Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 268, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1919 — FORD COMPANY BEGAN ON STARTER IN 1911. [ARTICLE]

FORD COMPANY BEGAN ON STARTER IN 1911.

Henry Eprd tested the Ford start- | ing and lighting system on his own I car for one year. Ten months ago the Ford Motor company was not manufacturing electric starters; today the output of its starter department is greater than that of any other manufacturer of electric starting devices in the world. Its nearest competitor makes one thousand a day, whereas the Ford company’s output is fast approaching the three thousand mark, I two thousand eight hundred and I eighty-one already having been manj ufactured in one day. The Ford starter—and generator, for it is really two separate units:is not the result of a new idea or of a suddeii’’ dicision. More than ' eight years ago Mr. Henry Ford’s vision saw the need, and his electrical engineers were instructed to begin experimenting. After seven years of constant research, which took into consideration the many different climates in which the Ford 1 car is used, together with the factors of size and weight and an adaptability to quantity production, I twenty-three trial jobs were built. , These were tested in many different ways. Mr. Ford himself used one 'on his car for -a year. Still the en- ' gineers continued their experiments and improvements. : . Then came the order from the government for. 15,000 three-ton tanks, each one of which was to be' equipped with two synchronized Ford Motors. A starter was so the one now being installed on Ford cars was evolved. But, only one starter and generator was used to turn over the two Ford motors in each tank. January first, 1919, the Ford Motor company began equipping enclosed cars with this new starting and lighting system. Ford engineers say that although the entire system—starter and generatorweighs only thirty-one pounds, it produces a higher torque output (constant rotary motion) pound for pound, than any other system on the market When the department for building the starting and lighting systems first began production, fifty hours’ labor was charged to each unit, but now that machinery and equipment have been installed, the time per unit is four hours. Two huge armature impregnating ovens have been installed, each with a capacity of 1,700 every eight hours. In these ovens the armatures are dried, soaked in varnish and dried again. Eight hours’ time is required for this one operation. The power from the starter to the motor is applied through the well known Bendix drive, which automatically engages the starter and then, once the motor is started, the starter immediately disengages. It is equipped with oilless bearings and needs practically no attention. Within another thirty days or six weeks, the Ford -company expects to be making enough starters so that every Ford car will be equipped with the new electric starting and lighting system.