From a mid-1880s blacksmithing magazine

From the late 1860s until 1884, Hamilton Bates and son Daniel L. Bates, operating as H. Bates & Son, made post- and bench-mounted mechanics' drill presses. In 1869 the two men were jointly granted a patent on their drill press. In 1871 a patent for improvements was issued to John Lemman of Cincinnati; the patent was assigned to the Bates pair. In 1884 the business name changed to D. L. Bates & Bro.. We are not certain whether the drill was ever made under this name but it had certainly been discontinued within a couple of years.

In about 1893 the brothers developed AC and DC motors that were primarily intended for driving fans. Besides selling the motors they also sold fans and they were one of the first makers of electric ceiling fans. They also made desk and wall-mounted water-motor fans that were powered by pressurized water rather than electricity. They also also a gasoline-engine ignition system.

In 1903 the business re-organized as the D. L. Bates & Bro. Co., with president D. L. Bates, vice-president and general manager R. H. Bates, and secretary A. L. Bates. The company survived until at least 1915. They may have either gone under or been bought out during that period of consolidation of motor and fan manufacturers.

Information Sources

• The 1870 edition of the Annual Report of the Indiana State Board of Agriculture lists the prizes awarded at their 1870 State Fair, including "H. Bates & Son, Dayton, Ohio ; blacksmith drills. Diploma."
• The 1870 Report of the General Committee of the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition lists exhibitors, including "H. Bates & Son, Dayton. Bates’ Patent Self-Feeding Upright Hand Drill."
• The 1870 Annual Report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, in the section on that year's Ohio State Fair, lists "Bates & Son, Dayton, hand drill" as recommended for an award.

  Dayton was represented by perhaps a greater number of machines than any other city in the State. Among useful machines we would make a note of Bates' Hand Drills for blacksmiths and carriage manufacturers. This is an upright drill with adjustable table and carrying a large though not exceedingly heavy balance on the top of the drill shaft. This is turned by crank and bevel gear. The large balance wheel gives great steadiness to the motion of the drill. The machines are also furnished with self-fed arrangements, making it at once a very handy and compact machine.

• From, Business and Advertisements of Dayton Circa 1889, compiled in 1996 by Curt Dalton.

  D. L. Bates & Bro.
  Third and Canal Streets

  An important factor in the machinery trade of Dayton is the house conducted by Messrs. D. L. Bates & Bro., which was originally established in 1865 as H. Bates & Son, and since the year 1884 has assumed its present designation. The premises occupied for the business comprise two floors in the Gebhart Building, each 35 x 50 feet in dimensions. They are equipped with general and special machinery and tools of improved design, and furnish employment to from fifteen to twenty skilled operatives. The products of the house consist of a general line of machine work, anything in this department of business being promptly executed to order at lowest prices in the best manner know to the trade.

  They also manufacture the Star Ice Shaver, an illustration of which is here given. It is the latest and best device of the kind on the market, and embodies many valuable improvements. It makes a handsome ornament for a counter, will increase sales, will save quantities of ice, and once in use will never be abandoned. All parts are interchangeable, so that any part breaking and becoming worn out can be replaced with but a trifling cost. It is made of the best material with great care, and it does not get out of order, being very simple in construction.

  The Star Cork Puller is another useful little appliance. It is undoubtedly the best, and for simplicity, beauty and durability had no compeer. It is handsomely nickel plated and very attractive in appearance.

  In addition to the above, the firm make extra long handled spoons for serving long drinks. They are well made, of eighteen per cent nickel-silver, and are heavily silver plated. The firm also devotes considerable attention to the production of improved washing machines, which are in every way highly desirable and serviceable. The firm is also prepared with all necessary facilities for the execution of all kinds of nickel and silver plating, and they execute work of this character for other manufacturers at most reasonable rates. The trade of the house is largely local as regards general machine work, but their specialties are shipped to all parts of the United States.

• The 1894 edition of Johnston's Electrical and Street Railway Directory lists, under Dayton, "Bates & Bro., D. L. (D L. & R. H. Bates), mfrs. of electric ceiling fans, fourth and St. Clair."
• 1898-06-09 The Electrical Engineer.

  D. L. BATES & BRO., Dayton, O., report an excellent fan business this season. Their orders for the past, month are fully 50 per cent above the corresponding record last year. They report a phenomenal success with their alternating current ceiling fans. They are not only experiencing a brisk demand from the home trade, but are making large shipments to a number of foreign countries.

• 1900-02-03 Electrical World and Engineer.

  MESSRS. D. L. BATES & BRO., Dayton, Ohio, have issued a booklet on the "Bates" ceiling fan motors, wound for direct or alternating current. The firm manufactures desk fans also, but they are wound for direct current only.

• 1900-03-31 Western Electrician.

