New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-11
Spring History
A Record of
Betterrnents
Early Devices Too Short
for CONGRATULATIONS
Types Described
BY CHARLES Z. DURYEA

Progress in automobile construction
has each year been accompanied by i'm
provements in springs. In fact, few
parts that contribute TO the users COM
fort have been so fully and so far i'm
proved as have the springs. We natu-
rally expect improvements in devices
that are comparatively new, like the
pneumatic tires, but, remembering that
leaf steel springs were invented cen
tury ago, we arc inclined to assume
them to be practically perfect and to
look for very little change in them.
As first applied they were far too
short for comfort. Makers attempted
to apply the lengths and widths used on
horse-drawn vehicles, and simply added
thickness to carry the heavier weight OF
the power vehicle. That this was not
satisfactory could have been foretold,
and every year since has seen better
ing Of these necessary articles.
The full ellptics at first used gave
way to semi-elliptics which carried the
load lower and better resisted the side
swaying Of the body, which tended 10
throw a change on driving mechanism
out of alignment These advantages
have not been superseded and still hold
the semi-elliptic in growing favor to-
day.
Time and again new springs or new
arrangements are introduced, but
through them all the old standby holds
its own. 1t is a most simple form, and
if the same number of pounds or inches
of steel employed in other forms are
used in it there will be no complaint
about the service
The three-quarter platform adds to
the rear ends of pair of seml-elliptics
a mate placed crossways and attached
to the body at it's upcuved centre
This gets added spring length without
extending the body further to the rear,
but il has not found much favor On
the contrary, the light steel side mem
bers of the chassis frames are beng
extended far to the rear and thus pro-
viding attachment joints for the rear
ends of long semi-elliptics.
Even the three-quarter elliptic is Civ
inc way to this arrangement, since II
seems to be true that the short quarter
portion adds more weight and cast than
it returns in elasticity.
More was expected from the canu-
lever. and it still has strong advo-
Gates. but it has not been adopted with
that rush which seemed probable a
couple of years ago. The cantilever IS
a semi-elliptic turned over and resting
one end on the car axle instead of rest
| ing its middle thereon, as does the semi
elliptic. Because of this peculiar mount
ing it has nearly twice the springy mo-
tion possible in a semi-elliptic OF the
same length, but also requires TO be
about twice as thick. 1t requires ten.
( sion rods to take the driving torque and
is not suited to be used with the So
called Hotchkiss drive.
Time and again tenslon-in-coil springs
( have been introduced, but outside
of supplemental or shock absorb
/ ING devices they seem to have made
very little progress. In this respect
they frequently proposed air cushion,
also light and easy riding, but not easy
10 introduce. Each year the public is
gaining the knowledge that every car
can be properly sprung and that a we'll
sprung light car rides more comfortably
1 than a less efficiently sprung heavy car,
and consequently they are demanding
and getting better spring values each
!