Howard Frederick Hobbs

Howard Frederick Hobbs (21 September 1902 – 15 December 1982)[1] was a South Australian inventor, a pioneer of automatic transmission for motor vehicles. In 1932 he moved to England, where he spent the rest of his life developing automatic gearboxes that failed to find a market.

History

Hobbs was born in Adelaide a son of J(ohn) Harris Hobbs and Mary Eliza Hobbs, née Pitt, of Payneham and studied at Prince Alfred College, where he was successful academically and in athletics. His brothers Norman Theodore Hobbs and ?? were educated at the same school. He left school at age 15,[2] to work on his father's orchard and market garden.

In his spare time, he worked on a series of mechanical inventions. He never underwent higher education and his engineering knowledge and abilities were entirely self-taught.

He married Phyllis Dorothy Reid in 1927; they had a daughter Barbara on 5 May 1927. They lived in Paradise, a suburb of Adelaide, where he spent seven years working on his automatically variable gearbox until he had a working model operating in a "baby Austin" car. His invention won the support of professors R. W. Chapman and Kerr Grant of Adelaide University. A parts breakdown may be viewed here.

A company, Hobbs Gearless Drive Limited, was founded in June 1931 with capital of £12,250 in £1 shares, to exploit the invention. Sidney Crawford of Adelaide Motors, L. M. Anderson, R. Deaves (engineer) of St. Peters, H. F. Hobbs (inventor), and his father J. H. Hobbs were the directors. J. H. Hobbs was company chairman. Other investors were G. H. Scott (factory representative for New Zealand of Austin Motor Car Company, Limited. Wellington), W. G. T. Goodman (engineer), and Adelaide Motors Limited. Both of the Hobbs and R. Deaves also invested in the company.[3]

Hobbs sailed for England with his family to demonstrate the invention to engineers at Coventry. The Hobbs settled in Leamington Spa, and had two more children: John on 1 July 1933 and David on 9 June 1939.

In 1932, after some satisfactory test results, another £50,000 in shares was issued, and Sidney Crawford was elected Managing Director.[4]

No major auto manufacturer ever signed a contract, and the company was wound up in 1941.[5] Hobbs persisted, and founded Hobbs Transmissions Ltd. at Leamington Spa in 1946. In 1950 he produced a hydraulically operated four-speed "Mechamatic" gearbox, which was lighter and more compact than the American models, and found a few buyers.[6] A later company was Variable Kinetic Drives, Ltd., which was granted three key patents.[7]

Other interests

  • He was a fine singer, performing at weddings and other occasions
  • He was an excellent golfer[1]

References

  1. ^ a b G. H. Brooks, 'Hobbs, Howard Frederick (1902–1982)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2007, accessed online 10 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Long Battle by Inventor". The News. Vol. XVI, no. 2, 463. Adelaide. 10 June 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Business Man's Diary". The News. Vol. XVI, no. 2, 463. Adelaide. 10 June 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Company Meetings: The Hobbs Gearless Drive Ltd". The News. Vol. XIX, no. 2, 883. Adelaide. 14 October 1932. p. 9. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Hobbs Gearless Drive To Wind Up". The News. Adelaide. 4 December 1941. p. 12. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "New Version Of S.A. Man's Semi-Automatic Gearbox". The Advertiser. Vol. 93, no. 28, 752. Adelaide. 4 December 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 10 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Justitia Patents: Howard Frederick Hobbs". Retrieved 10 March 2018.

Read other articles:

Étienne Balibar

Étienne BalibarLahir23 April 1942 (umur 81)Avallon, Bourgogne, PrancisAlmamaterÉcole Normale SupérieureEraAbad ke-20KawasanFilsafat baratAliranPost-MarxismeMinat utamaPolitikGagasan pentingEgaliberté Dipengaruhi Karl Marx · Louis Althusser · Jean Hippolyte · Baruch Spinoza Memengaruhi Jacques Rancière · Slavoj Žižek · Stephen Resnick · John Milios Étienne Balibar (bahasa Prancis: [balibaʁ]; (lahir 23 Apr...

 

 

Ruhut Sitompul

Ini adalah nama Batak Toba, marganya adalah Sitompul. Ruhut SitompulRuhut sebagai politikus Partai Demokrat.LahirRuhut Poltak Hotparulian Sitompul[1]24 Maret 1954 (umur 70)Pematang Siantar, Simalungun, Sumatera UtaraPekerjaanAktorAdvokatPolitikusTahun aktif1987 - sekarangPartai politikPDI-P (sejak 2016)Suami/istriAnna Rudhiantiana Legawati ​ ​(m. 1998)​ [2] Diana Leovita ​(m. 2008)​[3]AnakPernika...

