Schebler & Linkert Connection. Part 2

1797 to 1903 ongoing

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nifty
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Schebler & Linkert Connection. Part 2

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Post by nifty »

Schebler & Linkert Connection. Part 2, by Nifty (with a lot of help from others, credited throughout). Last edited Jan 31, 2023.
1797 - 1903
Sources, Facts of Life:
Primary source documents relating to early 20th century motorcycle carburetors are extremely rare.

Secondary source period newspaper and other period reporting is not always accurate. There is nothing new about “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, “spin” & outright fake/untruthful reporting.

Neither an unlimited budget, nor wishful thinking, can deliver bundles of original, Primary, or Secondary source circa 1890 - 1950 motorcycle carburetor literature.

Tertiary source, modern-ish “histories” are often seriously flawed and un-referenced to sources, Herbert Wagner is a shining exception.

Advertising/marketing is an industry which presents products in such a way as to induce mass purchase. Hence “caveat emptor” has been around for a long time.

Motorcycles have always been less popular than cars.

A lot more repair & advertising material was produced for cars.

From the perspective of carburetors and their evolution, cars are relevant.

Early 20th century “media” was mostly ephemeral paper.

Ergo more car related material survives.

George Schebler had a soft spot for boats.

Eventually Schebler had separate divisions for at least, motorcycle, car & boat carburetors.

This is not the complete history of carburetors, nor is it even the complete history of either Schebler, or Linkert. However I have gone back into carburetor history in order to demonstrate what was known before George Schebler applied for his 1902 patent. For context, I have also included data on some influential and or related events.

Some of below I regard as currently indisputable hard fact, some is also questionable. Anything red or with question mark? Definitely questionable/requires more data/research and or editing/deleting. With new verified evidence I will change anything. Additional data, or leads to sources of data very welcome.

Chronology:

1797: Italian physicist, Giovanni Battista Venturi, published his scientific treatise on the principle of using a constriction to accelerate the flow of a liquid (or gas) in a tube, which we now know as the “Venturi Effect”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Battista_Venturi

1824-1826, American, Samuel Morey conceived, developed and patented a unique and peculiar type of liquid fueled, reciprocating, internal combustion engine, ”unlike modern engines, the explosion did not directly provide power. Instead, the explosion expelled air from the cylinder through a one-way valve. The cylinder was cooled by a water jacket and water injected into the combustion chamber after it fired. The cooling gasses caused a vacuum and atmospheric pressure drove the piston. Morey did mention trying direct action, and elaborated on it in other descriptions. However, his method was more complicated and possibly less efficient because it used more of the engine's stroke to draw in fuel”. https://pages.physics.wisc.edu/~lmaurer ... Morey.html
Perhaps not surprisingly, this woefully inefficient Morey engine went nowhere and disappeared. However my point is, at least almost 200 years ago, people were seriously trying to make reciprocating, internal combustion engines work. As my late mentor Brian Payne would often remark, “anyone who has never fu##ed anything up, has never done, or made anything”.

1862: French engineer Alphonse Beau de Rochas filed a patent application for his invention of the scientific theory of the internal combustion four-stroke cycle*. However, Alphonse failed to pay the second annuity, thus the patent was deemed abandoned and the French Patent Office did not retain any documents. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nikolaus-Otto
https://monaco-patents.com/patents/case ... ngine.html
* actual translation from the original French…
1. “Suction during a full piston stroke
2. Compression during the next stroke
3. Ignition at the upper dead point and relaxation during the third stroke
4. Release of the burnt gases from the cylinder on the fourth and final stroke.”
In schoolboy terms, “suck, squeeze, bang, blow”. A crude, but effective, memory aid.
But since Otto was the first to build a working engine based upon this principle, the 4 stroke cycle is now commonly known as the Otto cycle.

1868: German immigrant, Wilhelm/William Langsenkamp Snr, Indianapolis, Indiana, purchased pre-established Coppersmith shop business from his employers, corner of Delaware and Georgia Streets. In 1887 the Langsenkamp Coppersmiths were manufacturers of many products including “Gas Generators”. Source 1887 Polk’s Directory. https://archive.org/stream/polksindia00 ... e_djvu.txt
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3013467 ... istory-of/

1870-1875: German engineer, Siegfried Marcus. Based on the information from existing sources, Marcus' first machine was built on a simple handcart in 1870, but had to be started by lifting the drive wheels off the ground and spinning them. The reciprocating, internal combustion engine was designed for liquid combustibles and made him the first to propel a vehicle by means of gasoline/petrol. Marcus was not satisfied with this cart and dismantled it. However, his first automobile model was displayed at the Vienna Exhibition in 1864 (more likely the 1873 Vienna International Exhibition according to earliest sources) and his second model was made and driven in 1875.
Current Austrian thinking is that Marcus' first car ran in the late 1880s. However, early publications suggest that he may have had a gasoline/petrol powered vehicle running earlier than 1870. The deliberate destruction of evidence of Marcus' inventions by the Nazi regime has left these dates open to debate and speculation. Britannica cites 1864 for Marcus' first car with a 10-year gap to the second, which is consistent with other sources. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Marcus

