Bendix Corporation is an American manufacturing and engineering company that for several times in its 60 years of existence (1924-1983) makes automotive brake shoes and systems, vacuum tubes, aircraft brakes, aeronautical hydraulics and electric systems, avionics , airplanes and fuel control systems for cars, radios, televisions and computers. It's also famous for the name Bendix, as used on home clothes washing machines, but never really made this equipment.
Video Bendix Corporation
History
Initial history
Founder and inventor, Vincent Bendix originally started his company in a Chicago hotel room in 1914 under an agreement with the struggling bicycle brake manufacturer Eclipse Machine Company of Elmira, New York. Bendix was granted permission for his invention described as "a New York device for starting explosive motors." The company makes three-pronged screw screw which can be used in making other moving parts. By using this screw with the Eclipse Machine Company, Bendix has a good foundation for its future business plan.
Automotive
General Motors Corp. bought a 24% stake in Bendix in 1924, not to operate Bendix but to maintain direct and ongoing contact with in-flight developments, as the engineering techniques of cars and aircraft were very similar at the time. Bendix in the 1920s owns and controls many important patents for devices applicable to the automotive industry, for example, brakes, carburettors, and early engines for engines. It acquired Bragg-Kliesrath brakes in the late 1920s. In 1942 Ernest Breech became president of Bendix, moved from General Motors Corp., and after a brilliant appearance for Bendix by introducing GM management philosophy he later caught the attention of Henry Ford II who drove him to Ford Motor Corp. where he finished his career. In 1940, Bendix had sales of about $ 40 million, and in 1948 General Motors sold its interest in Bendix for wanting to focus on its expanding automotive operations. Bendix was formally established in 1924 in South Bend, Indiana, USA. First he built brake systems for cars and trucks, supplying General Motors and other car manufacturers. Bendix manufactures both hydraulic braking systems and the TreadleVac ⢠vacuum booster for its production line for decades. In 1924, Vincent Bendix obtained Henri Perrot patent for drum and shoe design.
In 1956, Bendix introduced the "Electrojector", a true multipoint electronic fuel refueling system, which was an option on some 1958 car models built by Chrysler Corporation.
In the 1960s, Bendix automotive brakes evolved with the introduction of fixed caliper disc brakes and the "Duo-Servo" system (which became the de facto world standard for brake drums). During the 1960s, Bendix also tried bike hardware, producing a reliable planetary rear axle, completely self-contained, 2-speed "Kick-Back" with braking.
Beginning in the 1950s or earlier, Bendix Pacific designed, tested, and produced hydraulic components and systems, especially for the military. In the same facility avionics and other electronic devices are designed, manufactured, and documented in technical manuals. Much of this operation was transferred to a new facility in Sylmar, CA where they have a large indoor pool for sonar testing. The telemetry components for RIM-8 Talos surface-to-air missiles include transmitters and oscillators in various frequency bands; The missiles themselves are designed and built by Bendix. They built and installed telemetry systems in all earth stations for the first manned space flight. For the program, they developed a cardio tachometer and a first-rate respiratory monitor system so ground-based doctors could observe astronauts' vital signs. Torpedo MK46 electronics also come from this facility. Other diverse products include radar detectors in aircraft that identify ground-based missile tracking and missile launches on aircraft. In the 1960s they produced an anti-lock brake system for military aircraft using established technology similar to the previous Dunlop Maxaret. This technology is similar to the wheels of the wheel and the reluctor is now used in cars.
Bendix Scintilla manufactures MEC SPEC power connectors with many styles. Criteria are met for hostile and non-hostile environments that provide seals to liquids and gases.
In 1971, Bendix introduced the world's first computerized ABS (anti-lock) system in Chrysler's 1971 Imperial. Production continues for several years. Under its current ownership by Honeywell, Bendix continues to produce automotive brakes and industrial brakes for various industries. In 2014, Honeywell sells Bendix trademarks for automotive brakes in the US to MAT Holdings.
