Rogers Vacuum Tube Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics, Radio manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Standard Radio Manufacturing Corporation |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Founder | Edward Rogers |
| Defunct | 1941 |
| Fate | Acquired by Small Electric Motors Ltd., became Canadian branch of Royal Philips Electronics |
| Successor | Standard Radio Ltd. |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Key people | Edward Rogers (founder), Joseph Elsworth Rogers (vice-president and later leader) |
| Products | Vacuum tubes, Batteryless radios |
Rogers Vacuum Tube Company, initially known as Radio Manufacturing Corporation Limited, was established in 1925 by Edward Rogers (1900–1939) under the name Standard Radio Manufacturing Corporation. The company's primary goal was to market Rogers' innovative "Batteryless" radios that utilized vacuum tube technology. In 1928, following a merger with Chicago-based Majestic Corporation, it adopted the name Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited, overseeing operations of both the Rogers Radio Tube Company and the Rogers Batteryless Radio Company. Joseph Elsworth Rogers (1898–1960), Edward's brother, held the position of vice-president until 1939 and subsequently assumed leadership until 1960.
To showcase its batteryless radio innovation and to promote a battery-free alternating current transmitter, the firm initiated Toronto's AM radio station CFRB, which became the world's first radio station powered entirely by mains electricity. After Edward Rogers passed away in 1939, Small Electric Motors Ltd. acquired the company in 1941. This acquisition led to its integration as the Canadian branch of the Dutch multinational Royal Philips Electronics, with Rogers Majestic Corporation Limited being rebranded as Standard Radio Ltd.
Vacuum tubes utilizing alternating current
In 1924, Edward Rogers founded Rogers Radio Ltd in Toronto with the purpose of manufacturing radios. Drawing inspiration from an experimental AC-operated vacuum tube developed by Frederick S. McCullough in the United States, Rogers enhanced the filament design to minimize hum caused by filament cycling at generator frequency, successfully demonstrating this advancement within the same year.
The following year, in 1925, Standard Radio Manufacturing Corporation was formed to facilitate large-scale production of this new AC-operated vacuum tube. This initiative introduced some of the earliest Canadian and American AC triode tubes, notably the Rogers R30 and R32 models. RCA subsequently released its own AC triode, the UX-226, in 1926.
By 1928, the enterprise had been renamed Rogers Radio Tube Company Ltd., shifting its emphasis from manufacturing radio sets to focusing on vacuum tube design and production. During this era, Rogers manufactured AC-operated tetrode tubes that were competitive with RCA's UY-224 model.
See also
- Additron tube
- Rogers Communications, a media and broadcasting company founded by Ted Rogers, son of Edward Rogers
References
- Rogers Communications
- Electronics companies established in 1925
- 1925 establishments in Ontario
- Mass media companies established in 1925
- Electronics companies disestablished in 1941
- Mass media companies disestablished in 1941
- 1941 disestablishments in Ontario
- 1941 mergers and acquisitions
- History of radio in Canada
- Rogers family (Canada)