1877, July 26, German engineer Nicolaus August Otto and Briton Francis William Crossley applied for a British patent for improvement in gas-motor engines. Together with normal abstract, description and drawings, they also submitted a model of their engine (survives) Patent granted Oct 1877. This patent included Otto’s (false) claim that he was the inventor of the four-stroke compressed charge engine which is acknowledged as the "Otto" cycle engine. The term "Otto cycle" is applied to all compressed charge, four cycle engines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Otto

1877: United States Wire & Nail works, manufacturers of wire and nails 76-86* Shelby Street Indianapolis. Polk’s Directory https://archive.org/stream/indianapolis ... k_djvu.txt
*In 1877, the address 76-86 Shelby was at Southern corner of Sanders Street. Shelby Street subsequently re-numbered several times. A portion of US Wire building may have been incorporated into subsequent Langsenkamp Brass Works at same physical location, see below.
sanborn 21 US wire Sanders & Shelby 1878 cropped.jpg
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Extract from Sanborn Fire Insurance map 21, 1887. https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.or ... /338/rec/1
This extract is in correct North at top orientation, digital source map is on its side. Street at right is Shelby, Munson Street re-named Barth Avenue sometime between 1913 & 1915, North-South alley built-over by 1913.
Yellow indicates combustible wood frame construction. Pink indicates fire resistant but not fireproof. Later maps have orange to indicate concrete fireproof construction. The pink rectangle at corner of Sanders & Shelby, is still pink and same size on later maps which state it was Langsenkamp & Wheeler Brass Works 2 story structure with Shipping & Offices on first floor and Pattern Shop on second floor. See 1913.

1882: Italian, Enrico Bernardi, University of Padova* built a single cylinder internal combustion engine and used it to power his daughter’s sewing machine, In 1884 he then used the same engine to power his son’s tricycle. *aka Padua, Italy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Bernardi

1885: German mechanical engineer Karl Benz built what is considered to be the first practical modern automobile and first car put into series production. He received a patent for the motorcar in 1886. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Benz

1885: Germans, Dr. Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler made the first carburetor with float control of liquid fuel, http://www.edubilla.com/invention/carburetor/

1885 Germans, Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler used their float controlled carburetor on the first internal combustion, petroleum-fueled motorcycle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle

1886: Over 30,000 Otto & Crossley patent engines had been built before patent was revoked when Beau de Rochas’ 1862 patent application was brought to light during litigation against Otto patent. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nikolaus-Otto

1886 France, Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir patented a primitive carburetor. Lenoir’s carburetor was a rotating hollow cylinder containing layers of an absorbent material. Air flowing to the engine absorbed this fuel as it passed through the cylinder. As the cylinder rotated, the absorbent material picked up more fuel from the fuel supply. https://www.enginehistory.org/Accessori ... Hx01.shtml

1886 Germans, Dr. Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler tested the earliest known reciprocating, internal combustion powered boat. Engine was their new "longcase clock" which was tall and top heavy, thus poor craft stability. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorboat ... n%20system.

Butler carb 1887.jpg
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1887 Nov 30, British inventor Edward Butler patented* the first “spray” atomisation carburettor, which he named an ‘Inspirator’. Butler built and demonstrated this carburetor on his tricycle. This carburettor was the first to use a venturi to speed up the air, lower the pressure, draw in the liquid fuel and atomise it downstream. The British Red Flag Act of 1865** was his downfall. I have been unable to find the original source of this image, presumably Butler’s British patent?
https://cybermotorcycle.com/marques/british/butler.htm
https://magyarjarmu.hu/emberek/edward-b ... unkassaga/
Hungarian, select google translate English
*Apparently designed 1884, see below.
** Locomotives on Highways Act, a man on foot carrying a red flag had to precede non-animal-drawn vehicles on British roads. Repealed 1896. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Locomo ... ghways-Act
As recorded above, in 1885, Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler developed a float carburetor for their engine based on the atomizer nozzle.The Daimler-Maybach carburetor was copied extensively, leading to patent lawsuits, but British courts rejected the Daimler company's claim of priority in favor of Edward Butler's 1884 spray carburetor. http://www.edubilla.com/invention/carburetor/


1888 British Priestman brothers began trials of the first successful internal combustion engined motorboat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorboat ... n%20system.

