Evening star., 1928-05-06

The Government maintains big
establishment in the form of the
United States Bureau of Standards to
make tests and DO research work Of
various kinds that are of interest and
value to American science and indus
try. That is generally known. What
is not so well known, however. is that
there is one industry so big and so
important. with all its ramihcations
that it engages approximately IS per
cent of the Bureau of Standards activ-
titles. This is the automotive indus
try It's demands upon the bureau are
so great Of course, only when every
thing directly or indirectly connected
with the automobile are taken into
consideration
Testing fuel. brakes. lights. tires.
combustion. performance Of gasoline
engines. the cooling systems of en-
gines. etc, comprise the major tests
and experiments that are carried on
in connection with the motor vehicle
industry However. before a complete
enumeration is made, il Is found that
practically every division and section
of the Bureau Of Standards gets into
action somewhere along the line.
Tests are made OF everything from
| the headlights or horns that give
warning of the approach of the auto
mobile 10 the visibility OF the colors
of the license tag on its rear end that
Is the last sign of its departure. and
from gauges for measuring the volume
of fuel consumption to TN, various
patented processes or materials for
puncture sealing The last are Of par
ticular interest 20 those motorists who
dislike more than anything else to be
compelled to change a shoe, and who
think that a puncture 10 a tire ought
to heal just like a cut on persons
finger. only do it more expeditiously.
Results of this research work occa-
sionally are published In bulletins that
are available 10 any one suffich ntly
interested to ask for them. More
often, perhaps they are embodied IN
reports that become part Of the bu-
reaus records that are always avail
able, but are not 50 widely dissem-
mated.
what Various Divisions DO.
DR.. George K. Burgess. director of the
bureau, points out that the electrical
division studies lamps and batteries,
safety signals and signs for streets and
highways, and the visibility OF different
colors used in license tags, and calibrates
measuring instruments. The division OF
the public be cheated. with the accu-
racy of gasoline Measuring pumps. bot
ties and cans for dispensing lubricating
oils, scales for weighing motor trucks
and the meters that give taxicab GUS
| toners the bad news. Also, gauge
blocks are compared for the large motor
car manufacturers. with the Govern
ments standards.
The best combinations of colors TO be
used for warning signs has been inVesti-
gated by the optics division which ike
wise tests precision gauges by means OF
light waves. Paints are tested by the
chemistry division. and the chromium
plating OF radiators and other parts has
been perfected largely through bureau
experiments All sorts Of metals and
alloys are studied and the effects Of
heat treatment, mechanical work and
wear are investigated by the metallurgi~
cal section while the ceramics division
has produced improved spark plug
porcelains.
However. the greater volume OF work
having TO do with automotiVe problems
Is carried on by the automotive power
plants section and the friction and iu-
brication section OF the heat and power
division and the rubber section of the
organic and fibrous materials division,
been the fuel research which the bu-
Teau has carried on for years in CO.
operation with the automotiVe and Pc
| troleum industries. and hefty volume
would be required to tell Of even the
more important things that have been
done along that line More recently
study has been made Of the anti-det~
| onating qualities OF motor fuels and the
methods OF measuring them. This, Dr.
| Burgess says, included review of pub
| licati0ns from 10 laboratorles8 In this
country and 2 In England-~~together
with description of the bureaus rou~
/ tine engine test, devised IN 1924, and
det0nation bomb which Is being devel~
| oped for the Bureau Of Aeronauties
| This study shows the need for some
standard methods of measuring The
ntl-kn0ck value Of fuels OF some means
| ot corFelating the data obtained by ex~
/ listing methods which are usually not
| independent of test conditions.
Cracked vs.. Distilled Gas.
I In this connection, for example. it has
/ been determined that gasoline produced
/ by various so~called cracking" pro-
cesses frequently are superior to gasoline
obtained by straight distillation from
| crude petroleum so far as knocking III
| the engine ts concerned but information
| has been lacking as 10 the relative merit
of cracked and straight run gas Ia the
| matter Of engine starting The bureau
| was asked t0 settle this question and
| conducted experiments, the results os
which, IL Is stated Indicated that aside
| from volatility there are no appfeclable
| differences between the various kinds nf
| motor fuels 80 far as engine starting Is
| concerned
| ONE Ut the valuable services which the
| Bureau OF Standards has rendered the
motor using public Is the preparation
| and publication of circular, No sal,
| ON the use and care 0f automobile tires.
| After presenting useful Information on