 

 

Space suit

Garment worn to keep a human alive in the harsh environment of outer space Not to be confused with Single-person spacecraft. Apollo spacesuit worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin on Apollo 11 Orlan space suit worn by astronaut Michael Fincke outside the International Space Station Feitian space suit being displayed at the National Museum of China A space suit or spacesuit is a garment worn to keep a human alive in the harsh environment of outer space, vacuum and temperature extremes. Space suits are...

VIA Metropolitan Transit

Transit Agency 29°26′34″N 98°29′58″W / 29.44278°N 98.49944°W / 29.44278; -98.49944 VIA Metropolitan TransitEastwood Village-bound 26 bus in Downtown San AntonioFormerlySan Antonio Transit SystemParentCity of San Antonio and Bexar CountyFounded1977Headquarters123 N. Medina St.San Antonio, TexasUnited StatesService areaGreater San AntonioRoutesTotal: 94Express: 4Frequent: 14Lineup: 20Metro: 46Primo: 3Skip: 4Stops6851HubsPark & Ride: 10Transit Center: 9Fle...

 

 

Татары в Турции

Татары в Турции Современное самоназвание татарлар Численность 10 - 25 тыс.[1] Расселение  Турция Язык татарский, турецкий Религия ислам суннитского толка Входит в татары Происхождение татары Татары в Турции (тат. Төркия татарлары, тур. Türkiye'de Tatarlar) — часть жителе...

 

 

Uriah Forrest

American politician (1756–1805) Uriah ForrestMember of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Maryland's 3rd districtIn officeMarch 4, 1793 – November 8, 1794Preceded byJohn F. MercerSucceeded byBenjamin Edwards Personal detailsBorn1756 (1756)St. Mary's County, Province of Maryland, British AmericaDiedJuly 6, 1805(1805-07-06) (aged 48–49)Washington, D.C., U.S.Resting placeOak Hill CemeteryWashington, D.C., U.S.Political partyFederalistSpouseRebecca PlaterRe...

The Lambing Flat

Book by Nerida Newton This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: The Lambing Flat – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) The Lambing Flat First edition coverAuthorNerida NewtonCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglishGenreHistorical novelPublisherUniversity of ...

 

 

Wikipédia:Citez vos sources

Cette page ne traite que des principes de fond. Pour apprendre à rédiger et à mettre en forme les références et autres annotations au sein des articles, consultez les pages suivantes : Aide:Insérer une référence et Aide:Note. Ce texte est considéré comme une recommandation dans Wikipédia. Il décrit des exigences dont le principe et le contenu sont acceptés par un grand nombre de wikipédiens. Vous pouvez librement modifier cette page, mais il est conseillé d'utiliser la page de...

 

 

Kalyana Parisu

1959 film by C. V. Sridhar For the TV series, see Kalyana Parisu (TV series). Kalyana ParisuTheatrical release posterDirected bySridharWritten bySridharProduced byS. KrishnamoorthyT. GovindarajanSridharStarringGemini GanesanB. Saroja DeviCinematographyA. VincentEdited byN. M. ShankarMusic byA. M. RajahProductioncompanyVenus PicturesRelease date 9 April 1959 (1959-04-09) Running time194 minutes[1]CountryIndiaLanguageTamilBudget₹1 lakh Kalyana Parisu (transl. Wedd...

CLASP1

CLASP1 التراكيب المتوفرة بنك بيانات البروتينOrtholog search: PDBe RCSB قائمة رموز معرفات بنك بيانات البروتين 4K92 المعرفات الأسماء المستعارة CLASP1, MAST1, cytoplasmic linker associated protein 1 معرفات خارجية الوراثة المندلية البشرية عبر الإنترنت 605852 MGI: MGI:1923957 HomoloGene: 41024 GeneCards: 23332 علم الوجود الجيني الوظيفة الج�...

 

 

コルク

この記事は検証可能な参考文献や出典が全く示されていないか、不十分です。出典を追加して記事の信頼性向上にご協力ください。（このテンプレートの使い方）出典検索?: コルク – ニュース · 書籍 · スカラー · CiNii · J-STAGE · NDL · dlib.jp · ジャパンサーチ · TWL（2017年4月） コルクを打ち抜いて作った瓶の栓 コルク（木栓、�...

