Once again, this is more a working post than a polished one. And, it’s a long one. It kept growing and growing as I learned more (and became more confused).Of course, I am left with more answers than questions.
Essentially, I’m trying to figure out when Selectro hubs popped onto the 4WD scene, who controlled them, and how they evolved. That led to looking at Husky, Dualmatic, Watson and FreeLock hubs. I don’t have all the answers just yet … here we go …
TIMELINE & DiSCUSSION:
1959/1960?: The Husky Company launches it’s line of Husky Hubs out of Aurora, Colorado. This hub one of two pieces of evidence of the Husky Company’s existence in Aurora; it has the Husky Company name and location on it:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/early-hub-depository.825602/
A second piece of evidence was uncovered on a document found by Maury; the Husky Company was located originally in Aurora, Colorado.
Based on the information on the hub, the Husky company already had a patent awarded (not just filed, but awarded). So, which patent was that? My best guess at the moment is that this 1958 patent awarded to Clark Peterson has the most elements in common with the Husky Hub.
Given there were a couple intervening years between the patent (awarded in 1958) and Husky Hub (unclear when it was brought to market, but I’m guessing 1959/1960), it seems possible that the company altered the design before manufacturing it, which could explain the differences between the patent and the finished hub. The biggest reason I think the two are related is that both the patent and the Husky Hub have a narrow bolt down the center, a unique design not seen in another other hubs.
1961: In 1961 a new name was associated with the Husky Hub: Trade Winds, Inc, out of Boulder, Colorado. My best guess is that the Husky Hub company lacked capital, so it turned to Trade Winds (perhaps which bought a controlling stake in the Husky Company?) to re-introduce the Husky Hubs.
The company’s name is shown as “TRADE WINDS” on the hubs, but as “Tradewinds” in various trade journal ads, which is where it focused its advertising (such as Roads and Streets, American Beef Producer, and Pacific Chemical and Metallurgical Industries). It appears the hub ads only appeared during 1961 (and possibly 1962). I can find no evidence that text ads were placed later than that. Here’s an example ad:
This detail image of a brochure for the Husky Hub is undated, but clearly shows the Trade Winds name.

This is a detail shot of a Husky Hub brochure from the 1960s.
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