New-York tribune., 1919-01-19
By II. Clifford Brokaw
Supervisor West Side Y. NJ. c. \. Auto
mobile School

mobile School
1t matters rot how good an engine
YOU have under the auto hood, it you
haven't means Of stopping the car
once it is started, YOU are III Tor
bunch Of trouble And YOU can't stop
thc pcsky thing b. shouting "N Nhoa "
at it. either. Hence have always con
tended that the brakes arc moro I'M
portant part Of the automobilc than
,hc engine. Ii there were no engine
one could not start the car and get INTO
a mess. But with an engine &c start
and nothing 10 stop 1t. there would pc
almost the surety Of q wreck, and per,
laps the occupants would be killed, II
not others who got IN the way.
Each car is provided With two sets
Of brakes. and some Few have more.
The emergency brake, as i is called,
consists OF brake band operating
within Il drum on each rear wheel, and
connected by suitable linkagc TO lever
which Is provided with ratchet and
NaNl, 50 that the brake may be set and
helG there. 1t j. intended that TINS
Drake shall be used primarily for hold
ing the car at stanGstill after 1t mas
been stopped, and il is used as an crAcr-
gcncy brake only in case Of mlShap to
the other brake. or on long hills, where
it is desirable 10 alternate between the
two sets.
The running brake. or service brake,
Il cpcrateJ by a rcd.l AND Is equipped
with spring automatically to release
thc brake when pressure ON the pedal is
removed. This brake may be a single
band ongaging drum on the propeller
shaft, or pair Of bands operating on
drums on the rcar wheels tho same
drum within which The emergency
brake operates The propeller shaft
type gives greater braking power. be
cause of the leverage obtained through
the gearing engagement Of the rear
axle. and. being on a separate drum,
there is less likelihood % heating the
drums on hills. 1t has the disadvantage
of putting 4 severe strain upon the
rear axle Gears. with consequent wear
The brakes should be kept in such
q condition that either pair viii stop
the car quickly. 1t is very unwisc to
allow ono set to remain out Of order
because YOU have one set you know
is all right.
Where two brake bands arc used IN
set each band should hold equally
or it viii allow one wheel to slip. To
obtain this result pedal and lever op
crate through cqualizing bars, with
inkagc running from pedal or lever
TO the middle Of the cqualizing bar
and from each end of The bar to the
brake bands. When the bar sets
straight across the car the bands
should sot with equal force on the
drums when braking.
Brake bands arc lined with some
non burning friction material, usually
an asbestos material. which is fastened
to the steel bands by copper rivcts
sunk deep into tho lining. 80 that the
heads do not come in contact With the
drum. When tho Innings become worm
and the rivcts scrapc ON tho drum they
score it, leaving shallow grooves. In
this condition there is not sufficient
surface to give the lining a good grip
and the brake slips. Scored drums
must be removed ard be turned true
in lathe to give a smooth surface
for the best braking power.
II is also important that the lining
be renewed when worn thin enough
for thc rivcts TO touch the drum This
should be done at the service station,
if that is convenient. but Innings OF
the proper dimensions for each car
may be had at q supply station, and
a little common sense will enable amy
one TO make tho roplacemcnts. Get
the proper size riVcts with the lining
and remember that tho heads must be
sunk deep in the lining.
The particular reason for altcrnat-
ing tho brakes on long hills is that
either applied solely Will heat, and this
will wear the lining excessively. be-
cause. although it does not burn. it
does char and crumblc Alternating
the brakes keeps down the tcmpora-
turc. A smoking brake is a sure sign
that the other brake set should bc
used. A. ono car Will perform differ
emily from another in this regard, you