One of the inventors of coated electrodes for manual arc welding
Arthur Percival (Percy) Strohmenger
(born 1876 in Tottenham; died 23. Januar 1943 at Sandbanks, Poole in Dorset, England) was one of the inventors of coated stick electrodes for manual arc welding (also known as shielded metal arc
welding or colloquially as stick welding). The coatings stabilized the arc.
Percy trained as an electrical engineer. In 1894 he was accepted as a day student in the institution for electrical engineers and in 1896 he was added to the professional lists for electrical
engineers. From 1896 until at least 1898-99 he worked for the Electric Insulation Syndicate, East Moors, Cardiff, Wales. In 1900 he lived at Tollington Place in North London.[1]
Around 1900 he introduced electrodes coated with a clay and lime coating, while Oscar Kjellberg dipped iron wire in mixtures of carbonates and silicates to coat electrodes.[3] Around 1911 he founded Cole and C. H. Champness, he founded the Quasi-Arc Company with headquarters in Grosvenor Gardens, London.[3]
He travelled a lot, for example to New York, Buenos Aires, South Africa. The family's fortune originally came from piano manufacturing, with the founding of the company John Strohmenger & Sons in 1835 in London, England. The Chappell Piano Co.bought Strohmengers in 1938, but the name of the company's founders is still being used today.[4]
Percy Strohmenger had driven 200-300 miles in a Sperry electric car imported from the USA in 1898 before 1900, according to his qualification
certificate.
He was the owner of the Sperry, but also drove an Elieson, also electric, one of which was exhibited by the Automobile Association at the 1899 Autocar and Motor Cycle Show in Cordingley. The
Elieson Lamina Accumulator Co. provided the electric drive for tram cars and an engine start and published details of their first car in 1897.[1]
Bentley 3½ Liter Gurney Nutting Coupé of 1936 (Works-No B196FB), deliverd new to A. P. Strohmenger
© Anton van Luijk, 2012, CC-BY 2.0
He applied to the Circle of Nineteenth-Century Motorists in 1928 and named Walter Bersey as one of his sponsors and was admitted there on 3 January 1929.[1]
In 1936 he purchased a Bentley 3½ litre Gurney Nutting Coupé (works no. B196FB) as a new car.
In 1902 he married Matilda Justina Thunling and had three children with her: Kenneth Percival Karl (1905-1967), Phyllis Margaret (1906-1999) and Barbara Joyce (1908-1938) [2] He was considered a devoted husband and father.[4]
Besides his love for cars and boats, he was interested in dogs and birds and participated in flower shows. He was an amazing inventor and scientist, so he was granted many patents that changed the world.[5]
Patents
-
Arthur Percy Strohmenger, of London, England, assignor to Quasi-arc Incorporated, of New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York:
Electrode. Application filed January 17, 1929, Serial No. 333,243, and in Great Britain March 27, 1928. US1794042A
References
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The Circle of Nineteenth-Century Motorists: The
who.
- Cary, Howard B.; Helzer, Scott C. (2005), Modern Welding Technology, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, ISBN 978-0-13-113029-6.
- Grace's Guide: Quasi-Arc Company.
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Irish Wolfhound History: The Coval Kennel.
- Linda Dudley Mutch: Arthur Percy Strohmenger.
- Sara Seitz: The Irish Wolfhound – Ultimate Breed Information Guide.