#108 Jacobs Engine Brake Retarder (1957)

Jacobs Manufacturing Company
22 East Dudley Town Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002

Notable for: first practical mechanism for braking large trucks with engine compression as they descend long, steep grades at controlled speeds

Links:
Owner site: http://www.jakebrake.com/
Cummins Engine site: http://www.cummins.com/

More about . . .
The Jake Brake permits large trucks to descend long, steep grades at a controlled speed. It was the first practical mechanism for altering on demand the valve timing on a truck diesel engine, thereby converting the engine to a power absorbing machine. The modified engine can continue to power the truck in normal operation, allowing service brakes to remain cool for emergency situations. Invented by Clessie Lyle Cummins (1886-1968), this device (produced by the Jacobs manufacturing company since 1961) has contributed significantly to highway safety.

Visiting Info: regular hours: Mon-Fri 8-5:30

Ceremony Notes: October 1985