Edward Kleinschmidt

Infobox Engineer


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name = Edward Ernst Kleinschmidt
nationality = United States
birth_date = 1876
birth_place = Bremen, Germany
death_date = August 22, 1977
death_place = Canaan, Connecticut
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significant_advance = telecommunications
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Edward Ernst Kleinschmidt (1876 - August 22, 1977) was one of the inventors of the teletype machine, and was a prolific inventor who obtained 118 patents in the course of his 101-year life.cite book | last = Huurdeman | first = Anton A. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Worldwide History of Telecommunications | publisher = Wiley-IEEE | date = 2003 | location = | pages = p. 302 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0471205052]

Career

Born in Bremen, Germany, in 1876, Kleinschmidt immigrated to the United States at the age of 8.

Kleinschmidt began working with nascent communications technology in 1893 while still in his teens. He first patented a Morse keyboard transmitter, in 1895 (Patent No. 964,372; filed February 7, 1895; issued January 11, 1910) and later a Morse keyboard perforator [ cite web | last = KLEINSCHMIDT | first = E. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = TELEGRAPHIC-TAPE PERFORATOR | work = | publisher = USPO | date = Jul 30, 1910 | url = http://www.google.com/patents?id=8NtXAAAAEBAJ&dq=1,045,855 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-07-11 ] which became known as the Wheatstone Perforator.

Soon after, he set up the Kleinschmidt Electric Company. [http://www.kleinschmidt.com/Company/history.htm Kleinschmidt History ] ] With George Seely, he developed signaling equipment for railways. The pair began their work in 1906, and by 1910, they were able to demonstrate a completed device. The signaling technology is still used by railways throughout North America.

In 1916 he filed a patent application for a typebar page printer [ cite web | last = KLEINSCHMIDT | first = E. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = TELEGRAPH PRINTER | work = | publisher = USPO | date = Apr 14, 1916 | url = http://www.google.com/patents?id=QDRVAAAAEBAJ&dq=1448750 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-07-11 ] . In 1919, shortly after the Morkrum company obtained their patent for a start-stop synchronizing method for code telegraph systems, which made possible the practical teleprinter, Kleinschmidt filed an application titled "Method of and Apparatus for Operating Printing Telegraphs" [ cite web | last = KLEINSCHMIDT | first = E. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = METHOD OF AND APPARATUS EOR OPERATING PRINTING TELEGRAPHS | work = | publisher = USPO | date = May 1, 1919 | url = http://www.google.com/patents?id=lzlKAAAAEBAJ&dq=1463136 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-07-11] which included an improved start-stop method.

Instead of wasting time and money in patent disputes on the start-stop method, Kleinschmidt and the Morkrum Company decided to merge and form the Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Company in 1924. The new company combined the best features of both their machines into a new typewheel printer for which Kleinschmidt, Howard Krum, and Sterling Morton jointly obtained a patent.

In 1925 the company name was changed to Teletype Corporation, and in 1930 was sold to AT&T for $30 million. Kleinschmidt set up Kleinschmidt Laboratories to further refine the teletypewriter and do research and development for the Teletype Corporation.

During World War II, Kleinschmidt's son Bernard learned that the US Signal Corps needed a lightweight, transportable teleprinter and in February 1944, Kleinschmidt demonstrated a working model of his lightweight teleprinter at the office of the Chief Signal Officer. The Kleinschmidt 100-words-per-minute typebar page printer became the standard for US forces in 1949.

The success of its printer, and an order for 2,000 examples caused Kleinschmidt Laboratories to purchase a 13 acre parcel of land in Deerfield, Illinois, to house the manufacturing operations. This location and the original buildings are the current home of Kleinschmidt Inc.

Other inventions

Although best known for the teletype machine, Kleinschmidt also invented many other devices, including an automatic fishing reel and a vaccination shield, and is credited with making major improvements to the Wheatstone (stock market ticker tape) perforator. He also invented a macaroni-twisting machine. His inventions made him a multi-millionaire.cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title = Notices | work = TIME | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = Aug. 22, 1977 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,915317,00.html | accessdate = 2008-07-11] [cite web | last = Everett (ed.) | first = Jason M. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = 1977: Communications, Media | work = The People's Chronology | publisher = Gale Group, Inc., eNotes.com | date = 2006 | url = http://www.enotes.com/peoples-chronology/year-1977/communications-media | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-07-11]

Kleinschmidt died in Canaan, Connecticut, of heart disease in 1977 at the age of 101.

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