Evening star., 1926-01-31

margin between the front bars OF the
! bumper and the rear bars or the cross
bar Of the frame.
While the best selected bumpers
were low, they were not so low as 70
| reduce clearance to the danger point.
An interesting point was the discoV'
cry that the best bumpers do not run
the full width Of the car. They also
have a decided curve at the ends.
Later on we sketched on paper cars
so equipped. and when we made thenl
collide we could see why 1t Is impor
tant to have the ends curve In TOWARD
the tenders. Such an arrangement
just manages to protect the 1endeTs
without making the bumpers cdtch-
alls.
Moreover. Smith could see where the
ill-fittins bumper might be a source or
danger to pedestrians. Even dS ne
raised the point we saw woman mar
rowly escaping being tripped by pro
truding affair. which the owner doupt
less considered both attractive ana
safe.
No. I35-Steering and Balloons.
Since the introduction of balloon
tires and their universal adoption
steering has been revolutionized. The
steering that passed muster with high
pressure tires has now become bal
loon steering, and, in addition TO max
ing possible the use OF balloon tires
without exertion on the part OF the
driver, improved steering gears have
introduced some features that were
not seen when high pressure tires
were in the heyday
Smith had just about concluded that
the new things in steering were sales
N u-1,a
the new types and was privileged TO
see how they work. Then he changed
his mind.
Il thought steering had been bal
looned," he confessed, "but / see that
it's a case where the balloon nearly
went up without my getting around
in time TO witness the show. Would
you believe it? parked one Of the
new cars with the new type Of steer
ing with one hand on the wheel Just
when | started to tug at the wheel II
started to operate at its best. II
seemed to adjust itself automatically
What steering Gear" Means.
Smith. however, found that before
he could understand what improve
ments had been made in steering
gears he would have TO know how the
usual steering gear works. Common
sense told him that the very name
steering gear" implied a reduction
gearing 50 that with comparatively
little effort u driver might be able to
change the direction OF the front
wheels even when the car was not In
motion. He could understand that
the greater reduction the easier the
steering would be, though he appre
ciated the fact that II reduction gear
ing were carried TO an extreme a
driver would be obliged to turn the
steering wheel one or two complete
revolutions before the wheels would
change direction appreciably.
Just how the steering gear operated
puzzled him. The situation was clari-
fed when 1 told him that the end OF
the shaft connected with the steering
wheel. in the typical arrangement, was
cut With IA deep spiral thread. This
is known as a worm. If a gear is
meshed at right angles to this worm
and if the worm is turned, the gear
will revolve.
Makes Operation Easier.
If you attach an arm to this gear
you will have something to transmit
direct motion to the steering rods" :"
explained. "If you turn the steer
ing wheel to the right the worm turns
with it and the worm gear, In follow
ing the threads of the worm. turns
the steering arm so that the front
wheels point to the right. If the steer
ing arm were connected to the end
of the steering post direct It would
be as hard to steer as It would be
to get out and set the front wheels
in the desired position. The action Of
worm and worm wheel or gear results
in mecha nical advantage. The larger
the worm gear the easier it is to
steer.
''Wheen balloon tires cane into
popularity, the first thing was to in
crease the steering gear ratio or re.
duction from inches to to liz
inches to !. That. however, didn't