El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-23

ly accepted the overhung type Of
frame. which means that IL Is located
above the axles. The undressing
frame achieved some popularity few
years ago, but it has passed on for
The material generally employed in
making car frames is carbon Steel
alloy steel being perforce reserved
for the higher priced cars. In design
all of them embody what are known
as channel sections for the rails,
these being the side members upon
which the body is mounted Connect
ing the rails are cross members, SPAN
ming the frame at right angles to
the former The number Of cross
members varies, according to the
ideas of the individual engineeri
sometimes three are considered SUI
ficient and again as many as six
may be used Ths side rails, neces-
sarily taper somewhat toward their
ends, at which places they are Joined
to the springs IN various ways
The ruling practice today is the
tapered frame, in which the 'front.' IS
narrower than the rear. This gives
the car q smaller turning radius,
decidedly an advantage in this day
Of close packed traffic In many, per-
haps a majority Of cases. the frame
design embodies what is known as
siSick-up'' in the rear. This is an
upward bend in the side rail Of the
frame, which brings the center OF
gravity low without reducing the dis
lance between the frame and the
result and also the need for a kick
up will be governed somewhat by the
type Of spring employed
Types Of Cross Members.
The cross members. Of which we
spoke before, are variously OF pressed
steel. channel section or tubular. the
latter being IN the minority. These
members are riveted in place There
is in not very extensive use at the
present time, a design which supplies
a mounting place for the engine in
the shape Of q sub-frame, built Of
channel sections The engine mounted
in this way may be located about as
desired. as regards the other mechan-
ical units.
While the ordinary frame finds the
engine the heaviest weight which II
is called upon to support, Il must
also contain provision for supporting
certain other units OF the mechan-
ism, as for instance the transmits
sion, when that is located separata
from the motor.
! The tapered sections at the ends
OF the frame are known as the horns
and here the springs are attached,
where one spring support Is placed
on the axle housing. The forward
ends Of the springs are attached 70
bracket, which is riveted to the rail-
Some years ago it used to be the
custom to truss the frame, II Il
proved to be not strong enough for
the work II was called upon to DO.
With the advent Of proper frame de-
sign. this practice has ceased. or
practically so, Git is still used a lit
tie in truck construction. Where
great rightly is sought. it is common
practice to install gusset plates, which
are pieces Of channel section. riveted
to the rails and to the cross member
at the rear OF the frame. This pre-
vents distortion Of the frame at cor
ners-
In the new rigid type of frame, the
side rails are made deeper than used
to be the practice, running to as much
as nine or ten inches The running
! boards in this construction are made
integral with the rails, the tenders
are riveted in place and with the
body firmly secured, there is little
consequent rattles, that used to be
/ the ordinary thing.
The flexible frame is made with
| the intention Of having 1t yield lit
tie with the motion OF the car in
passing over rough roads, when one
are down. The depth OF the side rails
used in flexible construction is
usually not more than five or six
/ inches. In this design the supports
/ lot Iut Iuuulu5 DOdA Us a. &c AANgNC0 AAii
/ instead of being made integral as In
the rigid type.
We cannot here enter into a dis
cussion Of the relative advantages OF
| the flexible and rigid constructions.
| The flexible frame is still the pre-
dominating type, but the rigid de-
sign has certainly made tremendous
strides toward popular favor. sinAe it
was introduced a couple OF years ago
Years ago the wooden frame dis
I 10 81