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The buggy of Åtvidaberg 1911. Already in the end of 1800
there were self rolling vehicles built. The first car from Benz,
which according to the story,
was out on a trial drive by Benz daughter Clara 1886.
Copy of Benz first car. Ref 6 |
The roads at
that time were only horse wagon paths. The city roads were not
covered by stones so the streets only consisted of dried
clay mixed with horse dung. Now when the first engines were
produced vehicles were built with large diameter wheels just
like the personal horse transport wagons. Out on the country
side the trails were very uneven and stony. This was the reason
why the first buggies were equipped with large wheels and
connected to soft springs. Noted that air rubber wheels wheels
were not invented until 1888. It was the Englishman/Scottish
John Boyd Dunlop who came up with the new air rubber cover
on the wheels. This so called Hi
Wheeler had only a slim rubber ring as tire thread. Most vehicle
alike had this type of cover on their wheels from 1886 and up
to 1899, when the pneumatic rubber wheel became common in large
scale.
Why didn't the Åtvidaberg buggy became modern for it's time 1911.
Were all these persons in Åtvidaberg, who worked with this buggy, not well informed about what was modern when speaking about car
constructions?
This is what had happened.
1902 a Swedish engineer Martin Eriksson moved to USA in
order to work with car constructions. He came in contact
Photo in museum of Åtvidaberg buggy car, Ref 1 |
Olds Curved Dash 1903 at Motala museum. Ref 1 |
Holsman buggy?. Probably a short variant of Atvidabergs
car. Ref Wikipedia. |
with
the left over Holsman Hi Wheelers that still were able to be
bought in the area around Chicago where Holsman had the
factory, between 1900 and 1909. He apprehend that the roads in
America
where comparable with Swedish roads. This was the reason why he
was sure that high wheels were a good construction for cars.
Remarkably enough he didn't came in contact with
Olds
Curved Dash
which started to be delivered 1902 in Detroit/Lansing. Anyway he
had contact with owners of cars from
Holsman in Chicago and he became very interested in this
type.
When Martin later 1908 traveled back home to Sweden, he had a
Holsman car in his baggage. I have not found where he first
settled in Sweden but the car was trial driven in county of
Hälsingland before he settled down in Åtvidaberg. After the
trial drives he found that the car managed good on the Swedish
roads. There were no written lines so he had to copy the car and it
is almost on the point like the Holsman. As Holsman since long
time had closed down their production there were no danger for
prosecution.
The factories that were situated around Åtvidaberg were
structural reorganization.
A merge of most companies in the area and the united
Industries of Åtvidaberg were created. As a detached part was
Wagon factory of Åtvidaberg. The meaning was that the Holsman
copy should be produced there. There was also since time before
a wheel factory in Åtvidaberg. All these changes was good for
Martin Eriksson. He had now only to get the owner Baron
Theodor Adelswärd to put money in order to produce the
car/buggy. For the car Martin had prepared all basic drawings
for the production.
All details would be produced in Sweden.
Holsman 2 cycle engine. Reworked. |
Chain drive. Ref 1 |
Front and rear "drive" gear and variator. Ref 1 |
Original four cylinder two stroke? engine. Ref 1 |
Railway trolley. Ref 1 |
Two sizes of engines. A 2 and 4 cylinder four
stroke engines. There are different statements. The engine
crankcases
would
be casted at Överums foundry. The wheels came from the wheels
factory while the chariot was build by the Wagon factory. The
steering function
was by a handle. The engine was mounted under the
passenger seats and air cooled. The power was transferred by two
chain belts to each rear wheel. There was no gearbox and in order
to change speed was made by moving the whole engine package
front
or rear with the help of a handle. The variator pulley was alike
the DAF construction, but of course much simpler. If the engine
was moved further back another pulley came in contact with the
car wheel. A simple way of turning the car wheel backwards. See
picture.
The production was prepared for 35 car. But sorry to say the buyer's
resistance was compact and only 12 were sold.
This
resistance was due to that the T model from Ford could be bought
for a lower prize. The cars that was not sold were converted to
railway trolleys.
You can see on the picture a trolley and a hardly recognizable buggy.
It has got an engine hood and probably a Ford T engine hides
under.
Article
about Åtvidaberg Wagon factory by Gert Ekström a.o.Ref.1 |
Article about Åtvidaberg car by Svante Kolsgård. Ref. 1 |
Both these articles are transferred to separate text in
Swedish, This because my photos didn't gave readability. Click
on respective article.
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Railway
barrier was one product. Ref 1 |
Teodor Adelswärd. Ref 48 |
The united Industries had close contact with railway production.
Parallel there were production of railway system and parts.
For it's time this buggy was too late. If Martin Eriksson had come 10
years earlier it might has been much better.
Twice the industrial leaders had formed their decision wrong in
Åtvidaberg. The first one was
Theodor Adelswärd. He didn't understand that the Holsman car
was completely out of date. If Eriksson might have brought an Olds
Curved Dash instead. But it might have been too late for that car
also.
The second was when the Facit border with Elof Ericsson in the
lead didn't understand the importance of electronics for Åssa
calculators. When production ceased for the car it was not
serious for the workers but to continue with mechanical calculators
became catastrophic.
Perhaps it was unavoidable for Sweden had not enough with
electronic engineers with computer knowledge enough.
Below some pictures from my photos from the museum.
One mini build car of the buggy. Ref 1 |
Family test drive. Ref 1 |
The two foot pedals. Ref 1 |
One delivery ready car outside the factory. Ref 1 |
Photo of family and tourist cahriot. Note 2 headlights.
Ref 1 |
In the Rydaholm car museum I have seen a high wheeler, with the name Schacht 1903.
Holsman1908 at Arvika
museum.
Text about Åtvidaberg United industries and articles about car
and original shop manual for the car can be found in the Swedish
version.
The last owner oe the las exixting car. Ref. 1 |
4 pages about the buying of Technical museum of te last
car. Ref. 1 |
Above the first paper about the last owner Arthur Olsson. The
second about the buying of the car by Technical Museum. 4 pages.
page 2,
page 3,
page 4.
Letter
to Åssa Industries from Brita Vighagen whose mother's father
owned the car.
The printed car instructions for the car 1911.
page 1,
page 2,
page 3,
page 4,
page 5,
page 6,
page 7,
page 8,
page 9,
page 10,
page 11,
page 12,
page 13.
Steering column. |
Drive chain. |
Solution of rear gear function. |
What was made of the rest store after bankruptcy. |
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