Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-31


gas engine. with It's high speed. small
dimensions and with the pecuiiarities OF
cooling and carburation on a rapidly NOV
ing vehicle. The results already obtained
In this laboratory have developed many
important practical principles, which are
at the service Of the engineers Of the asso-
citation. At this same time an immense
number OF facts for study have been de-
veloped--points that were not considered at
the outset because not understood when
the investigation was begun.
The plant consists Of a heavy iron base,
upon one end OF which is an electrical
generator, the whole generator being sus-
pended on delicate ball bearings, 80 as to
rotate a little and press upon q scale.
Directly connected to the shaft Of this
generator is the shaft Of an automobile
engine mounted on an iron frame capable
Of accommodating almost any upright au-
tomobie engine.
Special equipment has been installed to
measure the amount OF afr drawn into the
engine. the amount OF gasoline. the amount
Of water to cool It and the amount Of force
developed In connection with tsese meas
urements Of temperature, including the ex-
haust gases, are taken up so that the
thermal efficiency and the real perform
ance Of the engine being tested may be I'M
derstood.
The character Of the meetings held by the,
mechanical branch are Of much interest.
At the outset the principles underlying the
various details OF the engine were dis
cussed. Carburetors, clutches, valves, ig-
milton devices and all other things came
under the examination OF the branch. The
members at first hesltated to talk much
on such technical matters, perhaps fearing
that they were not qualified, but 1t soon
developed that they were. and that the
practical knowledge in the possession Of
each member was Of value. 1t also devel-
oped that many heads were better than
one, and that by piecing together the
knowledge and experience OF several. the
whole matter was thoroughly understood.
Then each engineer could return to his
drafting room and work with Just that
much greater intelligence
Materials Fully Considered.
Next came the discussion OF materials.
The engineers and the superintendents
were not expected to discuss Of their own
knowledge, but the presence of the metal
lurgist in their employ, who talked in the
way Of instruction, gave the opportunity
to ask questions and soon developed real
understanding OF the materials they were
using
Following this, the manufacturers of spe-
cial steels were invited to appear before
! the mechanical branch at some of it's
monthly meetings. Nearly ali Of them will
ingly did so, and sent their metallurgIsts,
who gave their expert knowledge and ex-
| perience, to the great benefit OF the MEM
bers OF the branch, and also gave accurate
! knowledge Of the wants of automobile
engineers. They were in a position TO show
what they had Of value to the automobile
industry, and took advantage Of IL.
In furtherance OF this, the Bethlehem
Steel company invited the whole mechani-
cal branch as it's guests, TO visit the i'm
mense works at South Bethlehem, and
openly showed the process of manufac-
ture, method of treatment and everything
else of value about the plant. The object
lesson to the mechanical branch was one
of the greatest value
The use of vanadium in steel has become
of recent commercial Importance due to
the discovery OF immense mines in Peru
which are now owned by the American
vanadium company Of Pittsburg. This
company sent to one meeting their expert,
a man who has been experimenting and
working with this element, vanadium, for
seven years. His experience was thus
placed in the hands Of the association and
its engineers.
Standardization f. Needed.
II developed during the discussions of the
mechanical branch that there Is more
complication in connection with the auto
mobile industry than there ought to be
For example, II was found by conference
OF it's tire committee with the tire manu-
faoturers that twenty-three sizes Of tirel
are being used. Discussion on this subject
showed that only eleven were necessary
consequently, 1t was easy to reach ar
agreement satisfactory to both parties thai
eleven standard tire sizes only should b'
kept in common use in the future.
In connection with this same work It wal
found that three or four different wooder
wheel diameters are necessary to aecommo
date the various steel rims of a giyeT
nominal size. It therefore seems necessary
and advisable for all concerned to do away
with all but two wood felly diameters fo
given size tire. and, perhaps. in the neal
future, with all but one. This lessons tn,
complication naturally for everybody con
eerned.
Incidentally, II appeared that many of the
manufacturers were making their owr
screws of a particularly fine thread, be-
cause they had found that with such fine
threads the nuts did not loosen as with the
ordinary U. 8. standard and It's compare.
lively coarse thread. The logical result
was that the engineers and superintendent
put their heads together and formulated
and adopted a series OF screws ana nuts
particularly suited 10 the automobile bust
ness. II has been the impression OF sons
that these screws are new In kind and
principle, but that is mistake, as they
have been In use, more or less OF them, foi
many years by the manufacturers Of the
association. All the mechanical branch has
done is to standardize them, 50 that there
would be less confusion. and so that they
might be obtained in the open market as
standard product
Cooperation OF Manufacturers.
There Is nothing particularly new about
all this, or particularly astonishing, except
that 1t viii surely strike the reader al
surprising that rival companies are Willing
TO get together and discuss matters AZ an
; explanation Of this, Il must be remembered