The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-06-28
WOULD GUT DOWN
AUTOS CARNAGE
Latest Device Lifts Pedestrians Ul
and Places Them in Divan With.
out Serious Injury.

NEW YORK. June 2s.-By the adop
ton Of novel and effective apparatus
loss of life through automobile acct
dents will be reduced TO a minimum
and render the danger OF the streets
to pedestrians far less serious thar
they are at present. The latest in
vention 10 attract the close attention
OF motorists as well as manufacturers
and dealers is a device destined to af
ford protection TO pedestrians who
through unforeseen circumstances, hap
pen to pass in front OF ar automobile
or any other motor vehicle when cross
ing a thoroughfare.
The invention is the result OF an &C
cident at Amsterdam, Holland where
a mechanic Witnessed child run over
by trolley car. The accident made
a great impression on the mechanic
and he worked for several years be
fore bringing to a state OF perfection
an apparatus that would prevent SINH
lar accidents 20 pedestrians. After the
plans were materialized the patent
was taken out In France, owing to the
fact that Holland does not protect any
invention by a patent law. After its
adoption by France, Archduke Franz
Salvador OF Austria, an enthusiastic
motorist, and other European automo
bilists became interested In the ingen
ious invention.
The device, which was brought To
this country, last week, by Simeon s
Weyl, prominent financier of Am
sterdam, Is a scissorslike fender. at
tached to the front Of the car and op
Grated In such a maner as to make II
practically impossible to knock a pc
destrian down. Hundreds OF trials have
been made with the automobile travel
Ing at varying rates OF speed from ten
TO sixty miles an hour, but no serious
accident has happened at the trials.
To demonstrate the practicability OF
the apparatus, trial was arranged last
week in Central Park, when an auto.
mobile equipped with the apparatus
down a hill at thirty miles an hour
one OF Nr. Weyls assistants suddenly
rushed in front of the machine, just
as pedestrians sometimes do In ordin.
airy street traffic. Instead of being
crushed beneath the wheels or thrown
to the ground by the mud-guard, he
was snatched up into net as by a
miracle and borne along In safety until
the vehicle was brought to a stand
still The operation was repeated sew
eral times, until any doubts in the
minds OF observers as to the practical
bility Of the system were removed.
A similar operation was tried with
a ten-year-old boy, who deliberately
placed himself before the car equip
ped with the apparatus. He was pick
ed up and placed In a sort of divan
before the car. without the slightest
sign OF a scratch as the result OF the
experiment.
The demonstration showed that the
careless pedestrian is picked up by the
apparatus before the vehicles is upon
him. No matter what position the per-
son may be In, he is bound to be pick
ed up by the net. and even at the
greatest speeds no more than broken
limb could result from collision. At
ordinary speeds, the chances are that
not even scratches would be received.
The simplicity OF the device Is one
Of Its strongest recommendations
while its almost fnfalIibIe precision in
the pedestrian from seri.
Gus, II not fatal accident commands
attention, The working
device shows bar between the front
wheels, covering both the wheels.
This bar is movable and can be
moved backward by the slightest
pressure. and is made in three parts
to allow the center part 10 PASS be-
tween the wheels. Under the car
jaw is placed. pro-
tected with cushions, standing open.
covering both the front wheels and
always ready TO grasp the legs OF any
pedestrian when brought into action.
Then the jaw is thrown forward,
while the bar is pushed backward ny
powerful springs with speed greater
than the speed OF the vehicle. At
the same moment the jaw is closed.
striking the victim under the knees.
forcing him 10 sit down
aud holding him firmly in its gnp un.
til the car comes TO standstill,