Evening star., 1921-04-03
MARYLAND HEADLIGHT LAWS.
IMPORTANT TO MOTORISTS
Familiarity With Stringent Regulations
Will Avoid Trouble-Maryland Motor
ist Points Way to Stay Within Law.

| Washington motorists who have inn
properly focused headlights and who
do not know how to focus them viii
do well to follow the instructions set
forth in a recent number Of the Mary
land Motorist, magazine published
| by the Automobile Club of Maryland.
With the new force Of Maryland
state police constantly patrolling the
! roads, it is imperative that local mo-
I torists obey the headlight laws Of
Maryland.
The proper adjusting Of head
/ lights requires some thought and un-
derstanding, but it is the duty Of all
| motorists to give sufficient attention
! to this important subject so that he
| may not be the means Of driving the
| other fellow OF the road" says the
| article.
There is an adjustment in every
I headlight which is known as the fo-
cusing device or focal adjustment
Adjustment is made by moving the
| bulb in the reflector backwards or
forwards. either nearer to or away
from the reflector: Such adjustment
alters the form Of the beam of light
| projected by the headlight. 1t is like
| the nozzle on a garden hose which
| throws the water in small straight
stream or sprinkles it over a large
area
Correct Focus Necessary.
I'm order to get the light in the
proper place on the road it is neces-
sary to adjust or focus each headlight
SO that the form of the beam Of light
will be correct. Unless this adjust
ment is made all headlight lenses or
other non-glare devices are useless.
"As the position of the f1lament in
different lamp bulbs varies, this ad-
justment must be made every time a
new lamp is used. In order to SIM
plify this adjustment the various po-
or are termed focal adjustments Nos.
I. 2. and 4, and are determined by
the relative size Of the image or cir
Gle Of light produced on a screen.
Before trying to focus the bulb in
headlight, which means moving it
1T forward away from the reflector, it
is most important to learn how to-
operate the focal adjusting device.
Different Adjustments.
There are four different kinds Of
local adjusting devices on headlamps.
namely:
Rim adjustment-In which turning
Of a screw or thumb nut on the re-,
Hector operates the adjustment.
Bulb adjustment-In which the
focal position of the bulb is changed
by pushing, pulling or turning the
bulb. This type of device should be
examined thoroughly before attempt
ing to operate.
Inside adjustment-In which the
reflector must be removed from the
headlight to operate this type.
Outside ADJUSTMENT which a
screw on thumb nut located back Of
the lamp case operates the device.
S(Note-A number of outside focal
adjustments are attached to the rear
of the lamp case. while the reflector
is carried on springs in the front of
the lamp case. When the lamp glass
back. while the bulb, which is sup
ported from the back of the lamp
case, remains stationary. This al
ters the focal adjustment made with
lights using this type Of focal adjust
ment cannot be properly focused un-
less the lamp glass is in place. *.
Avoid Turning. ~. -
Headlight devices must be applied
so that they cannot turn In the he ad-
lamps. Almost all devices have a
mark top showing how they should
be installed. The application Of an
approved device does not comply with
the law unless proper candle
power bulb is used, the proper focal
adjustment is made and the proper
title ts given the headlights.
ITO properly focus the bulb in
headlight drive the car. fully loaded
to a place where the light from the
headlights will be thrown on a wall
fence or screen at least twenty-five
feet from the car. Remove the front
lamp glass. then cover or dlsconnect
one lamp so that only the light from
one lamp at a time will show on the
screen.
''In No. 1 focal adjustment the
nlament Of the lamp bulb is at the
focal point of the reflector. The re-
sulting beams of light are almost
straight ahead Of the smallest diam
eter. 1t is this form Of beam that the
majority OF lenses are designed to
take and modify into a beam of more
useful light on the road.
Methods Explained.
ITO make focal adjustment No. 1,
move the lamp bulb forward or back
ward in the reflector until circle Of
light on the wall is as small as DOS
sible.
TN a No. focal adjustment all the
flament is back Of the focal point Of
the reflector. The resulting beams Of
light spread as much as possible
This adjustment gives the greatest
spread Of light without the black
spots in the center.
TO make focal adjustment No. 2,
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