History Of Lenox Instrument Company
1960 - 1980

Wall microscope, E.I. DuPont, Savannah River nuclear site, 1952.

After more than a half-century of pioneering work, Dr. Crampton sold his business to John Lang in 1962. Lang began what was to be a lifetime career with Lenox in 1940, when he joined the company as a machinist. He demonstrated a unique skill in designing and assembling optical and mechanical parts, advancing during the war years to machine operator, machinist, and in 1944 as shop foreman. He was named company director in 1951.

Mr. Lang had co-developed the radiation-resistant optical system used in the Manhattan Project and a system of keeping it functional under radiated conditions. He also helped pioneer the use of 35mm photography and closed circuit television used in conjunction with borescopes for inspecting the internal parts of jet engines, wings, hollow helicopter blades, and nuclear reactors. Much of the later success of Lenox was based on his inventions and designs, which greatly improved the usefulness of the early borescopes and widened their applicability. 1962 also saw the passing of Dr. George Summer Crampton at the age of 88.

Lenox optical shop, 1966		Westinghouse Bettis nuclear borescopes, 1962

As the new president of Lenox, John Lang stressed the importance of producing tailor-made-instruments to meet special requirements and exact specifications of customers. He received as US patent in 1965 on a borescope whose mirror could be very precisely controlled, which could zoom in to high magnification, and which could intensely illuminate the walls of a chamber by means of a quartz incandescent lamp containing iodine vapor.

Lenox lens fabrication, 1967.		Lenox engineering dept., 1966

Lenox purchased Lerma Instrument of Northampton MA in 1969. Lerma was an optical instrument company, which specialized in periscopes for the aircraft and nuclear industries.

To begin the decade of the 70's, Lenox, pioneered the first internal inspection and photography of Pratt & Whitney JT9 turbine used on 747 aircraft. The inspection, using a xenon chamberscope, checked for the cracking of the blades.

In 1970, Lenox begins the manufacture of nuclear periscopes for use on US navy submarines and aircraft carriers to monitor controls in the radiation area, also Esterline Corporation acquired Lenox, which became a wholly owned subsidiary.

Sadly in 1974, John W. Lang, Sr. passed away at age 54. Lenox was returned to the Lang family when in 1981 John's sons John Jr., William and Paul purchased Lenox from the Esterline Corporation. All 3 sons had been working for Lenox since the 1960's and had managed the company since the 1974.

Continue...