Every snowmobile lover wants to know the exact history of their machines. The history of snowmobiles is not as straightforward as it may seem. It is too deep and too challenging for the early makers.
First, do not forget that snowmobiles have different names in different regions, like snow vehicle, snowmobile, snow scooter, snowmachine, motor sledge, sled, motor sled, etc, so do not confuse yourself, they all point towards snowmobiles
In this article, we will delve into the rich and deep history of snowmobiles, from the early concept of snowmobiles to the models we see today.
Let’s have a look
Early History of Snowmobiles:
1895:
The first patent for snowmobiles was invented by two inventors from Brule, Wisconsin, on September 5th, 1895. The inventors are William J. Culman and William B. Follis. That patent was without a model, and it was a sled-propeller design. That sled includes skis for snow and a propeller to run forward.
1900-1920s
In 1901, the early ancestor of the snowmobile, the steam-powered Lombard Log-Hauler, came into existence. This log-hauler was a train-like vehicle equipped with skis and tracks instead of wheels. This vehicle was able to do the work of 50 lumber-pulling horses, and almost 80+ units of this vehicle were produced at that time, out of which 6 remained.
Then, in 1905, the American motor sleigh was introduced in Boston. It was basically a sleigh with a frame that carried an engine, a drive shaft, and runners. It started in 1905, but its manufacturing ended in 1906 due to low sales.
In 1900-1910, a new vehicle called Aerosanis/Aerosledge was invented by russian helicopter engineer Igor Sikorsky. It is a propeller-driven vehicle containing skis and was used by the soviet red army during the Cold War and World War 2. They used it for communication, medical aid, border patrolling, and many other things.
Another ancestor of the modern concept of the Kegresse track hat was built by Adolphe Kegresse, along with Nicholas II of Russia, from 1906 to 1916.
The Kégresse half-track system has big wheels in the back. They don’t work like regular wheels; instead, they drive the rubberized track, which goes over bogie wheels and a drive sprocket. The rear axle turns the sprocket, which pulls the continuous track. This makes the vehicle move forward and gives it traction in the snow.
As for the front, instead of typical wheels, the vehicle uses skis to steer, similar to how a snowmobile operates. The steering wheel inside the cabin turns the skis left or right, directing the vehicle on snowy terrain.
O. M. Erickson and Art Olsen from South Dakota built a two-seat “motor-bob” in 1914 that was powered by an Indian motorcycle. It had sled runners, side-by-side seating, and a front cover. It looked like a modern snowmobile, but it didn’t have tracks.
Between 1915 and 1916, Ray H. Muscott (Michigan) patented a “motor sleigh” with rear tracks and front skis. He received a Canadian patent in 1915 and a U.S. patent in 1916. This design became the foundation for future snowmobiles.
Development of modern designs:
1920-1940(Step toward modern designs)
Carl Eliason built the first working snowmobile in the 1920s. It had a 2-cylinder engine, skis, and an endless track. Later, he sold his patent to FWD, which made snowmobiles for the military.
Virgil D. White (1917–1922): Made the conversion kit that turned Ford Model Ts into snowmobiles. He was the first person to change cars so they could be used in the snow.
Joseph-Armand Bombardier (1930s-1940s): He made the caterpillar track system and the B-7 and B-12 snowmobiles, which could be used for many things, including transportation, military, and utility.
Final Discussion:
Day after day, month after month, year after year, as time passes, innovations occur and modern designs of snowmobiles come into existence.
There was a time when there were no snowmobiles at all, and now we have a lot of options to select from.
Today, snowmobiles come with 2-stroke as well as 4-stroke engines. A lot of manufacturers are there, like ski-doo, Polaris, etc.
Modern engineering enabled us to make today’s designs that take the manufacturing of snowmobiles to another level. A 100-year-old snowmobile and today’s snowmobile show us how fast we grow up.
So we have shared a well-researched history of snowmobiles that helps you to understand how modern designs are developed. If you found any errors in the above content or want us to add some more history, feel free to contact us at any time.
Have a nice Day.
I really enjoyed this article ….it’s amazing to see how snowmobiles have evolved over more than a century. The way you explained the early designs, like the Lombard Log-Hauler and the Kégresse track, made it so easy to understand how each innovation built upon the last. Reading this gave me a whole new respect for snowmobiles as more than just fun machines, but as part of a history of survival, exploration, and innovation.