Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-23
NEW PROBLEMS
IN CAR MAKING
ARE TAKEN UP
Wheel Construction Being
Given Much Attention
at This Time
tBy r. NJ. HELDT.)
Engineering Editor OF A~utonotivc
Industries. New York.

the aEtOnlODllcs NaO ABOUT reaCnCu
the acme Of perfection and that it
afforded no opportunity for the in
ventor TO exercise his ingenuity on it.
This, however, is far from being tho
case. Intricate technical problems
still await their solution, and unless
they are solved it will not wen be
possible to keep automobile service
up to the standard which it has at
tanned today. This is mainly due to
the fact that the character of tho
fuel supplied for automobile use is
constantly changing.
Instead of. the h~igh-grade gasoline
which was being sold by garages 10
years ago, the product which is be-
ing supplied today is more like a
mixture OF this high-grade fuel with
kerosene, for in addition to some
highly volatile constituents, it con-
tains other elements which must be
raised to q temperature of nearly 500
deg. +. to vaporiZe them. The e
son for this change in the grade of
fuel is the enormous increase in con-
sumption, with which production has
been able to keep up only by letting
down the bars on quality.
Two Possible Lines.
Right here are two possible lines
of activity for the inventor-and
neither of them is being neglected.
Inc HiSl CONSISTS III lnNeHllHS anu
developing engines which will burn
without difficulty the lowest grades
of fuel which are now being sup
piled, as well as carburetors which
will convert. these fuels into a gas
and mix them with air in.such a way
that they can be burned satisfactory
ly in an ordinary, engine. The best
results SO far have been obtained
with Improvement in carburetors and
manifolds. and many have been the
novelties in these ines during the
past few years. What makes the
problem of burning heavy fuel in au-
tomobile engines particularly difficult
is the fact h a such an engine must
run smoothly and reliably through
loads. Motorists have become ac-
customed to well night per-
feet performance in this respect dur
ing the last few years of high-grade
fuel, and they will be very, critical if
the standard of performance is low-
cred.
The other solution consists in the
discovery of new fuels. The field is
being searched diligently, and sever
al special fuels are now available,
but before we can expect I'd see any
very great developments along this
line8the price Of petroleum fuel must
probably go up still further. Anoth-
cry problem hat has received much
attention from Inventors is that of
4 prevention of headlight glare. This
also involves numerousI difficulties.
An intense light is needed for safety
in might driving. When the light
falls on the road and properly illum-
mates the path of the car it serves
is purpose, but if it, shines into the
eyes Of drivers or pedestrians it
blinds them.
. Wrong Lighting.
Glare is NJ special characteristic of
light. bat merely intense lighting in
the wrong place. The simplest solu-
tion of the problem is to. turn the
rays Of the headlanps downward, by
refraction, etc, so they cannot rise
to the level of a pedestrians or driv-
er's eye This works very well ex-
cept in approaching the crest of a
hill, when the direction of the rays
changes with respect to the plans of
the road. Innumerable devices for
preventing annoying glard have been
invented and, while none is entirely
less complaint regarding glare now
than there was some years ago.
Another field Of invention recently
opened up and offering considerable
promise is that of the disk wheel.
Wood wheels have long been success
fully used, but they are open 70 GER
tain objections and, besides, the Kind
OF hickory wood necessary to make
"a light and strong wheel is getting
exceedingly scarce. steel disk wheels
possess the advantage hat they are
easily kept clean. These wheels were
used extensively in the war and APP
parentlY gave satisfactory service. AS
they are seen here mainly Oh high
grade imported cars, they are likely
tn hpcnTnp. 30nI11r with tho 1NntnI.-
ing public. While it is easy enough
to construct a disk wheel. consider
able experimentation will probably
be required to determine best design
from the points of view of low
weight, minimum cost and reliability
in service. This is still a practically
virgin field for the inventor which no
doubt will be cultivated ~assiduously
during theNnext few years.
Some Time Wasted.
Inventors not actively connected
with the automobile industry ,natur-
ally are at some disadvantage in try.
ing to improve the construction of
the car, because they can hardly be
expected to be familiar. with the
problems encountered. 1t is there
fore n o wonder that many of. them
waste their time on devices for which
there is no real need.
s u iiioNdiSS.E IluiluIeQSE III
headlights have been invented dur.
ing the past ten years. which are
supposed to be of great advantage in
turning a corner at night. While
they are a convenience under certain
conditions, the opportunity for their
{use comes so seldom to the average
motorist that few would, consider the
cost and complication of the neces-
sary mechanism warranted. TO
! evolve the i somewhat complicated
jinkage required. is a regular tinker's
Job and seems to appeal to many.
Many misguided inventors are also
wasting their time on direction indi-.
Gators. Ordinarily, when a driver
proceeding in a line with other vehi-
cles wants to stop Of to turn out, he.
holds out his arm to signal the driv-
er behind him to%slow up. At night.
tof course, the driver behind might
not see the extended arm. and this.
seems to prove that there is use for
la mechanical or electrical signal
which ifs IS effective at night as dur
ing the day. Many ~suchadeyices have
been patented, but somehow the mo-
toring public has failed to- appreciate
them, and most Of the inventors Of
lsuch indicators are still out their
patent fees.
Nvy ~~