1910 BSA chassis

[Greybeard]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/176982039427770/permalink/1512764682516159/

For the BSA fans out there, York museum WA

[RDfella]

That's a helluva flywheel - normally found on stationary diesels. And is that a (substantial) transmission brake behind the gearbox, or a band to engage an epicyclic reverse?

[Greybeard]

I have worked on a Rolls Royce of about the same age. My understanding of horseless carriage design back then was to use the gearbox to control speed, hence phrases like 'three speed gearbox'. The engine revs were controllable but a heavy flywheel was used to provide momentum, (I don't know if that's the correct term) for the car.

The RR Silver Ghost that my boss owned was from 1912. As in that BSA, the gearbox was quite seperate from the engine. The RR had mechanical cruise control!

See the rear axle universal joint? I believe it's a Carden Cardan Block. My Austin Seven had one. A pair of blocks that are pinned to the propshaft and able to pivot are located in slots in the cup attached to the axle. This allowed a flexible drive.

Looking at those pictures that I scraped from FaceAche I'm surprised they do not show an engine.

[RDfella]

I see the people who drew the sketch miss-spelled Cardan. I took an interest in this when my mate George was alive, as he did a lot of work for inventors creating their prototypes. One was for a type of friction-less differential and I understood the firm involved was Cardan. The closest I've seen to that particular idea is the Torsen differential, though what I never knew until recently was that the inventor of the cardan shaft lived 500 years ago - Girolamo Cardano.

[groily]

what I never knew until recently was that the inventor of the cardan shaft lived over 500 years ago - Girolamo Cardano.

Blimey RD, who'd have known (except your mate George and you, obviously)!?
I just assumed he was some Brit from the industrial revolution sort of period - not an Italian Renaissance mathematician, doctor etc etc with a very dodgy family, a bad gambling habit and a jail record for casting the horoscope of Jesus (!!). Quite a guy - and thanks to you for another fascinating better-than-pub-quiz factoid to try to remember (but probably forget).
('s funny how GB's chassis could lead to the intrigues of 16th Century Italy  . . . it's one of the constant surprises on here, how one thing leads to another because people know all sorts of unlikely interesting things - but stays, kind of, on topic!)

[Greybeard]

I see the people who drew the sketch miss-spelled Cardan.

Thank you for correcting me. I'll try to remember the correct spelling. 👍

[Greybeard]

.... the sketch...

The Cardan block cover shown in that sketch is the modern version; it's the rubber boot made for the BMC mini CVJ;  it fits perfectly. The original was a greased leather cone.

[chaterlea25]

Hi RD and All.

That's a helluva flywheel

It looks very like the inverted cone clutch fitted to the 1902 De Dion engined "Bolide" that is residing in my shed ?
On this one the clutch is actually not that heavy, but looks like it is due to its bulk
The engine flywheels (crank) are a different matter, it must weight at least 50 kilo

The design similarities between the 2 cars is striking

John

[Greybeard]

The design similarities between the 2 cars is striking

Can we see some pictures please?

I wonder if BSA used the De Dion mechanicals; I know the De Dion engine was used in other early marques*. Mind you, as now, car design tends to follow similar trends. My wife tells me that all modern cars look alike. I say, that was often the case.

*I lived very close to the building where the Santler car that had a De Dion engine was made in Malvern. It's reputed to be the first motor car made in Britain. This was before Morgan started making cars in Malvern.

24 Howsell Rd. Malvern
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w2ZJzwgGLPxiB2Q9A