Before there was Miller Products Company, there was the Don Miller Cycle Company. Since the start, Miller Products has been a leader in the CNC and Screw Machined parts industry. As we discussed last week, we began our business by being the first company to bring the kickstand to America, and though the company stopped producing those bike parts in the early seventies (when the patent expired); we still have the capability and dedicated staff to help create custom bike parts for today’s market.
So, today our Throwback Thursday post is dedicated to the bicycle. Pictured to the right is the original Miller Products Co. kickstand- at the time, a revolutionary part that changed the way the bike was used.
During the late 30s to early 40s, there were three major bike stores in Des Moines: Miller, Barr, and Irwin. Barr bought out and took over the Don Miller Cycle Company, which then turned into Miller Products Co. and solely started manufacturing parts for products.
Donald L. Miller filed a patent for the kickstand on June 24, 1940. Eighteen months later the patent was approved on December 30, 1941. Throughout the time Miller held the patent rights to the kickstand; the company was a huge supplier to Schwinn Bikes; though, when the patent expired in the late 50s-the company stopped supplying to Schwinn and the focus became supplying bike stores with an array of desired bicycle accessories.
Bikes have been a huge part of our business’ history since the start, and we hope to continue to keep that tradition alive and breathing-just in a new form, to fit the modern times of the bicycle industry. We have the capabilities through our CNC and Screw Machines to help you design the perfect precision bicycle component. At Miller Products the sky is the limit, so visit our Contact Us page or send us a tweet, and find out how we can assist you in your bicycle endeavors.
Approved patent from 1941