bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting the Utilization of Anti-knock Quality in Automobile Engines
Authors: Davis J. D. 
Published: June 2010

In this paper the author has compiled an interim report based on a close study of the anti-knock requirements and fuel utilization of a number of modern automobile engines. It is found that the maximum octane requirements of most of the engines tested are related to then-indicated mean effective pressures. Considerable differences, however, exist in the performance of the engines when run on a fuel of the same quality in each case. A comparison is made between several engines operated on gasolenes of United Kingdom “Pool” and United States “Premium” grade quality, and it is shown that these engines vary considerably in the benefit they derive from the better classes of fuel. It is concluded that, in order to obtain the maximum benefit of a given anti-knock quality of fuel, an engine should be over-compressed and operated with retarded ignition at full throttle. The characteristics of side-valve engines are given special consideration, and the desirability of restricting full throttle spark advance at high speed is mentioned. Carburation requirements for good fuel utilization are also dealt with, and the effects of combustion chamber deposits are discussed.
The Design and Development of Heavy Haulage Vehicles
Authors: Burton C. E. 
Published: June 2010

The regular transportation of heavy loads under off-the-road conditions was made possible with the advent of the six-wheeled type of heavy haulage vehicle. The development of the six-wheeler in Great Britain began in 1923 and the author was responsible for the design and development of the first prototype vehicle. This paper shows in detail the design and development of the latest and largest British six-wheeler to date and some of the possibilities of this versatile type of vehicle which carries heavier loads than are normally carried on made-up roads, over rough ground and desert country under tropical conditions at relatively high speeds. The development of this vehicle was to meet the specific requirements of the Iraq Petroleum Company in laying their 550 miles of pipe-line from the Mediterranean to Kirkuk in Iraq, which task was completed six months ahead of schedule.
Motor Vehicles in Hot Countries
Authors: Carruthers C. J. D. 
Published: June 2010

During 1943–46 the author commanded the Experiments and Trials Wing of the Inspectorate of Mechanization, India Command. The main function of this organization was to test, on proving grounds in North India, the suitability of each type of motor vehicle which was sent to India for operation in the tropics. This paper, which is the result of the author's experiences during this work, deals with some of the conditions of climate and roads encountered in the tropics, their effects on the operation of motor vehicles, the special design features necessary to provide for them, and the practical tests necessary to determine whether those features were satisfactory.
Steering and Stability of Single-track Vehicles
Authors: Wilson-Jones R. A. 
Published: June 2010

The author briefly states the elementary principles of equilibrium and claims that the stability of the conventional bicycle or motor cycle is automatic except at very low speeds. This is because the steering automatically turns in the direction in which the machine is leaning and returns to the straight ahead position when the machine is restored to the vertical. The achievement of these effects is largely due to the “trail” of the front wheel. The causes of “steering roll” and “steering wobble” and the purpose of the inclination of the steering head, are examined, as are the effects of high and low mass centres and of the rider leaning with and against the machine. It is shown how the elementary principles of steering apply to various types of vehicle, including single-track vehicles in which the necessary lateral force comes mainly from camber thrust rather than slip angle. The results are given of experiments on varying amounts of “trail”, and a method of measuring slip angles is described which is applicable to motor cycles. Finally, a method of indicating the direction of the torque applied to the handlebars when entering, holding, and leaving a bend is described.
Automatic Transmissions in America
Authors: Chayne Charles A. 
Published: June 2010

Since the internal-combustion engine was first adopted for automotive use, American industry has conducted a constant search for a transmission with infinitely variable ratio, fully automatic operation, and high efficiency. The fully automatic transmission has now evolved into a unit providing greater safety and ease of operation for the driver. It is no longer considered novelty or luxury equipment in the passenger car and its value is rapidly becoming recognized in commercial applications. Engineering research and development in the United States of America has been active in this search for two decades. The first approach was the development of friction, electrical, and hydraulic displacement drives, all of which resulted in bulky and heavy mechanisms inefficient and impractical in use. Then came the development of hydrodynamic drives, the fluid coupling, and the torque converter. Here, continual commercial successes have been made. The first use of the torque converter was in city service 'buses in 1934, replacing the manual shift transmission which was subjected to a gear shift every eleven seconds of its operation. In 1939, the first successful automatic passenger-car transmission, the Hydra-Matic, was produced. From that date onwards all competitive American passenger-car manufacturers followed in suit with their own designs. In many cases, the different transmissions have been mere re-arrangements of already proven designs, the features chosen representing the respective engineer-management judgement of the desirability of the various characteristics of known automatic transmissions. The extent of the field is evidence by the production of automatic transmissions in the United States of America, which in 1951 was 2,422,131 units. While development work was progressing in the passenger car field, the field which offers the greatest promise of commercial rewards, extensive activity was also prevailing in the commercial and military fields. Here engineering research and development has led to the design and current production of automatic drives, using either the fluid coupling or torque converter, for use in highway and off-highway trucks, earth-moving equipment, cranes and hoists, railroad equipment, oil-well servicing and drilling equipment, and, in the logging industry, yarders and hauling equipment. Military applications are currently being made in all weights of tanks, trucks, and track-laying vehicles. So it can be seen that the scope of the American field of automatic transmissions is large and the development has been extensive. It has an interesting history and the field shows promise of still further gains.
Ignition Interference with Television Reception
Authors: Ball A. H. , Nethercot W. 
Published: June 2010

