product designs of that company.
On 4 June 2008 Briggs & Stratton announced it would be acquiring the Victa Lawn Care business from GUD Holdings Limited Australia for A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
23 million.
Acquisitions, agreements and joint ventures
- Farymann Diesel GmbH (1979—1984) - Based in LampertheimLampertheimLampertheim is a town in the Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Lampertheim lies in the southwest corner of Hesse in the Rhine rift at the Biedensand Conservation Area and borders on Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate...
(near MannheimMannheimMannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
) in Germany, this was the first foreign acquisition B&S had ever made and was a poor fit with the company's acknowledged expertise in high volume, low cost production. Despite investing in new production methods, B&S never understood the very low volume, highly customized nature of the air-cooled diesel engine market. After considering adding Italy's Lombardini to increase its presence in the diesel market, as well as a failed attempt to develop its own designs, B&S accepted defeat and sold the company to a private investor for a minimal amount to avoid further liabilities. Since the energy crisis had not affected the US market's preference for gasoline engines, enthusiasm waned rapidly at management level for diesel engines. They officially completed the acquisition on May 29, 1979.
- Daihatsu Briggs & Stratton (DBS) - In an effort to stave off Japanese competition during the 1980s, B&S entered a 50/50 joint venture with the Daihatsu Motor Company in Japan. Located in Shiga PrefectureShiga Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...
(50 miles (80.5 km) from OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan), construction on the then-57000 square feet (5,295.5 m²) plant began in December 1986 and was completed in April 1987. This joint venture was notable for the manufacture of vertical & horizontal crankshaft engines from 12.5 to 22 hp under the Vanguard brand. Today the plant employs roughly 100 people on two shifts and manufactures Vanguard V-twin engines ranging from 14 to 36 hp.
- The MitsubishiMitsubishi Heavy Industries, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
Agreement - The Vanguard line initially consisted of three single-cylinder engines and several V-twin engines. The V-twins, made by DBS, had sold very well but the single-cylinder engine models, originally produced at B&S's Menomonee Falls plant, didn't fare so well. B&S needed to solve this problem, so, following discussions with several Japanese engine manufacturers, entered into an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. of TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan. B&S produced only certain parts for the engines, while Mitsubishi was responsible for overall production and shipping. The completed single-cylinder Vanguard engines were shipped directly to customers worldwide. B&S had exclusive marketing rights only in North America, Europe & Australia/New Zealand. MHI had exclusive marketing rights (under their own brand name) in Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea & Japan. In other countries both companies competed with the same product under their own brand names which led to considerable friction, and together with escalating production costs in Japan, caused this otherwise successful relationship to fail. B&S commenced marketing alternative US made single-cylinder engines under the Vanguard brand in early 2007.
- The Komatsu Zenoah Venture - In May 1987, B&S entered into an agreement with yet another Japanese company, executing a 10-year contract with the Komatsu Zenoah Company of Tachikawa, Japan. Under the terms of the contract, Komatsu would manufacture a 2-cycle, 4 hp (3 kW) engine, in which B&S would purchase and distribute in the U.S., Europe & Australia/NZ. Said Fred Stratton, "This venture was not successful, because the rising price of the yen made the engine too expensive in the U.S."
Innovations
- The aluminum engine – This was introduced in 1953 as a means of having a lighter-weight engine for applications such as rotary lawn mowers. It was improved five years later in 1958 with the introduction of the Kool-Bore (all aluminum) and Sleeve-Bore (aluminum, with a cast ironCast ironCast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
cylinder liner).
- Easy-Spin Starting - This compression releaseCompression releaseA compression release mechanism works to ease the starting of internal combustion engines by allowing them to spin up to starting speed without having to work against the pumping action of the pistons...
, implemented as an extra hump on the intake lobe of the camshaftCamshaftA camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
, was introduced in 1961 to reduce the effort required to start an engine. In 1982, a new U.S. federal safety regulationConsumer Product Safety CommissionThe United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created in 1972 through the Consumer Product Safety Act to protect "against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products." The CPSC is an independent agency that does...
required lawnmower blades to stop spinning within three seconds of the operator letting go of the handleDead man's switchA dead man's switch is a switch that is automatically operated in case the human operator becomes incapacitated, such as through death or loss of consciousness....
