The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-04-24
ANCIENT GASOLINE
AUTO IS EXHIBITED
Vehicle Designed by Duryea A.
most Thirty Years Ago Shown
At National Museum.

The National Museum has on exhi-
bition in the Arts and Industries
Building the second gasoline auto
mobile designed and constructed by
Charles e. Duryea, between Septem.
Ger, 1892. and September, 1893, which
latter date the machine was success
fully operated. The acquisition of
this most interesting object was
made possible through the generosity
of Inglis N. Uppercu, president OF
the Detroit Cadillac Motor Car Com
pany of New York city. Although
the machine on exhibition Is not The
first car made by Duryea. (the frst
being designed and built between
August, 1891. and September. 1892
and successfully operated), 1t is q
duplicate Of 1t. except in having a
more powerful motor and CORE
spondingly heavier and stronger
parts.
Just as In the very beginning OF
railroad transportation the passenger
coaches used were simply stage
coaches mounted on wheeled trucks
so Duryea's first and second auto
mobiles were simply converted horse
drawn carriages. the particular style
chosen being the lady's low phaeton
Every part of the carriage was used
simply adding to it the engine and
propelling and control mechanisms.
The motive power of the vehicle ia
single cylinder four-cycle, water
cooled gasoline engine designed by
Duryea. The engine, whose piston
rod and crank shaft are both ex-
posed, lies horizontal with it's head
toward the rear of the carriage and
the crank shaft and fyYheel located
at the center of the vehicle below the
seat. The engine is fred by a make
and-break spark, a pin attached to
the center Of the piston head striking
pivoted arm which in turn is in
contact with an insulated connection
through the cylinder head to the
source Of the electric current (dry
batteries).
The carburetor Is of the spray type,
but without a float such as Is gener-
ally used today. and fuel was fed in
to the float chamber at a rate which
would give maximum power at the
desired speed. the motor being OPP
Grated at a constant speed, as 1t was
thought at that time that a gasoline
engine could not be throttled. There
is an overflow line in this so-called
carburetor, so that IL the speed of
the engine slowed down, the excess
gasoline would flow out into a tank
below from which it could be re-
turned to the supply tank by means
of hand pump. The starting crank
projected at the rear parallel. to the
engine cylinder and turned the crank
shaft by engaging a pair of bevel
gears on the upper face of the n.y.
wheel.
Attached to the center Of the under
face OF the fiywheel is a bevel gear
which engages two gears on a hori.
zontal shaft. Through small friction
clutches, this horizontal motion Is
transferred through rawhide gears to
a jack shaft. at the end OF which are
small sprocket wheels. which are con-
nected by bicycle chains to large
sprocket wheels secured to the in
side of the spokes of the rear wheels
of the carriage. In addition, on this
jack shafe there Is a small differ
entail enclosed in housing, being
almost a miniature of the modern
difrerential. There are two clutches
attached to the main driving shaft
one for forward motion, and one for
reverse. They are controlled by an
up and down motion of the steering
tiller, through wires over pulleys
controlling, sliding cam, which en-;
cages and disengages the clutches.
The steering mechanism is Of the