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{{Infobox person
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'''Joseph Ledwinka''' (December 14, 1870 &ndash; November 26, 1949, aged 78)<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950">''Buddgette'', January 1950</ref> was an automobile engineer.
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| name = Joseph Ledwinka
| birth_name = Joseph V. Ledwinka
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1870|12|14}}
| birth_place = [[Vienna]], [[Austria]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1949|11|26|1870|12|14}}
| death_place = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]
| resting_place =
| other_names =
| spouse = {{marriage|Laura B. Leidy|1906}}
| children =
| nationality =
| known_for =
| occupation = [[Automotive engineering|Automotive engineer]]
| employer = [[Budd Company|Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company]]
⚫
}}


⚫
'''Joseph Ledwinka''' (December 14, 1870 &ndash; November 26, 1949)<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950">''Buddgette'', January 1950</ref> was an automobile engineer.
⚫
Ledwinka, a distant relative of [[Hans Ledwinka]], was born in [[Vienna]],<ref name="time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,754761,00.html|title=Science: Patent No. 2,000,000|date=13 May 1935|publisher=Time|accessdate=21 October 2011}}</ref> and emigrated to the United States in 1896 and was employed in his first job as carriage trimmer at the Chicago Coach and Carriage Company where he developed his first patented design for a four-wheel-drive electric vehicle with four-wheel brakes, several of which were built by [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|Westinghouse]]. Later he became a chief engineer for the Chattanooga Railroad of Tennessee, where he designed special drives for electric trolley cars.<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950"/> Coming to Philadelphia he started working with [[Edward Gowen Budd]] for the Hale & Kilburn company where they pioneered the pressed-steel car body panelling manufacturing process starting in 1909. In 1912, they established their own factory, the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co.<ref name="time"/> later [[Ambi Budd]] in Philadelphia where they formed automobile panels by drop pressing and power hammering later followed by drawing and stretching of panels. They supplied body parts to [[Dodge]]. In 1923, [[André Citroën]] took up the Budd licence for his all-steel B12 model. In 1929, Ledwinka designed the front-wheel drive [[Ruxton (automobile)|Ruxton]] car. In the 1930s Ledwinka was involved in the design of [[Chrysler Airflow]] body and worked with [[Ferdinand Porsche]] on the early VW prototypes. Ledwinka was an author of over 300 technical [[patent]]s relating to automobile design.<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950"/>

==Early life==
Joseph V. Ledwinka, a distant relative of [[Hans Ledwinka]], was born in [[Vienna]], and emigrated to the United States in 1896.<ref name="time">{{cite web|url=http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,754761,00.html|title=Science: Patent No. 2,000,000|date=1935-05-13|publisher=Time|accessdate=2021-03-24}}</ref>

==Career==
⚫
Ledwinka was employed in his first job as carriage trimmer ([[Upholstery|upholsterer]]) at the Chicago Coach and Carriage Company where he developed his first patented design for a four-wheel-drive electric vehicle with four-wheel brakes, several of which were built by [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|Westinghouse]]. Later he became a chief engineer for the [[Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway|Chattanooga Railroad]] of [[Tennessee]], where he designed special drives for electric trolley cars.<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950"/> Coming to Philadelphia in 1910, he started working with [[Edward G. Budd]] for the [[Hale & Kilburn]] company where they pioneered the pressed-steel car body paneling manufacturing process starting in 1909.<ref name="time"/><ref name="obit">{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74232017/j-ledwinka-dies-retired-engineer-27-n |title=J. Ledwinka Dies, Retired Engineer |date=1949-11-27 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |page=B19 |access-date=2021-03-24}}</ref> In 1912, they established their own factory, the [[Budd Company|Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company]], in Philadelphia where they formed automobile panels by drop pressing and power hammering later followed by drawing and stretching of panels.<ref name="time"/> He worked as the chief engineer.<ref name="obit"/> They supplied body parts to [[Dodge]]. In 1923, [[André Citroën]] took up the Budd license for his all-steel B12 model. In 1929, Ledwinka designed the front-wheel drive [[Ruxton (automobile)|Ruxton]] car. In the 1930s Ledwinka was involved in the design of [[Chrysler Airflow]] body and worked with [[Ferdinand Porsche]] on the early VW prototypes. He retired from Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co. in 1942 and remained as a consulting engineer until his death.<ref name="obit"/> Ledwinka was an author of over 300 technical [[patent]]s relating to automobile design.<ref name="Buddgette, January 1950"/>

==Personal life==
Ledwinka's first wife died in the summer of 1905.<ref name="marriage">{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74233235/chicago-man-to-wed-24-feb-1904-the-phi |title=Chicago Man to Wed |date=1904-02-24 |page=1 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=2021-03-24}}</ref> He married Laura B. Leidy in 1906.<ref name="marriage"/> He had four stepsons.<ref name="obit"/> He was a member of the [[Society of Automotive Engineers]] and the [[Franklin Institute]].<ref name="obit"/>

