The first Stromberg carburetor

[carbking]

Think I may have mentioned this before, but the very earliest Stromberg carburetors were called Goldbergs. The name was rapidly changed to Stromberg due to "political correctness".

 

Somewhere, I have a Goldberg carburetor, but it is that never-never land (I may never again find it  ).

 

But here is proof that it existed:

 

Stromberg drawing P-8 - Goldberg bowl cover - glass bowl carburetor

 

Jon.

[JamesR]

Interesting, though I don't exactly get the political correctness angle.

[carbking]

James - message sent.

 

Jon.

[Rusty_OToole]

A quick Google search turned up the information that Stromberg carburetors were made by a Swede named Alfred Stromberg. He had a successful business in Rochester New York called Stromberg-Carlson. They made telephone equipment from 1891 until they sold the business in 1905. Stromberg then went into the carburetor business, which he sold to Bendix in 1929. Then it was moved to South Bend Indiana and became the Bendix-Stromberg Carburetor Company, which later became part of the Bendix Products division of Bendix Aviation. They later developed the first electronic fuel injection which was supposed to debut on the 1958 Chrysler line and American Motors' Rambler Rebel but was withdrawn after only 16 were made.

 

No mention of any Goldberg. The drawing you link appears to have a date of 1 - 10 -06. This would suggest it was part of the first Stromberg carburetor. The date could also be 08, it is not clear. In either case, one of the first, if not the first, Stromberg carburetor. Why the draftsman put Goldberg on the drawing is anybody's guess.

[Rusty_OToole]

Further searching turned up this information from a Hemmings article -

The energetic Stromberg was not content to retire in his 40s, however. After assisting in Stromberg-Carlson's re-establishment in Rochester, he returned to Chicago and was soon involved in the Perry Time Stamp Company and the Goldberg Motor Car Devices Manufacturing Company. At Perry, which soon bore the name Stromberg Electric Chronograph Company, he oversaw the creation of an automated time-stamp system, which became familiar to hourly workers everywhere. That company is now known as Stromberg Office Products.

 

At Goldberg, renamed Stromberg Motor Devices circa 1909, Stromberg (and his old friend Carlson) brought much-needed capital to the designs of John Goldberg. A large factory was erected in Chicago, and the company's one-a-day production of carburetors for automobiles, motor boats and aircraft, was soon increased to one per minute.

 

Stromberg's carburetor operation would prove just as successful as his telephone and time-clock efforts. The carburetor company was purchased by Bendix Aviation in 1929, shortly after the death of Carlson. Stromberg himself died in 1913, one day short of his 52nd birthday. The original Stromberg carburetor company would produce its last units for U.S. consumption in 1974, but the name and the famous 97 design live on with the revived Stromberg Carburetor company of Suffolk, England.

 

So it appears Stromberg bought out the Goldberg carburetor company, renamed it Stromberg and went on to mass produce Goldberg's carburetor.

[carbking]

Rusty - the vice-president of the company was a Goldberg. The carburetors were made. I have one. I also have some magazine advertisements for the Goldberg carburetor.

 

The date is 1908.

 

The early company was Stromberg Motor Devices. Which was re-organized (1916 says memory) and became the Stromberg Carburetor Company.

 

Jon.

[Rusty_OToole]

It appears then, that Stromberg brought capital to the company and built a factory to produce Goldberg's carburetor. And, renamed the company after himself as was his habit. Do you have any idea if Goldberg designed the carburetor?

The date on the drawing is obscure. Enlarging does not help, only makes it blurry. The year could be 00 which is not possible, or 06 or 08 or even 09.

The Hemmings article says the company was renamed Stromberg Motor Devices Co. in 1909 which is the name on the drawing. This suggests the date is 1 - 10 - 09.

Edited February 21, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Further searching turned up a 1925 lawsuit in which Stromberg Motor Devices Co sued for infringement of patents issued to Goldberg in 1910 and 1914, and Goldberg and Tillotson in 1914. So it appears Goldberg was an inventor and designer of carburetors and continued working for the company he founded, after Stromberg bought an interest in the company.

 

Wonder if the popularity of Rube Goldberg cartoons influenced the decision to take Goldberg's name off the carburetors?

Rube Goldberg and Chevrolet

 

The Goldberg Stromberg patent suit

https://www.leagle.com/decision/192541510f2d4051264

Edited February 21, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Why do you suppose "political correctness" had anything to do with it? It appears Stromberg put a lot of capital into the company and bought a controlling interest, and named the company after himself, which he did with all his companies.

[Spinneyhill]

Based on the other "8"s in the drawing, which consist of a small ellipsoid on a larger one, I think the date is "08".  The top ellipsoid is fuzzy because of poor resolution.