BRP founder to be inducted into U.S.-based Inventors Hall of Fame
The founder of Ski-Doo – and, some would argue, recreational snowmobiling – will be posthumously honored for his inventive ways later this year. Interestingly, though, the proud Canadian will be inducted into the U.S.-based National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Joseph-Armand Bombardier certainly deserves high honors and accolades. His creative inventiveness, problem-solving skills and business acumen helped launch not just snowmobiling but the massive Bombardier corporation out of tiny Valcourt, Quebec.
For snowmobilers, his legend started at a very young age. When just 15, he and his brother mounted skis to Model T and then used a big propellor to drive it over snow – and directly into the family barn! Large over-snow vehicles would follow later, including the big, multi-passenger B7, B12 and C18 snow buses and utility vehicles.
Ultimately, his inclusion in the National Inventors Hall of Fame is tied to U.S. Patent No. 3,023,824, which essentially laid out the single-passenger, front-engine snowmobile that was driven by an endless track.
It was one of 16 patents that Bombardier held in the U.S. That is how the Canadian is eligible for the U.S.-based national inventors hall, according to Ken Torisky, the senior P.R. coordinator for the hall.
Read the original post on Snow Goer to see who else will be joining Bombardier in the Class of 2024 in May. Also, check out the bio the Hall put together on Bombardier – it’s well done.
