The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-13
RICH UPHOLSTERY
NOW FOR COMFORT

Putting easy riding on a mathe-
NAUTICAL basis is a new way of getting
at comfort" says the local dealer for
the Locomobile Company OF America,
hut that is the way the problem has
been Approached by Locomible En-
gineers."
a steadily increasing tendency among
buyers Of high grade cars to consider
the question Of haw car rides before
they place their order In making
demonstrations we are often asked TO
drive over rough roads and with our
cars Il is a pleasure for us TO make
this test"
"A fact which few ot us realize. bet
which is often times painfully true, Is
that driving over ordinary city streets
IL about the hardest test you can make
Of the real riding ease OF car. I'm
even pavements, broken asphalt, nu-
merous street car crossings ana I'M
paved side streets all present diff
ficulttes which are frequently harder
10 suruount than even the roughtest
country roads"
"Phvements result In rapid series
Of short, quick jerks that produce a
most dsagreeabie and firing vibra-
ton unless they are absorbed in prop
er seett cushions Street ear eFoss-
ings and holes in the asphalt like
deep ruts. produce Il severe jouncing
strain that must be taken up III the
springs"
In building car that Will ride
comfortably under the world condl-
tons of driving about town and taxi
ing long cross country tours, two
features must be carefully consider
ed. First, is easy riding In the
chassis. second is easy riding in the
upholstery
THE chassis can be made to elm
inate the first shocks of rough roads,
while properly built upholstery can be
made 10 add the final touch Of luxury.
The problem becomes one for both
the engineer and the upholstercr, and
even In the development of the up
holstery tho work of an engineer is
necessary, for the deepest cushions do
not seem TO give satisfactory riding
case unless properly constructed"
THE first place to get at easy rid
ing in the chassis is in the spring sus-
pension. In this particular feature
tho Locomohiie offers q conspicuous
example Of what can be done in the
springs to secure easy riding. The
rear springs act only to carry the load
and are not in any way part of the
drive system. They are shackled at
both ends and are entirely free to act
since the drive is all taken up through
strut rods. This flexibility results in
shocks being taken up In the action of
the spring leaves before they reach
the chassis"
Tn the upholstery. depth, cushion
springs. seat width and many other
features were carefully considered be-
fore LocomobIle ten-tnch cushions
were brought out Since women are
more susceptible to the influence OF
easy riding, comfort in the upholstery
was put squarely up to women"
'Loeomobile engineers are author
iyy for the statement that over fifty
critical women all accustomed 70 the
use Of high grade cars tried out Lo-
comohile ten-inch upholstery before
1t was finally adopted. They sat In
the car, RODE around town and took
long tours. many times at a speed that
was impossible In IL car using the
older type Of upholstery"
Suggestions were made and work
ed out. More tests were made with
tho cushions weighed Different an
giles between the back and the seat
cushions were tried until finally ali
agreed that any feature that added
TO comfort had been built in the car"
At the same time women tested out
/ the height Of the step from the ground
TO the running board and from the
running board TO the tonneau They
tried the width of the floor for easy
entrance, adding the question Of CON
yentenCe to that of comfort"
1T Is now the usual experience for
LocOmObtle owners to drive $50 &c
300 miles a day During the touring
season many Locomobile parties drive
UP TO my salesrooms at the end OF
these exceptionally long tours. and !
fail to recall any instance where they
have shown any evidence of fatigue. -