Re: RE:Matt/Jay/power steering discussion

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: farna@xxxxxxx
" 
" On May 5, 2005 Tom Jennings wrote:
" 
" > I often fantasize about making a motor where the front of the
" > crank (balancer end) is nothing but a multi-KW alternator/starter
" > motor and everything (oil, water pumps, valve actuation) is
" > electric, with electric-drive servo steering. This last is
" > happening now, and electric water and oil is used on various race
" > cars.
" > 
" > Make that alternator a big enough motor with a funny coupling and
" > you'd have a hybrid.
" > 
" 
" 
" 
" Or a hydraulic pump! Hydrostatic drive is used in really big construction
" equipment (some CAT bulldozers, I'm sure others) and on the other end of
" the spectrum in lawn tractors. Not used very often at all in between! Now
" a hydrostatic 4x4 similar to a CJ...

i had this idea 35 years ago, looking at a citroen sm.  it has so much
hydraulic stuff on it - the famous suspension, for one - that i
thought why not have just one big pump and ditch the transmission?  i
was even approaching drive-by-wire in my concept...

probably all the gizmos work at different pressures, so it wouldn't
work in practice.

i think it even had hydraulic windows.  i know mercedes toyed with
them, and i have a lincoln ['67] with hydraulic wipers.

and speaking of infinitely-variable automatics - i was up at loudon
last weekend, watching the scca regional runoffs.  a blast and a half!
the formula 440s run a 440cc snowmobile engine complete with belt
drive, and while they weren't the fastest or loudest, when they turned
off the back straight and nailed it up the hill they'd let out a wolf
howl that raised the hair on my neck every time one went past.  you
have to hear it to believe it.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen

adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought