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Classic car lovers drove into Charleston, the West Virginia capital city, and lined the sidewalks today for a news conference. The news conference was organized in support of recent pro-hobby laws that will boost the collector car hobby general in the state. The new legislation would also extend the driving hours for classic car owners in West Virginia. Governor Joe Manchin, III, signed the bill into law as car admirers stood by. The car enthusiasts were in town for the West Virginia Collector Car Appreciation Day and were able to view over 200 collector vehicles that surrounded the Capitol fountain. The Governor indicated that he is an automotive enthusiast himself. He said he was pleased that the new legislation expanded weekend driving privileges for West Virginia antique vehicle hobbyists. The passing of the legislation will allow West Virginia's antique vehicle hobbyists to enjoy expanded weekend driving privileges throughout the state. The antique vehicles are now permitted on the roads beginning on Friday nights. The support antique car owners are receiving from the state of West Virginia is allowing more people the opportunity to participate in preserving our automotive heritage, according to Eric Denemark, executive director of West Virginia Motor Sports Council.
Cars in History:
FIRST INVENTORS:
Decade 1896 - 1905 is considered in history of the automobile as decade of first inventors. Factory "Panar-Levassor" (France) in 1896 has designed and started production of four-cylinder engines. German electronic firm "R.Bosch" in 1897 has found the practical solution for electrical ignition with the breaker. In 1901, automobile "Mercedes", which was a specimen for many factories for imitation, got produced and became the classical design for long period.
But still there was a search of unusual engineering solutions. In year 1900, Austrian firm "Lochner" has made electronic vehicle with motor-wheels. Engineer F. Porshe, who became famous subsequently, designed it. In year 1903, Holland firm "Spaiker" as experiment has designed skilled and completely driving car. They - "Lochner" and "Spiker" - for many years advanced, as well as models "Lyatil" (France) and "Gref-Stift" of year 1897 with forward driving wheels.
Unfortunately, issues regarding creation of reliable hinges of equal angular speeds were remained unsolved till the border of 19th 20th centuries. Before introduction of machines with a drive on all or on forward wheels in serial production, it was necessary to wait for thirty more years.
By 1906 the shift over from chain transfer to transmission by shaft with cardan joint was observed. To tell the truth, on powerful, high-speed automobiles chain transfer to driving wheels was remained. Experts argued, that such design provides smaller non-sprung weights.
CLASSICAL PERIOD:
The aspiration to increase the capacity of engine was expressed during 1906-1915 by introduction (in 1907 by Chedvik (USA)) of a supercharger, used by the firm "Peugeot" (France) in 1912 , but only for racing vehicles, engines with two camshafts in heads and four valves per cylinder. Such design in a serial production was claimed only in year 1980.
Some important innovations have appeared in 1908 and 1909 accordingly. Replacement of tires on fixed wheels, which were widely used that time, caused big difficulties. The English company “Ruj Whiteort” has started production of quick-detachable wheel, which was fastened with one central butterfly nut. And other English firm, "Appall Johnston" has acted as the pioneer for installation of brakes on all four wheels.
Introduction of conveyor assembly became the real technological break, which further has opened way to mass production of automobiles. It was used in USA in the beginning 20th century in the factory "Olds mobiles", but it was modified by the company "Ford" in years 1912-16. Henry Ford himself very closely approached to the solution of technological problems, which resulted in low manufacturing cost. He suggested, for example, the demountable head of cylinders. In case of fixed heads, during casting of blocks of engines casting rods, which formed the cylinders, were fixed in cantilever position and frequently got skewed. For excluding the rejection, Ford has introduced removable head of cylinders. This was gave an opportunity to give a support to other end of a rod and to exclude skews.
Casting of the separate head appeared as simple operation, and for its sealing gaskets, manufacturing of which derived so many fears for manufacturers, Ford has found cheap technology.
By 1908, France, which was the leader in automobiles production till that time, has conceded superiority to the American automobile industry. USA had perfectly advanced metal cutting machinery and tooling machinery. It could produce online the equipment for new technological processes, which, in turn, have served as basis for mass production of high-quality and cheap automobiles. Finally, since 1916, factory "Packard" and other enterprises of USA had an opportunity to produce V-shaped 12-cylinder motors, hydraulic shock absorbers of double directional action ("Mercer", 1918), a hydraulic drive of brakes ("Duesenberg" 1920, "Chrysler" 1925). |
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