General Information

Serial #

S19441

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Zinc alloy/ metal parts

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

14.5 cm

Width

8.2 cm

Height

13.3 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Automotive engineering

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

ELKHART

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Michigan

City

Monroe

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Unknown

Canada

From the collection of automobile parts and servicing equipment acquired by Mr. T.H. Oliver, father of donor, during his career in automotive serving. He worked at Willys-Olivand, Fairbanks-Morse in Toronto and an auto garage in Aurora. In 1931, he began his own business, one part of which involved automotive electrical servicing.

Function

Part of an ignition system of internal combustion engine. It uses a magnetic field to produce an electric spark, which explodes gasoline vapour in a cylinder of engine, enabling it to function.

Technical

One example of a magneto produced by a small number of relatively short lived manufacturers in the early electric auto ignition field. It exhibits relatively crude construction characteristics of new manufacturers, lacking research and development experience but the zinc alloy body is still in good condition (REF. 1). The magneto ignition system was a technological innovation first developed in 1878 by Nikolaus August Otto, which was based on the principle of Siemens' double-T armature (Diesel, Goldbeck, and Schildberger: 64). The development of electromagnetism in the 19th century greatly influenced the advancement of magnetos by various inventors around the world. As the automotive industry grew, the magneto ignition system became the standard automotive ignition system, resulting in the wide spread use of magnetos on early engines (Bosch. "Bosch Product History"). Today, automobiles rely on battery power; however, magnetos are commonly used to power small machines, including lawn mowers or snow blowers, and may be found in small gasoline engines such as motorcycles, tractors, marine, and aircraft engines because they do not need a battery ("Magneto").

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Incised "ELKHART" ON ONE SIDE & "ELKHART MFG. CO./ MONROE, MICH. U.S.A." WITH CAST "ELKHART" & Iincised "S19441" on other

Missing

High tension brush post

Finish

Black painted magnets/ metallic grey & brass coloured parts

Decoration

N/A