Ascot-Pullin Motorcycles
Encyclopedia
Ascot-Pullin Motorcycles was a British motorcycle
manufacturer founded by Cyril Pullin
as the Ascot Motor and Manufacture Co Ltd at Letchworth
, Hertfordshire
in 1928. An inventor and winner of the 1914 Isle of Man TT
, Pullin had been developing ideas for motorcycle designs since 1920 with Stanley Groom, and had patented a two-stroke engine motorcycle with pressed sheet metal frame and forks
. After leaving Douglas the first time, Pullin worked with Groom again to refine his ideas and develop and patent the Ascot-Pullin motorcycle. Less than 500 were built and sales were poor, resulting in the company's liquidation in 1930.
Pullin was an innovator and the Ascot-Pullin 500
ohv single
had the engine horizontally mounted and enclosed with a pressed-steel frame. As well as the first use of hydraulic brake
s on a motorcycle, Pullin also designed a telescopic centre stand and an adjustable windshield with a windscreen wiper and rear-view mirror, as well as a fully enclosed chain and interchangeable wheels.
, a
division of Tube Investments, who commissioned Pullin's new invention, the "Powerwheel", a 40 cc, 0.7 hp, single-cylinder rotary engine
. The prototypes were scrapped after the company decided not to proceed with production, but a sectionalised example survived together with most of the drawings, and an industrialised version was developed for the Ministry of Supply
.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufacturer founded by Cyril Pullin
Cyril Pullin
Cyril Pullin was a British inventor, engineer and motorcycle race driver. His inventions contributed to the rotary engine and the helicopter. His son was the pilot for the first successful British helicopter flight in 1938. Cyril Pullin died in 1965 aged 72....
as the Ascot Motor and Manufacture Co Ltd at Letchworth
Letchworth
Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The town's name is taken from one of the three villages it surrounded - all of which featured in the Domesday Book. The land used was first purchased by Quakers who had intended to farm the...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in 1928. An inventor and winner of the 1914 Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
, Pullin had been developing ideas for motorcycle designs since 1920 with Stanley Groom, and had patented a two-stroke engine motorcycle with pressed sheet metal frame and forks
Motorcycle fork
A motorcycle fork connects a motorcycle's front wheel and axle to its frame, typically via a pair of triple clamps. It typically incorporates the front suspension and front brake, and allows the bike to be steered via handlebars attached to the top clamp....
. After leaving Douglas the first time, Pullin worked with Groom again to refine his ideas and develop and patent the Ascot-Pullin motorcycle. Less than 500 were built and sales were poor, resulting in the company's liquidation in 1930.
Ascot-Pullin 500
Ascot-Pullin 500
The Ascot-Pullin 500 was a motorcycle made by Ascot-Pullin Motorcycles in Letchworth, Hertfordshire in 1928. As an unpdate version of the Pullin motor bicycle of 1919, the Ascot-Pullin 500 overhead valve single was the first time hydraulic brakes were used on a motorcycle.-History:In 1919, British...
ohv single
Single cylinder engine
A single-cylinder engine is a basic piston engine configuration of an internal combustion engine. It is often seen on motorcycles, auto rickshaws, motor scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, go-karts, radio-controlled models and has many uses in portable tools and garden machinery...
had the engine horizontally mounted and enclosed with a pressed-steel frame. As well as the first use of hydraulic brake
Hydraulic brake
The hydraulic brake is an arrangement of braking mechanism which uses brake fluid, typically containing ethylene glycol, to transfer pressure from the controlling unit, which is usually near the operator of the vehicle, to the actual brake mechanism, which is usually at or near the wheel of the...
s on a motorcycle, Pullin also designed a telescopic centre stand and an adjustable windshield with a windscreen wiper and rear-view mirror, as well as a fully enclosed chain and interchangeable wheels.
Powerwheel
The Ascot-Pullin name was revived in 1951 by for the Hercules Cycle and Motor CompanyHercules Cycle and Motor Company
For the German Bicycle and Motorcycle manufacturer see: Hercules Fahrrad GmbH & CoThe Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910 in Aston in England....
, a
division of Tube Investments, who commissioned Pullin's new invention, the "Powerwheel", a 40 cc, 0.7 hp, single-cylinder rotary engine
Rotary engine
The rotary engine was an early type of internal-combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration, in which the crankshaft remained stationary and the entire cylinder block rotated around it...
. The prototypes were scrapped after the company decided not to proceed with production, but a sectionalised example survived together with most of the drawings, and an industrialised version was developed for the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
.