The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-11

Z OF the society OF Autonopis EhSi-
neers and vce-president OF the Hud-
son Motor Company, is an authority
recognized in automobile circles. Ihe
following article on the development
OF the motor car by MIR. Coffin gives
some valuable Information, doupIy
valuable because OF this fact.
by Howard n. Coffin.
Since transportation has been the
greatest factor in civilization. the
modern motor car, which represents
the highest type OF practical locomo-
ton, becomes OF serious importance.
From the time OF the early Egyp-
tians. with their camels as the only
means OF transportation, man has
been trying to increase his efficiency
by improving his transportation. Cen
turtles rolled on with practically no
Improvement. The steam engine rev
olutionized the common carriers on
land and sea. but still the individuals
transportation remained almost as
crude as 1t was 1000 years ago. To
be sure, the rubber-tired, ball bear
ing buggy was superior in appear
anca to the ox-eaFt-ef the long age
but little better otherwise.
Then came the agency that had
been sought for since the beginning
of time--the gas engine--and at last
iil@H Ihd seIl -pipp6lltu dlAtt 0NiA =
contained unit of his own. The lad
in his teens remembe rs when that
engine first was used in vehicle pro-
pulsion. But nobody quite foresaw
the automobiles future.
Think what has been done In those
few years to bring the flrst-class au-
tomobile within the reach of the mod
crate income Ten years ago very
little was known Of the gas engine
and vehicle construction was an en-
tlrely unknown science, except as ap-
piled to horse drawn vehicles. Thus,
you see, that In ten years the whole
/ invention and development of the au-
tomobile took place. 1t began as a
proposition not taken seriously by
very many people. struggled on until
II became the plaything of the rich
and now Is within reach Of that great
class OF moderate incomes. And the
! story of how one may buy an auto
a mobile to-day for very reasonable
figure that will prove far more SER
viceable car than was possible at any
price five years ago really tells the
story of the whole automobile indus
try, which. I am told, has come To
rank fourth among Americas indus
triesA
First Steps I'm Construction.
/ AS a starter 1t was only natural
that the crude gas engine should have
been placed in a vehicle closely re
sem bling a buggy. since our knoWl-
edge Of vehicle construction was al
most entirely along the line Of horse
drawn affairs, which were rarely call
ed upon to go more than ten miles
an hour. That we should have EN-
bodied a hundred features of design,
qualities Of material and methods Of
construction that has been found sat
isfactory In the past was only natural.
1t took us several years of expert
ments and practice in motor car
building to teach US the vast differ
ence in mechanical requirements be-
tween mOtor-driVen and horse drawn
vehicles.
Wheels, bearings, axles, springs
etc, which had given perfect salts
faction under the requirements OF the
horse era were found to be of little
value for the more speedy motor cars
one of the Old laws with whieh
all of US are familiar is expressed in
the formula OF MV2, in which NJ
islands for the mass and V the veloci-
lty at which the mass moves. 1T Is
easy to see that tho shocks when
must be sustained by wheels, axles
J., springs etc, OF Ii 460pound carthage
moving ten miles an hour presents a
very different and 81 very easy prob
lem besides that Of the 2,o00-pound
motor car with speed possibilities OF
from lifty to sixty miles an hour.
Cars of To-day.
When you are looking at a stripped
chassis observe the pressed stee
frame very carefully and think OF
the frame on cars turned out in. tnf
early days OF the industry.
The great progress in other line
closely allied with the meter car ia
dustry has played an all-importan
part in bringing down the cost o
the car. For Instance, tho metals a
the command Of the motor car en-
gtneer for 1911 are far superior e
anything ever dreamed of ten year:
ago.
The machine tool maker has don,
his part and the special automatic
machinery Of to-day is capable OF {
production OF vastly more parts pea
/ day than could have been obtained
from the machines OF even five years
! Factory h4etheds have improved
So amazingly that the vastness of thG
| change seems impossible.
Increase OF output
/ | remember In the early days wheI
] was with one of the first companie,
that manufactured automobiles. VIZ
| turned out twenty little one-cylindel
Jobs In week and statement 10 thai
effect was sent to one of the trade
papers. The paper wouldn't publish
It until the wonderful feat had beer
verified by telegraph, Twenty cars
| a day Is now considered modest out
pat. Think of the labor that had tC
! be paid for by the buyers OF thai
weeks output a few years ago
Standardization and interchange
| ability OF parts have been recognized
| by the American maker as being alb,
| solutely essential and az being the
| only foundation upon which quantity,
production and low cost can be based
During the development of the au-
tomobtle vast and varied have been
the materials. accessories. frtlls and
gimcracks used on motor cars. They
kept the cost up. Simplicity in de-
sign and construction has been one of
the greatest aids in making q good
car possibility at low price. Mind
you, the extra materials put into a
car as frills don't cost as much in
themselves, as rule, as the labor
which handles them In the factory.
Simplicity the Keynote.
Simplicity. making as 1t does for
low factory cost. permits to the maker
the use of better materials and in
sures to the user a far better motor
car. The purchaser has 10 pay the
whole bill. SO II he buys a car which
is not simple in design and construc-
ton, he Is merely paying double price
Tor something he does not want And
Tuy II min hpr Ia Cd zts, far