Cyril Pullin
Cyril Pullin | |
---|---|
Born | 18 August 1892 |
Died | 23 April 1973 | (aged 80)
Nationality | British |
Occupation(s) | Motorcycle designer, racer and aeronautical engineer |
Cyril Pullin (18 August 1892 – 23 April 1973) was a
Early life
Cyril George Pullin was born 1892 in Wandsworth, London. He became a well known motorcycle racer and in 1914 won the Isle of Man TT race.[1]
Racing career
In
On 23 March 1922 at Brooklands Pullin established a new record and became the first ever British motorcyclist to be timed at over 100 m.p.h. on a 3 hp Douglas 500cc motorcycle.[4]
Inventions
In the 1920s Pullin developed various helicopter engine patents and in the 1940s he developed the Powerwheel, a rotary engine in the hub of a motorcycle wheel, a rotating single-cylinder engine known as a one-lunger. This consisted of just the cylinder and a clutch which could be engaged and disengaged, with a simple drum brake. The invention never entered production but is credited as an important step in rotary engine development.
His sister was married to Stephen Leslie Bailey, a then prominent engineer at Douglas Motorcycles and many of his patents were filed under the name of that company.[5]
Car and motorcycle business
In 1928 Pullin took over the former Phoenix factory in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, to produce Ascot-Pullin Motorcycles and the Ascot car based on the Hungarian Fejes, with chassis and 10 hp engine assembled from welded steel pressings. It never went into production.
A larger car, the Ascot Gold Cup Six with a 2423 cc six-cylinder engine possibly made by Continental, three-speed gearbox and servo brakes did become a reality and a few production cars were made. It was advertised as being available as a two-seat sports, coupé or fabric saloon.
Rotary wing aircraft
In 1932 Pullin joined
Pullin designed the 1500 cc "Flat Twin" and the "4-Cylinder"(later called Pixie when licensed to Aero Engines Ltd of Bristol) engines which followed it. These were used in the Weir W2, W3 and W4 autogiros. The "Four Cylinder" was adapted to power the twin-rotor W5 Helicopter.[7]
After the war development at the
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84425-431-6.
- ^ "England & Wales Death Index 1916–2007". Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- ^ "Great races" (PDF). Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Douglas 1923". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ Kephart, Doug. "Researching the Douglas Patents". Retrieved 3 December 2008.
- ^ "Helicopter History". Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Douglas Aero Engines". Retrieved 30 November 2008.
Sources
Douglas Light Aero Engines from Kingswood to Cathcart. 2010. Author Brian Thorby. Redcliffe Press, Bristol
External links
- 1914 picture of 21-year-old Cyril Pullin on his winning motorcycle. It was an earlier model which he had designed. This site is about the TT race, and tells the story of the race and the motorcycle design
- Cyril Pullin's patents. This site about old Douglas motorcycle parts digs into old engine and motor patents, specifically following various stages of Cyril Pullin's work and inventions
- Image of Pullin riding motorcycle in 1923
- TT database rider profile
- TT database TT results