The spark-ignition circuit of the internal-combustion engine is the most widespread source of interference to short-wave radio and television services. This paper reviews the progress made in the measurement of the interference producing radiation and the development of remedial measures summarized in the relevant British Standards and Codes of Practice. The regulations for the control of ignition interference recently introduced by the Postmaster General are described and their implications discussed. The design, construction, and efficacy of suppression equipment, in particular suppression resistors for insertion in the high-tension part of the ignition circuit, are described in some detail. The possible effect of resistors on engine performance is discussed and the results of tests under controlled conditions indicating negligible effect are given. The results of extensive measurements of the magnitude of ignition interference on passenger cars and commercial vehicles are analysed and assessed in relation to the permissible limit imposed by the regulations. Estimates are given of the percentage of vehicles complying with the regulations by the adoption of the various methods of resistor suppression. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 10th July 1952, and in its revised form, as accepted by the Council for publication, on 1st January 1953. For the Minutes of the meeting in London, on 10th February 1953, at which this paper was presented, see p. 90.
Research and the Engineering Process, with Particular Reference to the Automobile Industry
Authors: Merritt H. E. 
Published: June 2010

The paper represents a broad commentary on the development of research and of the part that it has played in the evolution of the engineering process. The engineering process is the sequence of all the stages by which knowledge and experience of many kinds are brought together in order to lead to a final design. To the age-old combination of craftsmanship and mechanical inventiveness is now added the application of the physical sciences. This third ingredient is becoming increasingly essential, and is based upon research. The various categories of research, and the places and manner in which they are best conducted, are briefly described, and the directions in which further research is required are provisionally classified. The object of the paper is to promote discussion, with special reference to the requirements of the motor industry, with which the Motor Industry Research Association is coupled. The MS. of this paper was first received at the Institution on 5th September 1952, and in its revised form, as accepted by the Council for publication, on 25th October 1952. For the Minutes of the meeting in London, on 9th December, 1952, at which this paper was presented, see p. 16.
An Investigation of Stresses in Public Service Vehicle Type Wheels
Authors: Fosberry R. A. C. 
Published: June 2010

The causes of failure in wheel rims has been only recently investigated and this paper is a contribution dealing with public service vehicle type wheels. Various types and sizes of wheel are considered, statically and dynamically, with differing tyre sizes. The results obtained with wire resistance strain gauges are claimed to be more reliable than those achieved by the deflexion method. Stresses in the critical parts of a wheel are produced by assimilating the forces which would be experienced in service, including bumps, corners, and braking. The influence on wheels of acceleration on corners and deceleration due to braking is examined and results shown. Stress analysis of a wheel is only part of the design problem, since residual stresses induced during manufacture, the properties of the material and the order of severity of service conditions have also to be taken into account. The investigation concludes with a comparison of a welded wheel and a riveted wheel, but the latter has received wider consideration. It is not claimed to be a complete investigation suitable for establishing a design procedure, but results obtained provide much useful information.
The Jaguar Engine
Authors: Heynes W. M. 
Published: June 2010

This paper is a review of the design and characteristics of an overhead-camshaft, hemispherical head engine, particularly in respect to the production of an economical power unit for passenger car use. The reasons for adoption of this particular design are discussed and the difficulties encountered during the development of these particular engines are mentioned. An analysis of the engine on the test brake is given, and a comparison is made with contemporary engines. Finally, a section is devoted to the further development of a basically touring car engine for high-speed competition events. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 27th February 1953. For the minutes of the meeting in London on 14th April 1953, at which this paper was presented, see p. 118.
The Application of Power Assistance to the Steering of Wheeled Vehicles
Authors: Heacock F. H. , Jeffery Harold 
Published: June 2010

