Crossley

Crossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of internal combustion engines.

Each of the brothers had served engineering apprenticeships: Francis, known as Frank, at Robert Stephenson and Company; and William at W.G.

The brothers were committed Christians and strictly teetotal, refusing to supply their products to companies such as breweries, whom they did not approve of.

In 1869 they had the foresight to acquire the UK and world (except German) rights to the patents of Otto and Langden of Cologne for the new gas fueled atmospheric internal combustion engine and in 1876 these rights were extended to the famous Otto four-stroke cycle engine.

The Crossley system even influenced Henry Ford, who visited Pottery Lane at the turn of the century.

Other manufacturers at the time, notably Brush, produced very similar engines as modular, opposed cylinder units.

[2] Like the earlier Ferranti steam generating plants, these placed half of the engine each side of a centrally-mounted alternator, thus reducing the maximum load on the crankshaft.

Production of these engines, intended for ships, railway locomotives and electricity generation, was initially carried out at Nottingham.

The Crossley Works on Pottery Lane was closed on 27 February 2009, with what remains of the business being relocated to a Rolls-Royce factory in Dunfermline.

Crossley apparently took one of its successful World War II Patrol Boat motors and re-engineered it for railway service.

Crossley's foray into rail motive power construction was disastrous, with all but those installed in the WAGR X class having a very short working life.

Crossley Brothers obtained numerous patents for improvements to internal combustion engines.