Summary
From an album containing 51 photographs of various engines and component parts produced by Crankless Engines (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Crankless Engines (Aust) Pty Ltd was formed in Melbourne in 1920 to develop and manufacture a new engine design invented in about 1917 by British-born, Australian resident Anthony George Maldon Michell. The crankless engine was based on a simple yet ingenious method of eliminating many moving parts by replacing the crankshaft, connecting rods and bearings of conventional engines with a moving slanted plate which transmits motion to pistons via lubricated slipper blocks attached to the pistons with universal joints. Crankless Engines (Aust) Pty Ltd established a factory at 129 Greeves Street, Fitzroy and an office at 9 Queen Street in Melbourne. Lack of interest in the design by major American and British manufactures meant that by the late 1920s the Crankless Engine company was not producing its own engines but did licence the design to be built by others. Crankless Engines was placed in receivership in February 1945.
Description of Content
Crankless petrol engine in a Buick motor car chassis.
Physical Description
Black and white silver gelatin photograph attached to paper album page. A cream label with typed black ink is attached to album page below photograph.
More Information
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Collection Names
Crankless Engines Collection, A.G.M. Michell Engineering Collection
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mr George Hunt, Aug 1973
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Place & Date Depicted
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Inventor
Mr Anthony G. Michell, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Manufacturer
Crankless Engines (Australia) Pty Ltd, Fitzroy, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Format
Photograph, Black & White
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Inscriptions
Printed in black ink on a cream label attached to album page below photograph: 'PHOTO 38. / MACHINE NO. 14. / 8 X 3 5/16" X 3 1/2" Petrol Engine in Buik Motor-car / Chassis. / (Engine was running at approx. 250 / r.p.m. while photographed with 30 secs. exposure.' Hand written in red ink on album page below photograph: 'Neg 5049[strikethrough]' Hand written in grey pencil on album page below photograph: '46'
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Brand Names
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Classification
Mechanical engineering, Internal combustion power, Petrol engines
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
215 mm (Width), 335 mm (Height)
Album page
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Overall Dimensions
153 mm (Width), 203 mm (Height)
Photograph only
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References
SMV Report of Activites 1973-74, p.13: "A. G. M. Michell Photographs. - Mr. George Hunt, of Macleod, called at the Museum with an album of photographs which he thought we might care to have. The reaction was one of some excitement, as it was a collection of photographs of the crankless engines and compressos that had been made to A. G. M. Michell's designs. The album proved to be the means of filling in some hitherto baffling gaps in the record of the famous Michell's engineering achievements. Copies of the photographs were particularly welome to Mr. S. E. A. Walker, of St. Ives, N.S.W., who had written an account of Michell's engines and other design achievements for the Institution of Engineers. He soon afterwards produced a supplement to his lengthy compilation on the basis of this important new information. Mr. Hunt had been employed by Mr. N.F. Matthew, who had been a professional associate of Michell many years ago, and happily he had preserved this valuable album."
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Keywords
Engines, Industrial Equipment, Internal Combustion Engines, Machines, Motor Cars, Petrol Engines, Road Transport