The object of this paper is to survey the rapidly broadening range of vehicle types to which power assisted steering is being fitted, to give descriptions of some of the various approaches to the problem of making such provision and to comment on particular features of systems using alternative installation layouts and/or different sources of power. Emphasis has been given to the problems of applying power assistance to the steering of the General Service or Public Service classes of vehicle, since it is felt that in these spheres the higher road performance attainable with the aid of such assistance may give rise to operating troubles with designs that previously have proved satisfactory over a long period of development and usage. Special purpose vehicles would normally be expected to go through a proving period, while the steering of private cars up to the limit of road adhesion is possible without power assistance. It is considered that it is in recent months rather than in recent years, a marked practical interest in steering assistance has developed in Great Britain, and although this ground has been largely covered previously in published articles and particularly in American literature, some recapitulation should prove of interest and, it is hoped, of value, to those who, until a comparatively short time ago, had not given very serious thought to the likelihood of a more general demand arising, but who are now attempting to judge the strength of the present trend. Brief remarks are made regarding the history and development of powered steering installations, but such observations that are made are not intended to present a full story. The MS. of this paper was received at the Institution on 23rd December 1953, and in its revised form, as accepted for publication on 5th January 1954. For the Report of the meeting at which this paper was presented, see p. 94.
Street Lighting Performance
Authors: Ruff H. R. , Lambert G. K. 
Published: June 2010

The object of traffic route lighting in Britain is to enable vehicles to traverse built-up areas in safety, without the need for head lights. The technique adopted is to project light on to the road to show its direction and features, and to reveal clearly obstacles and other road users in silhouette. To achieve this an average road brightness of 0·2 foot-lamberts without excessive diversity is adequate. Glare from the lighting must be controlled to avoid disturbing a driver's visual adaptation but mainly to minimize his discomfort.A means of appraisal of the effectiveness of street lighting installations is described and applied to some installations. This should be of value to indicate which of the older installations are adequate and which need raising to a standard that affords an ample margin of safety without the use of head lights.Since it is left to the discretion of drivers to use head lights when they need them, it is suggested that the limitation in mounting height on other roads be relaxed sufficiently to enable lanterns to project safely over the road in order to effect considerable improvement in lighting, particularly on tree-lined streets.
Analysis and Interpretation of Service Records
Authors: Wilford A. T. 
Published: June 2010

The paper is concerned with records arising in the running and maintenance of a fleet of road passenger vehicles. Such data are inherently variable and unless this is appreciated much effort may be expended in seeking explanations of trends which are of a transient nature and of no real significance. It is necessary to discover the causes of the variability. In doing so it is often desirable to supplement the routine records by information derived from controlled tests; examples of such tests and their interpretation are given. Records relating to failures and delays to vehicles in service are discussed and a system by which the level of failures is kept under close control is described. Fuel consumption records are then dealt with and the various factors which influence the figures are listed and dilated upon; particular mention is made of the effects of variations in temperature, loadings, traffic density, fuel and lubricating oil characteristics and ‘between-vehicle’ variations. Service tests other than those relating to fuel consumption also receive mention and a method for assessing engine life, employing the ‘Life Table’ technique as used in actuarial work is explained. The paper concludes by stating that if it succeeds in making both manufacturers and operators more aware of the inevitableness of variability it will have achieved its object.
Assessment of Car and Fuel Factors Affecting Vapour Locking Tendency
Authors: Sheppard G. F. , Withers J. G. 
Published: June 2010

