Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
NEWS OF INTEREST
TO AUTOMOBILES


popular institution than are our Ameri-
can shows.
Technically, while there were not so
many changes from the standard type. as
at previous shows. there were a number or
interesting innovations Among these was
an eXhauSe valve with cam SHAFT so ar
ranged that it could be advanced 50 per
cent. This makes it possible to use the
exhaust a a brake. relieving the compress
sion in an emergency, and making quick
stop when necessary. This, taken all in all,
Is one of the most noteworthy new ideas
seen at the show. 1t was regulated by
lever conveniently located at the dash, max
ing it possible to advance the cam shaft
to any degree required.
Generally speaking, the foreigners are
ahead of us in metal work. but on design
Ing | think that are at least a very
close second. and that within a few years
we shall closely approximate the best
foreign ideas. l was surprised to see that
practically no chrome nickel steel was used
in the construction of this years models.
The front axles are generally made of
high-grade iron, the popular axle being
built of that metal, and a number or other
prominent makers following the same lead
There seems to be a strong tendency to use
-Slico-mangancSe steel in gears. This COM
pound makes q very hard metal and very
satisfactory one, but it is not easy to make.
as there has heretofore been great deal
of trouble getting the mixture uniform.
This has been overcome almost entirely by
the best foreign workers.
I'm making castings the French are Tar
ahead of us. The more general custom IN
America is to cast single cylinders. Inc
French have outgrown this condition. They
have reduced the possibility of blowholes
and other imperfections to a minimum,
and therefore do not feel that they are TAX
ing any large percentage of chance In cast
ing in pairs and even in sets of four and
nf ,llIlf irOla ga sri in
in most of the taximeter cabs.
X
''I noted that most all pressed steel work
was hot pressed, making it possible to press
out more intricate forms of frames and
parts In one booth l noted that even pis-
tons were not pressed from steel. Another
tendency is to increase the general use OF
the shaft drive. PRACTICAL all the heavy
cars and buses are now shaft-driven.
The use of the magnetic is practically
universal now. Foreign constructors seem
to have settled on this, and to my mind this
has been attained largely by the new Clio
nolli magnetic. which, it is claimed, cannot
be burned out. This is a big Improvement
in magnetos and is the only one which can
be used successfully for a long time, so
far as have been able to discover, on six
cylinder machines.
Splash fabrication with oil kept at
level by pump is apparently the up-to-
date thing abroad. l saw a great number
of cars thus fabricated. Another little de-
obsolete. Lock-washerS now take the place
of Cotter-pins These are of special con-
struction which does not destroy the thread
or jam the bolt into the hole In ball
bearings the full type seems to be in favor
instead of the silent type, and there is a
very wide use of this kind of bearing.
Offsets seem to have been generally dis
carded after trial by nearly all the big
makers.
There is. of course, much interest here
in the question of the six-cylinder car
In inspecting the show 1 found that the
sx-cylinder fad was on the wane. Nearly
all makers who had made six-cylinder
cars were at first anxious to assert this
fact and, of course. there We're a great
number of them shown. But when began
to question the heads of concerns in their
booths l found that nearly all of them as
serted that they had made the six-cylinders
more for the purpose of keeping UP with
the procession and that they had decided
not to make any large number of these cars
in the future. They admitted the greater
fleyibility of the six-cylinder engine, but
found that cost of up-keep and other de-
terring elements overcame the possible ad-
vantages of siX-cylinder cars. / went
pretty thoroughly into this subject and
believe that 1 reflect the general feeling
X
Apart from the handsomely decorated
rathskeller the basement of Madison
Square Garden, or exhibition hail. as it is
called, will have many features to attract
the crowd during the coming show there.
Here commercial vehicles and accessories
will be grouped. There have been some
interesting developments in motor wagons
during the year which will be shown for
the first time, and as the late applicants
were assigned to the basement. a number
of novelties in the accessory line will be
found there. An exhibit certain to be of
general interest is a motor fire wagon for
the Springfield. Mass, fire department,
where it has almost revolutionized the
work of the fire fighters.
The motor wagon carries eight men, hose,
chemical tanks, axes, etc, and by placing
1t at a central station an increase in the
|, number of men employed by the depart
ment was obviated. The fire wagon, which
has a four-cylinder, air-cooled motor of 20
horse power, similar to that in the new
Knox touring car. responds to alarms so
quickly that many fires are extinguished
In their incipiency The machine has an
swered every alarm in Springfield for more
than three months and is said to be a
| forcible illustration of one Of the uses
which the automobile Is bound to fill. The
commercial vehicle end Of the industry
seems to be the one that Is now 70 he