1890 George M. Schebler moved from Muncie Indiana to Indianapolis Indiana. Likely true but not verified? Page 4 History of the Schebler Carburetor. Compiled by Joseph Griewe, Batesville Indiana, circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few sources identified. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

1891: Douglas Francis Wheeler born June 23, 1891, in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, his father, Frank Henry Wheeler, was 27 and his mother, Harriet* Estella Githens, was 32. * aka Estelle, aka Stella. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L ... -1891-1965

1893: Hungarian mechanical engineer Donat Banki and associate Janos Csonka made a working carburetor http://www.edubilla.com/inventor/donat-banki/

1893: USA, the first running, gasoline-powered car was built and road-tested by the Duryea brothers of Springfield, Massachusetts. The first public run of the Duryea Motor Wagon took place on 21 September 1893, on Taylor Street in Springfield. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car#:~:te ... pringfield.

1894 Germany, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller was the world first series production motorcycle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle

1894 May 02, National Brass and Machine Works was incorporated in Indianapolis, JW Hadley president, HR Atkinson & WR Atkinson directors. Source The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), May 03, 1894, Page 8, Image 8
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... nge&page=1

1894 William Langsenkamp Snr Coppersmith business was located at 100 South Delaware, corner of Georgia street. Source 1895 Polk’s directory (data collected 1894). https://archive.org/stream/polksin00uns ... e_djvu.txt

1895 Newspaper announcement, "Henry and William Langsenkamp Junior have succeeded to the business of the National Brass and Machine Works. The firm will be known as the Langsenkamp Brother’s Brass Works." Source The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), July 10, 1895, Page 6, Image 6
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... nge&page=1

One 1928 source suggests that in 1895, Langsenkamp Brass Works were at 136-148 East Georgia Street Indianapolis. Source The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), December 29, 1928, Noon Edition, Page PAGE 8, Image 8
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... nge&page=4

Confirmed May 24, 1904 Indianapolis Journal newspaper, page 12. Langsenkamp Bros. Brass Works. Founders and finishers; aluminum, brass and phosphor bronze castings. 136-142 E. Georgia st Indianapolis Source Page 12 — Indianapolis Journal 24 May 1904
https://newspapers.library.in.gov › d=IJ19040524.1.12
https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d& ... 40524.1.12

Conflict:
1895: Leaving their father and another brother Frank to run the coppersmith business, two of William Langsenkamp Snr’s sons, William Langsenkamp Junior, and younger brother Henry J. Langsenkamp, established the Langsenkamp Brass Works at 1234 Shelby Street* brass casting and finishing business.
Source: Obituary, Henry J. Langsenkamp, Indianapolis Star newspaper, Feb 27 1959 pg15. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2307064 ... th-notice/
I suspect relatives who supplied obituary details 64 years after event, made an error by forgetting that brass works was originally on Georgia street.


1895 USA, patent lawyer George Baldwin Selden, was granted a U.S. patent for an automobile.
However, Henry Ford and four other car makers resolved to contest the patent infringement lawsuit filed by Selden and EVC. The legal fight lasted eight years, Ford's testimony included the comment, "It is perfectly safe to say that George Selden has never advanced the automobile industry in a single particular...and it would perhaps be further advanced than it is now if he had never been born."
The case was heavily publicized in the newspapers of the day, and ended in a victory for Selden. In his decision, the judge wrote that the patent covered any automobile propelled by an engine powered by gasoline vapor. Posting a bond of US$350,000, Ford appealed, and on January 10, 1911, won his case based on an argument that the engine used in automobiles was not based on George Brayton's engine, the Brayton engine which Selden had improved, but on the Otto engine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_B._Selden
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brayton_cycle

1893-96: Germans, Dr. Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler improved the carburettor for use in their new car.
MAYBACH ex 1939 britanica.jpg
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Extract from Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1939 edition, image courtesy of Tom Cotten.

1897 USA Harry Clayton Stutz built his first car. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_C._Stutz

1899 France, Commandant Krebs of the Panhard Levassor car company’s board of directors produced a rear-engined single-cylinder voiturette of retrogressive design, with centre-pivot steering, but the licence was quietly sold to Clément. https://www.prewarcar.com/cars/panhard- ... 890-1904-1
copp & brass polk 1899 pg 7 crop.jpg
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1899 William langsenkamp Snr Coppersmith cnr Del & E Georgia phone 121 and Langsenkamp Brothers Brass Works 142-144 (old 90-92) E Georgia, near Delaware, phone 121 sourcePolk’s Directory 1899 Indianapolis pg 7 image source
https://archive.org/details/polksindian ... ew=theater

1899 polk Identical telephone numbers and obviously close proximity locations, strongly suggests a common shared building and receptionist/telephonist for Coppersmith and Brass Works, with some subterfuge to imply separate locations? Not verified, More data required.
Mention of brass-sheet, tube & rod are also normal product lines advertised by Langsenkamp Coppersmith.
Delaware street is 2 blocks West of circa 1904 Alabama street location of Wheeler & Schebler. However, foundry used by Wheeler & Schebler circa 1904 is unknown.

