Motor Vehicles and Motors Their Design, Construction and Working by Steam, Oil and Electricity

'Cheap or rapid or convenient road transport for man and goods is one of the most important of all contributions to national comfort and prosperity.' An early evangelist for the automobile, William Worby Beaumont (1848–1929) drew on his engineering background to produce the first volume of this work in 1900, when motor vehicles were still relatively new to British roads. Rapid developments in the automotive industry prompted the publication of a second volume in 1906. Replete with technical drawings and photographs, the work describes in great detail the design, construction and operation of the earliest motor vehicles, including those powered by steam, electricity and fuels derived from oil. Volume 1 traces the development of the automobile, from various attempts to produce steam vehicles light enough to run on roads through to the advances of Daimler and Benz. It also includes an overview of attempts to harness electrical power to propel road vehicles.

Preface; Introduction; 1. Design, construction and working of early steam road vehicles; 2. The intermediate period; 3. Power and frictional losses; 4. Road resistances; 5. Resistance due to gravity and power required; 6. Air and wind resistance; 7. The modern period and modern motor; 8. Recent high speed long distance petrol motor vehicles; 9. Recent high speed long distance petrol motor vehicles (cont.); 10. Mors motor carriage and motor; 11. The Gobron-Brillié motor carriage; 12. The Cannstadt-Daimler motor vehicles; 13. The Vallée, Delahaye, Crowden and other cars; 14. Modern light petrol motor vehicles; 15. Petrol motor cycles; 16. Carburettors; 17. Motor cars with petroleum motors; 18. Cylinder cooling and water coolers; 19. Some motor vehicle components; 20. Electric ignition and ignition apparatus; 21. Petrol motor vehicle performance and mechanical efficiency; 22. Electric motor vehicles; 23. The Electric Vehicle Company's electric cabs and broughams; 24. Modern and recent steam vehicles; 25. Some Serpollet steam vehicles; 26. Some American light steam carriages; 27. American steam vehicles; 28. Heavy motor vehicles; 29. The Liquid Fuel Engineering Company's 'Lifu' vehicles; 30. Heavy steam vehicles; 31. Heavy steam vehicles (cont.); 32. Heavy steam vehicles (cont.); 33. On brakes; 34. Concerning vibration, balancing, and balanced motors; 35. Pivoted steering axles; 36. The popular and commercial uses and cost of working motor vehicles; 37. The 1896 act and the Local Government Board regulations; 38. Tyres; 39. Miscellaneous; Index.