Couple-Gear Freight Wheel Co.
Couple-Gear Electric Truck Co.
Grand Rapids, Michigan (1904-1922)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJC5pJBBgP_G1N-LpNqZWZMMF4xLdn_wTmD9hxp3CmwfTz-VGAnT53T6nUn-zVOxqZ8juNvLhuLwM9JRPzPlJCyqw-Z5DzBpuIlbgbyQKgc00Jh81r13Mmjy_rtPSEEa-u9G00Ah1k885/s400/Couple+Gear+127mm+DSC00067.JPG) |
This is a Couple-Gear emblem (dates unknown) mjs Size: 127mm diameter |
The Couple-Gear company specialized in heavy, slow-moving electric trucks powered by motors in the wheels. The first models were 3-ton and 5-ton capacity with four-wheel-drive and steering, and one motor to each wheel. Maximum speed was 6 mph. A gas-electric model was also made and in 1908 lighter models appeared.
Couple-Gear also made a large number of fire engines, both electric and gasoline. For 1914 a new range of all-wheel drive trucks and tractors was introduced. After the First World War, electric trucks and fire engines began to lose popularity and by 1922 it was all over for Couple-Gear.
Emblem
Early Couple-Gear vehicles, possibly from about 1906, displayed a large brass script attached to the radiator core, see original period photos shown below:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0ZLOAs0oczoY0tjcTthl_9L5cENnar1Z_InkZiMuGiXhEvl_LVUPGn1BSgpTAuwmSOXogcqebz2F7Ccjp_XEfl2a25_sDJoIBDWEi24k1Bcqy22XaV9qseb2BcpqKuGDUHt_lNeaV4pj/w400-h346/1909+Couple+Gear+truck+hill+climb+dpl.jpg) |
This is a Couple-Gear truck with a radiator script (1909) dpl |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUsM8XR-uhe9Km-WcC3afOwaU9S-KB50Uv3gHudAzp5VRlnf3pzaXct8Zs4er7UAUIOZ100S0LBILc89hk8qH-lVrEO8zCn6NFYjtQgMqYSaHbFI7F0zbygJNikqowv4vhK_hU_0-6tMw/s400/Couple+-+Gear+Fire+Truck++1913+-+Copy.jpg) |
This is a Couple-Gear fire apparatus truck with a radiator script (1913) ms |
The following photo of an early Couple-Gear truck appears to show a "Couple-Gear" nameplate attached to the radiator tank top in addition to a radiator script, although the photo is not clear enough to show the detail:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3Q2sqpRtDhrHNAOJnREbsl1zkgrYiblJVo78tpa5YIaGmL2kdgRX3kd6M0q5bWGvSN8dKqpnAEy5tdKFH00lO8eQzf1es1VNUOzZCmHK0XsNsa8ODNYFbTqKUKOGl-d6Z8tszW7pgNSn/w400-h239/Couple-Gear+truck+hemmings.jpg) |
Couple-Gear truck with rad nameplate & script (date unknown) hemmings |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hzWmLm0PMXRaEnArCR2LdzSZPe20BUF_uSz5McDEVjNnIPZ8gphWLbk01P1S3su682uN4NSg-Hngz6I2ehOBUUGQQLfPRsvgjknMU0VOinPpEbwbNIil_a8-se1SkCMXotl7zLtihDIi/w359-h400/Couple-Gear+truck+close-up.jpg) |
Close-up showing nameplate & script |
I have not found any evidence of a radiator emblem other than the possible radiator top nameplate shown above but the "Couple-Gear" name was displayed on the hubcaps, see examples above at the top of this post and below. Original Couple-Gear hub emblems are rare.
The following photo shows a Couple-Gear truck with domed front hubcaps:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJv9uku2NJ1mWGLoqR6FsThgXlvkZDjqeOJMATXKUtFftN3IkcFLBdSCAN9Q_wIZx00RPvOi_17LvaGglEWD32DnXP6efaNCI2eZyT2o00sQbFXpCRXFpZtDRX7cKWaGCBu378cjgKrXh/w400-h296/Couple-Gear-Truck-Electric_americanindustrialminingd600.jpg) |
Couple-Gear truck with domed front hubcaps (date unknown) americanindustrialmining |
The following is an example of a domed Couple-Gear hubcap:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyinP2pvPMmDhepGVYbJzHXOzKV-QRMtKhBDzl7_kz6GClVC5d-Fby7SOYI4IJ55OgYsxYV4vU9b4Ixt3yRduYUdqZ1fL6XhVrSu6GtN8CEDgcrmDiEav_AsyDq1fqQIpNU6SzjsEw-S8/w400-h305/Couple+Gear+hub+dkc.jpg) |
This is a domed Couple-Gear hubcap (date unknown) dkc Size: 137mm diameter (across dome) |
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