Yep... 22 N 26th St. just one block off Michigan ave. and 1-1/2 (short) blocks N. of Kenilworth Blvd. 2nd Floor.

The bldg was owned by Barnett Tool Co. on the Blvd. right at 26th st. I bought most of my small tools from them. I was there for over 10 yrs.

Great story! I have Wayne Moore's book also and would have loved to visited them at the time you were there. Theres a myth that a group of japanese industrial tycoons were visiting the Moore offices and after the tour, put down
a huge sum (unsolicited) to buy the whole operation. The Moore family agreed to the offer, but somebody tipped off the US govt. and they nixed the deal based on national treasure/security. Fact or fiction? Thanks RJ for a great thread.

I've heard that as well, but have no idea at all if it's fact or fiction. I think though, that it is plausible. I know that Moore worked closely with the National Bureau of Standards, and M.I.T. If you look at Wayne's book, you will see that the intro was written by Dr. George R. Harrison, Dean-Emeritus of Science at M.I.T.

In the early days of trying to market, when I was a complete unknown, I wanted to get some endorsements from known entities. I contacted Dr. Harrison because of his connection with Moore and knowing that he would be traceable to practical shop knowledge.

He agreed to an interview, and I drove to M.I.T. to meet him. After seeing the indexer, he took me through the facilities there and showed me the machine that Moore helped design and equip to make diffraction gratings.

Fascinating. That's another story. I did end up getting a written endorsement from Dr. Harrison, which I'm quite proud of.

The pauses in the story are killing me! Thanks for a fascinating thread; I look forward to the rest.

And I still want to know how you designed the involute dresser!

I don't remember anyone asking how I did that. I was wondering if anyone would.

Quite simple really. If you look at what an involute curve is, it is the arc described if you wrap a line around a circumference, then unwind it. The end of that line as it's being unwound describes an involute curve.

I made a dresser similar to the J&S that would dress on the side of a wheel rather than underneath, (it could be either way really) with a pivot boss on the center of rotation. Wrapped a thin band of steel around that boss, mounted the diamond so that it could be adjusted directly over the band of steel, and fastened the end of the band to a slide holding the diamond.

As you rotated the assembly, the band unwound from the pivot boss and allowed the slide to move away from the boss describing an involute form. The boss represented the pitch diameter of the involute. To vary the pitch diameter, one only needed to increase or decrease the diameter of the boss.

I would love to read more of your stories. Thank you for sharing.

This has to be the best thread on the www.

(All hyperbole aside)

Gawrsh.... Yer gonna make me blush...

RJ, you willingly showed your prototype to AA gage, and Moore, both of whom were potential competition, didn't you have any fears of your idea/ design being pirated?

Not really. I had studied patent law and procedure for 7 months in order to write and prosecute the patent myself. I knew that this was one of those rare patents which no one could get around. It was the main reason for making no application aspects on the application.

The examiner at first objected to not showing an application and rejected it for that reason. I went into the patent office for a meeting with him, and proved to him that it could be used for simple applications just with the four plates illustrated. I don't think he truly understood it before that.

He looked at me and said "Some day this is going to be in the Encyclopedia Britannica." That was the second of many ego boosts with this project.

The first came from my dad. When I first invented it, he was working part time for me, and was grinding electrodes when I went into the shop to tell him about it. His reaction, typical for him.. "There must be something wrong with it or someone would have already done it." and went back to work.

I took him with me to Arlington (patent office) to do the searches, and he still didn't get it.

Finally, when the application was ready, we were driving to Arlington to file it, he read it with understanding for the first time. He said, "Do you know what you have here?" Well duh, I told you that almost a year ago. (Didn't actually say "duh".. that was before that expression came into being.)

All my life I had sought his approval with only a small amount of moderate success. To finally get significant approval from him was my first real ego boost.

I hope you have many more stories...they do make for good reading. I second Milacron also that you should post dupes on your blog also, as after you informed me you had been putting them there first, I have been reading them there. Just wanted to add to the several accolades you have already received here!

Wow RJ... You're my long lost Brother
Thanks so much for writing this for Us. Inspiring! -matt

I finally found some of the Smithsonian pics I've been looking for. I'll scan them soon and write a post.

RJ,

Your story and accomplishments are a fascinating read. You epitomize the American dream. I look forward to the next chapter.

Steve

This is edge of your seat stuff for some of us junkies!.....sure would be nice to see it in a book....(hint)

Thanks Steve.
Actually, I do consider that I'm living (my version of) the American Dream.

Glad you like it.

I doubt that I could fill a whole book and still keep it compact and fun to read. Maybe Russ (wrustle) will give me writing lessons for that..

This reminds me of the scene in Ironman where Obadiah demands from his engineer "Why can't you build this! You have this entire complex, and Tony Stark built it in a cave, out of garbage!" And the engineer says - "Because I'm not Tony Stark."

Keep typing! Please!

RJ,

I am following this too. Very interesting! Waiting for more.......

By the way, just kind of curious as to what some of the different applications your customers have used your indexer for? I know that there has got to be some off the wall stuff that you would have never imagined - both and .

Mekanizm

Please do keep typing, RJ. You're in the middle of a "page-turner" book, but halfway through the pages are blank! We're in suspense!

Best regards,

Orrin