The Washington times., 1921-10-15


combination permits of production
anywhere In the world-both sub
stances being plentiful
Many are skeptical of innovations
which have been tried before, but In
this case the gist Of the matter seems
to be that alcohol has never been re.
5ected, but only showed to one side as
inexpcdient. that Aluminium has never
been abandoned. but that its uses on
the contrary have multiplied and in.
clude Its Use for engines. that alumni
mum alloys have been found very SER
viceabie for structural purposes in
airpiancs. and finally, that alcohol as
q fuel and aluminium as q material for
engines have never been extensively
tried in combination.
The point of interest is what kind
Of q car may be looked for, IL II is de-
signed for burning alcohol in an en-
CINE made mostly Of an aluminium al
10y. ana IL the frame, the axles and
the body panels are also largely or
wholly aluminium products. Great
hghtness and many miles per gallon
Of the fuel, II the latter can be made
to work on q par with gasoline per
gallon, are most conspicuous prospec-
tive features. but the promise viii
have to be examined, as steel Is fully
NJ strong az ordinary aluminium pound
for pound In some shapes, not nearly
as strong In other shapes, while, fur
thermore, the shapes OF a steel part
and that Of an aluminium part serv-
ting the same purpose can never be the
same. speaking of parts that have to
Withstand strains in several directions
But supposing for the present that
great lightness Of the whole structure
10 accomplished. and that the frame
has the advantage Of being consider
ably more rigid than steel frame and
perhaps can be welded up nicely Ia
one piece without riveting, then the ar.
rRngement Of the vehicle springs
GhouId be something new in or1er to
give comfort under .these circum.
stances. We can guess at the use of
air springs and cushions In any way
that appeals to our notions, but there
is nothing definite to go by.
Weight Of AIDES
The inspiring weight Of axles and
wheels must be low TO correspond TO
the reduced weight Of the body, but
that problem may solve itself, since
axles and wheels all may be OF the
lighter metal. The imitation of tires
may be difficult to msnage right,
with proper consideration for pro.
tecting the pneumatic tires, II this
proves to be- real difficulty economi-
cally or otherwise. the demands on
the spring arrangements will be stili
more severe, in the matter of devils.
Ing something not SO far successfully
dons. But the thought comes up that
hRhtness perhaps win be an unim.
portant element. The load on the
vehicle Is an equalizer. It is the
unexpected that happens. Il may
come to pass that nobody will think
mitch Of the low specific gravity Of
aluminium alloys. when they have
been In comcuon use for some time,
but mainly Of their other qualities. I
The much lower specific gravity OF
wood, for example, excitss no com.
ment or hopes. Likewise, the fewer
heat units In alcohol, in comparison
with gasoline, may be all but forgot
ten when It's price comes down TO
where Il can be, and II is observed
that its fewer heat units nevertheless
will give as many miles per gallon an
the richer petroleum products, partly
by reason OF the higher compression
that can be used with alcohol and
partly because the oxygen content
Of alcohol helps in getting clean COM
bustion and clean exhaust.
Volumes Written
Volumes have been written on this
phase of the subject In connection
with the extensive trials of alcohol
and alcohol mixtures made under the
auspices OF the French and German
during the first six
years of this century. Taxation and
politics were mostly responsible for
terminating these tests after tt had
been demonstrated that long cylin-
ders, high piston speed and compress
ions up TO 142 pounds per square inch
were among the requirements for
placing alcohol and gasoline on an
equality as power Eeducsrs At the
THAT meant redesigning autorno-
bile motors, and the way was not
clear for such a radical move. Later
automobile cylinders became longeT
and speeds higher. The stroke-bore
radio was nearly two to one. II
was then found by numerous trials
that mixtures OF alcohol and bensol
eauaiied gasoline In these longer
cylinders without oompressions high
,r than 90 10 100 pounds. Kerosene
mixtures yielded similar results. The
mixtures were not quite stable, how
sver, but would separate when stand
ng unshaken for some length OF
.irne.
IL was contended by most expert.
nentsrs that the cooling OF long
cylinders with alcohol az fuel was
more easily effected than that OF
,orrnsl cylinders with sasoline. az
would be expected with the longer
stroke and more complete expansion
" the combustion gases, but on the !
Jthsr hand it was said, though not |
rery poditivaly that nIttinn and oor-
'osion OF cylinders and valves was |