New Way Motor Company Concise History-
- Born out of the Clarkemobile Company (Auto), the New Way Motor Company commencing operations in 1905. http://www.american-automobiles.com/Clarkmobile.html
- William Newbrough as treasurer and Charles Way engineer, were the prime movers of the company with Charles Way as the prime ideas man for the Air Cooled Engines produced by the company.
- Automobiles continued to be produced using New Way engines till 1907.
- The New Way Motor Company main manufacturing facility was at 706 Sheridan with documentation generally referring to Lansing, Michigan.
- Fire played an important part in the company early history. Production actually commenced in a combined facility little more than a simple shed 100 feet long.
- By 1910 with product demand and expansion the company was operating from a massive well serviced factory.
- The Motor company was instrumental in the establishment of the New Way Mutual Benefit Association to see to the welfare of staff in times of sickness etc.
- Indicative of a company with a forward thinking social conscience
- New Way manufactured 1 and 2 cylinder Air Cooled engines up to 12 Hp in horizontal and vertical cylinder format
- Vertical single cylinder 3.5 Hp and 6Hp horizontal twin cylinder Type C aircooled "Hit Miss" vertical engines were among the first productions. These were quickly followed by a 2.5Hp single cylinder version of the same Type C
- Engines were said to have good power to weight ratio for their time of production. Attributed mainly to the fact that no water tank for cooling was required.
- Peak of production saw engines sent off by train in wagon loads. The New Way Motor Company manufacturing facility was well serviced by rail track right to factory dispatch.
- Some of the last model innovations introduced in 1928 involved innovative cooling principles and methods still in use on modern day air cooled engines.
- Their Patents were ground breaking. Patents of today still refer back to the innovative early patents of the New Way Motor Company such was their importance in design and principle in combustion engines.
- Heat radiation
- Cooling
- Air Ducting
- Carburation
- Mixed Carburation [petroleum start, kerosene/distillate run]
- High Pressure pumps
- Governors [Hit Miss]
- Governors [Throttle Governed] - including adjustment while running similar to modern day air cooled engines
- Enclosed bearing lubrication - grooved and "drilled" shaft for assured supply.
- Advances
- Engine design advancement or enhancement was generally indicated by an alpha progression of engine "TYPE"
- First commercial production was of the "Type C" which was used in all the VERY early vertical and horizontal engines.
- These engines utilized a rudimentary fuel mixer and a vacuum operated atmospheric intake valve that was directly above the cam operated exhaust valve.
- All were Hit and Miss Engines
- Governed by centrifugal weights mounted in one flywheel that actuated a lever to hold the exhaust valve open when the desired revolutions had been reached. This prevented further fuel being drawn in via the intake valve as there was no longer sufficient vacuum for it to operate.
- When revolutions dropped again the exhaust valve was de-latched so fuel could again be drawn via the intake valve.
- Earlier "Type's" of valve layout were designed and also patented and so likely were called either "Type A" or "Type B"
- No commercial record of production of these A and B types has been found
- By the mid teens significant advances had been made by the New Way Motor Company in technology and design. In particular the company introduces their range of throttle governed or "Type F" engines. Type F throttle governed engines were introduced into new ranges as well as into the early Type C engines such as the large 12 HP horizontal twin engines.
- Only on their very largest BORE engines New Way Motor Company adopted a design using an auxiliary exhaust port patented in 1904 by F Hardenbrook and W Rice. Utilizing 2 holes in the cylinder, exposed when the piston was near the end of it's stroke and allowing hot gas escape before the usual expulsion via the exhaust valve. Consequently with less heat exposure a cooler running engine resulted. Being working and low reving engines this would have been very effective.
- By the time the New Way Motor company went into receivership in the early 1930s "Type H" engines were in production.
- Advances seen over time as generally indicated by Type included
- Timed intake valve
- Throttle governed Engines
- Carburetor fueled Engines
- Light Single flywheel engines
- Air Governors
- Modern Design light weight single and twin cylinder engines utilizing features still found today in modern engines.
- New Way motors continued to be produced to the 1930s when the company went into receivership, though another company was formed, New Way Engine and Machine Company, which continued manufacturing until c1940.
The following extract from The Engines of Lansing, by Dave Pfaff, copyright Feb. 2004 is used with permission. (Historian R.E. Olds Transportation Museum)
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