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Here is a summary the origin of the Allen-Bradley Company.
Founding and Early Years
The Founders: The company was founded by Dr. Stanton Allen (an orthopedic surgery specialist) and brothers Harry and Lynde Bradley.
The Inspiration: As a teenager, Lynde Bradley read Electricity for Engineers, which introduced him to carbon pile resistance—the core concept that eventually became the foundation of the company.
Initial Concept: After working with crane controllers, Lynde designed a carbon compression type controller in 1901. This led to a brief production royalty partnership under the name Compression Rheostat Co..
Official Formation: Following financial complications with their manufacturing partner, the founders severed ties and officially changed their name to the ALLEN-BRADLEY Co. on August 6, 1909.
The Radio Boom and Expansion
The Pivot: Following a post-WWI recession, the company adapted a small automobile battery-charging rheostat for the rapidly growing "amateur radio" market.
Product Success: This modified device, the Bradleystat, sold by the millions to control tube filaments. It was followed by an array of popular radio components, including the Bradleyohm, Bradleyleak, Bradleyometer, and Bradleyswitch.
Massive Growth: Propelled by the radio and industrial sectors, the company grew from just 12 employees in 1910 to nearly 7,000 by the 1960s, expanding its catalog into industrial motor controls, electronic components, and molded ferrite parts.
Company Trivia: The Allen-Bradley building in Milwaukee features the largest four-faced clock in the world, with faces measuring over 40 feet in diameter—significantly larger than London's Big Ben.