. The least costly, most common way of complying with the new regulation was to put a flywheel brake on the mower engine, to stop the engine (and therefore the blade) immediately when the handle was released. Briggs & Stratton engineers found engines with the Easy-Spin camshaft were unacceptably difficult to restart after being braked to a quick stop. The Easy-Spin lobe hump was moved to the exhaust valve, but this reduced engine performance. The intake-side Easy-Spin remained in use on B&S' engines larger than those used on mowers subject to the brake requirement, but was discontinued in 1997 due to tightening emission regulationsAutomobile emissions controlVehicle emissions control is the study and practice of reducing the motor vehicle emissions -- emissions produced by motor vehicles, especially internal combustion engines....
.
- The Synchro-Balanced Engine - This 1966 innovation was designed to attenuate vibration caused by the reciprocating mass of a single-cylinder engine. The design was a series of counterweights opposing the crankpin.
- The Twin Cylinder Engine - This engine was introduced in 1977 as a means of competing with B&S' rivals, particularly Japanese firms like HondaHondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
who were cutting into traditional B&S markets by producing lawn mower engines (and later, complete lawn mowers). These first models were rated 16 hp (11.9 kW) and displaced 40 cubic inches (656 cc), but were joined in 1979 by 42 cubic inch (694 cc) models rated at 18 hp (13.4 kW). The original price for the 16 hp version was $70 lower (at US$228) than their single-cylinder cast-iron version bearing the same HP rating.
- Industrial/Commercial (I/C) - This series of engines, initially ranging from 3 to 18 hp, was introduced in 1979 as B&S's answer to high quality commercial-duty engines produced by competitors. These engines include heavy-duty features such as StelliteStelliteStellite alloy is a range of cobalt-chromium alloys designed for wear resistance. It may also contain tungsten or molybdenum and a small but important amount of carbon...
exhaust valves, upgraded bearings, cast iron sleeved cylinder bores and high-capacity air cleaners.
- Briggs & Stratton HYBRID - In 1980, at the tail end of the energy crisisEnergy crisisAn energy crisis is any great bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. In popular literature though, it often refers to one of the energy sources used at a certain time and place, particularly those that supply national electricity grids or serve as fuel for vehicles...
, Briggs and Stratton developed the first gasoline-electric hybrid automobile. "The Hybrid" was designed by Brooks StevensBrooks StevensClifford Brooks Stevens was an American industrial designer of home furnishings, appliances, automobiles and motorcycles — as well as a graphic designer and stylist....
and powered by a twin-cylinder 16 hp (11.9 kW) Briggs and Stratton engine and a large electric battery.
- Magnetron Ignition - This solid state ignition system introduced by B&S in 1982 eliminated the ages-old pointsContact breakerA contact breaker is a type of electrical switch, and the term typically refers to the switching device found in the distributor of the ignition systems of spark-ignition internal combustion engines.-Purpose:...
and condenserCapacitorA capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated...
system, the performance of which steadily degraded between required periodic maintenance service. Magnetron was made available for retrofitment to B&S engines made since 1963. Competitor Tecumseh had made a capacitor discharge ignitionCapacitor discharge ignitionCapacitor discharge ignition or thyristor ignition is a type of automotive electronic ignition system which is widely used in outboard motors, motorcycles, lawn mowers, chainsaws, small engines, turbine-powered aircraft, and some cars...
setup since 1968 for their cast ironCast ironCast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
engine models, expanding its availability and making it standard equipment on vertical shaft engines powering lawn mowers in late 1976, five years before the advent of the Briggs Magnetron. And defunct competitor Clinton Engines commercialized a piezoPiezoelectricityPiezoelectricity is the charge which accumulates in certain solid materials in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure...
"Spark Pump" ignition without breaker points in the early 1960s.
Logo history
The Briggs & Stratton logoLogo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
was always a masthead, but it had been changed several times over the course of the company's 80+ years.
- Pre War logos (1931—1943) - This logo started off with a diamond shape and Read Briggs & Stratton and its home city of MILWAUKEE, WIS., U.S.A. below it; in the middle, it had the words 4 CYCLE on the top mast and the words GASOLINE MOTOR and phrase MADE IN U.S.A. on the bottom mast. About 1934 Briggs & Stratton added the more familiar shape of a diamond split across the center with a banner.
- Gold Logo (1948—1963) - This logo had the name BRIGGS & STRATTON and its home city of MILWAUKEE, WIS., U.S.A. below it; in the middle, it had the words 4 CYCLE on the top mast and the words GASOLINE ENGINE and phrase MADE IN U.S.A. on the bottom mast.
- Gold Logo (II) (1963—1976) - Although similar to the last logo, this had differently arranged wording: The name BRIGGS & STRATTON was written in a new logotype, however, this design also included the horsepower rating above the gold logo in the white field, its city of location were in the middle as before, only this time the patent numbers were eliminated (if you look at a decalDecalA decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for decalcomania...
on a production engine) from the bottom portion of the mast. There were some engines produced until 1977 that used the prior logo from 1948.
