Founded in 1898 by brothers, Bernard and Franz Schmidt. They purchased a portion of the Voss Bros. Mfg. facility in Davenport and established the Schmidt Bros. Co. They then joined with Samuel White and founded the Lily White Washer Co. to manufacture both washing machines and gas engines. In 1909, the Schmidt brothers sold their interests in White Lily Washer Co., but retained the engine business. Originally sold by another of the Schmidt brothers’ businesses, the Davenport Ice Chipping Machine Co., in 1909, the company name was changed to Schmidt Bros. Co. Engine Works.

      In November of 1913, a massive fire destroyed the factory ending all production, The works were never rebuilt.

      In 1914 a new company, the B.L. Schmidt Co. was formed to manufacture ice chipping machines. This firm offered replacement parts for the Schmidt engines. Then in 1918, Wilson P. Hunt patented a Cylinder Grinding Machine, which was manufactured by this company. In 1922 the B. L. Schmidt Co. changed its name to the Micro Machine Co.

Information Sources

• December 1922 American Machine and Tool Record (Volume 22, pages 69-70).

  THE MICRO MACHINE CO.

  To those who have learned to associate the name "Micro" with wet internal grinding it will be a matter of interest that the manufacturer of the Micro machine has changed its name from the B. L. Schmidt Co. to "The Micro Machine Co.," and moved into a fine new factory building, and is centering its attention exclusively on the manufacture of the Micro machine.

  Whatever progress has been made in the science of wet internal grinding is due in a very large measure to the exhaustive research of this Davenport corporation. An extensive publicity campaign has been used to acquaint the motoring public with the advantages of cylinder refinishing by the wet method, which leaves the lining of the combustion chamber so satin smooth that no "breaking in" process is necessary.

  Among the outstanding features of the Micro machine are the spindle and housing. The three-section spindle of chrome vanadium steel is so constructed as to eliminate all vibration, a result brought about largely by the six sets of bearings contained within the shaft. Water is carried through a brass tube in the very center of the spindle, and the construction is such that it is impossible for any oil to reach the grinding surface. Out-of-round grinding becomes a virtual impossibility through the simple adjustment features of the eccentric housing which revolves about its axis with a planetary motion.

• Farm Collector Magazine, 14 Aug., 2023, by Barry Tuller
• American Gasoline Engines Since 1872 by C. H. Wendel, Volume #1, 1983 page 449
• The Complete Guide to Stationary Gas Engines by Mark Meincke, 1996 page 1116103