The final word on Spinners vs. Nose Cones

Well I always wondered........ mk

Quite a bit more recent than the other two! I've forgotten who the J.A.P. guy was, but I think he designed the system in the 1920s.

I always wondered why the design wasn't more widely used....

I'm waiting for pneumatic valve actuation next. :-)

Good flying, desmobob

It won't be long until larger four-strokes are camless and are using solenoid activated valves. Then the "cam profile" can be changed at will for various driving characteristics.

Imagine a "Duntov" cam for V-8 engines when you want the sound, but dropping back to an extremely conservative, fuel saving profile for cruising on the Interstate.

Ed Cregger

That'll take some pretty strong solenoids. Valve operating forces absorb a small but significant percentage of the crankshaft's power. Perhaps they would use the solenoid to both open and close the valve, thereby eliminating the heavy valve spring?

Dan

The solenoids have been around for quite a few years now, Dan. That is how Cadillac made their Northstar 4-6-8 V-8 engines work. And it worked well with very little trouble. I think that was produced beginning in the early Eighties, but I won't make book to that effect.

Ed Cregger

Nits: The Cadillac L62 engine was foisted upon the unwitting public in 1981 - well before GM marketing gave birth to the "NorthStar" program name (1993, iirc). And while it didn't have the electromagnetic valve operating mechanisms you likely were thinking of (it used a camshaft, lifters, pushrods, rockers and springs just like all V8s of its time) the cylinder deactivation system did use solenoids to disable the valve lifters of the affected cylinders.

While the engine proved to be a functional disaster, it doesn't condemn the concept of magnetically operated valves. I believe BMW (among others) has done much work in this area, and if the ICE remains so firmly embedded for another decade or longer, it wouldn't surprise me to see camshafts replaced by coilpacks...

Cheers

/daytripper

M-O-N-E-Y!!! 'Tain't cheap!

Check the Renault Formula 1 engines:

They actually found a way to put all their hot air to good use! ;-) Git yerself a Renault and you can become Pneumobob! :-D

You're telling me? ;-)

Ducati's desmo systerm is surprising simple and doesn't make the bikes any more expensive than 1930's technology H(ardly) D(angerous) designs. My

Ducati has been building World Superbike-winning bikes based on the same basic engine with performance enhancements and displacement increases as the years pass. Beginning with the 851 and evolving into the 888, 916, 996, and

I lust for the new technology but am hopelessly in love with my old 'SS.

Good flying, desmobob

Misnomer example; "wing flappy things" for ailerons. Sad but true ;-)

Basically, if a guy doesn't want to sound like a newbie, he needs to do the research, learn the terminology accurately, then use it accurately. Nothing identifies the greenhorn quicker than a bunch of misnomers.

Dan

"Duh," some will say, "What's a misnomer?"

From

mis·no·mer [ miss n?m?r ] (plural mis·no·mers)

noun

Definition:

1. unsuitable name: a wrong or unsuitable name or term for something or somebody
2. calling something by wrong name: a use of a wrong or unsuitable name or term to describe something or somebody

Boy, you guys need a hobby or sumthing.

Phil AMA609

To see a nose cone being spun goto

Frank Schwartz wrote:

Interesting....however, let's be specific (look it up in the dictionary)..if it is on the a propellor, it is properly called a spinner. If it is on a rocket..it is a nose cone. If it is on the front of, say a P-38 it is merely the nose of the plane. Let's put an end to this thread. Frank Schwartz