CHARLESFRANKLIN

KETTERING1876-1958

Few Americans have achieved asmuch in their lifetime as Charles FranklinKettering. Perhaps his second name was akey to his nature. During his career, Ketteringpatented over 200 inventions--far more thanthe great Benjamin Franklin.

Kettering was born in Ohio in 1876. Acountry schoolboy in his early years, he fur-thered his education in high school and at thecollege at Wooster, Ohio. He taught school briefly, but then entered Ohio State University.His education there was periodically interrupted by intermittently bad eyesight. Almostimmediately after his graduation he invented the electric cash register, an achievement' which caused him to rise rapidly in the administration of the National Cash RegisterCompany.

ln 1909, however, Kettering became interested in the automobile. He organized anindependent firm called the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. (later called Delco), andin that organization he turned his fulltalents to inventing. He revised the ignition system forautomobiles, and the Cadillac Motor Company adopted the Kettering approach in 19'10.Within a short time, Kettering had also invented the self-starter, which was one of thegreatest innovations in automobile history. lt is argued by some that the self-starter, morethan almost any other addition to the early motor car, made the automobile a useful item oftranspoftation.

Kettering went on to invent the Delco farm lighting system which, until ruralelectrification, was the principal means of supplying electricity to farmers, During World Warl, Kettering led research in the development of high octane gasoline and the Liberly aircraftengine. ln the same period Kettering designed an unmanned aerial torpedo, actually anexplosive-laden plane, and was furthermore responsible for the recognition of tetraethyl asan additive to gasoline.

During the 1920s, Kettering was either directly or indirectly responsible for thedevelopment of Duco auto enamel, refrigerants, powdered metal bearings, static anddynamic balancing machines, two-way shock absorbers, extreme pressure lubricants, andthe high compression gasoline engine. His early interest in diesel engines had been broughtto the attention of railroad companies, and in the late 1 930s and the 1 940s the steam enginegave way to the diesel locomotive.

During World War ll, Kettering again gave his f ull attention to the needs of the nation.

Charles Franklin Kettering

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His contributions incruded high-octane fuers even better than before, better aerial torpe-

does, better underwater torpedoes, and gyroscopic flight controls'

Aswe have indicated, Charles Kettering won over200 patentsforhisvarious devices

and creations. ln his late years he gave tr.i of his fortune away' Schools and research

institutions were tr," gr"ut"st benJficiaries, and some of the money went for imporlant

scientific research on the structure of the molecule and on photosynthesis' some of his

scientific foundations are connected with vitar medicar study. The most important of these

istheSloan-KetteringlnstituteforCancerResearch'Kettering, wrr6 OieO in 1958, certainly deserves an important place in American

history.

Questions for Research

1. From looking through materials in your library, what can you find out about the methods

and perils of starting in automobile engine before Kettering's self-starter?

2. Kettering's biggest contribution has been in the automotive world' How did the auto

change the American way of life in the 1920s? what did it do to American tastes for

entertainment?

3. Direcily from the above question, see what material you can find on the subject: "what

would happen to American society if all automobiles were made useless from lack of

gasoline?,, see what you can find relative to the short period in which this country had a gas

shortage several Years ago'

ReadingsGabriel, R. H.

The Pageant of AmeilcaKaempffert, W. 8., ed'

A Poputar History of American lnventions

Sullivan, MarkOur Times (for the effect of the automobile)'

Be sure to select the right volume'

TIME LINE

CADILLAC. IGNITION HIGH

SYSTEM OCTANErllrlllllrlllrllltlrl

200PATENTS

IT

1896 1900

l+lCASH REGISTER

ii'i#ii1910 1914 1917

l+JSELF-STARTER

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Name:

Class:

HISTORICAL FACTS

1. During his career Kettering patented over ___* inventions,

2. Kettering was born in in 1876.

3. He taught school briefly, but then entered __ University.

4. He invented the _____ _______, an achievement which caused him

to rise rapidly in the administration of the company.

5. He revised the _____ system for automobiles.

6. Ketteringalsoinventedthe_____ __,whichwasoneof the

greatest innovations in automobile history.

7 .He broughtfarm lighting to ruralAmerica by inventing the ____

8. During World War l, Kettering led research in the development of

andthe

9. His interest in engines helped pave the way for the

replacement of steam locomotives.

10. During World War ll, Kettering improved

, and ____ __ flight controls.

1 1 . ln his late years, he ______ much of his foftune to research.

12.The most important foundation is the

for Cancer Research.

OMark Twain Media, lnc., Publishers 135

Date: Name:

Charles Franklin Kettering

Use the information in the biography to help you answer the questions on thefollowing page. Place the answers to the crossword clues in the puzzle below.

Q l,'1a-< T,,,'ain Media, lnc.. Publishers 136

Charles Franklin Kettering--Crossword Clues

ACROSS4. Kettering invented the ___ which was

one of the greatest innovations inautomoblie history.

7. During World War l, Kettering ledresearch in the development ofgasoline.

9. Kettering's Dayton Engineering Labora-tories Co. was later called ___.

10. Kettering pattented over 200 ___.IIIIII:IIIIIIIIII

DOWN1. Kettering designed an unmanned ___

___ during World War L

After his first invention, Kettering roserapidly in the administration of theNational Company.During World War ll, Kettering devel-oped ___ flight controls.Kettering's interest in ___ enginescaught the attention of railroadcompanies,The Sloan-Kettering lnstitute for ______ is the most impoftant of the medi-cal foundations Kettering helpedfinance.Kettering revised the ___ system forautomobiles, which was adopted by theCadillac Motor Company.

2.

3.

5.

6.

8,

Date: Name:

Charles Franklin KetteringUnscramble the words below. They are all associated with this hero in some way.

Scrambled List

1. DOLCE2. LAEARYFBITTCRRI3. BGEETDISAHY4. TRNIHGGAMLFI5. EGLSNSDNEEIEI6. TSITEOIGSNIYMN7. IALCALCD8. AREELDTIORPAO9. OSPSIYHHTSENOT10. REREASCH11. RLFTSTERAES12. CEIHAGTNOH

Unscrambled List

BAD EYESIGHTIGNITION SYSTEMLIBERTY AIRCRAFTDIESEL ENGINES

Word List

SELFSTARTERFARM LIGHTINGAERIAL TORPEDOPHOTOSYNTHESIS

DELCOHIGH OCTANERESEARCHCADILLAC

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