
1929 WILLYS KNIGHT 56
THE SLEEVE VALVE ENGINE, RECTIFIED

1929 WILLYS KNIGHT 56
THE SLEEVE VALVE ENGINE, RECTIFIED
Production Years: 1928-1929
Country: United States
Number Produced: 37,931
One particularly unconventional engine came from America. This four-stroke engine had sleeve valves and was dubbed “The Silent Knight” after its inventor, Charles Yale Knight. In the Silent Knight there are ports, as in a normal two-stroke engine, but they are located at the top of the cylinders.
Two sleeves, internal to the cylinders, slide up and down to open and close these ports. The sleeves are connected to a small crankshaft synchronized with the main crankshaft. This system is called “desmodromic” as there are no springs and every motion is “positive”. The desmodromic system’s main advantages are silence and reliability. During the first part of the 20th century, valves were noisy and fragile.
Please note that the vehicles shown online are part of our collection but may not be on display when you visit. Our team is always in some stage of repair or restoration on a number of vehicles.
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Tampa Bay Automobile Museum
3301 Gateway Centre Blvd.
Pinellas Park, FL 33782 USA
Museum Hours:
Monday: 10am - 4:30 pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10am - 4:30 pm
Thursday: 10am - 4:30 pm
Friday: 10am - 4:30 pm
Saturday: 10am - 4:30 pm
Sunday: Noon - 4:30 pm
Admission:
$14 General Admission
$12 Seniors (65+)
$10 Active Military and Youth (9-17 y.o.)
8 years old and under free with paid adult
Groups of 12 or More $10 per person