An EIS tribute to one of Ohio’s greatest inventors!
Charles "Boss" Kettering was an American inventor, engineer, businessman.
Along with a team of workers, Kettering invented the first automobile self-starter in 1911. Before this, drivers would have to crank the engine by hand before entering the automobile. Kettering held more than 300 patents, most of which were used with automobiles.
He was a founder of Delco, and was head of research at General Motors from 1920 to 1947. Among his most widely used automotive developments were the electrical starting motor and leaded gasoline. In association with the DuPont Chemical Company, he was also responsible for the invention of Freon refrigerant for refrigeration and air conditioning systems. At DuPont he also was responsible for the development of Duco lacquers and enamels, the first practical colored paints for mass-produced automobiles. While working with the Dayton-Wright Company he developed the "Bug" aerial torpedo, considered the world's first aerial missile. He led the advancement of practical, lightweight two-stroke diesel engines, revolutionizing the locomotive and heavy equipment industries. In 1927, he founded the Kettering Foundation, a non-partisan research foundation. He was featured on the cover of Time Magazine on January 9, 1933
And you thought you had a busy day!
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