Vehicle characteristics of the Ford Model T

The designers of the Ford Model T were Childhood Harold Weill and two Hungarian immigrants, Joseph A. Gramm and Eugene Farkas, as well as C.J. Smith , Garth Degnell and Peter E. Martin also participated.

The application of the assembly line

The revolutionary creation of the Ford Model T, the assembly line, was initiated by William C. Crane when he visited a slaughterhouse in Chicago. The process of animal dismemberment and conveyor belt transportation Later he introduced it to Ford Motor Company, and the high efficiency of individual workers repeatedly slicing caught his attention. He later reported the assembly line concept to Peter E. Martin, who, although skeptical, encouraged him to continue. Although others claimed to have reported the idea to Henry Ford. But the archives at the Henry Ford Museum are well preserved with documents about William C. Crane’s visit to a slaughterhouse that inspired him to become the father of the modern assembly line. It was then led by factory superintendent Peter E. Martin, along with his assistant Charles E. Sorenson, skilled workers Harold Weir, Clarence W. Avery and Charles Lewis. Experiment and explore. When the first Model T, built on an assembly line, was completed, Pa. Crane proudly drove it off the production line in front of many onlookers and the media, including Henry Ford.

Engine and starting method

The Model T has a front-mounted 177 in3 (2.9 L) four-cylinder integrated engine that can provide 20 horsepower (15 kW) and 45mph ( 72 km/h) speed. The engine had side valves and three main bearings and was powered by gasoline or alcohol, the latter later discontinued as gasoline prices fell and fuel bans were introduced. Fuel consumption for the Model T in default configuration is approximately 25 to 30 mpg (7.8-9.4 L/100 km).

Before you start a Model T by hand, you must retard the ignition, otherwise you may damage the starting device or be injured by the spinning starter. On most Model Ts, the choke was controlled by a wire coming from the bottom of the radiator, whereby you could operate it with your left hand while using the hand crank with your right hand. After 1926, most Model T cars sold were equipped with electronic starting devices. Ford Model T engine The Model T has a unique electromagnetic ignition system, but the ignition coil needs to be strengthened because the voltage generated is too low. For easier starting, it can also be manually switched to an independent dry battery system for ignition, and switched back to the electromagnetic ignition system when running at high speeds. The advantage of this design is that it can continue to run even if the battery pack is exhausted. The spark was produced by distributing the spark plugs through a low-voltage "timer" mounted on the end of the camshaft in front of the engine. This "timer" was the predecessor of the modern distributor, which installed the current guide in the front of the cab. There are 4 vibrating coils in a box, and timing adjustment of the ignition is achieved by manually turning the timer with the help of a lever device on the steering column. Making the best choice between electromagnetic ignition or battery pack ignition and the optimal timing method under different load and speed conditions requires considerable skill. In order to maintain the goals of maximum reliability and simplicity, this system is retained even after the car is equipped with an electronic starting system with a generator and battery pack.

The car's 10-gallon fuel tank is placed on the car frame under the front seat. Another design that takes into account the needs of American farmers is equipped with an improved carburetor that can use ethanol as fuel. Since fuel flows from the fuel tank to the carburetor by gravity, the Model T cannot climb steep slopes when there is less fuel in it. The usual solution is to drive the car uphill in reverse. After 1926, most cars moved the fuel tank to the front under the windshield.

One of the shortcomings of the Model T that is often criticized by future generations is that the car does not have a water pump, and the cooling of the engine is achieved by natural circulation based on the principle of thermosiphon. Due to its lighter mass, the hot water rises to the top of the engine and enters the cooler. When the temperature drops, it returns to the bottom and returns to the engine again. This was the cooling flow path for most cars at the time, even when equipped with a water pump, until the invention of the cross-flow cooler. The water pump was sold separately from the Model T as an optional component.

Transmission system

T-type car rear-wheel drive, planetary gear transmission, 3-speed. By today's standards, it wouldn't be called a 3-speed because one of the gears was reverse. Ironically, the car's driving style could be called art today. It had no clutch pedal. Shifting was accomplished through 3 pedals on the cockpit floor. The middle pedal was for reverse gear, and the pedals on either side were There are high and low gears respectively, and the throttle is controlled by a lever behind the steering wheel. This is very different from the way contemporary cars are operated.

Suspension system and wheels

The front and rear axles of the Model T are a non-independent suspension system with elliptical springs installed laterally. The front axle is forged by a drop hammer as a whole. Ford has repeatedly The demo twisted it and sent it to the dealer to show its superiority. The car's foot brake is different from modern cars. Its right pedal stops the rear axle through the hoop of the brake drum on the transmission system, while the hand brake is implemented on the outside of the brake drum.

The wheels of this vehicle were wooden "gun wheels", which were changed to steel welded spokes from 1926 to 1927.

The tires are pneumatic tires with a diameter of 30 inches, the front wheels are 3 inches wide, the rear wheels are 3.5 inches wide, the wheelbase is 99 inches, and the standard wheelbase is 56 feet. A few need to be changed to 60 inches to adapt to southern roads.

Vehicle Manufacturing

The car went through several major changes during its production history. The radiator, lights and many small parts of the early models were made of brass and were of a single style. Most cars were open-top station wagons and did not have doors. Later models were gradually enriched, and sedans, sports cars, pickup trucks, trucks and other models were developed under the original chassis. Car headlights evolved from the original acetylene lamps to electric lamps. The Model T used many advanced technologies at the time, such as vanadium steel, making it extremely durable. Today, 80 years later, many parts are still in good working order.