The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-16
Bull Ding COMFORT INTO
THE MODERN MOTOR CAR
Care Used in the Manufacture
of Tops, Curtains and
Uphostering.

ooSaoA0A l4u1ben dS W tuo mcShha1Sai
excellence Of a car. Is concerned with
riding comfort. He is critical in his
examination Of the upholstery. He
wants to be sure that the cushions
and seat backs are covered with genu-
Inc leather and not cheap limitations
that will wear out promptly. He de-
mands top that will shed like duck's
back: side curtains that at so snugly
that they are absolutely bad weather
proof.
A trip through the various depart
ments Of big automobile plant where
quality cars are turned out, reveals
some interesting facts on the process
OF building comfort into car. The
upholstery and top making depart
ments perhaps best illustrate this
feature.
Three Hides to q Car.
At the Chalmers plant we use three
large COW hides in the leather work
on every Chalmers "Six". Awaiting
their turn at the cutting table are
scores Of great black hides, draped
over huge racks. The average skin
contains sixty-five square feet Of
leather and no hides under sixty feet
are accepted. Only large western cat
tie afford hides large enough for this
work. All hides are carefully in
spected and must be absolutely free
from defect or blemish before they
will pass muster.
1t is not practical to attempt to cut
more than one hide in a single opera
tion because of the varying quality and
difference in size of the hides. After
the leather has been cut to the differ
ent patterns, there is left large
quantity Of small scraps, no matter
how carefully planned the cutting. AS
a single example of the efficiency
methods In vogue at the plant, these
leather patches are sold to button
factories where they are used for COW
erlng buttons.
Building the Upholstery.
After the seat tops have been cut and
stitched, they are ready for the hair
filing and the springs. 1t is here that
riding comfort hangs in the balance.
The building Of an automobile cushion
is work for an expert and Chalmers
upholsterers are among the best paid
men in the entire plant. Care must be
taken that the filing is evenly dis
trubuted so that the seat will not
bunch, sag or knot. Long, curled
hair Of the best variety insures the
longevity Of the cushions and prevents
them fattening out, even after several
years. use.
Two men work on each cushion
The seat cover is placed over form
In the manufacture Of tops, the very
finest grade Of mohair is used. The
room in which Chalmers tops are made
fairly huns with industry. Thirty
. eight girls operate electrically driven
sewing machines with q skill and
lightning sureness never approached
by mere men. One side Of the room
Ia given over to the cutters. Along
its whole length stretches a table long
enough to banquet a small factory
At the head Of the cutting table are
heaped great rolls of mohair and
pantasote, ready to be cut into tops
and curtains. A half dozen OF these
rolls are mounted on rack that feeds
them of onto the cutting table.
Two men unwind these rolls, spread
ing the material on the table layer by
layer until they have built band
seventy-five thicknesses in depth. On
the top layer the patterns are laid
out with chalk lines and the cutter sets
to work. There is no time for the coat
makers shears. Chalmers tailors arc
equipped with an electric knife, keen
as razor which buries itself into the
cloth and cuts with ease along the
chalk lines as directed by the operator
With this method 1t is possible to cut
top equipment for two hundred cars
in day.
Women Operate Machines.
From the cutting table the pieces
go to another pattern maker who lays
out the route for the sewing machines
marking the width of seams and indi.
eating the location of the celluloit
windows. Thence they are turned
over to the sewing machine brigade.
With few weeks practice, girls
become wonderfully accurate in the
manipulation of these power driver
machines. Each girl concentrates OF
one particular part Of the work ant
the great efficiency is thus obtained
Tho lighting in this room is excellent
90 ~ 10 SAIhCly SnSlOSSQ III glass
The surroundings are pleasant ant
the operators take real interest il
their work because they enjoy 1t
Which may serve in way to indicate
the shortage Of domestic servants IL
the automobile city, inasmuch as mos
girls prefer this clean work at ,higf
wages to the drudgery Of housework
From the sewing machines, the fin
ished pieces are sent to the top as
sembly department where score o
filters adjust and alter the variou!
sections to At standard car bodies
Each part Is tailored to It's particular
car. in order that no unsightly crease!
or crevices for the wind or rain Il
creep through may remain.
That this sort of carefully checke,
up work more than repays the manu-
facturer has been demonstrated t,
: our satisfaction by Chalmers owners
who have driven their cars 100000
miles or more, with this equlpmen
still In excellent condition.
SEI7IIRE