The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-13
TENDENCIES OF
 MOTOR DESIGN Interview With E. R. Thom- as s-Trend Toward Quiet ness and Higher Efici- ency.

The advent of the automobile was made possible only by the development of gas engines of extreme lightness. An automobile engine usually weighs some IS to IS pounds per "A. l.. 4. M.'' Cor conservatively rated horsepower, as compared with about 320 pounds per horse power in the old stationary types of gas engines.
 The trend of present day autono- bile engine design is toward the long stroke and toward quietness, and high CT efficiency.
 The modern long stroke tendency started largely on account of the won- derful speeds attained by cars with long stroke motors in European races. The principal reason for this new de- velopment is to secure longer lived motors, since the longer the stroke the slower the motor can run and still deliver it's full power.
 During the past five years the au- tomobile has undergone great develop ment. and at at unprecedented speed, a phase which every new mechanic is obliged to pass through. It has been improved in quality and cheapened by the natural method of elimination of the more unfit constructions. This process is still going on, but at a slower pace than formerly
 The motor has been quieted by att
 
 chanism, to the carburetor and to the exhau ust line. It has been given re- markable flexibility by improvements principally in the carburetor and valve setting and the magneto has come in- to it's own as the most reliable source of ignition current. The radiators have been strengthened and increased in cooling efficiency. The cylinder jacketing and fabrication have been cared for in such a way that there is no longer any excuse for an oVer-heat- ed motor.
 Tn the transmitting system the old cone clutch has been greatly improv- ed and the newer disc types have been developed, almost to perfection, our own patented three disc clutch I be- lieve being about as perfect as disc can be.
 Through the use of special material and of special tooth forms, together with the annular type of ball bearings, gear boxes have been reduced in size and silenced. The sliding gear has practically eliminated all other forms of transmission. The live rear axle with entirely enclosed driving mechan- ism has been developed from most uncertain mechanism to one of the most positive and reliable units in the car.
 AS regards the running gear, the pressed steel frame came into being but little more than five years ago, and was seen only on one or two cars for several seasons. It is now uni- versa1, it's advantages from the stand point of strength, lightness and cheap ness being now thoroughly under stood.
 For front axles, the one piece dror forging and d-beam section has taken the place of the old built up tube or handforged rectangular section.
 The springs, especially in the rear have been heightened, flattened, and made of better material, with core spending increase in comfort, eSpeci- ally at high speeds.
 The wheels, apart from the hubs and tires. have undergone less change than any other important element but considered as whole, the adop- ton of drawn metal hubs, roller and ball bearings, together with detachable rims, have modified this unit very appreciably.
 In this way it may be said that ev- cry portion of the automobile has been Improved by men who had made this type study for years before the ad- vent of the automobile, and who thus we're pecularily well placed to help the automobile engineer in his work.
 To the large automobile manufac- turer belongs the credit of having the foresight and daring to invest large sums of money in new industry re- plete with pitfalls, and thus provid- ing the engineer with the means ot working out his problems.