Unknown Lever.

Don’t know how I missed this thread while searching for Siskin references.

As surmised previously, it controls the brake on the Vickers ( not Rotherham WW1 afficianados ) fuel system, wind driven, air pressure pump. The fuel tanks are pressurized at approx 3 psi, pushing the fuel to the carburetor. While there are pressure relief valves in the system, braking the fuel pump was required at high speed, most notably when diving.

Mike, I have sent you a PM.

Regards
John

Hi Ed,
Nice find with the photos, these levers certainly had a host of uses as discussed , the air pump must be a model after the Rotherham air pump of WW1 , as there is no
braking system fitted.
It would appear that a reliable mechanical fuel system was proving problematical , seeing that air pressure systems are still being used in 1927.
As for the motorbike idea it would have to be a possibility…cruise control anyone !
The workload for a pilot flying in cloud or at night using this system , would, at the very least be” character building”.

Kind Regards Mike

Just to add a few sprinkles onto the cupcake :

Below is a close up of the original photo which concurs with Bob’s ID :

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239593[/ATTACH]

This c0ckpit photo came with a group showing the radio appartus of Siskin J7001 :

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239594[/ATTACH]

The obverse shows the date to be 1927, not a bad year :

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239595[/ATTACH]

All this brought me to connect back to Air Board No.244 Rolls Royce Eagle and Falcon 1917, showing the fuel feed system, incorporating a wind driven air pump for pressurizing the fuel system, which would most logically link to a bowden cable brake labelled ‘petrol pump brake.’

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239596[/ATTACH]

In the RR Eagle, there was no mechanical fuel pump in 1917. Fuel was either delivered by gravity via an upper wing tank, like a Tiger Moth, or via a pressurized fuel tank, air pressure derived from an engine mounted air pump. If the tank became over pressurized, for example, when ascending to height, a relief valve in the tank could vent over pressure. But there was a problem. If you were descending, the engine was generally at lower RPM, and might not provide enough revolutions for the engine mounted air pressure pump to keep fuel up to the engine. In combat, where you might then be required to rapidly ascend, the engine might cut out. The solution was to provide a wind driven air pump, so as you dived, this would take over the task of pressurizing the fuel tank. Probably the only time you would want to brake this pump is if you were descending to land, otherwise you would leave it unbraked. The position of the lever in the Siskin suggests function in conjunction with the throttle. The Siskin had the AS Jaguar – I do not know if it had a mechanical petrol pump. I am not familiar with the Siskin fuel supply system, except that there were no upper wing petrol tanks.

I still think these same levers were more commonly used on 20’s-30’s motorbikes to control magneto advance, as you see them around, but it is now obvious that they were used in aircraft. The Bristol Jupiter, used in the Wapiti and Bulldog, had manual magneto advance, but this was linked to the throttle lever, rather than a separate bowden control. Individually controlling magneto advance would otherwise be too busy. I guess on motorbikes you could do it with your thumb as you rolled the throttle.

I am not sure if Bristol Fighters and other early RAAF or civilian aircraft had air pressurized fuel supply, but the inference is that any Falcon or Eagle powered aircraft had to have such a system, as there was no mechanical fuel pump in 1917. Why would RR not have a ‘normal’ engine driven fuel pump when they did have an equally heavy air pressure pump? Whatever the logic, the later Kestrel had a mechanical fuel pump.

Hi Bob,
That makes good sense..a couple of clicks on the ratchet, and a fiction brake of some form slows it down via the Bowden cable.
An elegant solution..well for 1920 anyway.
Regards Mike

Andy…Ian has preserved your sanity, and a rather nice seat, it IS similar.
AG.. You really should ring Sir Tony and Phil and let them know…
Bob..petrol pump brake..never heard of one?, do you know of these ? this thread perpetuates..
AM.. Finally….1920s catalogue, proving it could possibly be used to do all of the above suggestions, well done.
Thank again to all for the information.
Kind Regards Mike

Hi Mike

That is what the cockpit label had written on it.

My guess is that one of the uses of these levers would be as brake levers for slowing down or stopping wind driven fuel pumps and generators, in order to prevent over delivery of fuel or overloading the electrical systems.

I have one of the brake mechanisms “not lever” for the generators.

Bob T.

Andy…Ian has preserved your sanity, and a rather nice seat, it IS similar.
AG.. You really should ring Sir Tony and Phil and let them know…
Bob..petrol pump brake..never heard of one?, do you know of these ? this thread perpetuates..
AM.. Finally….1920s catalogue, proving it could possibly be used to do all of the above suggestions, well done.
Thank again to all for the information.
Kind Regards Mike

From the Brown Bros. Catalogue, 1920, “Aircraft and Aerodrome Equipment, Accessories and A.G.S. Parts, etc”:-

[ATTACH=CONFIG]239536[/ATTACH]

Going through my pre- war instrument reference, when I found this photo.
I am sure I got it off the web, but did not notate where I got it, so MODs / Owner, please remove it , as I have no wish to tread on toes.
I cannot recognize the aircraft ( Andy I am ruling out Ju 87as of now!!!) but the lever does look very familiar.
I cannot read the data plate next to it/attached to it? Anyone?

Kind Regards Mike

PS Also attached photo of stamp on lever.

“PETROL PUMP BRAKE”

Bob T.

Imagine the pickle if the Stuka had fallen on the Roman palace instead of in the creek!

Adrian

Fascinating!

And now I know what the piece is from the Ju 87. Thanks, Ian!

Certainly very similar to the one posted by Versuch.

Nazi treachery at its very worst.

Andy , Ok so the Nazis now are in breach of copyright…is there no end to their treachery !
But seriously, it must be a common type / design of lever , as you say, because you have it!!!….
HP and WP..prove that it may have been a universal fitting for various functions , at this point to be tallied up!
Ian, my labeling is guess work at best in this case ! I only labeled it that, as I assumed it appeared to have some type of early oxygen fitting, and the other fittings were Hawkerish in their layout.
The seat lever must be a close relation.
I will take some more pictures tomorrow and see if it helps. Thanks all for your feedback.
Kind Regards Mike

As you say, Versuch, Pre war RAF type. AM dimmer on the side, cocking handle for high mounted mg and string wrapped BSA spade grip. You have the image labelled ‘Hawker’. Hart/Nimrod?
Andy, the 30s motorbike handlebar style control is harness release. Id is helped when found attached to something else!
You beat me to it Elliott, just seen!

It looks like a Bowden control lever. Classic use would be for the safety harness release. I’ll check when I get home.

The same lever is used in the Hampden as a landing lamp control.

It looks to be the same, certainly.

All I can tell you is that a near identical piece came out of the wreck of a Ju 87 Stuka which crashed at Fishbourne Creek, Sussex. I know – because I found it!

It was a mystery then, and is now. It is also so alien to anything remotely Germanic, but it was certainly in that Stuka!

Going through my pre- war instrument reference, when I found this photo.
I am sure I got it off the web, but did not notate where I got it, so MODs / Owner, please remove it , as I have no wish to tread on toes.
I cannot recognize the aircraft ( Andy I am ruling out Ju 87as of now!!!) but the lever does look very familiar.
I cannot read the data plate next to it/attached to it? Anyone?

Kind Regards Mike

PS Also attached photo of stamp on lever.

Surprisingly, we found exactly this piece in the wreck of a Junkers 87 many years ago, although I don’t think it had the second lever and the end of the other lever was rounded as opposed to flat like this one. I recall it was either chromed or stainless steel. I know another poster put up an image of another identical item a few years back but that drew no answers, either.

Magneto advance for motorbike maybe…