1899 Langsenkamp summary:
Probably bankrolled by their father, Wilhelm/William Langsenkamp Senior. The National Brass and Machine Works was acquired circa July 10, 1895 and renamed the Langsenkamp Brother’s Brass Works (Foundry and finishing business), two of William Langsenkamp Snr’s sons, William Langsenkamp Junior, and younger brother Henry J. Langsenkamp were in charge. Leaving their father and another brother Frank, to run the coppersmith business. The 1895-1899 Langsenkamp Brothers Brass Works was likely in same building, or adjacent to the Langsenkamp Coppersmith shop, both on Georgia street.
scheb inst repair polk 1899 pg 815 crop 2.jpg
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1899 George M. Schebler, instrument repairer, residence 231 East New York street Indianapolis. Source Polk’s Directory 1899 pg 815 Image source https://archive.org/details/polksindian ... ew=theater

1899 Polk has no listing for Frank Wheeler

1900: USA "at least 100 different brands of horseless carriages were being marketed in the United States. Since they were all virtually handmade, the cars were outrageously expensive. Cars were perceived as no more than a high-priced toy for the rich." https://www.supercars.net/blog/early-1900s-cars/

1900 USA The first mass-produced automobile was the 1900 Oldsmobile. https://glcp.uvm.edu/landscape_new/dati ... obiles.php (organised series production, but not by moving conveyor production-line)

1900 USA there were approx 14 new domestic car manufacturers and 3 import brands introduced. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category: ... ed_in_1900

1900 Harry Clayton Stutz built his second auto using a gasoline engine of his own design and manufacture. He set up Stutz Manufacturing Company to build these engines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_C._Stutz

1901 The French Longuemare carburetor, introduced in 1901, was erroneously billed as the first automatic carburetor. Used on early De-Dion engines, cars and motorcycles, the Longuemare used a float and fuel valve within a chamber and very early version of barrel throttle. For its day, the Longuemare was a good carburetor, the Holley engine company obtained a license to manufacture in the USA. http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/20 ... retor.html
longuemare 1901 cropped.jpg
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1901 Longuemare motorcycle carburetor https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.o ... rburettors

1901: Frank Wheeler arrived in Indianapolis circa 1901* as a travelling salesman. Source: John Glenn Printz, Posted 30 September 2006 - 17:44, no source quoted. https://forums.autosport.com/topic/9031 ... 4-to-1920/
*Date Conflict: Wheeler, coming to Indianapolis from California in 1904. He reportedly made and lost two fortunes in business, before arriving in Indiana. https://indyencyclopedia.org/frank-h-wheeler/ Due to other factors I currently believe this 1904 arrival is less likely and 1901 more credible, see 1902-1904.

Joseph Griewe offers no date for Wheeler arrival in Indianapolis, or meeting George Schebler. Source “History of the Schebler Carburetor”. Compiled by Joseph Griewe, Batesville, Indiana, circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few sources identified. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

However, Polk directory 1902 lists Frank H. Wheeler as resident of Indianapolis, likely data collected at least late 1901. See 1902
Thus 1904 cannot be correct and 1901 more credible.

1901: According to a 1926 Schebler sales brochure, i.e. written during ownership and presidency of Douglas Wheeler, 12 years after George Schebler had sold his stake in Wheeler-Schebler, and 5 years after Frank Wheeler’s death, but before Marvel acquisition and well before Linkert…
“FROM ONE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT TO HUNDREDS
BEFORE 1900, automobiles were still considered "freaks". Motorboats, however, were not uncommon, although the engines used in them were pretty crude affairs. Sometimes they worked—more often they did not, at least not very well. The ordinary boat owner did not expect any better performance, he thought it was part of the game. But some manufacturers and mechanically inclined men thought they could improve the engines and make them run better. They did too, but most of them overlooked the importance of the mixing device which fed fuel to the engine. One man, however, spent his spare time working on this problem. He operated a repair shop for musical instruments. George Schebler was an expert in that work, and it kept him busy, but when he was able, he spent some time on the river in his motorboat fishing, or fixing something. For several years he kept thinking about a new device for mixing gasoline and air. His mechanical ability helped him to work out the problem. He studied the question carefully, starting with the most sound and elementary principles. The first Schebler carburetor was made in his repair shop during odd hours. It took a great deal of time to work out all his ideas and to get the carburetor constructed, but it worked. It did so much better than anything he could buy so that he knew his theory was correct. The new carburetor attracted immediate attention, and his friends wanted one for their engines. Those who were able to get one were delighted and surprised at the difference which the new Schebler device made in the operation of their engine, and it was not long until George Schebler was better known as the "Carburetor Man," than as the repair mart for musical instruments. The talk about the new carburetor attracted the attention of Frank H. Wheeler. Who was a jobber of chinaware*. He was vitally interested in anything connected with auto-mobiles or motorboats. Mr. Wheeler was thoroughly convinced that the automobile had come to stay and he had vision enough to believe that some day it would develop into an enormous business. He and Mr. Schebler formed a partnership to sell and further develop the new carburetor. This arrangement was ideal. Mr. Schebler's skill and mechanical ability when given over entirely to his new work would mean improvement and correct manufacture. Mr. Wheeler was a sales executive whose hearty, pleasing personality gained for him an immediate audience with other pioneers of the industry. The story of the phenomenal growth of the automobile industry is the story of Wheeler-Schebler. Starting at practically the same time, Schebler has held fast (and successfully) to its ideals and sound business principles. Schebler is now standard equipment on a noteworthy list of the world's finest automobiles, on a large list of tractors and industrial engines, and on the majority of motorcycles, marine motors, and fire engines.
Schebler Carburetors: Since 1901 the Heart of the Automobile”
*Seller/salesman. Wholesale?
Source New Zealand Schebler price list/catalog, dated May 01 1926, Jas J Niven & Co Wellington (inside front cover) see
https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo ... r-brochure
Posted by Peter Thomson, a.k.a. Tommo A.M.C.A. # 2777 Palmerston North, New Zealand. Perry Ruiter provided me with a complete copy of above Niven doc, where I found above Schebler history at inside cover. I have slightly edited above text to improve readability (still very close to verbatim).
The circa 1926 Schebler slogan “Since 1901 the Heart of the Automobile” is repeated throughout this document.
As at Jan 2023 I have found no glaring errors of fact in this circa 1926 “Official Schebler History”. Other original examples of this source document, or similar, may be the source of some more recent, re-written and embroidered “histories”.

