Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
LOCO" is INTERESTING
FROM ELECTRICAL POINT
F. w. Robartes, Local Manager, Dis
cusses New Self Starting
Device

| The Locomoble has always been a.par-
ticularly interesting car from an electri-
cal standpoint, said F. W. Robartes resi-
dent manager of the Locomobile Com
pany. yesterday in referring to the new
Locomobile electric self-starter. The
original gasoline car of this make Of
1902 had a geardriven electric generator
with automatic switch, an arrangement
which had all of the essentials of the
modern lighting system. This early car
had spark plugs designed and built 10y
their designers and builders.
The new electric motor starter is the
logical outcome of all of this electrical
distinction of the Loco for years. The
same men who designed and built that
early four-c hinder car are the same men
responsible for it today. and they are the
men best qualified it is said TO develop
and harmonic in this the best cleo
trical apparatus. The new and interest
ing feature OF the installation of the
electric motor starter is the mounting of
the starting motor on a bronze engine
base.
The new plunger switch is located un-
der the front floor boards where ii is
instantly accessible. The foot plunger or
pedal, which operates the device. is re-
movable, so the operator may place ii in
his pocket when he leaves the car stand
ing without attention, thus preventing
any one from meddling with the appa
ratus or starting the car. The starter
is very powerful and will turn over the
SiN-cylinder engine from seventy TO eighty
revolutions per minute, ard is pow
erful that no engine can backtire against
ii.
A separate dynamo is used for the
lighting system. the ngineers believing
that the best results can be obtained
by this method of construction
For three years Investigations and tests
have been going on at the bridgeport
works The engineers of the company
have tested in the complete laboratories
of this pioneer company all of the de-
vices intended to do away with hand
cranking. An early conclusion OF the
engineers was that electricity was the
only adequate means of producing mo-
tor starter that would be 100 per cent
efficient and that would start a big six
cylinder engine even IL II happened to
stop on dead center.
All of the parts for the starter are de-
signed and made by the Locomobile Com
pany. with the exception of the SiX-volt
starting motor and the switch. The thor
oughness which is characteristic of Loco
mobile methods is evident in the pains
taking with the installation Of this new
apparatus. The countershaft OF the
starting mechanism is chrome nickel steel
hardened and ground 1t runs on ball
bearings instead of plain bearings The
gears are made throughout by the com
pany of specially treated chrome nickel
steel. and are made from as expensive
material and are as carefully made the
transmission gears.
A new and interesting feature of the Lo-
comobile installation of the electric motor
starter is the mounting of the starting
motor on a bronze engine base. This
makes it practically an integral part of
the power plant. and this keeps it always
in alignment, which might not be the case
were it mounted on the frame of the car
The fact that the parts of the electric
motor starter are made with the same
care as the parts of the engine and the
makes it operate with great
quietness, which is very attractive fea-
ture to many people