Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

A. A. A., as the demonstration
was not staged for technical pur-
poses, although photographs of
the machines before and after
each test revealed that:
In the first test the left head
lamp and tip of the left fender
of the first car were bent. The
first cars crash abSorber, previ-
ously used the same day in
practice collision against the via
duct pillar, was SO little affected
that 1t was Strengthened and used
In the third test.
In the same test the right rear
frame horn of the second car was
slightly bent. Homemade fittings
by which the crash abSorber was
attached to the rear of the sec
ond car altogether failed in this
event, permitting the craSh-ab-
Sorber, slightly damaged. to fall
In the pillar test, or second test,
the mud guards, lamps, radiator
and other front surfaces of the
car were unScratched, although
the rim of the left headlight came
of and the forward end of the
left chassis frame buckled at the
point where drillingS for bolts to
att1x the craSh-abSorber had been
made.
In the third test, the third of
the day for the crash-absorber on
the first car, the front of the first
car was damaged by an arm of
the demolishing steel bumper on
the second car, which punctured
the radiator and smashed the lens
in the right headlight. The sec
ond car sustained major damages,
including cruShed-in radiator,
broken front wheels, shattered
glass and bent axle.
None of the tests disturbed the
Shatterable glass in the two cars
and in none of them was Capt.
Schleif at all injured. In the pill
lar test, breaking of the steering
wheel in his hand and opening of
the front door caused Capt.
Schleif to tumble to the ground
after the car came to rest.
Description of Invention.
In general appearance and in
its position on the car, the crash
abSorber resembles the usual met
al bumper. It consists of a 3-inch
bar of solid rubber, attached hori-
zontally to the chassis by two
pairs of claws suggestive Of for
ward-pointed, partly opened scis-
SorS, with their SwivelS where
they join the chassis and their
ends clamped immovably to the
rubber. Collision, causing wider
opening Of the scissors, stretches
the elastic, its lateral extension
and recoil spending the impact
progressively to left and right be-
fore it reaches the body of the
car.
In the dissipation of this living
force, under the Schleiff principle,
the crash absorber's Swiveled
juncture with the chassis frame
is the zero point and is called
upon to bear only that small frac-
ton OF the impact necessary to
start the scissors spread. Be-
cause of their slight outward
curvature and the manner of
their attachment, the scissors
must inevitably open and the rub
Der stretch, no matter from what
angle the impact may come. Thus
there is no rigid connection be-
tween the point of impact and
the chassis.
Unless struck at excessive speed,
the Schleiff craSh-abSorber may
be restored to it's original condi-
ton after collision merely by
Strengthening the rubber, Capt.
Schleiff having used a single
craSh-abSorber for as many as 18
demonstrations. For trucks, buSs-
eS, fire engines and weightier We
hicleS, a heavier type is provided.
Capt. Schleiff said he would
leave New York shortly to make
demonstration tour of the coun-
try at the invitation of automo-
bile clubs, traffic officials and 9TH
erS concerned with reducing
Americas staggering motor car
casualty list. His itinerary is to
be announced as soon as the
many invitations already received
are considered.
AS he has already done in Is
European countries, Capt. Schleiff
said he would dispose of his pat
entS in the United States only
when he was given a guaranty
that the crash absorber is to be
properly manufactured and that
it would be retailed at a price
placing 1t within reach of the au-
tomobile owner of most modest
circIU1 Stancos