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84:. A few of his patented inventions were still in manufacture well into the second half of the 20th century. Wirkkala sued his own patent attorney for patent infringement on the choker hook, and after several years of litigation the suit was decided in Wirkkala's favor. Later, Wirkkala developed and patented a marine propeller. In the course of his career he patented at least 18 different inventions.
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His first patent was granted in 1917, and was for a four-drum donkey engine used in his high lead logging system. In the following years, several of his patented devices were manufactured, under the
Wirkkala brand, at the Willapa Harbor Iron Works in
72:. This skyline (or "spar") method, ideally suited for steep terrain, revolutionized the industry. He also invented important pieces of that industry's machinery used during the first half of the 20th century, including the ubiquitous
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Oscar
Wirkkala married twice. In 1908, Wirkkala married Johanna Mustola and the couple had three children. A year after Johanna's untimely death in 1913, Oscar married Ida Haverinen. Oscar Wirkkala died in
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48:, to save money to pay for the migration of the rest of the family. Oscar arrived next, in 1898, followed closely by his mother, a sister, and three younger brothers. The family lived in the
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Wirkkala was one of the original fifty persons inducted into the
Washington State Hall of Fame. Wirkkala was added to the Washington state Centennial Hall of Honor in 1985.
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28:; October 30, 1880 – January 25, 1959) was a Finnish-American logger and inventor who spent much of his life in the Pacific Northwest.
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Emigrants from the Grand Duchy of
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261:The Washington State Centennial Hall of Honor
227:. Spokane, WA. November 21, 1985. p. 21
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153:. Olympia, WA. January 23, 1959. p. 2
221:"Fairfield Publisher Joins Hall of Honor"
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296:People from Pacific County, Washington
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190:. Seattle, WA. July 5, 1935. p. 3
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46:Cosmopolis, Washington
21:Finnish pronunciation:
95:Seattle, Washington
56:from 1899 to 1905.
25:[ˈʋirkːɑlɑ]
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74:choker hook
275:Categories
231:August 11,
109:References
82:South Bend
68:method of
54:Washington
32:Background
194:August 9,
157:August 8,
66:high lead
38:Kaustinen
70:logging
50:Naselle
42:Finland
101:Legacy
60:Career
233:2022
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