Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-17

George Dupuy, manager Of the American
gold cup tour, has suggested that the
Steamship companies might provide
! standard size crate their docks into
! which the uncrated machine could be run.
properly fastened and then lifted into the
| mold such a crate might be so construct
ca. MI. Dupuy thought, that 1t could be
| FOLDED up when not needed. This crate
| could be furnished free by the company,
which would profit from the gain in auto
| MODELLING passengers and in freight on the
machine. or could be rented for the voyage
| Tor moderate sum. On the other side the
car owner could roll his car out and have
| no further bother about storing or car
| ing Tor crate On the return VOYAGE no
| could use another steamship crate. lust as
ne would rent another steamship chair,
| and thus save all the delay, annoyance and
| expense of Grating his car
| IS easy enough to carry uncrated
machines, said Mr.. Dupuy. we shall
| take sixty uncrated machines on one shin
| to take part in the coming gold Gun ,our
| IT VIII be perfectly easy to put them on
board and fasten them securely. There is
| really nothing more dangerous In a rough
! sea tnan a Grated automobiles great
heavy box. which. II IL slides around is
| apt to be smashed in and damage the ma
chine. Certainly. uncrated machines can
be carried, for We are going to carry a
! shipload of them across and bring them
, pack. The automobile foreign touring bust
ness rs rapidg gaining In magnitude. If
| line would provide for carrying uncrated
| machines. and so allow the owners a chance
to take their cars abroad without all this
extra expense it would, l am sure. get
! business enough to keep not one but many
! ships busy. For the gold cup trip the
! Grating of sixty cars was out of the ques-
| uon because OF expense SO we have secured
separate steamer on which the cars can
DE shipped without any Grating"
| 4
There is probably more variety in tho
| form of steering mechanisms than in any
| other part Of an automobile. The variety
| 49, however, limited to recognized forms of
| mechanical movements. those most used
| being the worm and sector and the screw
| and nut. The latter has advantages NOT
| possessed by the former. and if properly
| constructed of good material will last al
most indefinitely. Several of the manu-
/ facturers call particular attention to their
! steering gear box, the working and wear
| ing areas being large. The worm IS a
qulntuple thread cut the solid bar of
high carbon steel. working in hard bab-
| bitt nut 5l2 inches IN length which is spllt
| and afterward bo' ed together. The threads
| OF the screws re inclined and not sallare
as In the ord nary practice, and the worm
| mas bal-thrl.st bearings which permit ad-
! Justment and eliminates the lost motion
| apparent in the steering gears of most cars
after protracted use.
| The multiple disc clutch is cutie proni
nent in many of the 1907 cars its adoption
beng not because of its inherent virtues.
out, may 1t be said, because of the short
comings of the cone clutch as usually an
pied. Theory varies even today upon the
angle Of the cone in the latter styla of
! enlargement, but ordinary practice places it
at ten degrees. The ordinary tyne how
ever, is easily dsarranged by the introduc-
tion OF any foreign material between tho
surfaces, contingency that cannot be
| avoided When the car is used at all extern
siveIy. Several manufacturers have u,.ar
come this in very ingenious manner us
ing an inverted cone clutch In an oil-tight
case. The oil while the car is al rest ma :
urally is at the bottom of the case bur
when in motion is distributed centrifueaIly.
SO long as a film of oil exists between tho
maze ana female cone surfaces. some slip
ping Is permitted and the clutch conse-
quenty makes easy engagement and
the car is enabled to start without a jerk
TO provide against the possibility of sin
ping under stress of hard work cork Inserts
are provided in the male cone ana n
would seem that this construction were al
most ideal.
Experience has demonstrated that a
great deal of tire .rotible Is caused. NOT nv
any defect in either the material or work.
manship of the tire itself, but by the man
who drives the Commissions paid
some chauffeurs are said to be almost equal
to their regular salaries but still there are
some automobile owners who wonder why
the tires on their cars do not last longer.
If owners looked at the tires Themselves
occasionally and left the motor to the
chauffeur they would be sure to have
their cars running anyway, and trouble
and money would no doubt be saved in
many instances. A tire says he has
chauffeurs, with the entire street to
themselves, back a against the curb so
as to leave only a space of an inch or so
between the steel rim and the curb Con-
sequently the fabric breaks and the next
thing IS a blowout on a smooth road for
which nothing Is to blame but the tire ac-
cording to the story the chauffeur tells IDS
employer.
The cranking of an automobile, while II
is still the subject OF doubtful wit In news-
papers and the stage, is by no means
as frequently necessary as two or three
seasons ago. In fact, many of the high
class cars now~hold their charge for an
indefinite period, so well fitted are the cylin-
der and piston parts, and thus IL is gener-
ally possible to start the motor by switch-
ing on the spark.
Motorists who intend cleaning out lime
and grease from radiators with caustic soda
should be vary careful not to put their
hands in the preparation. 1t is very i'm
portant to remember that the solution, be-
ing strong alkal will attack and destroy
anything of organic nature especially
If a strong solution is used. say. one and
one-half pounds to the gallon. If any OF
1t gets on the flesh accidentally 1t should
be Immediately washed off in a copious
flow of water Equally special care should
be taken to keep 1t from touching paint
work or varnish, as 1t will strip them
clean. 1t has very little effect on metal
work rubber. but should not be left In
contact with either longer than is necessary.