Automobiles · Vol. III|Electric starter|1912
Electric starter
1912
Early cars were hand-cranked. A backfire could break a jaw. Kettering’s electric starter, on the 1912 Cadillac, spun the engine with a motor and a battery. Starting became a key turn. The pool of drivers widened. A car is not only an engine; it is an engine you can wake without a fight.
Charles Kettering; Cadillac adoption · United States
How it works
- A battery feeds a motor geared, briefly, to the flywheel.
- The motor spins the engine past compression until it fires.
- A Bendix or similar drive disengages so the engine does not over-speed the motor.
Why it mattered
- Removed a dangerous ritual from motoring.
- Made cars usable by many more people.
- Locked the 12-volt battery into automotive design.
Who turned the wheel
What it unlocked
For further study
- SAE history. Kettering starter.
- Cadillac historical notes. 1912 introduction.
Check
What injury was the starter meant to make rare?