Date not stated, but would have to be around 1901-1902. George Schebler worked as a musical instrument repairer and violin maker at Carlin and Lennox* company Indianapolis, where, in his own time, he worked on improving the carburetion of his motorboat engine. Not verified??? Page 4 History of the Schebler Carburetor. Compiled by Joseph Griewe, Batesville Indiana, circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few sources identified. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.
*Carlin and Lennox also published sheet music https://alfpolis.sitehost.iu.edu/ragtime/
https://www.hornucopia.net/Reference/di ... hisrec=137

Date not stated, but would have to be around 1901-1902. George Schebler, “Working with his friend, Burt Pierce, the men used their understanding of mechanics, and began to tinker.” Not verified ?? https://msacarbs.com/company/marvel-schebler-history/

Date not stated, but would have to be around 1901-1902. “George Schebler and B. N. Pierce were violin makers and both men had a common interest in improving the mixing valves used on gas engines. These two men designed two different types of carburetors. They separated and each took their design and worked on perfecting them.” Not verified??? Page 4 History of the Schebler Carburetor. Compiled by Joseph Griewe, Batesville Indiana, circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few sources identified. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

wheel polk 1902rlpo_1034 crop.jpg
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1902 Indianapolis Polk Directory, page 1044, Frank H. Wheeler, h 1 The Arundel. Image source https://archive.org/details/polksindian ... ew=theater

The Arundel is a surviving 1902 built, block of residential flats at 507 North Delaware street see https://historicindianapolis.com/flats- ... re-street/

1902 no Polk classified listing for wheeler under China. no Polk listing for carburetors.

1902: Indianapolis, George Schebler patented his carburetor. Application filed Apr. 21, 1902; Patent 7l1,005 granted Oct. l4, I902. G. M. SCHEBLER. CARBURETER.
“The object of my invention is therefore to provide a carburetor of such form and arrangement that within considerable limit of change of position of the carburetor, due to changes in level of the road over which the vehicle is passing, the level of liquid will at all times bear the same relation to the discharge nozzle, so that the feed will be uniform.”
schebler patent 1902.jpg
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1902 patent drawing of George Schebler’s carburetor. Top is sidedraft version, bottom is up-draft version. Relative size relationship of throat to bowl should not be regarded as “to scale” for working carburetors. When he filed patent application, George M. Schebler gave his address as Indianapolis. https://patents.google.com/patent/US711005A/en https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 711005.pdf
George Schebler’s 1902 patent is predominantly for concentric placement of fuel spray nozzle at centre of float and hemispherical bowl/reservoir. Which results in the relationship of nozzle height and fuel height remaining constant through wide changes of angle.

There may, or may not, be elements of fact in the un-referenced and not verified??? but oft repeated “hog trough story”, which appears to be based on the false assumption that George Schebler invented the carburetor float and associated fuel valve. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/articl ... e-schebler https://www.lotuscorps.org/wp/george-sc ... arburetor/
Page 5, History of the Schebler Carburetor, Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Private publication and printing, circa 2009, no ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

NOTE: Some later Wheeler-Schebler carbs did not use concentric float bowls.

Viewed overall, my opinion is that the 1902 Schebler patent was more evolution than revolution, however, the precision nature and thus reliability of Schebler carbs, coupled with the when and where, created a perfect storm of demand.