- The Red, White and Black Logo (1976—present) - This is the company's current logo. The logo has the name BRIGGS & STRATTON in black letters on the white midsection of the masthead. The words 4 CYCLE ENGINE are on the red top portion of the mast and the city line MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A. is written on the black bottom portion of the mast. Although the logo hadn't been changed much since then, the wording on the top and bottom sections of the mast were removed in 1985, although the company continued to use these two sections with the respective wordings ORIGINAL (red section) and SERVICE PARTS (black section) until 1989.
Cast iron models
- 5 (cast iron) (1950—1957)
- 5S (cast iron; suction carburetor) (1949—1957) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsmodel5sengine/
- 6 (cast iron) (1952—1957)
- 6S (cast iron; suction carburetor) (1949—1957) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsmodel6sengine/
- 8 (cast iron) (1949—1957) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsnosmodel8/
- 9 (cast iron) (1949—1962)
- 14 (cast iron) (1948—1963)
- 19 (cast iron) (1957—1965)
- 19D (cast iron) (1963—1965)
- 23 (cast iron) (1949—1957)
- 23A (cast iron) (1956—1965)
- 23C (cast iron) (1961—1963)
- 23D (cast iron) (1963—1965)
- 191400 and 193400 (cast iron) (1965—1966)
- 200400 (cast iron) (1966—1974)
- 231400 (cast iron) (1965—1966)
- 233400 (cast iron) (1965—1991)
- 243400 (cast iron) (1965—1991)
- 300420 (cast iron) (1966—1971)
- 301430 (cast iron) (1971—1972)
- 302430 (cast iron) (1972—1977)
- 320420 (cast iron) (1969—1971)
- 325430 (cast iron) (1971—1972)
- 326430 (cast iron) (1972—1991)
- A (cast iron) (1933—1948) http://sites.google.com/site/briggs1936modela/
- FH (cast iron) (1925—1933) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsfh/home
- FI (cast iron) (1927—1933) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsandstrattonfi/
- I (cast iron; suction carburetor) (1938—1949) https://sites.google.com/site/1944briggsandstrattonpe77d/
- N (cast iron) (1940—1954) http://sites.google.com/site/briggsandstrattonmodeln/
- NR6 (cast iron) (1940—1954) https://sites.google.com/site/briggsmodelnr6engine/
- WI (cast iron) (1938—1957) http://sites.google.com/site/briggswiengine/home
- WM (cast iron) (1936—1941) http://sites.google.com/site/briggswmengine/
- Y (cast iron) (1931—1940) http://sites.google.com/site/antiquebriggsandstratton/
Aluminum models
- 6B (horizontal shaft) (1955—1958)
- 6BH (vertical shaft) (1953—1958)
- 6BHS (vertical shaft; suction carburetor) (1953—1958)
- 6BS (horizontal shaft; suction carburetor) (1955—1958)
- 8B (horizontal shaft) (1955—1958)
- 8BH (vertical shaft) (1953—1958)
- 60100 (horizontal shaft) (1958—1991)
- 80100 (horizontal shaft) (1958—1977)
- 80200 (horizontal shaft) (1960—1991) (horizontal shaft) and 190700 (vertical shaft) (1969—1997)
- 140000 (horizontal shaft) (1958—1965)
- 252410 (horizontal shaft) and 252700 (vertical shaft) (1977—1991)
Industrial/commercial models
- 81300 and 81400 (horizontal shaft) (1979—1985)
- 82200 (horizontal shaft; Quiet Power) (1982—1994)
- 82300 and 82400 (horizontal shaft; Quiet Power) (1982—1994)
- 114900 (vertical shaft; Quiet Power) (1982—1991)
- 131200 (horizontal shaft) (1979—1985)
- 132200 (horizontal shaft; Quiet Power) (1982—1994)
- 131900 (vertical shaft) (1979—1989)
- 132900 (vertical shaft; Quiet Power) (1982—1995)
- 192700 and 193700 (vertical shaft) (1983—1994)
- 195400 (horizontal shaft) (1979—1994)
- 221400 (horizontal shaft) (1979—1985)
- 255400 (vertical shaft) (1984—1994)
Recommended reading
- The Legend of Briggs & Stratton - Author: Jeffrey L. Rodengen (published by Write Stuff Syndicate, 1995)
Library of Congress Catalog #: 95-060793; ISBN 0-945903-11-1