Acme Machine Co.

Acme Machine Company

James Tobias Reber began his career by founding a prosperous hardware company in the Reading PA area.  (Bard, Reber, and Co) His son, James Calvin Reber also worked as a deliveryman for him as a young man.

James C was a “timer” at the Penn Wheelmen bicycle races. Soon he got into the bicycle manufacturing business. He formed the Metropolitan Cycle Co. with John G. Xander.  The firm's 'Neversink' bicycles were manufactured in a factory located on Neversink Ave.

In 1894 James T got swept up in the bicycle business because of his son.  So, he founded the Acme Machine Company with $40,000.  He was its President, his son, James C, was the General Manager. The company made bicycles and cigar-making machines.

Acme manufactured the 'Pennant' and 'Stormer' bicycles until the factory and machinery were destroyed by fire in 1897. The Rebers then entered into an agreement with the American Bicycle Co. to construct Acme's bicycles while the plant was rebuilt. 

It was during this time that James T began to experiment with the automobiles.

Reber Manufacturing Company

In 1901 Reber Sr. retired from the American Bicycle Company, built an automobile manufacturing plant, and formed the Reber Manufacturing Co.  The first 'Reber' was a 12 horse-power carriage with a two-cylinder, vertical engine.

In 1902, he changed Reber Manufacturing’s name to the “Acme Motor Car Company”. 

In 1904, Acme put out a succession of models which included a one-cylinder runabout, two twin-cylinder runabouts, a four-cylinder touring and a landaulet.

They hired Victor Jakob from Mercedes Company in Germany. He and Reber designed a two-cylinder, chain-driven car with a progressive gear shift. This was far more advanced than anything previously manufactured in the industry.

In fact, their engineering was quite advanced for its time.  Soon Acme developed four-cylinder cars, then six-cylinders. They pioneered the first in the world four-cylinder motor with automatic intake valves, integral splined key shafts and the laminated frames for form-fitting seats.

One of the earliest cars is in the Reynolds-Alberta Museum (Canada). Originally sold to a man in Michigan, it had a “planetary” transmission. Henry Ford went to look at it and was fascinated by the transmission. Henry used that design for his first car in 1902 and every Ford through 1927. The only trouble was, a man, named Ball, who James C. had bought the transmission from had patented it. Ball sued. Henry agreed to pay Ball $1 for every Ford made, but he reneged.  In 1947 the Ford Museum tried to buy the Reber car from the man in Michigan, because of its historical significance but the man didn't like Henry and wouldn't sell.  The Canadian museum was able to buy it in 1998.

The Acme Motor Car company changed hands several times and was out of business by 1914.  Many of their innovations were used into the late 1930’s. 

The plant manager, Harry Uhrich, who started as an apprentice at Acme Bikes, went on to found the Fleetwood Limo company.

James C, always industrious, had by then partnered with his friends and formed the “Reading Metal Body Company”.  They made the aluminum bodies for automakers including Acme, Chadwick, Duryea, Garford, Matheson, Palmer-Singer, Premier and Studebaker. They specialized in limousines.

James T Reber was our fourth cousin.  He shared great-great grandparents with Florence Reber. 

Did our Reber cousin affect the entire automobile industry by inspiring Henry Ford and teaching Fleetwood how to make limousines?

Sure, let’s go with that.