Many automotive bendix, truck and industrial brakes were sold in the United States using asbestos until 1987. Bendix's current parents, Honeywell, continue to deal with many lawsuits filed as a result of brakes of Bendix brand containing asbestos. Avionics, military and government Bendix Corporation sponsored the famous Bendix continental air race that began in 1931, and was known as the Bendix Trophy. Competition is an inter-dot race between the continents of the US intended to encourage the development of long-lasting and efficient aircraft for commercial aviation. Civilians were banned from the race in 1950. The last race took place in 1962. During World War II, Bendix made almost all instruments or additional equipment for military aircraft. Bendix radio division was founded in 1937 to make radio transmitters/receivers for aircraft and other types of avionics. During the war, Bendix produced about 75% of all avionics on US aircraft. During and after the war, Bendix made radar equipment of various types. In the 1950s, Bendix and his successors managed the facilities of the United States Atomic Energy Commission in Kansas City, Missouri and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This facility acquires non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons. In 1956, Bendix Aviation's computer division introduced Bendix G-15, a mini-computer with two high file cabinets. The company sells about 400 units with prices ranging from US $ 50,000. Bendix's computer division was taken over in 1963 by Control Data Corporation, which continues to produce the G-15 for several years. The main designer of the G-15 is Harry Huskey, who had worked with Alan Turing at ACE in England and in the SWAC in the 1950s. Huskey created most of his designs while working as a professor at Berkeley and other universities, as well as a consultant. During the 1960s the company made land and air telecommunication systems for NASA. It also builds an inertial ST-124-M3 platform used in the Saturn V Instrument Unit built by the Navigation and Control Division in Teterboro, NJ. It also developed the first car fuel injection system in the US. In January 1963, the Civil Aviation Council (CAB) released a report stating that "the most probable abnormality" had caused the crash of American Airlines Flight 1 on 1 March 1962 was a short circuit caused by cables in automated pilot systems that had been damaged in the manufacturing process. The CAB inspector has checked the unit at the Teterboro, New Jersey, Bendix Corporation plant and found the worker using tweezers to tie up the cable bundle, thus damaging it. The Bendix company issued a rejection, stating that the unit underwent 61 inspections during manufacture, in addition to inspection during installation and maintenance work, and insisted that the insulation on the cable had been violated at some point, it would be detected and the unit replaced. In 1966, NASA selected Bendix Aerospace Systems Division in Ann Arbor, Michigan to design, manufacture, test, and provide operational support for the Apollo Moon Surface Packages Trial (ALSEP) package to fly in the Apollo Program. Bendix created a fuel system for Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Washing Machine
Although popularly connected to a washing machine, Bendix Corporation itself never produced it. In 1936, the company licensed the name to Bendix Home Appliances, another South Bend company, for a 25% stake in the company.
In 1937, Bendix Home Appliances, Inc. was the first company to market domestic automated washing machines. Although sales were initially slow, the benefits of automatic machines soon began to spread by word of mouth. Sales began to rise, so by the time the United States entered WW2, a total of 330,000 units had been sold. Similar to other washing machine manufacturers, production ceased during World War II, but continued in 1946. Total sales reached 2,000,000 in 1950.
The 1937 Bendix Home Laundry will be recognized as a front loading automatic washing machine by modern users of such machines. It has a glass window door, a rotating drum and an electrically driven mechanical timer. The machine can fill, wash, rinse, and dry automatically. Initially the lack of vibration dampers meant that the engine had to be securely secured to the floor. The machine also does not have an internal water heater.
Bendix House Equipment, founded by Judson Sayre, is then sold to Avco Manufacturing Corporation. In 1956, Avco sold Bendix House Equipment to Philco.
Home electronics
Bendix first produced domestic radio and phonograph for the retail market after World War II as a result of aircraft radio production. In 1948, Bendix began selling car radios directly to Ford and other car manufacturers. From 1950 to 1959, Bendix made television sets. Radio production for retail trade grew rapidly in the 1950s, but stopped quickly in the 1960s when Ford, GM, and Chrysler began producing their own radios.
Maps Bendix Corporation
Merger
In the decade between 1970 and 1990, Bendix went through a series of mergers, sales and changes with partners or buyers including Raytheon, Allied Signal and others. This dilutes its corporate identity, although for several years these companies use Bendix brands for some of their products, such as aircraft control systems.
In 1982, Bendix launched a cruel takeover bid from Martin Marietta. Bendix bought the majority of Martin Marietta's shares and basically owns the company. However, Martin Marietta's management uses a short period of time between ownership and control to sell non-core businesses and launches the takeover of Bendix - Pac-Man's own Defense. The United Technologies industry conglomerate joined in the fray, supporting Martin Marietta in their counter-takeover bid. Eventually, Bendix was rescued by the Allied Corporation, acting as a white knight. Bendix was acquired by the Allies in 1983 for US $ 85 per share. Allied Corporation, later named AlliedSignal, then bought Honeywell and adopted the Honeywell name, and Bendix became the Honeywell brand, including the Bendix/King avionics brand. The Honeywell Transport System Division also carries a Bendix line of brake shoes, pads and other vacuum or hydraulic subsystems.
In 2002 Knorr-Bremse took over the commercial vehicle brake business from Honeywell International Inc., USA, part of a joint venture in Europe, Brazil and the United States. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems becomes a subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse AG. The Knorr-Bremse Group achieved sales of EUR 2.1 billion for the first time.
Ads
In the 1960s and 1970s, Archie Comics posted comic strip advertisements for Bendix brakes for bikes featuring Archie Andrews and his friends.
See also
- Asbestos
- Bendix drive
- Ernest L. Webster, formed the Startomatis Company, leased to Bendix
- Knorr-Bremse
- Mary Cunningham
- Vincent Hugo Bendix
- William Agee
Note
References
- Grant, James H. (2010). The Gradall: A Story of American Ingenuity . New Philadelphia, Ohio: JHG Partners. ISBN: 978-0-692-00667-2. OCLCÃ, 671808156.
- Sloan, Alfred P. (1963). My Year with General Motors. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. ISBN: 9780385042352. OCLCÃ,802024.
External links
- Bendix Appliances homepage (bad link)
- Popular Mechanics: "Brake Test Certificate Created Automatically by a Small Recorder" (April 1936) - portable brake testing unit developed and sold by Bendix in the 1930s.
Source of the article : Wikipedia