A short segue to illustrate the exponential growth of demand for carburetors.
1900: Of the 4,200 cars built in the United States in 1900, only one-fourth employed internal combustion engines. And of the approximately 8,000 automobiles on the road, most were steam-driven. http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Envir ... rview3.htm
1901: Vehicle registration not required in USA, New York was first.
1902 August 5, Ablis, France, USA driver William Kissam Vanderbilt II, driving a Mors, set the first world land speed record for an internal combustion engined car, 76.03mph (122.438km hr) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_speed_record
1903: In USA there were 23,000 road registered cars and in that year the USA land speed record was broken five times, culminating in a giddy 84.7 mph. https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/83 ... ld-in-1903
1910: There were around 500,000 motor vehicles cruising the streets of America. https://www.autotrainingcentre.com/blog ... ade-1910s/
1919: There were 6.7 million cars on American roads. By 1929, there were more than 27 million cars https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_ ... d%20States.
1929: British Golden Arrow car ran 231.45 mph (372.46 km/h) on Daytona Beach. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Ar ... %20km%2Fh).
End of segue.

1902 late, Harry Clayton Stutz sold Stutz Manufacturing Company to Lindsay Automobile Parts Company of Indianapolis and he moved there along with the business. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_C._Stutz

1902 The Lindsay Automobile Parts Company made Stutz an offer he couldn’t refuse and bought out his business in 1902. They also asked him to come and work at Lindsay. Stutz agreed and closed up his shop. He moved his family to Indianapolis for his new job at Lindsay’s headquarters.
Stutz was partially responsible for the creation of Schebler, as while he was employed at Lindsay he introduced engineer George Schebler to money man Frank Wheeler. https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2022/ ... st-part-i/

1903 France, Commandant Krebs invented an automatic, auxiliary air valve carburetor, used for several years on Panhard Levassor cars, overly complex and later proven to be based on a flawed Krebs derived formula. With hindsight I suspect the complexity resulted from work-arounds to achieve a useable carburetor which adhered to his theory.

1903 Feb 14, Scientific American magazine published illustrations and an extensive description of the Krebs carburetor.
krebs fig 1.jpg
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krebs figs 2 & 3 .jpg
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Krebs auxiliary air valve caburetor illustrations.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... uretor.pdf
There were many types of auxiliary air valves and attempts to proportionally synchronise engine air requirement to the amount by which the auxiliary valve opened.
Unfortunately, many carburetor manufacturers, including George Schebler, were led astray and bamboozled by Krebs’ flawed formula. See 1906.

Date and source not stated, but would have to be around 1903. “After a struggle to find a backer, the Center Car Company backed Schebler’s new invention”. http://www.oldmarineengine.com/discus/m ... 96585.html

I have been unable to find anything on Center Car Company. The Central Motor Car Co. apparently existed in Indianapolis in 1903 only. https://historicindianapolis.com/made-in-indianapolis/

Subsequently I found “In 1903 he began manufacturing with the Central Motor Car Company for one year” and little else. Not verified??? Source Page 5 History of the Schebler Carburetor. Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

1903 Stutz was full of larger automotive ideas and wasn’t satisfied with simple engine work, so he used the capital from selling his engine business and went in with two other investors to start the Central Motor Car Company. Indianapolis was quite the bustling place for the automobile industry in the early 20th century, but it’s unclear if Central actually produced any cars. It was established in 1903,
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2022/ ... st-part-i/

Date not stated, but would have to be around 1903. Harry Clayton Stutz, with two others established Central Motor Car Company, but moved on to the Schebler Carburetor Company at the end of 1904 to sell their carburetors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_C._Stutz

Above “backed by Center” statement may, or, may not, mean George Schebler made an unknown number of carburetors for the Central Motor Car Company’s one year of operation. If this occurred, was it full time? Were the carbs actually made on the premises of Central Motor Car Company? Currently unverifiable, more data required.

Date and source not stated, but would have to be around 1902-1903. “In order to perfect his product, however, Schebler needed some financial backing. Eventually, Schebler drew the attention of people like Harry Stutz, known for the designing and manufacturing of internal combustion engine and Frank Wheeler. These men provided the money and marketing, while Schebler provided the mental knowledge” Not verified??? https://msacarbs.com/company/marvel-schebler-history/

Date and source not stated, but would have to be around 1902-1903. “The selling and the marketing of the carburetor was not easy for George to do. He showed it to car manufacturers in Detroit and Toledo and in other cities without any luck. Finally he met a man by the name of Frank Wheeler with whom he became friends with and showed him his invention. Frank Wheeler was very interested in his ideas.
Frank Wheeler had a Rambler Run-About, which he used in his wholesale china business. Whenever it was sitting idle, George would experiment with one of his carburetors on the Run-About. After showing Frank Wheeler the difference in performance his carburetor made on the car, he was amazed and formed a partnership with George*” Not verified??? Source Page 5 History of the Schebler Carburetor. Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Circa 2009. Private publication and printing. No ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection. *partnership probably early 1904, see 1904.

