Canadian Inventions – The Snowmobile

Joseph-Armand Bombardier was born in 1907 to a prosperous farming family from Valcourt, a small town in southern Quebec. He was the eldest son of a large family, and his father hoped he would one day join the priesthood. Joseph-Armand had different ideas. Bombardier exhibited an affinity for mechanics from an early age. He made toys powered by clock mechanisms for his seven siblings, assembled a steam engine from discarded sewing machine parts and rebuilt the engine of his father’s car (after having first dismantled it). It was this last (and unrequested) accomplishment that convinced Alfred Bombardier to give his son a decrepit Ford Model T engine that he believed was beyond repair. Alfred hoped the old engine would distract his son. Valcourt, like many towns in rural Quebec, was left isolated each winter by snowfall. The Quebec government didn’t plough many of the province's rural roads until 1948, compelling many residents to resort to horse-drawn sleds during the winter months. By the winter of 1922, Bombardier had devised his first snowmobile. He set about resurrecting the old Model T engine his father had given him and enlisted one of his brothers to help him build a prototype. The two person sled was driven by a hand crafted propeller coupled to the drive shaft of the Model T engine. The engine and sled occupants were supported on a simple frame above four sleigh runners. The sled was primitive, but it worked. Bombardier was eventually able to convince his father to let him drop out of the local seminary. He spent several years training as a mechanic in Montreal before returning to Valcourt in 1926 to establish his own garage. The seasonal business allowed him to develop his concept snowmobiles during the winter months when the locals could not use their cars. By this time, Bombardier had abandoned his primitive propeller driven sled in favour of a half track system. The new machine was to be driven by a caterpillar track at the rear of the vehicle, with skis at the front for steering. Bombardier soon realized that conventional continuous track systems were unable to contend with the wet snow conditions of Southern Quebec and set about developing an all-terrain drive track. He succeeded in 1935, developing a sprocket-driven continuous track that addressed the demanding conditions of his home town. He applied for, and received, a patent for his continuous track drive mechanism, the first of 43 patents he was granted during his life. Demand for the half track snowmobiles soon caused Bombardier to expand his operation. He built a new production facility in Valcourt and enlisted his siblings to help meet production orders. The young inventor continued to concentrate on improving the vehicle’s performance, and obtaining patents for new track layouts, suspension systems and mechanisms for removing snow from the tracks. During the Second World War, Bombardier became involved with the production of tracked vehicles for the Canadian Army, ultimately contributing to the production of more than 1900 military vehicles. The experience convinced Bombardier to expand his business into all-terrain vehicles. In 1953 the first Muskeg tractor was produced in the Valcourt plant. The unique weight distribution of Bombardier’s full track system allowed the Muskeg to travel over almost any terrain. The Muskeg was widely accepted, with various models being used in the Alps, the Sahara desert and even a 1957 expedition to Antarctica. The tractor was an immediate commercial success. In 1959 Bombardier was finally able to begin manufacturing the lightweight, nimble two-person snowmobile he had initially conceived all those years ago. Advances in small motor technology made lightweight, reliable and efficient small engines available for the first time. Bombardier’s son, Germain, developed a new continuous track system for the vehicle, which Bombardier named the Ski-Doo. Unfortunately, Bombardier did not live to see the immense success of the Ski-Doo vehicle or his company. The prolific inventor died prematurely in 1964 at the age of 56. The company he founded continued to flourish, expanding to produce mass transportation equipment including trains and aircraft. Bombardier Inc currently employs more than 65,000 people. The recreational products division, including the Ski-Doo brand, was sold in 2003 and is now called Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. Summary by: Richard Murphy