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Waltham (automobile)
Waltham Manufacturing Company (WMC) was a manufacturer of bicycles, motorcycles, motorized tricycles and quadricycles, buckboards, and automobiles in Waltham, Massachusetts. It sold products under the brand names Orient, Waltham, and Waltham-Orient. The company was founded in 1893, moving to self-propelled vehicles after 1898. History Waltham Manufacturing Company was founded by Waltham businessmen around engineer Charles Herman Metz (1863–1937). Metz encouraged two employees to build a steam car of their own in the company's premises, which led to the Waltham Steam. Metz imported French Aster engines, and secured the U.S. distributorship for De Dion-Bouton engines and imported this maker's tricycles and quadricycles. Using De Dion-Bouton patents, WMC started building their own Orient Autogo and Orient Autogo Quad in 1899. An early investor in WMC, Charles A. Coffin (1844–1926), first president of General Electric, ordered an electric prototype in 1898, which didn't g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Metz Company
The Metz Company was a pioneer brass era automobile maker established by Charles Herman Metz in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 1909 to 1922. History C. H. Metz began in business in 1886 making bicycle parts, and in 1893 formed the Waltham Manufacturing Company with Herbert L. Thompson, Elmer G. Howe and Frank L. Howe. Later the firm developed designs for motorized vehicles. Metz departed his company over disagreements of company direction in 1901. He became the technical editor of the Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal. Waltham Manufacturing Co. was in financial difficulties and in 1908 C. H. Metz took back control. He reorganized as the Metz Company in 1909. Kit car Metz inherited a large stock of automobile parts for the 10-hp runabout designed by William H. Little. Although Metz was not the first to offer a kit car (Dyke and Sears predated Metz with do-it-your-self high-wheelers), Metz did offer the first known kit automobile on the installment plan, known as the Metz Pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bicycle
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a bicycle frame, frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe. By the early 21st century there were more than 1 billion bicycles. There are many more bicycles than cars. Bicycles are the principal Mode of transport, means of transport in many regions. They also provide a popular form of recreation, and have been adapted for use as Toy, children's toys. Bicycles are used for Physical fitness, fitness, Military bicycle, military and Police bicycle, police applications, Bicycle messenger, courier services, Cycle sport, bicycle racing, and artistic cycling. The basic shape and configuration of a typical Safety bicycle, upright or "safety" bicycle, has changed lit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brass Era Car
The Brass Era is an American term for the early period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such features as lights and radiators. It is generally considered to encompass 1896 through 1915, a time when cars were often referred to as horseless carriages. Elsewhere in the world, this period would be considered by antique car enthusiasts to consist of the veteran (pre-1904), and Edwardian eras, although these terms are really not meaningful outside the former British Empire. Overview Early automakers turned to brass for their vehicles for both its looks and function. It held up well against tarnishing and bad weather, but required regular polishing to maintain its appearance. Though the automobile was invented a few years before the start of the Brass Era, the 20 years that make up this era represent the beginning of the automotive industry. It was a period of small-scale manufacturing, experimental designs, and alternat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
V-twin
A V-twin engine, also called a V2 engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders are arranged in a V configuration and share a common crankshaft. The V-twin is widely associated with motorcycles, primarily installed longitudinally, though also transversely. They are also used in a variety of other land, air, and marine vehicles, as well as industrial applications. The V-twin design dates back to the late 1880s. Origins One of the first V-twin engines was built by Gottlieb Daimler in 1889. It was used as a stationary engine, for boats and in the Daimler Stahlradwagen ("steel-wheeled car"), Daimler's second car. The engine was also manufactured under licence in France by Panhard et Levassor. An early V-twin engined motorcycle was produced in November 1902 by the Princeps AutoCar Company in the United Kingdom. The following year, V-twin motorcycles were produced by Eclipse Motor & Cycle Co in the United Kingdom (the ''XL-ALL'' model), Glenn Curtiss in the United ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William H
William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is sometimes abbreviated "Wm." Shortened familiar versions in English include Will or Wil, Wills, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billie, and Billy. A common Irish form is Liam. Scottish diminutives include Wull, Willie or Wullie (as in Oor Wullie). Female forms include Willa, Willemina, Wilma and Wilhelmina. Etymology William is related to the German given name ''Wilhelm''. Both ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic ''*Wiljahelmaz'', with a direct cognate also in the Old Norse name ''Vilhjalmr'' and a West Germanic borrowing into Medieval Latin ''Willelmus''. The Proto-Germanic name is a compound of *''wiljô'' "will, wish, desire" and *''helmaz'' "helm, helmet".Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxfor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crankcase
