From: ddoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Wed Oct 09 2002 - 12:20:45 PDT
Bjorn,
Most of my references on this subject have yet to be unpacked from moving my office, so I am answering from the top of my head. I may get details wrong (and I am sure some one will point this out if I do!), but basically its like this.
In the 1950s, engineer at MAN (whose name escapes me at the moment) wrote a paper on the Hypercycle combustion process, which was largely unnoticed. An executive with Continental happened to be in Europe at about that time, and this came to his attention. I don't remember if he saw the paper, or an experimental engine. Continental, of course, was a long time supplier of engines to the US military. The exec immediately saw a huge market potential, and without proper authority from the home office, signed a sweetheart-of-a-deal (for Continental) licensing agreement.
He returned home, and pitched this to the military, who was skeptical, but interested. A batch of pre-production engines were contracted for and built. After their trials a few changes were recommended, and the LDS-427 placed into production. The Multifuel deuce was born. Continental later developed the 465 series engines.
I do not know, and may not ever have known, if the MAN license was for the piston design, or for the combustion process. It is not for the entire engine.
As far as contracting goes....as a rule, government procurement contracts are written such that the government becomes the owner of the design. There are some exceptions to this, but I am not clear on how these exceptions are arrived at. I suspect, but do not know, that involves when government funding becomes involved...ie, if you are contracted to develop something, that is one thing, if you are contracted to produce, that is another, and if you convince the government to buy your already existing design, that is yet another.
Hope this helps,
David
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Wed Apr 23 2003 - 13:24:06 PDT