Albert P. Sfredda, 90, of Bethlehem, died Sunday, September 15, 2019, in St. Luke's Hospital.  He was the husband of Debra A. (Hartung) Sfredda.  They were married on February 25, 1967.

Born in Bethlehem, he was a son of the late Marino and Julia (DeLaurentis) Sfredda.

He served his country in the U. S. Army during the Korean War.

A graduate of the Industrial Design Program at Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, Albert was employed as a toy designer at Conestoga Toy Company, Allentown, from 1956 - 57 and then as an Industrial Designer and Technical Illustrator at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc from 1957 - 1992.

His objectives and capabilities were as follows:

Industrial Designer - Designed new consumer and industrial products with function as well as style; created innovative designs for both automotive and mechanical applications

Inventor - Granted 13 patents: 9 in Power Transmissions, including zero-backlash drives, high-ratio drives, automatic transmissions and continuously variable transmissions; 3 in Water Jet Propulsion and one in Off-Road Vehicles

Patent Prosecutor - Successfully acted as his own patent attorney (pro-se) in his prosecutions and presentations before U S Patent Office examining attorneys

Consultant - Supervised and consulted for university engineering students on their senior projects using two Sfredda inventions: the Sfredda Automatic Transmission and the Sfredda Oscillating Jet Propulsion System

Tutor - Mentored a university industrial design student for two years, helping him earn college credits using  Sfredda inventions for his senior project, emphasizing the importance of physics and abstract thinking to enhance the functional aspects of his industrial designs

Achievements, Honors and Awards as follows:

Winner of the nationwide MARS Outstanding Design Series Engineering Contest, sponsored by J.S. Staedtler, Inc., Hackensack, NJ, Manufacturers of engineering and drafting products, for the Sfredda Non-Circular Wheel Vehicle, which rides smoothly over highways.  Over rough terrain, it outperforms wheel and track vehicles in traction, efficiency and smoothness of ride.  Its wheel shapes include square, triangular and irregular shapes.  Applications include Mars Rovers, robotic vehicles, bulldozers, swamp vehicles and tractors.  Received very positive world-wide response and a monetary award

Roger S. Shashoua, Director of The International Inventors Association, Inc., selected the Sfredda Non-Circular-Wheel Vehicle as one of the most outstanding inventions in recent times

The American Society of Inventors, Philadelphia, Pa., awarded Sfredda second place in their national invention contest for his High-Ratio Gear Drive

One of the original founders of  T he National Society of Inventors, Clark, NJ

Who's Who Worldwide Registry nominated and confirmed for Sfredda inclusion

The American Association of Small Research Companies includes Sfredda as a member vis-a-vis Sfredda Research and Development

References in publications are as follows:

"Design Engineering," technology magazine article published October 1980, Volume 51, Number 10: New York.  Features breakthrough invention of the Sfredda Ultra-High Ratio Gear/Traction Transmission

"Marine Propulsion" book published by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, edited by J. Sladkey Jr., U.S. Naval Academy: New York, 1976.  Includes the Sfredda invention of a Fluid Oscillating Water Jet Propulsion System, whose applications include all surface and submerged vessels

"Mechanical Engineering," book published by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers: New York, 1980.  Includes article on the Sfredda invention of a Hybrid Gear/Traction Transmission

"Out of Thin Air: A History of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 1940-1990," book by Andrew J. Butrica.  Preager: New York, 1990.  Includes a reference to Sfredda's design of company's original logo in discussion of the logo's history and a Sfredda-designed tanker trailer with photograph included

"The New York Times," "UPI," "Product Engineering," "Machine Design," articles published in numerous newspapers and magazines. References made to other Sfredda inventions

Surviving with his wife, Debra, are sons, Robert of Ashville, NC and Ron of  Blandon; daughters, Rennae Kershner of Easton and Randa Burns of Kittery, Maine;a sister, Margaret Ardizzone of Whitehall; and four grandchildren, Chayse, Bella, Malaina and Miette.  He was predeceased by sisters Geraldine Horon and Helen Downs and a brother Ron.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 21, in the Pearson Funeral Home, 1901 Linden Street, Bethlehem.  Calling hour 10 - 11 a.m.

Online condolences may be sent to www.pearsonfh.com.