==Death==
Ledwinka died on November 26, 1949, at [[Penn Presbyterian Medical Center|Presbyterian Hospital]] in [[Philadelphia]].<ref name="obit"/>


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 9: Line 39:
== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
* Margolius, Ivan and Henry, John G. (1990). Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka. Harrow: SAF Publishing. ISBN 978-0-946719-06-8, pp.&nbsp;122–123
* Margolius, Ivan and Henry, John G. (1990). Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka. Harrow: SAF Publishing. {{ISBN|978-0-946719-06-8}}, pp.&nbsp;122–123
* Margolius, Ivan and Henry, John G. (2015). Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka. Dorchester: Veloce Publishing. ISBN 978-1-845847-99-9, pp.&nbsp;147–148
* Margolius, Ivan and Henry, John G. (2015). Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka. Dorchester: Veloce Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1-845847-99-9}}, pp.&nbsp;147–148
* http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/l/ledwinka/ledwinka.htm
* http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/l/ledwinka/ledwinka.htm


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/2013_207.xml Mike Karwowski collection of Budd Company photographs] (1916, 1919) at [[Hagley Museum and Library]]. One photograph is of the drafting room showing several unidentified men working with Joseph Ledwinka.
* [http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/2013_207.xml Mike Karwowski collection of Budd Company photographs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110030016/http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead%2F2013_207.xml |date=2016-01-10 }} (1916, 1919) at [[Hagley Museum and Library]]. One photograph is of the drafting room showing several unidentified men working with Joseph Ledwinka.


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
⚫
| NAME = Ledwinka, Joseph
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Automobile pioneer
| DATE OF BIRTH = December 14, 1870
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = November 26, 1949
| PLACE OF DEATH =
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}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledwinka, Joseph}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledwinka, Joseph}}
[[Category:1870 births]]
[[Category:1870 births]]
[[Category:1949 deaths]]
[[Category:1949 deaths]]
[[Category:Automotive pioneers]]
[[Category:American automotive pioneers]]
[[Category:Engineers from Vienna]]
[[Category:Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to the United States]]

Latest revision as of 07:46, 6 May 2023

Joseph Ledwinka
Born
Joseph V. Ledwinka

(1870-12-14)December 14, 1870
Vienna, Austria
DiedNovember 26, 1949(1949-11-26) (aged 78)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
OccupationAutomotive engineer
EmployerEdward G. Budd Manufacturing Company
Spouse
Laura B. Leidy
​
(m. 1906)​

Joseph Ledwinka (December 14, 1870 – November 26, 1949)[1] was an automobile engineer.

Early life[edit]

Joseph V. Ledwinka, a distant relative of Hans Ledwinka, was born in Vienna, and emigrated to the United States in 1896.[2]

Career[edit]

Ledwinka was employed in his first job as carriage trimmer (upholsterer) at the Chicago Coach and Carriage Company where he developed his first patented design for a four-wheel-drive electric vehicle with four-wheel brakes, several of which were built by Westinghouse. Later he became a chief engineer for the Chattanooga Railroad of Tennessee, where he designed special drives for electric trolley cars.[1] Coming to Philadelphia in 1910, he started working with Edward G. Budd for the Hale & Kilburn company where they pioneered the pressed-steel car body paneling manufacturing process starting in 1909.[2][3] In 1912, they established their own factory, the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, in Philadelphia where they formed automobile panels by drop pressing and power hammering later followed by drawing and stretching of panels.[2] He worked as the chief engineer.[3] They supplied body parts to Dodge. In 1923, André Citroën took up the Budd license for his all-steel B12 model. In 1929, Ledwinka designed the front-wheel drive Ruxton car. In the 1930s Ledwinka was involved in the design of Chrysler Airflow body and worked with Ferdinand Porsche on the early VW prototypes. He retired from Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co. in 1942 and remained as a consulting engineer until his death.[3] Ledwinka was an author of over 300 technical patents relating to automobile design.[1]

Personal life[edit]

Ledwinka's first wife died in the summer of 1905.[4] He married Laura B. Leidy in 1906.[4] He had four stepsons.[3] He was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Franklin Institute.[3]

Death[edit]

Ledwinka died on November 26, 1949, at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia.[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Buddgette, January 1950
  2. ^ a b c "Science: Patent No. 2,000,000". Time. 1935-05-13. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "J. Ledwinka Dies, Retired Engineer". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1949-11-27. p. B19. Retrieved 2021-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Chicago Man to Wed". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1904-02-24. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-03-24 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Ledwinka&oldid=1153426002"