South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-03
AEROPLANE DESIGN
SHOWING IN AUTOS
Planned to Reduce Waste in
Construction and Use
of Gasoline.

When statisticians point 10 a
yearly national waste of 100000
600 in gasoline and tires alone.
says A. +. Spielbers, Franklin deal
er, lit is not strange that autOmo-
bile design should come in for its
share of attention, so as TO reduce
this waste and conserve our war
requirements. In this connection,
Director Manning of the United
States bureau of mines, recently
came out with the statement urg-
ing more efficient engines as the
foremost step. Now, more than ever
before. engineers are recognizing
many other elements that make
an engine consume less gasoline and
that extend a cars tire mileage.
'Aeroplane design, which has
shown such rapid strides since the
war" Mr.. Spielberg cites, lis be-
ing reflected in the construction of
automobile engines. While valves in
the head. always recognized as an
influence in greater efficiency, have
been incorporated in motors in an
off-and-on way since the beginning
of the industry. it took the success
of this construction IN war service
to give il the place il deserves.
"Moset motorists have observed
the closer STUDY of the proper
method of cooling, because in the
past the limits imposed by water
have led to waste Of power through
over-cooling. Water-cOoled engines
are fighting this waste through a
thermostat attachment. while the
inherent ability of air-cOoled en-
gines to operate at about $50 de-
grees higher temperature removes
the limitation without mechanical
attachments.
Little refinements. like automat-
&c spark control, light reciprocatinS
parts. seven-bearing crank shafts,
dash control Of the carburetor nee
jle valve, all have a part in making
gasoline go farther.
The progress towards greater
efficiency is reflected in the devel-
opment of light weight construc-
ton. 1t is no uncommon thing TO
hear Of one thousand pounds of SUI
through refined design. The success
of the passenger Franklin
weighing 22SO pounds is often men
toned as an indication of the pos
sibilities along this line. IL used TO
be regarded as impossible to make
an enclosed car TO weigh less than
$500 pounds. but scientific light
weiEht as worked out in the Frank
lin row produces a sedan and a i'm
CUISINE weighing only 261O pounds.
This weight reduction is all a
matter of the use of lightweight
materials, such as aluminium and
heat-treated steels: the elimination
of superfous mechanism. like
torque tubes and reach rods and
frame cross members and braking
apparatus; and even the casting
aside of the entire water-coolinS
system, with its radiator. pumps,
piping. and the water itself.
And it has been my experience, -
Mr.. Spielberg continued, that
when the subject of inspiring
weight was mentioned only a short
time ago, nobody knew what was
being talked about. But now. with
maximum tire mileage taking on
added consequence. engineers are
seeing to it that aXles, wheels, and
all reconstruction are as light
as possible. so that tires may be
relieved of unnecessary pounding.
In fact. il has been established that
one pound of weight above the
springs is equivalent in destructive
ness to 10 pounds of weight above
the springs.
THE search for efficiency has
also developed the easy-rolling car.
Inefficient bearings have been cast
aside and any complication of ne
chanism or dead weight that acts
as a drag on the car, is becoming
highly unpopular"