Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01
MEETING OF S. A. f.
V|ES WITH RACES
Society Views Auto Classic
and Inspects Products of
Motor World.
apeelal Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 81
This section of Indiana became the
temporary center of interest for the
automobile world this week with the
running Of the eighteenth annual 500
mile race here and the twenty-f1fth
anniversary assembly of the Society of
Automotive Engineers at French Lick
Springs. Ind.
The events interlocked, because the
engineering fraternity, 1900 strong,
quit French Lick on Thursday and
trooped over to the speedway. They
came to see high speed, wind resistance,
car acceleration and other things they
had been discussing demonstrated in
track battle of engines and pilots.
With them came 80 French engineers
who are investigating automobilism in
the United States. In addition there
were two Italian Maserati cars in the
contest, so the interest became inter-
national In scope.
Speed Struggle Witnessed.
The visitors saw speed struggle in
which four, six, eight and sixteen
cylinder cars were pitted against each
rules by which it is hoped the practi-
cal side of paSsenger-car operation may
make further scientific advances.
Among the nearly tWo-score racers
that sped over the indianapolis bricks
the engineers saw Stream-lined bodies
Of every conceivable kind that had
been built to give as little resistance
as possible to wind pressure.
AS Prof. Felix w. Pawlowski of the
University of Michigan had told the
engineering assembly before the scien-
lists came to the track. the demand
for more speedy motor cars has come
with the development of good roads.
This demand" he pointed out, sis
being satisfied gradually by the in
gtallation Of more powerful engines in
cars. We have passed already the
100-horsepower mark, and, although
gasoline is still rather cheap in COM
parison with European conditions,
nevertheless the question of reducing
the engine power through reduction of
resistance to the motion of the vehicle
attracts more and more attention"
Resistances Described.
Prof. PawIowski pointed out that
wind resistance begins to exceed road
resistance at 40 miles an hour. Then
he went on to describe wind-tunnel
tests, whereby the speed of both motor
cars and airplanes may be predeter-
mined from toy models of actual We
hicles. At a speed of so miles an hour
the wind resistance of the usual motor
car is between 10 and ITO pounds, alb
sorbing between Is and % horse
power from the engine. At speed
of 100 miles an hour these figures
would be quadrupled.
Electrically operated brakes, said to
be a possibility of the future for cars,
were explained by John Whyte, chief
engineer of company in Beloit, Wis
This mechanism consists of an electro
magnetic energizing unit combined with
o brake shoe, acting as an simplifying
unit In action the magnet when
energized by current grips an armature
and tries to rotate with 1t. The rotation
continues until the brake band expands
against the drum surface and checks
the motion of the wheels.
On riding comfort Prof. F. A. Moss
of George Washington University de-
scribed research tests with the ''wabble-
meter" a device that tests the equilib-
rum Of man and determines how
much fatigued he may be after hours
Of driving.
Study of Vibrations.
Two groups of subjects, one COM
posed of 80 taxicab drivers and another
Of SO university students, underwent the
tests. They revealed a definite rela-
tionship between vibrations in the cars
and the amount of fatigue experienced.
The taxi drivers showed the effects of
1t more than the university men.
The car vibrations or unsteadiness OF
the vehicles were measured by using
another device called the acceller-
ometer From this it was learned that
equivalent trips of a 1925 model car
and one Of modern build showed score
for the five-year-old car Of $1,000, as
compared with 1880 for the new one.
The results indicate, Prof. Moss be-
heves, that current models are much
easier to ride In than the older ones.
Diesel engines occupied large por-
ton Of the engineers deliberations
Interest was stimulated by the appear
ance at the convention of Diesel cleo
trio bus, representing new automotive
development. The bus travelled on its
own power from Newark, N. j., to
French Lick, a route of 900 miles in
volving passage through the mountains
of PENNSYLVANIA. It has been in oper-
alton in New Jersey since last Fall and
Is said to be the only vehicle Of its kind
in the world.
Electric Bus Noted.
The power plant consumed cheap fuel
oil instead of gasoline and Is an inpor-
tation from Germany, where it was
built for truck use by the Mercedes
Benz factory. 1t has six cylinders with
bore and stroke 3 5-16x5 1892 inches
and a rating of rs horsepower at 1000
revolutions. Fitted with fuel pump and
injection nozZles, it is started with an
electric motor which heats glow plugs"
in precombustion chambers for 80
seconds.
Low cost of operation is the chief ad
vantage claimed for this vehicle, in ad-
dition to the elimination of the regular
ignition system and the carburetor. Be-
sides, the builders claim to have gotten
rid of excess smoke from the exhaust.
It is odorleSs and free from poisonous
carbon n1onoxide gas.
Talking on transmisSions, Herbert
Chase, New York engineer. made COM
parsons between four-Speed and three
speed gear sets as now used in Amer
lean cars Among the advantages of
the four-speed types he listed ease of
shifting and quiet operation, but he
raised a question as TO whether all the
superiority claimed could be realized in
practice.
Chase left the impression that most, If
not all, of the alleged four-speed adj
vantages can be obtained with the
simpler, less expensive three-speed type
that requires less shifting.
(Copyright. 1880, by North American News
paper Alliance)
MAFAn NAMITGI