Magnus Bjorndal
Encyclopedia
Magnus Bjorndal was a Norwegian American
engineer and inventor. Magnus Bjorndal was the founder and president of Tech Laboratories, Inc.
in Møre og Romsdal
county, Norway
. He held degrees in both electrical and mechanical engineering. Mechanical trade school at Porsgrunn (now Telemark University College
) in Telemark
county, Norway
. He also studied at the Hindenburg Polytechnicum in Oldenburg, Germany. At age 24, Magnus Bjorndal came to the United States during 1923. He studied electrical engineering at Brooklyn Polytech (now Polytechnic Institute of New York University).
Magnus Bjorndal served as chief engineer of The Daven Radio Company, an electronics manufacturer in Newark, New Jersey
. Subsequently he was the founder and president of Tech Laboratories, Inc., which was incorporated in the state New Jersey
on January 30, 1947. Tech Laboratories developed the initial test and control instruments for the NBC Radio City Studios
in New York City
. Bjorndal personally held a number of United States patents for scientific and technical instruments.
Magnus Bjorndal was a member of American Institute of Electrical Engineers
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
and Audio Engineering Society
. Magnus Bjørndal served as editor of the Norwegian-American Technical Journal. He was president of Norwegian-American Historical Association
(1969–1971).
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
engineer and inventor. Magnus Bjorndal was the founder and president of Tech Laboratories, Inc.
Biography
Magnus Bjorndal was from UlsteinUlstein
Ulstein is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The commercial and administrative centre of Ulstein is Ulsteinvik, population 5,251 . The municipality occupies the western half of the island of Hareidlandet, as well as about 30 or more smaller...
in Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He held degrees in both electrical and mechanical engineering. Mechanical trade school at Porsgrunn (now Telemark University College
Telemark University College
Telemark University College is the fourth largest university college in Norway. The University College has about 5000 students. It is split between four different locations. The campuses are located in Bø, Notodden, Porsgrunn and Rauland.-Hierarchy:The university college is organised into four...
) in Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He also studied at the Hindenburg Polytechnicum in Oldenburg, Germany. At age 24, Magnus Bjorndal came to the United States during 1923. He studied electrical engineering at Brooklyn Polytech (now Polytechnic Institute of New York University).
Magnus Bjorndal served as chief engineer of The Daven Radio Company, an electronics manufacturer in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Subsequently he was the founder and president of Tech Laboratories, Inc., which was incorporated in the state New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on January 30, 1947. Tech Laboratories developed the initial test and control instruments for the NBC Radio City Studios
NBC Radio City Studios
NBC Radio City Studios is the name given to radio and television studio complexes in New York's Rockefeller Center, San Francisco, and the former radio-TV complex located at the northeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, California....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Bjorndal personally held a number of United States patents for scientific and technical instruments.
Magnus Bjorndal was a member of American Institute of Electrical Engineers
American Institute of Electrical Engineers
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
and Audio Engineering Society
Audio Engineering Society
Established in 1948, the Audio Engineering Society draws its membership from amongst engineers, scientists, other individuals with an interest or involvement in the professional audio industry. The membership largely comprises engineers developing devices or products for audio, and persons working...
. Magnus Bjørndal served as editor of the Norwegian-American Technical Journal. He was president of Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association publishes scholarly books, documenting research and interpretations of the American experience of immigrant Norwegians....
(1969–1971).
Selected listing of patents
- Terminal For Resistors – Patent number: 1971809, Filing date: Oct 28, 1929, Issue date: Aug 1934
- Variable Speed Gearing – Patent number: 1883500, Filing date: Nov 24, 1930, Issue date: Oct 18, 1932
- Electric Hydrometer – Patent number: 2071607, Filing date: December 13, 1933, Issue date: Feb 23, 1937
Other sources
- Saga in Steel and Concrete – Norwegian Engineers in America (Kenneth Bjork. Northfield, Minnesota: Norwegian-American Historical Association. 1947)
- Migrants, immigrants, and slaves: racial and ethnic groups in America (George Henderson, Thompson Dele Olasiji. University Press of America. 1995)