THE QUADRICYCLE
made by Henry Ford
INFORMATION
When Henry Ford built his first gasoline powered automobile, he made it as simple as he could, and utilized commonly available materials. It was given the name 'Quadricycle' and had a frame made from iron, and a seat from a buggy. The transmission was a combination of leather belt and chain drive. The two-cylinder engine was based on a design Ford found in the January 9, 1896 issue of American Machinist magazine. The unit was originally air-cooled, but it ran too hot and Ford had to add water jackets to the cylinders.
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MANUFACTURING
The Quadricycle, going through three stages of development and modifications. First built, most of the car's frame was wood. The name 'Quadricycle' was good, all four wheels were bicycle wheels. The Quadricycle was sold in 1896 for $200. In 1904 he bought the vehicle back for $65. Shortly after, he replaced the wooden water tanks with a copper one mounted under the seat. Currently, this is the form the Quadricycle is in today.
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1891, Ford left the farm again, this time for work at the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit as night engineer. In his spare time at the Edison Illuminating Power plant and in his Detroit apartment, he switched and began building experimental gasoline-powered engines. The first Ford vehicle, the "Quadricycle," an improvement on previous gasoline-powered vehicles, resulted from this work and was built in June of 1896 in a nearby garage. A second Ford model came in 1898 and by August of the next year, ford became superintendent of the new Detroit Automobile Company ,This business lasted just one year, beaten by the conflict between rapid profit and hopes of backers vs. output capabilities. One successful mode was made in that time.
impact
Henry Ford's quadricycle in 1896 started a chain of events launching a new industrial age. Ford went on to make the Ford Motor Company where he revolutionalized manufacturing. the quadricycle made indivitual short transportation faster and easier.