‘Vapour lock’ is a term used to describe an adverse change in the performance of the fuel system resulting from the evolution of vapour from the fuel. It may occur anywhere in the fuel system although petrol pump vapour lock is generally the most serious. The most common form of this trouble is that which arises when attempts are made to re-start a car which has been stationary for a few minutes, after having been previously driven at sustained high speed. The mechanism of vapour lock is shown to depend both upon the amount of vapour formed and the ability of the fuel system to handle vapour, but the greatest improvements are likely to be made in reducing the amount of fuel vapour formed. The effects of temperature, pressure, and fuel volatility on vapour formation are discussed, including the conflicting volatility requirements for freedom from vapour lock on the one hand, and good starting and warm-up characteristics on the other. It is shown that distillation and vapour pressure characteristics are not suitable criteria for quality control purposes, and that only by the laboratory determination of vapour/liquid ratio (V/L) versus temperature relations can a proper estimate of fuel vapour locking tendency be obtained. Laboratory apparatus for determining of V/L ratios is described, and results for some fuel combinations are presented. The various driving conditions encountered in service are discussed in relation to their effects upon vapour locking tendency. Open-road driving at full throttle followed by a stationary ‘soaking period’, during which the under-bonnet temperatures rise to maximum values, is a very severe condition, but hill climbing or city traffic conditions may be just as severe. A full throttle soak-test method for the determination of the volatility tolerance of cars on the road, making use of a double series of reference fuels, is described; it is shown how the results may be interpreted in terms of the ambient temperature for freedom from vapour lock using any given fuel. A description is also given of a simplified road technique using a single series of reference fuels. This test technique requires no vehicle instrumentation, and a predetermined V/L ratio framework may be used to interpret the results.
Matching a Diesel Engine to Light Road Vehicles
Authors: Vulliamy N. M. F. 
Published: June 2010

Reference to early use of Diesel engines in cars, etc., includes remarks on the application of heavier commercial transport engines. A list of ways in which the small Diesel has to compare more closely with the established petrol engine other than in fuel economy is followed by a description of experiments on a 1 1/2-litre four-cylinder design which fits a number of popular types of vehicle. Various difficulties met with are mentioned. In particular, valve gear and injection pumps required special attention. Specific outputs comparable and even higher than those of some contemporary petrol engines of the lower priced cars were obtained, but not without some noise and smoke. Graphs and tables show engine performance and data of injection processes and valve gear for maintenance of volumetric efficiency. It is shown that the Diesel and petrol engine size is similar, as are torque curves throughout the speed range. An automatic injection advance is necessary for reducing noise at low speeds and to keep performance up at high speed. Some road test figures are given; when the engine was installed in a typical 1 1/2-litre petrol car the effect was encouraging so far as performance and fuel consumption were concerned. There was room for improvement in engine noise. Exterior noise will require reduction by engine modification. Cold starting is an important problem and it is desirable to avoid the use of expensive aids. There is a reasonable expectation that the Diesel will be made attractive. Developments in injection pumps and possibly fuel will assist.
Overdrives: Problems in Their Application and Design
Authors: Ashby S. H. 
Published: June 2010

Overdrives are by no means new, having been extensively used in the United States of America, and to a lesser extent in continental Europe, for many years. Their widespread use in Great Britain is comparatively recent although the American type was fitted to a small number of British cars before the 1939–45 war. In America the Borg-Warner unit appears to hold the field, whilst on the Continent, probably the most popular type is the extra pair of overspeed gears fitted into the syncromesh gearbox. British use of the device has consisted mainly of the Laycock-de Normanville unit, although there are other types, such as the Daimler method of changing one of the trains in the Wilson gearbox from a reduction gear to a step-up gear, for example, turning a four-speed into a three-speed and overdrive gearbox. The Handa overdrive is also a British invention using dog engagement for selection, necessitating the use of the clutch pedal, and operated by manifold depression. Another mechanism producing a similar effect is the Eaton two-speed axle for commercial vehicles. This latter is not an overdrive in the strict sense; it should technically be described as ‘underdrive’, being a means of varying the gear reduction between the propeller shaft and the rear axle half-shafts. ‘Overdrive’ is a means of driving the propeller shaft faster than the engine, and while this is perhaps not the most suitable term it is now universally accepted.
The Motor Industry Research Association's Proving Ground
Authors: Fogg A. 
Published: June 2010

In this paper are discussed the reasons for, and some of the problems involved, in establishing a co-operative vehicle proving ground. It records details of the facilities which have been provided by the Motor Industry Research Association (M.I.R.A.) in recent years for the British motor industry. These facilities include roadways and tracks simulating, in permanent form, conditions existing in the overseas territories to which British vehicles are exported in very large quantities. There are also a number of features which, when used in conjunction with instruments and apparatus specially developed and built by M.I.R.A. and by various member firms of the Association, enable systematic studies to be made of performance characteristics in a more satisfactory manner than is otherwise possible. Although the conception of a co-operative proving ground for a very competitive industry was viewed, initially, with apprehension by many firms, the establishment is now in continuous use by manufacturers of all types of vehicle and component. It is playing a vital part in the development of greatly improved vehicles, particularly for operation overseas.