The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-06
Automobile News

Unique in itself is the fact that the
buyer of a motor car almost invar-
iably regards only the externals on
purchasing. He has to take the word
of the maker for the parts that, can
not be seen. Yet it is hidden fac
tors that determine the value and
safety, as well as the longevity and
reliability of the action of the ma
chine. Often it happens that his very
life and that of those acconp
him are dependent upon some bit of
mechanism of whose existence he
hardly knows. If the maker has per-
formed his work faithfully, life and
limit are safeguaraed but if he has
been careless in Workmanship or has
used poor material, there is a fright
full hazard. The only manner in
which the buyer can find protection
represent the work of proved integ-
rity. devices whose success has been
established. He must also give
thought to the matter of his accessor-
ies--a subject that becomes more i'm
portant yearly--as new means are dig
covered of furthering the comfort and
safety of the motorist- BY getting
these right he is underwriting the
pleasure and service he expects to Get
from his purchase of a car.
Parts and accessories rank in iI11@
portance only after the car itself. They
must be right If the perfect result is
to be obtained. The highest gra de of
engineering machinery enters into the
production of the machinery that goes
i into an automobile. There are many
details connected with the various
processes OF which the user Of a car
has not the reTnotest idea. He docs
not know, for example that 1t is best
to forge axles from the bar at one
heat, as resetting to the temperature
at which one steel bar can be work
Ia = a. AAfD 70 a a
He does not know that the tenperaF
! ture must be- carefully watched, lest
a steel bar be ruined by being heat
ed too high. But he would know if
the axle happened to break.
The costly machinery required in
this kind of work, and the skillful
labor needed, forms a reason why not
many automobile factories make all
their parts. The production would
not be great enough to maintain the
furnaces, machinery and labor reQuir-
ed Hence most factories buy parts
from factories that make a specially
OF them For example, the machin-
cry that cuts the beveled gear In the
| rear axle costs more than the high
priced automobile, and this is only one
of the several pieces of machinery
demanded by the work. For an au-
tornobile to be right. there are num-
Der OF parts on which vital stress
must be laid. If the gears, both in
the transmission ana rear axle, are in
correctly cut, they are not only noisy,
but consume the power developed by
the motor and wear out faster.
The brakes in the rear axle are
most important, since tragedy is al
ways possible when the car does not
stop when the lever is applied. the
brakes must not overhead. must not
SLIP must be easily adjusted, SO as
| to take up the wsaR and tear and
must not lock the wheels SO sudden
| ly that the cover will be torn off the
tire. The front axle must be light
and strong. The steering knuckles
must be placed at the right angles, so
that. they will turn the wheels with
out undue force applied to the steer
ing wheel and must stand the tre-
Emendous shock from spots. etc, in the
roads. The springs must be resilient
and SO strong as to resist any ten
denoy to crystaIization. The wheels
must be made oG second growth hicx-
DRY, properly seasoned, SO that, after
being Joined, they will not dry out
and squeak. The ARTILLERY type of
wood wheel is most popular with the
arch construction principle: They
must be dished slightly 90 that each
of the spolxes takes equally the strain
applied at any point
The frame should be properly rein
forced and made Of the right thick
ness of metal and successfully resist
ter continued use. The ball bearings
throughout the car must be properly
made and tncIosed so ae to keep out
all dirt and grit, and retain the 1ubri-
cant that they will give years OF
service without attention oftener than
once in six months. The transmits
sion must be strongly built and the
gear correctly cut and of the propel
pitch. The shafts must revolve freely
on all ball bearings and be- of suffi-
cient size SO that they will not spring
when a heavy load is applied. This
clutch, which must engage correctly
without gripping Suddenly, must re-
lease freely and instantly when de-
sired, and be of sufficient surface not
to slip when the full power of the mo-
tor is applied.
Most motors are well designed an6
I built but their proper performance i:
largely dependent on the carbureto d
which must give the right mixture OF
gas and air at all speeds; the cool
ing system, which depends both on tht
radiator and the circulation of the wa
ter, and the ignition system mus
be reliable. The steering column. on,
of the most important safety factor
in the car, must be carefully design
ed to Withstand the abuse of the roat
, which is communicated from the from
wheels to the steering gear. Thu
bodies particularly the inclosed bod
les, at all times subject to the twisting
of the frame as the car passes ovel
the unevenness of the roads, must bt
strong and yet lightly built.
In conclusion, electric starting anf
lighting systems, tires and shock alb
sorbers, among a hundred and one
other things incidental to- the auto
mobile. should be properly considered
by the buyer to, insure safety ant
pleasure in his car.
With the arrival of the slippery sea
son and the consequent wear and teal
of the anti-skid chains, it becomes i'm
perative that the side chains occa.
sionally be inspected for weakness, fo
If they break-and they often do
they are liable to get twisted around