Ocean City 250 Inductor

spinyeel · Post by **spinyeel** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:30 am

Just aquired a couple of Inductors.Were these the first reels to incorporate a magnetic braking device,and if so when were they first manufactured?

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:10 am

Although William J. Johnson, Dayton, Ohio, patented a magnetic reel brake in 1942, it may never have been available commercially. Robert Ransom submitted a patent application for a magnetic brake 8 months after Johnson's patent was granted,and his brake was used in the "Inductor," which appeared around 1947 or 1948, in time to be included in the 1948 edition of Harlon Major's Salt Water Fishing Tackle. But the Horton Mfg. Co.'s "Bristol Electromatic," a freshwater casting reel, appeared at approximately the same time, and it also included Ransom's magnetic brake.

spinyeel · Post by **spinyeel** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:32 am

Thanks for the information.I think the reels were way ahead of their time.It was only during the early 80s that magged reels really took off.A good idea way too early perhaps?

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:24 am

There wasn't much reelmaking at all during WWII, so Johnson's brake never really had a chance to be used in fishing reels. Besides, he granted the government royalty-free use of it for such things as tow-target reels. There probably weren't a lot of ways to improve on Ransom's brake, so Ocean City and Horton probably had a lock on magnetic brakes until the patent expired. And Ransom had additional patents in 1950 and 1951, which might have extended their duopoly. A couple of other mag brakes were patented from 1949-1951. I have no idea whether or not True Temper acquired the rights to Ransom's patent(s) when they bought Ocean City (1963?).

From what little I can remember, one or more Japanese companies reintroduced mag brakes at some point in the 1970s, and patent-infringement lawsuits stopped Penn from marketing mag-equipped reels. Can't recall when that hassle occurred. It's not that the good idea was too early; the magged reels couldn't "take off" until other companies could begin using their own brake designs. O.C. and Horton seem to have sold lots of their magged reels, so the market was ready for the idea.

Dr. Rob · Post by **Dr. Rob** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:34 pm

Just went down to Florida and kidnaped a couple pics I saw a while back.

I like the price on that.
Actually, it was from a pretty good thread. A lot of technical and historical info, several pics and scans. Maybe even some of y'all are on it. Here:

www.http://orcaonline.org/images/pixel.gif?forum/dcb ... =show_mesg

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:13 pm

That thread shows the Inductor's magnets. Here are the Electromatic's guts. The three magnets face the spool when the reel is reassembled.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:15 pm

Dr. Rob,

Great thread, but the URL got messed up in your post:

http://orcaonline.org/images/pixel.gif ... =show_mesg

Cheers,

Dr. Todd