On the cover this month is a photo of a Backus engine, which
belongs to George Costantini of 8 Linden Avenue, Bordentown, New
Jersey, who writes:
‘The engine was patented June 12, 1894, serial # 2179. It
has a fuel pump to fill the carburetor and a secondary pump to
inject the gas at the intake stroke. There are three valves and one
gas intake, and two exhaust. One exhaust valve rod operated, and
the other valve opens with the exhaust flow.
‘It is a 3 HP engine and weighs 1300 pounds. It also has an
inertia governor and a round connecting rod. The little hand wheel
is to release the pump lever from the shaft so the pump can be used
to prime the carb by hand.
George also sent a picture of a plow he has for which he needs
to find out if there is a connection to the Ford Motor Corp. and
what this type of plow was used for.
‘It is marked in raised letters on the casting:
W.P. + T. H. FORD PAT 1859
