Frank Pountney (c1879-1948) of Villiers
developed the flywheel magneto and developed and patented the Villiers cycle freewheel
1948 August 30th. Died
1949 Obituary [1]
"FRANK POUNTNEY, whose death occurred on 30th August 1948 at the age of sixty-nine, was senior works director and chief engineer of the Villiers Engineering Company, Ltd., of Wolverhampton, for nearly thirty years. After serving his apprenticeship with Messrs. Rudge-Whitworth, Ltd., of Coventry, from 1897 to 1900, he was promoted to be chief draughtsman and as such was responsible for the design of the Rudge 8 h.p. twin air-cooled motor-cycle engine.
He relinquished this position in 1919 and went to Wolverhampton to take up his final appointment with the Villiers Engineering Co. Mr. Pountney was responsible for the invention, in 1924, of an improved type of bicycle free-wheel, still in large quantity production. He also made many valuable contributions to the design and development of engine and fly-wheel magnetos. He had been a Member of the Institution of Automobile Engineers since 1915."