New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-15
TIMELY AUTO TOPICS.
ALCOHOL rs Il FUEL.
Experiments sgith Defation Tube
GiUe Good Results.

the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufact-
urefs met In Hartford yesterday. Three lnlp2i 'a
SUBJECTS under consideration, which Will uii-
ocuptsdly produce interesting results 1t H40
termination Of the experiments now under way
Inc use Of denetured alcohol which for some ',o
mas occupied the attention OF chemical experts mas
been given thorough test by the mecheillcai
branch At the morning session Irving Buch' ue
cheInical expert, delivered lecture on the supJe0
and submitted to the committee report of the re-
suits of mis- experiments, which prove that alcohoi
may shortly be factor in the propulsion of horse
less vehicles. Action taken by the committees
to assist in exhaustive study of alcohol Is
a fuel and specially equipped power plant Is 10 oo
installed. The first experiments. however VIII oe
conducted with the various carburetters which arg
IN use, and which will be attached TO Thomas
80 motor. now being used for the eXhausuve
engine tests at tho Hartford laboratory. 1t IS the
idea of the engineers attempt to adapt the use OF
alcohol 20 the present day motor before TyIs
any experiments with specially built motols At
the conclusion of the chemical and efficiency tests
on the demounted motor. special vaporizers VIII De
used, and practical road tests given. The expert
ments which so far have been conducted resulted III
reversal of opinions as to the starting properties
of alcohol. The determined theory that alcohol
could not start without subjectng the VaporlHerS 70
a heat treatment has been found erroneous 1t has
been shown that II the proper amount OF aIco-
hol and water be used the motor can oe turned
with the ordinary gasolene
fuel motor. The engineers OF the branch have been
endeavorng. through extensive experiments which
they have been making, to obtain the maximum ie-
suits in motor construction toward a reduction or
the amount of fuel consumed, and some interesting
efficiency tests conducted yesterday. showing
the brake test. heat development and consumption
under various piston speeds.
Part of the afternoon session devoted to the
subject Of tires. all absorbing subject both To
manufacturer and user. 1t has been conceded thaC
the chief existing evil remaining in the mod
eTn constructed motor is the tire. The en-
gineers have long been cooperating with the tire
makers remedy this trouble An interesting dem
onstration given OF non defation tube. which
promises to eliminate many evils Of punctures ana
blow-outs The properties of this tube are peculiar
1t has double walled tube between the air cham
her and shoe. which is filled with plastic ma
teriai with seif-heatng properties. When tire IS
pInctured and the object has been removed, the
hole made by the intrusion of nail or glass; the
air pressure inside the tube Immediately causes this
plastic material. which is mixed with fibre. to flow
through the opening from the inside As soon as
this ho~ begins the hole IS effectually and perIna-
nently sealed the process being an ordinary corking
one, and is purely mechanical action rather than
a chemical one. To give the engineers practical
demonstration of the tube the inventor, accompanied
by Coker F. Clsrkson. secretary Of the mechanical
branch made the run from the Engineers Club New
York. 10 Hartford the night before the meeting
Before the start six punctures were made IN the
shoe the spike with which the punctures were made
being withdrawn. Four nails were placed IN the
shoe and left in during the entire run Of 10
miles in the presence Of the engineers these nails
were withdrawn. practically without any loss Of air
Another peculiar quality Of the tube is its non
heating. Many blow-outs have been caused by tx
cessive beat generated in the air chamber caused by
friction. II is interesting 20 note that shoe gets
warmer nearer TIE rim than on the tread OF the tire
which proves that the rim where the rubber is
withdrawn, the heat has chances OF escape
The tube with its two walls filed with the plastic
material acts lubrIcatOr between the air cham
Der and the shoe. thereby reducing the amount Of
heat which is caused by friction and keeping the
tire very much cooler and delaying the day OF the
blowout.
which Is at Buffaio, last Friday for the purpose Of
covering thousand miles IN three days. Tho
trip was. got up for the purpose Of testing one
gers in the IN addition to Montague Roberts.
who drove. George Salzman Mason Hatch.
II. Chedru, Esmond Thomas and Mr.. Hass. repre-
sentng the sales and mechanical departments OF
the e r. Thomas Motor Company The one
thousand miles were covered In two days ard
fifteen hours. which n extremely good gong
markable when the poor condition OF the roads
traversed and the numerous storms which we're
encountered. taken into consideration.
An exhibitor which viii be distinctly missed from
can Locomotive Automobile Company. which pre-
viously exhibited at the show OF the Automobt,e
and is not a member Of either Of the rival manu-
facturers' associations. For this reason II could
obtain preferred space AMI therefore It decided
last week not 10 be part or any snow but 20
hold q two-week show Of Berliet cars independently
in the reception room of the Waldort-AstoHa near
the 33d street entrance from october a 10 NoVem-
Der O.
The Renault racer. in Paul Lacroixs show
rooms at 51th street and Broadway, is attracting
widespread attention and favorable comment Re
cent orders from ii. L. Whitney, Robert Gug-
genheim. Roy Rainey, Ellis Thompson W e
Dodge. Payne Whitney, L r. Thomas and Willis
Mccormick Earlier orders were booked from W.
X Vanderbilt, jr.. and r. j. Collier. who will take
deliveries at early date. This car, which dupit-
Gates Sziszs famous racer on slightly smaller
scale is about the fastest looking proposition that
the local racing talent has seen. and it should
prove an important factor in coming speed trials.
If II can equal it's Continental record success for its
American career is assured
A six-cyiinder shaft drive high-powered will
be member of the LoZer family the coming
season. Fer the last twelve months the Lozier
company has been considering this addition TO
us fine, and several months ago the step was
decided upon. The sx-cylinder will be known as
Type l. and will embcdy all Of the details Of the