History Out of the mainstream - Vintage accessory

We had a 40 Ford 4 door sedan in our shop a number of years ago and it had a lot!!! of period accessories on it. I removed this from the wishbone and it has remained as a conversation piece in our shop. Because no one has stepped up to explain how it could work, I thought I would try the knowledge of the HAMB. It is shown here on my A coupe (I may run it for a talking point). How could this item in this location silence the brakes? Anyone shed some light or remember this accessory? They did bother to apply for a patent or at least that is what it says. Thanks for any info

 

Is it a heavy piece?

I can't imagine it having any other benefit except to act as a weight damper to balance an imbalance between each side of the suspension. If that imbalance was in braking bias side to side, perhaps this would somehow benefit?

 

Neat old part.

If a car had brake noise (squeel or chatter) There could be resonance that would resonate or excite the wishbones like a big tuning fork. Maybe the clamps were just enough to cancel the noise like putting your fingers on a resonating tuning fork.

I did a quick google patent search (brake silencer automobile) 1925 to 1948 and came up empty handed. But the marking states applied for, and maybe nothing was granted.

 

If it has some heft to it, it may dampen harmonics in the wish bone. May act like the weights Ford used to install on their auto tranny tail shaft extensions in the 80's

 

I think you guys are right on target with it being a dampener of sorts. Very interesting piece and probably reasonably effective.

 

Does it have rubber or something soft where it meets the wishbone?

 

I took it off and weighted it this morning and it is 6 1/2 pounds. It did not appear to of ever have had anything material between it and the wishbone. I am guessing it will certainly cause some conversations if I run it.

Anyone else have any interesting old aftermarket parts that defies explanation. Lets see them.

 

Is there anything more to it's construction other than just two pieces of metal clamped together? If not I'm guessing just a means of dampening harmonics in the suspension.

Frank

 

Frank, What you see is what you get, just 2 pieces of cast iron. The 40 Ford it came off of had all sorts of aftermarket items, almost as if the original owner was into bolt-on gadgets. From everyone's reaction, it obviously was not a big seller in the aftermarket at the time.

 

You can always tell folks that you move them fore and aft to control your wheel stands



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