NOTE: The Rambler Company was one of the very first automobile producers with their first automobile produced in 1897. The first Rambler was a single-cylinder vehicle with wire-spoke wheels that did not receive much attention from the public. A year later Rambler had produced two more machines, both still passing mostly unnoticed by the motoring community. In 1900 Rambler exhibited at the Chicago and New York Auto Show where they finally received attention.
The 1902 tiller steered Rambler Model C Runabout had a respectable total production run of about 1500 units, which made the Rambler company one of the largest automobile producers in the world at the time. It was priced at $750. https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10 ... del-c.aspx

1903: Frank H. Wheeler and George M. Schebler, worked together at Lindsay Automobile Parts Company, Indianapolis, which was owned by Harry Clayton Stutz. (creator of the famous Stutz automobiles and fire engines) Shortly after he sold L.A.P.C., Stutz is credited with encouraging Wheeler and Schebler to leave Lindsay and start up Wheeler-Schebler. Not verified??? Source “Cruise In, A Guide to Indiana’s Automotive Past & Present”, by Dennis E. Hovarth and Terri Hovarth, Publishing Resources, ISBN 0-9644364-2-6. www.CRUISE-IN.com extracted Jan 2005. (Dec 2022, link dead and book title gets no hits on Google) Verify? Currently unverifiable. More data required.

Conflict: Lindsay Automobile Parts Company was founded in 1902 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It manufactured drives and other parts for electric cars. In November of the same year, the Stutz Manufacturing Company of Dayton , Ohio , and its director, Harry C. Stutz , were acquired. Automobile production began in 1902. The brand name was Lindsay . Plans for 1903 ranged from 500 to 1000 vehicles. Vehicle production ended in 1903 In 1903 there was a reorganization with Harley Russell as an investor. The new company name was Lindsay-Russell Axle Company . Not verified??? https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._J._Lin ... ts_Company
Apparently Harry C. Stutz did move to Indianapolis circa 1903 https://indyencyclopedia.org/stutz/

lindsay auto parts co 1903 ex ebay.jpg
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1903 advertisement for Lindsay Automobile Parts Company, not mentioned in Wikipedia, or other Lindsay sources, but mentioned in Stutz sources, obvious here is the apparently ex Stutz, horizontal 4.5hp single cylinder engine which Lindsay marketed, overhead atmospheric intake valve, side mechanical exhaust valve, water cooled, (complete less carburetor and ignition system) Source Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal magazine 1903 page 167. Image source eBay item number:290834546875 https://www.ebay.com/itm/290834546875

One source has Lindsay car made by Lindsay Automobile Parts Co 1902 and Lindsay Electric made by Lindsay Russell Co 1903. https://www.google.com/search?newwindow ... 63G076knAM

Being as how it appears Central Motor Car Company and Lindsay Automobile Parts Company were both closely associated with Stutz, circa late 1902-1903 in Indianapolis, it is understandable that some above accounts have become blurred. There are likely elements of fact in every above account.
In light of above, did Frank Wheeler & George Schebler meet while working together? If they did, when? 1902 or 1903? Currently unverifiable. More data required.


I suspect Harry Stutz was the common denominator, with his background in engine and car building, if brought to his attention, Stutz would have instantly known that the Schebler carb resulted in significant improved function/performance. Wheeler became enthusiastic about Schebler’s carburetor, but likely Wheeler had little money. Stutz was cashed-up after selling out to Lindsay. Wheeler may have brokered a loan/venture capital from Stutz? (Wheeler and Stutz were later both involved in Stutz Fire Apparatus Company). Or Stutz was convinced to order Schebler carbs for his Central Motor Car Company? Currently unverifiable. More data required.

1903: Second generation Merkel motorcycle in production and on sale in Milwaukee, simultaneously, also in Milwaukee, some motorised bicycle activity in a small back-yard shed, produced a single prototype, which proved to be too high and ungainly and under-powered. The unsuccessful 1903 Harley-Davidson motorised bicycle was a steep learning curve. Subsequent models were vastly improved. Source: At The Creation, Herbert Wagner, Page 49. Author’s collection.
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1903 Merkel ad, original source and precise date unknown, image source https://motorcycletimeline.com/1903-2/

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1903 Apr 12, Langsenkamp Bros. Brass Works. Founders and finishers; brass railing work. 136-142 E. Georgia st Indianapolis Source Indianapolis Journal newspaper, Apr 12, part 1, page 12.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... nge&page=1


1903 June 16, Henry Ford and 12 others invested $28,000 and created Ford Motor Company. The first car built by the Company was sold July 15, 1903. https://corporate.ford.com/articles/his ... raphy.html

