Maverik Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Ok, I'm into my UJ's at the moment and I'm looking into the verious manufacturers, now is there a connection between Dana Spicer and GKN/Hardy Spicer or is it just a weird coincidence that 2 rather large UJ manufacturers share the same name? cheers Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Perhaps they're married ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted March 17, 2010 Author Share Posted March 17, 2010 HAHAHAHA classic. If they where they'd make the best propshafts in the world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Isn't a 'Hardy Spicer Joint' another name for a UJ anyhow, as well as a trade name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted March 17, 2010 Author Share Posted March 17, 2010 OK i did some googling and found, Mr Clarence Spicer and Mr Hardy Spicer aren't related... but they appear to have a common interest... automotive drivetrains. So i guess that answered my question. Dane Spicer - webpage extract From the 1940's, Burwood Victoria (Australia), Hardy Spicer began operating as a specialist in driveline components to service the automotive industry. We expanded our capabilities over the years and also incorporated hydraulics products to compliment the services required by our growing compliment of customers. GKN/Hardy Spicer - webpage extract During the spring of 1902, while designing a motor car for a class project, Clarence Spicer, then a sophomore at Cornell University (USA), explored ways to improve the transmission of power from the engine to the wheels. At that time, motor vehicles were powered by two sprockets connected by a chain, similar to the workings of a bicycle. This system was not only difficult to lubricate, but loud and unreliable, as well. Finding a better way to transfer power, Clarence placed reinforced universal joints on either end of a tubular shaft. Encasing the u-joints in bowl-shaped housings retained their lubrication and protected them from road debris. These never-before-seen improvements to the cardan u-joint were engineered into Clarence’s prototype which was later issued a U.S. patent in May of 1903. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardyspicer Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Spicer invented the joint but it required a man called Charles Dana ( company still going strong; http://www.dana.com/) to exploit the design to the full. This company bought in to EJ Hardy of Birmingham in 1925. Hardy-Spicer produced propeller shafts with the universal joint under licence. Dana sold their holding in Hardy-Spicer in the 1950s. Hardy-Spicer which was part of Birfield Ltd still had to pay royalties to Dana. It was in the 1960s that Hardy-Spicer started producing constant velocity joints on a commercial scale. Birfield was taken over by GKN in the late 1960s. Here is some bed time reading from which my, hopefully correct, summary is derived: http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/037c01.pdf http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/037c02.pdf http://www.dana.com/centennial/histbook/ GKN also have a good history bit on their website. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 Spicer invented the joint but it required a man called Charles Dana ( company still going strong; http://www.dana.com/) to exploit the design to the full. This company bought in to EJ Hardy of Birmingham in 1925. Hardy-Spicer produced propeller shafts with the universal joint under licence. Dana sold their holding in Hardy-Spicer in the 1950s. Hardy-Spicer which was part of Birfield Ltd still had to pay royalties to Dana. It was in the 1960s that Hardy-Spicer started producing constant velocity joints on a commercial scale. Birfield was taken over by GKN in the late 1960s. Here is some bed time reading from which my, hopefully correct, summary is derived: http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/037c01.pdf http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/037c02.pdf http://www.dana.com/centennial/histbook/ GKN also have a good history bit on their website. John I must be sad, as thats quite intresting, cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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