Wain-Roy, inc
The first hydraulic backhoe was invented in 1947 by Vaino (pronounced “Waino”) J. Holopainen and Roy E. Handy of Hubbardston, MA.
Vaino and Roy developed the Ditch Digger before the backhoe. They found adding the ability to move the digging apparatus rather than repositioning the machine would be more efficient so they created and added a swing-frame structure that allowed the digging arm to swing to either side to dump the bucket without moving the machine. This design provided the foundation for the majority of all excavation equipment we see today.
Wain-Roy All Hydraulic Digger.
image from Wain-Roy, Inc.
In 1948 Wain-Roy Corporation was created. They sold the first commercially available all-hydraulic backhoe to Connecticut Light and Power Company. The unit was Serial No. 1, Model 48 Wain-Roy All Hydraulic Digger.
In 1960 Wain-Roy started producing for Ford Motor Company. This relationship continued until 1963 when Ford started making their own backhoes. Wain-Roy eventually repurchased the original backhoe for display in Ford’s showroom. Today it resides in a private collection in Hubbardston, MA.
In the late 1960’s Wain-Roy closed their doors. However, many of the products designed by them are still in use.
For more information:
YouTube video: Wain-Roy and the invention of the backhoe as told in 1991 by Carroll Arnold