1903 Oct 30, Indianapolis, George Schebler applied for his second patent for new and useful improvements in carburetors for hydrocarbon motors. Application 179,161, filed Oct 30 1903; Patent 806,434 granted Dec 05, I905. G. M. SCHEBLER. CARBURETER FOR HYDROCARBON MOTORS. “the object of my present invention is to provide an efficient carburetor of the type shown in my Patent No. 711,005 which is exceedingly compact and the parts of which may be rearranged with relation to each other in order to adapt the apparatus for use in different types of machines. A further object of my invention is to provide means of automatically varying the proportions and the character of the mixture produced and to provide such improvements in details of construction”
Source Copy of Patent, Pages 35-38, History of the Schebler Carburetor, Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Private publication and printing, circa 2009, no ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection. (as at Jan 2023 I have been unable to find an on-line source for this patent)
patent 2 pg 4.jpg
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Illustrations from page 4 of Schebler patent application Oct 30 1903. Source Copy of Patent, Page 38, History of the Schebler Carburetor, Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Private publication and printing, circa 2009, no ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection. (as at Jan 2023 I have been unable to find an on-line source for this patent)
This second Schebler patent is not assigned to any company and is largely for a “universal” carburetor and is likely the basis of 1904 report in Scientific American magazine. The inlet air adaptor with vacuum variable hinged closing plate is interchangeable with manifold connection with integral throttle, making it very adaptable for installations. The airflow through carb is reversed, but apparently still functioned satisfactorily. It has bottom fuel feed and a long, pull-up to close, float valve needle.

As noted above, this Schebler patent text also states “A further object of my invention is to provide means for automatically varying the proportions and the character of the mixture produced”

The term “automatically” relates to “on demand” vacuum/inrushing air control of intake air via the spring biased, “yielding check plate normally obstructing the passage” Fig 5 item 30 and fuel flow metered by needle valve 14 and discharged at nozzle 13 and ultimately fuel controlled by float 20 & valve seat 17. As opposed to prior system, of driver/riding mechanic/aircraft pilot manually adjusting fuel flow via a dashboard mounted metering valve, or similar.
While the item 30 spring biased, “yielding check plate normally obstructing the passage” was an improvement intended to supply a rich fuel-air mixture for starting and intended for plate to be proportionally open while engine running thereafter. It was still very crude and likely had little of the wide range of “throttle control” desirable for safe vehicle operation.

This carb lacks any “auxiliary air” and none is mentioned in patent description text. Item 30 was a non-Krebs method to attempt to proportionally synchronise engine air requirement to the amount of fuel sprayed by nozzle.

The float, concentric nozzle, and float bowl shape are instantly recognisable to anyone who has handled many Schebler, Linkert (pre DC) and many other makes of carburetor to present day. The pull-up to close float valve needle with taper seat at bottom may have only been used late 1903 and 1904. Very similar float needles, arranged concentrically in metal floats, were used for decades in British AMAC and AMAL carburetors to circa 1953.

Thirty years later, on the Linkert MR2, the high speed needle/adjustable main jet at bottom of bowl was remarkably similar to above 1903, Fig 5, item 14.

Possibly this carb was produced late 1903 to early 1904 as first generation Schebler Model B?

fuelsys.gif
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1903 Wright Brothers fuel system illustration. Image source https://wright.grc.nasa.gov/airplane/fuelsys.html

1903 Dec 17, Wright Flyer, engine type A used for first flight . “The Wrights’ solution to creating a combustible fuel mixture was to construct a large tray placed horizontally on top of the four cylinders. The tray allowed gasoline from a small tank that was positioned above the engine to gravity feed fuel to the inlet from an adjustable petcock. The “intake manifold” tray was covered by a thin lid that mounted a short, small-diameter pipe perhaps two inches in diameter that served as the throttle but with no movable butterfly. Thus, engine speed was constant wide-open throttle and rpm was governed by the load of the twin propellers and tuned by ignition timing.” Text source
https://www.holley.com/blog/post/deep_d ... _a_engine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers

Conflict “The Wright brothers used a Schebler carburetor in the first airplane they flew” source Page 13, History of the Schebler Carburetor, Compiled by Joseph Griewe. Private publication and printing, circa 2009, no ISBN. Few quoted sources. Some errors of fact. Author’s collection.

On balance I suspect that the deep, documented research into the original specification of the aircraft that flew at Kitty Hawk on Dec 17 1903, must be more credible than Joe’s un-referenced statement?
NOTE: No throttle control, permanently wide open, with speed controlled by ignition cut-out, was still normal practice on WW1 Monosoupape aircraft engines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_en ... ne_control

On available evidence, I suspect Schebler carburetors pre-1904 were hand-made by George Schebler, in very small numbers?
No specific literature currently known for pre 1904 A, B, or C Schebler carburetors. By at least 1908, models A, B & C were not listed in Schebler literature. However, just to keep us on our toes, at least the model A designation was re-used circa 1913 and B was re-used circa 1916. To differentiate I use the terms first generation and second generation.

End of Part 2

Still some holes in knowledge of events, but lots more detail to come. Additional data very welcome, watch this space for part 3.
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