Kamil Tolon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kamil Tolon
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| Born | 29 February 1912 |
| Died | 23 July 1978 (aged 66) Geneva, Switzerland
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| Nationality | Turkish |
| Other names | Kamil Özdemir Tolonçok |
| Citizenship | Republic of Turkey |
| Education | Ankara University Faculty of Law |
| Known for | Invention of the first washing machine and electric engine in Turkey |
| Political party | Justice Party |
| Spouse(s) | Müeyyet Bulut, Muzaffer Biliktü |
| Children | 4 |
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Kamil Özdemir Tolon, known as Kamil Tolon (born February 29, 1912 – died July 23, 1978), was a Turkish inventor and business owner. He is famous for creating Turkey's first electric engine. Tolon was born in Istanbul in 1912. He studied in Ankara, graduating from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1935. He wanted to be an engineer, but there were no engineering schools at the time.
After university, Tolon briefly worked as an inspector for PTT, which is Turkey's postal and telegraph service. He soon left this job to follow his passion for inventing. He moved to Bursa and started his own company, Tolon Makina, in 1937. There, he began making different kinds of machines.
During his time in the army in 1944, Tolon continued to invent useful machines for soldiers. After returning, he started producing combine harvesters, water pumps, washing machines, and dishwashers. At first, he used engines from other countries. However, he was later asked by Adnan Menderes, a future prime minister, to build his own engine. This led him to create Turkey's very first electric engine.
In 1958, a fire damaged his workshop, so Tolon moved to a new factory. This new factory opened in 1960 and helped his sales grow a lot. Kamil Tolon was also one of the people who helped start the Justice Party. He became a chairman at the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Kamil Tolon is seen as a very important person in Turkey's industrial history. He passed away on July 23, 1978, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kamil Tolon was born in Beylerbeyi, Istanbul, on February 29, 1912. He was the second of six children in his family. He went to primary school in different parts of Turkey. For high school, Tolon attended a boarding school in Ankara. He finished high school in September 1935.
Even in high school, Tolon was very interested in engineering. His very first invention was a music box, which he built during this time. However, there were no engineering universities in Turkey back then. So, Tolon decided to study at Ankara University Faculty of Law. While studying law, he met many people who would later become important politicians, including Adnan Menderes. Tolon graduated from university on July 4, 1935.
In 1935, a new law about surnames came into effect in Turkey. Kamil Tolon was given the surname Tolonçok, which means "very talented." He later changed it to just Tolon in 1944. Tolon married Müeyyet Bulut in 1936, and they had two daughters. He later married his second wife, Muzaffer Biliktü, in 1943. They had a son and a daughter together.
Career and Inventions
Early Work and Tolon Makina
After graduating, Tolon started working as an inspector for PTT. He was sent to Anatolia for his first inspection. He soon decided to leave PTT because he felt there was "a lot to do for this country" in terms of industry. He briefly studied engineering in France. Then, in 1937, he opened his own shop in Bursa called Tolon Makina.
In 1942, Tolon started a workshop with Fahri Batıca. They made wheel hubs for cars and Jacquard machines. They worked together until 1944, when Tolon decided to continue the workshop with his wife.
Inventions for the Army
In 1944, Tolon joined the army for the third time. He was sent to Nara, Çanakkale. Even in the army, he kept inventing. He built machines that could cut naval mines. These machines were used to clear mines left over from World War I in the Dardanelles. He spent five months helping to clear mines and teaching soldiers how to use his machines.
He also created an electricity generator because his military group often lost power. He even made a portable washing machine for soldiers who were out in the field. This washing machine was built on the back of a truck and was used by the army for many years.
First Electric Engine and Washing Machines
After returning from the army, Tolon made machines for farmers, like warping machines, sawing machines, and drills. In 1948 and 1949, he built a combine harvester and water pumps. The government wanted to buy his harvester, but it needed to be tested first. During the test, a European company secretly put iron bars in the field, which broke Tolon's machine.
Tolon also made the first washing machines and dishwashers in Turkey. He received patents for these products in 1953. At that time, washing machines were very expensive and had to be imported, so only rich people could afford them. Tolon's machines made it possible for many more families to own one. He even processed the copper wires needed for the machines in his own workshop. Everything except the engines was built by Tolon.
He had trouble selling his dishwashers because people thought washing dishes by hand was cleaner. So, he stopped making them.
While visiting Bursa, Adnan Menderes told Tolon that the rules for importing engines were changing. He encouraged Tolon to make his own engine. This led Tolon to invent Turkey's first electric engine. This engine was used in Tolon's own machines. His machines were known for their high quality. People said, "these domestic washing machines are the same as, or even more durable and practical than European goods."
Moving to a New Factory
In December 1957, Tolon bought a large field. On August 24, 1958, a big fire destroyed many shops in Bursa, including Tolon's workshop. Some of his machines were even stolen during the confusion. Even though his workshop was completely burned, he kept working temporarily in tents provided by the Turkish Red Crescent. He was the first person affected by the fire to start production again.
After the fire, Tolon planned to build a new factory on the field he bought. Construction began in 1959, and Tolon himself drew the plans and acted as the architect. The new factory started making machines in 1960. Sales increased a lot with the new factory. Tolon opened sales locations in 64 of Turkey's 67 provinces.
Later Life and Legacy
Kamil Tolon was the chairman of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1963 to 1965. He played a very important role in setting up Turkey's first organized industrial zone. He was also one of the people who helped create the Justice Party.
Kamil Tolon passed away on July 23, 1978, in Geneva, Switzerland. He was 66 years old and died after a heart surgery. He is buried in the Emir Sultan Cemetery in Bursa, next to the Emir Sultan Mosque. After his death, his son Dara moved the factory to İzmir. The old factory in Bursa was taken down in 2017 as part of a city improvement project.
Kamil Tolon is considered a very important figure in Turkish industrial history. Süleyman Demirel, a former prime minister, said that Tolon helped start industrial growth in Bursa and all over Turkey. He added that Tolon made "great contributions" to his own journey to become the leader of the Justice Party. An article from the Sabah newspaper in 2004 mentioned that when mothers were asked to name a company from their time, many said Tolon first. There is an arts and science school in Osmangazi, Bursa, named after Kamil Tolon.
Images for kids
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Kamil Tolon's signature.
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A picture of Kamil Tolon.
See also
In Spanish: Kamil Tolon para niños
