Edwin Rutenber
Encyclopedia
Edwin A. Rutenber was an inventor and businessman. He achieved distinction in the design and manufacture of the first four-cylinder gasoline engine produced in America. He later was an electric appliance
manufacturer and inventor.
Born at Sadorus, Illinois
, the youngest of five children, Rutenber was descended from German
ancestry. His father Darwin Rutenber was a carriage
maker by trade.
Edwin A. Rutenber attended the public schools and college. He learned carpentry
from his grandfather and carriage making from his father, and inherited a taste for mechanics
from both. He made a study of mechanics, learning the machinist
trade thoroughly, and in 1892 invented a single cylinder motor. For a number of years he worked to devise a four-cylinder motor of commercial value. In 1898, he produced his first four-cylinder gasoline motor, establishing the Rutenber Manufacturing Company in Chicago to manufacture his new engines, the first four-cylinder engines to be manufactured in the United States. The fame of the design spread and the "Rutenber" motor was used in many early automobiles and attained a worldwide reputation.
On October 3, 1900, Mr. Rutenber was married to Miss Edna L. Rolley, of Morris, Illinois
. They had three children. His son Bradley Rutenber (1907-1979) was also an inventor of electric appliances.
In June, 1902, the company was moved from Chicago to Logansport, Indiana
and renamed Rutenber Motor Company
and from that time E. A. Rutenber resided there. In July 1912, Rutenber disposed of his holdings in the engine manufacturing company, then called the Western Motor Company.
Rutenber then devoted his energies to the manufacture of electric appliances. The Rutenber Electric Company, using the brand name RECO, was formed for that purpose in September 1912. Rutenber invented many of the devices the company manufactured, including the Marion Flip Flop Toaster which he patented in 1914 and was followed by the Marion Giant Flip Flop Toaster. In 1916 the company needed to increase its production capacity, but was constrained at the Logansport site. An agreement to relocate the company to Marion, Indiana
and appliances including ranges, irons, grills, toasters, fans and more were manufactured there. By 1919, Rutenber had relocated his residence to Marion.
In February 1921, Edwin Rutenber was elected president of the new Marion Fence Machinery Company, and from that time it appears his active participation in the management of the appliance company was severed.
In the 1930s, Rutenber continued to invent new appliances. He assigned some of his electrical appliance patents to the A J Lindeman and Hoverson Company, a cooling equipment and heating system manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that built commercial-scale baking and cooking equipment. In the 1940s, Edwin Rutenber was associated with the Gibson Refrigerator Company in Greenville, Michigan
, assigning several patents to them.
Edwin A. Rutenber died in Greenville, Michigan. After his death, some of his surviving family moved to the Nogales, Arizona
area. In 1973, one of his descendants donated a Rutenber engine to the Smithsonian Institution
.
The manufacturing facilities of Rutenber Electric Company were acquired in 1958 by Active Products Corp. and Rutenber Electric ceased to be.
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
manufacturer and inventor.
Born at Sadorus, Illinois
Sadorus, Illinois
Sadorus is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 416 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sadorus is located at ....
, the youngest of five children, Rutenber was descended from German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
ancestry. His father Darwin Rutenber was a carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
maker by trade.
Edwin A. Rutenber attended the public schools and college. He learned carpentry
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
from his grandfather and carriage making from his father, and inherited a taste for mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
from both. He made a study of mechanics, learning the machinist
Machinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
trade thoroughly, and in 1892 invented a single cylinder motor. For a number of years he worked to devise a four-cylinder motor of commercial value. In 1898, he produced his first four-cylinder gasoline motor, establishing the Rutenber Manufacturing Company in Chicago to manufacture his new engines, the first four-cylinder engines to be manufactured in the United States. The fame of the design spread and the "Rutenber" motor was used in many early automobiles and attained a worldwide reputation.
On October 3, 1900, Mr. Rutenber was married to Miss Edna L. Rolley, of Morris, Illinois
Morris, Illinois
Morris is a city in Grundy County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,636 at the 2010 census.Morris is home to the Dresden Nuclear Power Plant, which provides a substantial portion of the electricity supply for the Chicago metropolitan area...
. They had three children. His son Bradley Rutenber (1907-1979) was also an inventor of electric appliances.
In June, 1902, the company was moved from Chicago to Logansport, Indiana
Logansport, Indiana
Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
and renamed Rutenber Motor Company
Rutenber Motor Company
The Rutenber Motor Company was established as the Rutenber Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois, USA, to manufacture a four-cylinder engine to the design of Edwin Rutenber....
and from that time E. A. Rutenber resided there. In July 1912, Rutenber disposed of his holdings in the engine manufacturing company, then called the Western Motor Company.
Rutenber then devoted his energies to the manufacture of electric appliances. The Rutenber Electric Company, using the brand name RECO, was formed for that purpose in September 1912. Rutenber invented many of the devices the company manufactured, including the Marion Flip Flop Toaster which he patented in 1914 and was followed by the Marion Giant Flip Flop Toaster. In 1916 the company needed to increase its production capacity, but was constrained at the Logansport site. An agreement to relocate the company to Marion, Indiana
Marion, Indiana
Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
and appliances including ranges, irons, grills, toasters, fans and more were manufactured there. By 1919, Rutenber had relocated his residence to Marion.
In February 1921, Edwin Rutenber was elected president of the new Marion Fence Machinery Company, and from that time it appears his active participation in the management of the appliance company was severed.
In the 1930s, Rutenber continued to invent new appliances. He assigned some of his electrical appliance patents to the A J Lindeman and Hoverson Company, a cooling equipment and heating system manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that built commercial-scale baking and cooking equipment. In the 1940s, Edwin Rutenber was associated with the Gibson Refrigerator Company in Greenville, Michigan
Greenville, Michigan
Greenville is a city in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. Portions of the county are associated with the Western region while others are more closely associated with the Central Michigan region. The population was 8,481 at the 2010 census...
, assigning several patents to them.
Edwin A. Rutenber died in Greenville, Michigan. After his death, some of his surviving family moved to the Nogales, Arizona
Nogales, Arizona
Nogales is a city in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 21,017 at the 2010 census. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,833. The city is the county seat of Santa Cruz County....
area. In 1973, one of his descendants donated a Rutenber engine to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
The manufacturing facilities of Rutenber Electric Company were acquired in 1958 by Active Products Corp. and Rutenber Electric ceased to be.