A crankcase is the housing in a reciprocating engine, piston engine that surrounds the crankshaft. In most modern engines, the crankcase is integrated into the engine block. Two-stroke engines typically use a crankcase-compression design, resulting in the fuel/air mixture passing through the crankcase before entering the Cylinder (engine), cylinder(s). This design of the engine does not include an oil sump in the crankcase. Four-stroke engines typically have an oil sump at the bottom of the crankcase and the majority of the engine's oil is held within the crankcase. The fuel/air mixture does not pass through the crankcase, though a small amount of exhaust gasses often enter as "blow-by" from the combustion chamber, particularly in engines with worn rings. The crankcase often forms the upper half of the main bearing journals (with the bearing caps forming the other half), although in some engines the crankcase completely surrounds the main bearing journals. An ''open-crank'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leo Melanowski
Leo Melanowski was an American automotive engineer in the Brass Era. Melanowski apprenticed at ''Otto Gasmotoren Gesellschaft'' in Vienna, and then worked for Panhard & Levassor, Clément-Bayard, and Winton (working on their Bullett racecars as well as acting as manufacturing foreman). He replaced John Robbins as plant superintendent of Waltham Manufacturing Company when Robbins left in 1904. At WMC, he also had the position of a chief engineer. He left Waltham in 1906, to help racecar driver Joe Tracy starting the Dragon Automobile Company in Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State .... After that failed in 1908, he worked for the Aerocar Company which very soon folded, too. References * * G. N. Georgano (editor): ''Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Friction Drive
A friction drive Definition of "friction drive" in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online. Accessed on 2024007-30.Edward I. Fox (1970) "Friction drive mechanism" US Patent 3,487,705. Issued 1970-01-06, expired 1987-01-06. or friction engine is a type of Transmission (mechanics), transmission that utilises the static friction of two smooth surfaces (instead of contact pressure of meshing teeth) to transfer torque between two rotating parts. This type of mechanism is also called a traction drive, although this term often refers specifically to drives where a layer of traction fluid (that becomes momentarily solid under pressure) is used to increa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Runabout (car)
A runabout is a car body style popular in the 1910s, based on the horse-drawn Runabout (carriage), runabout carriage. It was popular in North America from 1900 to about 1915. It was a light, basic style with no windshield, top, or doors and a single row of seats. Runabouts eventually became indistinguishable from Roadster (automobile), roadsters and the term fell out of use in the United States. The approach has evolved into the modern "city car". Origin Runabouts originated as a type of Horse and buggy, horse and carriage body. In 1881, Rufus Meade Stivers produced runabout bodies using a patent held by Joseph Tilton. Stivers, a blacksmith and wheelwright, produced the runabouts in his carriage manufactory on East 31st Street, Manhattan, established in 1851. According to ''The Carriage Journal'',The special feature of the runabout was that the body was hung low by using Crank (mechanism)#Crank axle, cranked axles, and the side-bars were attached to legs at the top of the cr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the years, the company had multiple divisions, including GE Aerospace, aerospace, GE Power, energy, GE HealthCare, healthcare, lighting, locomotives, appliances, and GE Capital, finance. In 2020, GE ranked among the Fortune 500, ''Fortune'' 500 as the 33rd largest firm in the United States by gross revenue. In 2023, the company was ranked 64th in the Forbes Global 2000, ''Forbes'' Global 2000. In 2011, GE ranked among the Fortune 20 as the 14th most profitable company, but later very severely underperformed the market (by about 75%) as its profitability collapsed. Two employees of GE—Irving Langmuir (1932) and Ivar Giaever (1973)—have been awarded the Nobel Prize. From 1986 until 2013, GE was the owner of the NBC television network through its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orient Tricycle
The Orient tricycle was an early motorized tricycle (classified as a motorcycle under some definitions). It was manufactured by Charles H. Metz's Waltham Manufacturing Company in Waltham, Massachusetts and advertised in 1899 as a "motor cycle", the first use of the term in a published catalog. Orient advertised that the single-person tricycle could be converted to a two-person four wheeled "autogo" in five minutes. A 1900 Orient appeared in The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at Guggenheim Museum in New York. Specifications Specifications in infobox to the right are from Garson, and from Krens. Notes and references Notes References * * * Further reading * — with some information on serial numbers See also *List of motorized trikes *Safety bicycle *List of motorcycles of the 1890s List of motorcycles of the 1890s aka ''motorrad'' (DE) sometimes ''motor cycle'' or ''moto cycle'' Motorcycle *Hildebrand & Wolfmüller *Geneva steam bicycle *Marks motorcycle (1896– ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
De Dion-Bouton
De Dion-Bouton was a French automobile manufacturer and railcar manufacturer, which operated from 1883 to 1953. The company was founded by the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton, and Bouton's brother-in-law Charles Trépardoux. Steam cars The company was formed in 1883 after de Dion saw a toy locomotive in a store window in 1881 and asked the toymakers to build another. Engineers Bouton and Trépardoux had been eking out a living with scientific toys at a shop in the Passage de Léon, near the rue de la Chapelle in Paris.Wise, p. 510. Trépardoux had long dreamed of building a steam car, but neither he nor Bouton could afford it. De Dion, already inspired by steam in the form of railway locomotives,Georgano, p. 27. and with ample money, agreed to back them, and Trépardoux et Cie was formed in Paris in 1883. That became the De Dion-Bouton automobile company, the world's largest automobile manufacturer for a time, well known for the quality, reliability, and du ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
