The New York herald., 1922-07-23
Underwriters Promise 20
Z. c. Reduction if New
Device Is Found.
ENGINEERS MAKE TESTS
Automotive Society Plans Sc
. ries of Methods to Foil
GAS Pirates.'

Twenty per cent, reduction in auto
mobile insurance theft rates has been
promised by the National Automobile
Underwriters Conference IL the So
ciety Of Automotive Engineers Of 2s
West Thirty-ninth street can perfect
a method Of Numbering engines and
frames in such manner that they can
not be changed by the thief.
Under the spur Of this offer, great
Incentive has been given to the prob
lem Of curbing automobile stealing.
THE New York HERALD has shown in
g series of articles published in the
last week that this modern form of
piracy has developed into one of the
greatest and best organized Illicit in
dustries in the country. 1t is i'm
posing a tremendous burden on the
whole trade as we'll as the owner. THE
NEW YORK. HERALp's figures gathered
from all parts of the country show
that motors valued at close to $780,
100000 were stolen last year.
In the laboratories Of the Automotive
Engineers Society tests made recently
show that some Of the number stamping
on engines and frames can be changed
by the skilled thief in a few seconds
The gas piratek" as they are known in
the trade, have developed great skill and
the whole resources Of the society are
now matched against their wits.
/ Would he Real Solution.
ut is recognized generally that one of
the most effective ways of identifying
stolen automobiles and minimizing the
danger Of their being stolen would be
the adoption of a method of numbering
engines which would make 1t impossible
10 change those numbers without leav-
ing indications that such q change was
made" Charles l.! Haywood, OF the
standards department OF the Automo-
tive Engineers, stated in a call issued to
members. to get busy In seeking the So
luton of the problem that the 20 per
cent. Insurance reduction may be OBJ
tanned.
plain characters stamped on several
parts OF the engine and other units of
the chassis is the most satisfactory way
OF guarding against having numbers
changed by automobile thieves. It Is
realized that If simple means of num-
berfng cast iron or aluminium castings
can be discovered which will make II
difficult for the numbers-to be changed
II would be real solution"
The offer Of the Underwriters' Confer
ence was submitted to the National Au-
tomobile Chamber of Commerce and
Charles Clifton, president OF the latter
body and president Of the Pierce-Arrow
Motor Car Company, by authorization
OF his board OF directors. submitted the
proposal to Robert S. Burnett. president
of the Automotive Engineers. The
work of developing satisfactory meth
cd of numbering engines and frames
was assigned by the council Of the 30
clety to two committees, one made up Of
engineering representatives Of passen-
ger car manufacturers and the other
made up Of the engineering representa-
tives OF engine manufacturers. Twenty
suggestions have been made and are be-
Ing tested to determine their merits.
The Crook Test.
The reduction proposed by the insur-
ance companies Is for IN per cent. II an
fndelible marking system is perfected
for either engines or frames and 20
per cent. for both.
there is nothing more important for the
future Of the industry. provided It can be
done. than providing the means of mark
ing both motor frames and engines. and
thereby saving tremendous sums by re-
ductions in insurance, as proposed" Mr..
clifton stated in his letter to the engi-
neers. "It is important that we know
at the earliest possible moment whether
or not We have talent enough to de-
veiop a satisfactory engine and frame
marking"
what the Industry Is reaching out
for is something that will bear the test
OF the crook and we do not seem to have
found It," Robert A. Brannigan, manager
of the patent department Of the Ma
tional Automobile Chamber OF Com
merce, stated. He proposed that In anti
thief crusade the society part from its
rule lof not considering patented ideas
ana take anything and everything that
offers a promise of relief.
methods Proposed.
Some OF tho methods proposed ana
now being tested by the engineers are>l
these:
Casting numbers on the crankcase Of
motors; concentric expanded discs; a
special alloy cast in the crankcase a
checker board system; small thin IN
cast on the crankcase on which num-
bers could be stampad (the numbered
nm would be broken off by the dealer
and held for the purchaser) raised num-
ber plates welded to the frame; armor
plate number plates riveted on. using |
two or more riveta which enter into
the frame construction: fairly large
numbers embossed deeply into the
frame small holes punched OF drilled
into the frames at places where the
frames would not be weakened
Other proposals are numbers inset |
under a glass cover In a spring bracket |
or other accessible casting or forging |
in the frame assembly. this system ap-
plicable to engines also thin plate, |
with the number embossed on II, held |
in a frame or rivcted or blind screwed |
to the car frame a thumb print system
an armored plate riveted into position, |
with special seals placed over the rivets
case hardened plugs or Plates bearing
- numbers, fastened into the frame |
wryh blind screws or some other such |
devices. this method applicable also to |
engines n plate OF bakclite or similar
hind the frame channel as In the pre-
.ceding suggestions. this applicable to en-
'gines also a series OF embossed nickel |
plates set somewhere in the frame or in !
the engine in such a way that they |
lcculd not be removed without tearing
down the engine or frame. nickel advo-
!csted as II n not easily affected BY
fhe acetylenc torch.