Memory Check

T

Tanner SC

Junior Member
Just wonder if my memory is correct about a Ford lawsuit 50-60 years ago on automatic transmissions. Believe most other major manufacturers were paying royalties to someone because of a prior patent but Ford would not.

Ford won with a defense based on use of similar components --the bands?-- in their Model T transmissions. This even though the T bands were activated with pedals while the auto ****** used hydraulics.

Does anyone know if this is correct and not just my imagination?
If correct, what are more details about it?
 
ot sure about that but I do know that early in the 20th century a lawyer from Detroit got a Patent for the automobile and was extracting royalties from all the auto manufactures at the time. Ford refused to pay and they were in court for a number of years until the court ruled in favor of Ford.
 
Vic: I think you are referring to the Seldon (or Sheldon) patent over the invention of the automobile. As a kid in the 1940's or 1950's, I built a model of the first Seldon auto --it was supposed to be from the 1880's or 1890's and prior to Ford-built cars.

I believe the ****** issue came up when Ford began building automatics --1949 or a couple years later. First automatic we had was on a new 1951 Ford; the ****** appeared about as big as the engine and it was sure sluggish in comparison to the 46 Ford coupe I had.
 
We’ve got a '53 Ford Crestline Sunliner with a Ford-O-Matic. I thought that BW built all the early Ford Automatics. I know that in '49 Lincoln was buying automatic transmissions from GM for the Cosmopolitans. Our ’49 Cosmo has a three speed with BW overdrive.
 
I remember reading about someone inventing/using "band" type gearboxes before Ford.
He had no luck getting any compensation/recognition.
This is going back to the Model T days or earlier.

Manuel in Oz
 
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