  D. L. Bates & Bro., Dayton, 0., manufacturers of the well-known Bates ceiling fan motors, announce a most encouraging outlook for their products during the coming season. The Bates fan motors have been extensively used for many years, and the demand promises to be greater this season than ever before. The firm prides itself in producing only the best, and it is said that the workmanship of the Bates fans cannot be improved upon. The company will be glad to mail descriptive catalogues to ‘those interested in fan motors.

• 1900-04-15 Street Railway Review.

  In anticipation of the demand for electric fans which develops with the approach of summer, D. L. Bates & Co., of Dayton, O., have issued a new descriptive catalog of their well-known fans and fan motors. The principal types offered this season are four-blade ceiling fans for direct current at 110, 167, 220, 250 or 500 volts; two-blade ceiling fans, direct current at any of these five voltages; electrolier ceiling fans with detachable blades, direct current, five voltages; stationary electrolier four-blade fans, direct current, five voltages; column fans, with or without lights, 1 Io, 220, or 250 volts; desk fans for three speeds, made for direct current at 1 Io, 220, or 250 volts; bracket fans. This firm has a national reputation for the excellence of its fans of which thousands are in use.

• 1900-05-26 Western Electrician.

  Bates Electric Fans
  The ceiling and desk fans illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 are from the factory of D. L. Bates & Brot., located at Dayton, O. This concern is not new in the business, having been engaged in the manufacture of electric fans for the last nine years...

• March 1903 Modern Machinery, in a list of incorporation.

  The D. L. Bates & Bro. Co., Dayton. O.; capital $20,000; machinery; Incorporators, Daniel L. Bates, Russell H. Bates, Harry L. Bates, Alex Euchenhofer, E. J. Mountsephen.

• April 1903 American Electrician.

  D. L. Bates & Brothers Company, Dayton, Ohio, was recently incorporated to succeed the well-known firm of D. L. Bates & Bro., manufacturers of the well-known Bates fan motors. The officers of the new company are: D. L. Bates, president and general superintendent; Russell H. Bates, vice-president and general manager, and A. L. Bates, secretary. The company has recently made several additions to its factory and is in position to fill promptly orders of any size for fan motors either electrical or hydraulic. The company has also arranged to put on the market shortly a line of high-grade direct-current power motors ranging from V4 horse-power to 3 horse-power, in slow, medium and high speeds.

• September 1903 The Gas Engine lists new publications, including"The D. L. Bates & Bro. Co., Dayton, Ohio, circular of the Bates' gas engine 'Igniter.'"
• April 1908 Hardware Dealers' Magazine.

  The D. L. Bates & Bro. Co., Dayton, O, in recent circulars illustrate the "Bates" Water Motor Fans for use on walls, desks and columns. Electric fans are for use on ceilings, walls and desks. Water and belt driven ventilating fans for floor, wall or ceiling, to be run by water motors, gas and gasoline engines, are also shown.

• The 1909-1910 Dayton Directory lists "BATES THE D. L. & BRO. CO.. Daniel L. Bates, President; Russell H. Bates, Vice President and Treasurer; Manufacturers of Fans, Electric Machinery and Job Plating, 4th. St. Clair and Kenton."
• 1912-03-12 Electrical World.

  Bates Electric Fans
  The fans manufactured by the D. L. Bates & Brother Company, Dayton, Ohio, are built for direct-current circuits only, the ceiling fans being wound for 110, 167, 220. 250 and 500 volts. The power consumption of the 110-volt ceiling fan is stated to be 90 watts. The fans are provided with large and well-ventilated armatures, assembled of high-grade laminated thin-steel punchings. The coils are form-wound and slip into the slots, where they are wedged and held without banding wires, owing to the shape of the slot itself. When the armature is completed it is dipped into an insulating varnish and thoroughly baked. The field coils, which are six in number, are form-wound and have, in addition to large radiating surface, provisions for ventilation. The bearings run continually in self-oiling boxes, the lower bearing being self-aligning by the weight of the armature, thus causing t to be in line with the upper bearing and preventing uneven or noisy running of the fan. The brushes are composed of a special grade of carbon, and their contact is regulated by spiral springs. When the fans are operated with single-speed or three-speed switch attachment the revolving shaft is hollow, the switch stem extending through it and connecting to a porcelain switch pivoted to the top motor bracket. Fans without switches are equipped with solid shafts. The company's 12-in., 16-in. and 20-in. direct-current universal fans can be used with desk, trunnion or wall-bracket mountings without the use of extra adjustments. Each fan has a rheostat switch in its base giving three speeds.

• 1915-05-01 Electrical Review and Western Electrician lists D. L. Bates & Bro. Co., Dayton, as a motor manufacturer ("Imperial" brand).