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The kind people over at Cummins Inc. have delivered. They did us all a favor and fired up Clessie Cummins, the founder of Cummins Inc., 1936 Cummins powered personal Cadillac. (video at bottom) He was an entrepreneur who improved on existing diesel engines, created new diesel engine designs, was awarded 33 United States patents for his inventions, and set five world records for endurance and speed for trucks, buses and race cars. In 1955, Cummins had to leave the company he created, retiring from the position of Chairman. He had managed to hold onto some key patents and formed Cummins Enterprises Company later that year. He moved on to work for the Allison Engine Company in California.
Clessie Cummins continued to innovate until his death on August 17, 1968. He identified the problem of vehicle brakes overheating and becoming non-functional during long, steep downhill descents. As a result, he designed and patented the first compression release engine brake. The design was first offered to Cummins, but Jacobs was ultimately the company with which he partnered. In 1954, the product was and still is sold under the Jake Brake name by Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc. As he approached eighty years of age, he designed, built, and ran in his basement shop a new concept engine.
Cummins, Inc. is now a worldwide builder of diesel engines with annual sales approaching $18 billion.
