Thread: Radial Bike?

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Not big on bikes, but being an old round engine mechanic this one is KEWL.....



Forgive me, went to a little gathering at the local CAF earlier and it got me remembering my round engine days....

Spent most of the day yesterday at AF Museum-lots of round engines and displays of the tech involved even with B 52 in background of some pics

That one has been around for a while, I've got a pic of it here w/o the belt guard, probably earlier in its life......and the plane behind it should warm your heart. Then another one with the orientation in the correct direction......

I like em better on planes, but there is something very cool about those old radial engine designs!

Just looking at the cam drives for the valves is mind bogglinbg

I never though of that Jerry, that does boggle the mind!

I've been playing with radials, on a conceptual basis.

Hope this works IMG_0661.jpg

Gotta love something like those bikes. Thanks for the pics.

I don't know why, considering that many of us are from the same generation, but it often amazes me how many of us have "round engine" experience; I cut my radial engine teeth on Mr. Sikorsky's egg beaters in 1960, and Uncle Sams Canoe Club kept me involved in them for several years.

I always thought that the valve actuation of radials was simplicity in action - one cam plate for intake, one for exhaust, instead of a whole bunch of bumps stretched out along a stick, at least that's what it seemed to me.

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Originally Posted by Rrumbler

Gotta love something like those bikes. Thanks for the pics.

I don't know why, considering that many of us are from the same generation, but it often amazes me how many of us have "round engine" experience; I cut my radial engine teeth on Mr. Sikorsky's egg beaters in 1960, and Uncle Sams Canoe Club kept me involved in them for several years.

I always thought that the valve actuation of radials was simplicity in action - one cam plate for intake, one for exhaust, instead of a whole bunch of bumps stretched out along a stick, at least that's what it seemed to me.

Rrumbler, I agree the cam action didn't mess with my mind near as much as trying to imagine the crank, and how it could possibly function with nine cylinders in such a narrow space. Once I heard the concept of one "Master Rod" in the classroom it was one of those "Wow" moments, followed by "Whoever thought of this the first time was a pretty smart guy!!"

I still recall the first time that I got tagged for a cylinder change on the 1820's we worked, and it happened to be #1 cylinder. The shop lead grabbed me as I started out the door and said, "You get that cylinder up towards TDC and lash that prop solid so that no jakeleg can move it either way, you hear me? I mean lash it solid, and hang a 'DO NOT MOVE' sign on it!! I'm not having you out there pulling every jug on that engine 'cause you let the *@#*+@#^ master rod fall!"

Here is a neat cutaway to illustrate Roger's point about the master rod.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=HGKXdYCksAQ

Originally Posted by robot

Here is a neat cutaway to illustrate Roger's point about the master rod.

Very cool, and if you pull the #1 jug and piston and remove the constraint by rotating the crank the free end of the master rod will spin freely around the crank and pull all of the other pistons out of their cylinders, making one mell of a hess!!

Thanks very cool video

Those are all awesome bikes, and the vid of the radial is cool too.