History
The company, originally named The L. M. Cox Manufacturing Co, Inc., was founded in 1945 by theNotable Cox engine toys
In the 1950s and 1960s until recently, Cox has produced a line of hobby-oriented models of cars, airplanes, and other vehicles. The most noted are the .049 cubic-inch displacementCox engines
Reed valve
Cox reed valve engines are nearly indestructible. The needle valve and carburettor are behind the cylinder where they are protected, and the crank case, cylinder and fuel tank are all machined from forgings, rather than weaker castings. The tank back plate/carburettor is a zinc alloy casting, or later a plastic casting, but crash stresses are already well distributed by the time they reach it. The claim of dimensional tolerance, in the advertisement shown above, is justified by the facts that the high production volume engines need no break-in, except for a one-minute rich run, and any piston will fit into any cylinder that is the same size. An example of an 0.049 cubic inch (0.8 cubic cm.) reed valve engine is shown on the right, taken apart (with the tools shown) and assembled. Except for the Golden Bee fuel tank, this engine was bought used in 1979. The starter spring has been removed, allowing the use of a left hand screw propeller. Some unneeded metal has been removed from the front of the crank case. Below the Bee is a new Sure Start. There are several superficial changes, including that the shape of the reed is different and it is now made of steel. The most substantial change (not visible) is in the carburettor, which now has a large brass spray bar / barrier crossing the round barrel aperture, with a jet hole in its back center. The older carburettor has an abrupt increase in the diameter of the barrel (visible), with the jet at the top of the larger barrel section. In addition to 0.049 cubic inch (0.80 cc) variants such as these, the 0.020 cubic inch (0.33 cc) Pee Wee was also sold, in large quantities and over several decades, in ready to fly or run models and separately to power other models. The Pee Wee was used in the Little Stinker and was 0.020 engine.Rotary valve
The TDs (Tee Dee or Thimble Drome) had very high power for their size and ranged from 0.01 in³ (0.16 cc) to 0.09 in³ (1.5 cc) displacement. They were for serious hobbyists and too temperamental for mass markets. Note, on the Tee Dee shown, that light shows through the external ports, under the piston (sub induction). This engine cannot run properly with a muffler. Sub induction served to allow extra air into the cylinder at high engine speed. This increases the charge of mixture and makes the ignition timing track to engine speed to maintain power over a wider range of rpm. The cylinder head shown is of the low compression Bee type. Medallions were milder than the TDs but better performers than the reed valve engines.See also
*External links and reference