Floating power
Encyclopedia
Floating Power was a technology developed in the 1920s by the United States
automobile
firm of Chrysler
. It was a new means of attaching an engine
to its chassis
, with the intention of reducing vibration. Four-cylinder engines of the day started and rode rather roughly, transmitting the torque
to the whole chassis. By attaching the engine at only two points ("fore-and-aft"), on two points defining an axis that passes through the engine's center of mass
, the engine would be able to rotate slightly about this axis and reduce the transmission of torsional vibration to the chassis. One mounting attachment was at the upper front of the engine, directly below the water pump. The rear mount was under the transmission case. A transverse spring went from the bottom of the engine to a rubber lined snubber bracket on the frame rail to limit the rotational travel of the engine.
Advertisers gave this concept its brand name. It was used on the Plymouth (automobile)
and other Chrysler Corporation cars starting in 1932. The French firm of Citroën
leased the technology for its front-wheel drive car of the 1930s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
firm of Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. It was a new means of attaching an engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
to its chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
, with the intention of reducing vibration. Four-cylinder engines of the day started and rode rather roughly, transmitting the torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
to the whole chassis. By attaching the engine at only two points ("fore-and-aft"), on two points defining an axis that passes through the engine's center of mass
Center of mass
In physics, the center of mass or barycenter of a system is the average location of all of its mass. In the case of a rigid body, the position of the center of mass is fixed in relation to the body...
, the engine would be able to rotate slightly about this axis and reduce the transmission of torsional vibration to the chassis. One mounting attachment was at the upper front of the engine, directly below the water pump. The rear mount was under the transmission case. A transverse spring went from the bottom of the engine to a rubber lined snubber bracket on the frame rail to limit the rotational travel of the engine.
Advertisers gave this concept its brand name. It was used on the Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
and other Chrysler Corporation cars starting in 1932. The French firm of Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
leased the technology for its front-wheel drive car of the 1930s.