 

 

التهاب الشغاف العدوائي

التهاب الشغاف العدوائي نابتات على الصمام المترالي، سببها التهاب شغاف بكتيري.نابتات على الصمام المترالي، سببها التهاب شغاف بكتيري. معلومات عامة الاختصاص طب القلب،  وأمراض معدية  من أنواع التهاب الشغاف،  ومرض معد،  ومرض  الأسباب الأسباب عدوى  المظهر السريري...

Andrew the Apostle

Apostle of Jesus in the New Testament Saint Andrew redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Andrew (disambiguation). SaintAndrew the ApostleSaint Andrew (c. 1611) by Peter Paul RubensApostle, Martyr and Patron of ScotlandBornc. AD 5Bethsaida, Galilee, Roman EmpireDiedAD 60/70[1]Patras, Achaea, Roman EmpireVenerated inAll Christian denominations which venerate saintsMajor shrineSt Andrew's Cathedral, Patras, Greece; St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland; the Church of St Andre...

 

 

ناثان باكستر

ناثان باكستر   معلومات شخصية الميلاد 8 نوفمبر 1998 (العمر 25 سنة)وستمنستر  الطول 6 قدم 3 بوصة (1.91 م) مركز اللعب حارس مرمى الجنسية المملكة المتحدة  معلومات النادي النادي الحالي هال سيتي(معارًا من تشيلسي) الرقم 13 مسيرة الشباب سنوات فريق كراي واندررز 2006–2016 تشيلسي ال�...

 

 

Pre-modern conceptions of whiteness

Pre-modern conceptions of whiteness Recovery of Helen by Menelaus. Attic black-figure amphora, c. 550 BC. Homer calls Helen white-armed. The description of populations as white in reference to their skin colour predates and is distinct from the race categories constructed from the 17th century onward.[1] Coloured terminology is occasionally found in Graeco-Roman ethnography[2][3] and other ancient and medieval sources, but these societies did not have any notion ...

Gamer (film)

GamerPoster filmSutradaraNeveldine/TaylorProduserTom RosenbergGary LucchesiRichard WrightSkip WilliamsonDitulis olehNeveldine/TaylorPemeranGerard ButlerMichael C. HallAmber VallettaLogan LermanTerry Crews dengan Ludacris dan Kyra SedgwickPenata musikRobb WilliamsonGeoff ZanelliSinematograferEkkehart PollackPenyuntingFernando VillenaPerusahaanproduksiLakeshore EntertainmentDistributorLionsgateTanggal rilis4 September 2009 (2009-09-04)Durasi95 menitNegaraAmerika SerikatBahasaInggrisA...

 

 

كاريل سينيسكي

يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (مايو 2023) كاريل سينيسكي   معلومات شخصية الميلاد 17 مارس 1919   براغ  الوفاة 28 أبريل 1979 (عن عمر ناهز 60 عاماً)براغ&...

 

 

Bhowani Junction

Book by John Masters This article is about the novel. For the film, see Bhowani Junction (film). First edition (publ. Michael Joseph) Bhowani Junction is a 1954 novel by British novelist John Masters, which was the basis of a 1956 film starring Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger.[1] It is set amidst the turbulence of the British withdrawal from India. It is notable for its portrayal of the Eurasian (Anglo-Indian) community, who were caught in their loyalties between the departing British...

Loir-et-Cher

Este artigo não cita fontes confiáveis. Ajude a inserir referências. Conteúdo não verificável pode ser removido.—Encontre fontes: ABW  • CAPES  • Google (N • L • A) (Agosto de 2020) Loir-et-CherLoir-et-Cher Informações País  França Região Centro Sede do depto. (Préfecture) Blois Sub-sedes (Sous-préfectures) Romorantin-LanthenayVendôme População 314 968 hab. (1999) Área 6 343 km² Densidade populaci...

 

 

A. F. Theriault Shipyard

Shipyard located in Canada A. F. Theriault & Son Ltd.IndustryShipbuilding and RepairFounded1938; 86 years ago (1938)FounderAugustin TheriaultHeadquartersMeteghan River, CanadaServicesVessel Construction and RepairNumber of employees150–180Websitewww.aftheriaultboatyard.com A. F. Theriault & Son Ltd is a privately owned shipyard located in Meteghan River, Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded by Augustin Theriault in 1938.[1] The shipyard has bui...