Evening Star Newspaper, August 14, 1927, Page 60

OEVCEISSOUG TONESRENDSES Suggested Process Noted as of Greatest Benefit in Auto Mass Production. Invention of an instrument or pro- cess by means of which noises will be measured or registered in an accurate and practical manner, would be one of the greatest benefits to modern automobile_mass production, accord- ing to R. R. Todd, chief inspector of the Oakland Motor Car Co., in the Au- gust number of the Journal of the Soclety of Automotive Engineers. No matter how intricate an auto- mobile part may be it is possible to design gauges thut will function with- out much difficu.ty, but these do not take into account the human ele- ment, it is asserted. A differential assembly may be rejected one day, and the next, although it has gone through the same operations on the same ma- chines and nothing apparently has been changed to improve the noise conditions, it will be acceptible. Or, one man may pass an engine, insisting that it is satisfactory, while it will be Ll Difficult to Establish Standard. “In spite of the care taken to es- tablish a standard to follow,” Mr. Todd asserts, *‘consid 1s experienced in obt uniform standard on noises. curing of men whose sense of hea is keen enough to enable them. to ‘standardize’ to_a point where uni- formity of product that will satisfy the buying public can be maintained is very difficult. According to our ex- perience about 1 man in 500 has a sense of hearing that will enable him to pass satisfactory judgment day - after day, even the best men have < their ‘off’ days. Their hearing is af- fected by their physical condition and frequently by outside causes to the extent that they will pass unaccept- able units which are not discovered until the final car assembly has been completed. This is, of course, costly. It reveals clearly the weakness of the human element. Another Problem Cited. “There is another difficult problem in standardizing inspection in matters where personal judgment is required, such as body finish, blemishes and off- color on painted bodies and dirt, sags and scratches on enameled parts, “In visual inspection where per. sonal judgment is required, diligent effort must be made to pick men who are above the average in ability and have ‘even’ dispositions. A tempera- mental or indifferent inspector cannot be educated to maintain a standard ‘where personal judgment must be uni- form from day to day to avold a great handicap on production.” it e FOURTH OF GASOLINE IS USED FOR GETAWAY Most Motor Fuel Used in Quick Pick-up, University Expert's Tests Disclose. More than one-fourth of the gaso- line which the motorist buys is used to obtain a quick getaway, according to Prof. A. C. Willard of the Univer- sity of Tllinois. In the average automobile, Prof, ‘Willard declares, the maximum power is realized when the carburetor is set to mix 12 pounds of air with 1 of gasoline, This, however, is not the most economical mixture, as there is not enough air t& burn all the gaso- The most economical mixture, the one in which all the is consumed, is when 16 pounds of air are mixed with 1 of gasoline, . Demanding “pep” rather than eco- nomical operation, the motorist sets his carburetor to give the “one-twelve” mixture, even though in so doing he sacrifices 25°per cent of the heat value it is possible to get out of the fuel. DETAILS HELD IMPORTANT Auto Builder Would Have Every Unit of Car Considered. The importance of small details to the complete body design, details that the average man would consider abso- lutely without weight, is stressed by one of the country’s best known cus- tom body builders. In a recent address he asked that the body designer be allowed to put his talent into every exterior unit of the car in order to got harmony into the completed product. Among the units he listed as calling for the designer’s study were fenders, radiator, bonnet, splashers, running boards, lamps and such smaller appurtenances as filler caps, lamp tie rods and the like. “Too frequently we see attractive bodies suffering detraction from ugly radiators, cumbersome lamps or crude- 1y designed accessories,” he told his audience. NEEDS ALCOHOL BATHS. Hydraulic Brake Requires Careful Inspection at Intervals. Mydraulic braking systems should be ireated to an alcohol bath every 5.000 miles to assure their continued efficiency. The fluid should be drain- ed, the cylinders cleaned and the whole system flushed out with alco- hol. ~ Fresh fluid then should be put in the system. It occasionally hap- pens that air gets into the lines. This must be expelled and a full column of liquid put in its place it brake operation Is to be satisfactory. ' GUARD TIMING CHAIN. One Riding Loose Subjected to In- termittent Strain. Many motor car owners are content to ignbre the timing chain so long a8 it is not so loose as to be noisy. This practice is not wis The chain that is loose is submitted to intermit- tent strains as the slack is caught up from time to time on the’ sprockets. While these wins may not cause trouble immediat. in the long run they frequently result in chain break- age. On the other hand, the chain should not be made too tight, for this w mean excessive wear' both on the chain apd the bearing. Circuit Breaker Delicate Unit. Tnless the car owner is an expert mechanic, one part that he never should attempt to repair is the cir- <uit breaker, which automatically connects and disconnects the genera- tor and battery. This unit is one of delicate features of the car. 2 with it is likely to get it r out of adjustment. If it really s attention, leave the job to a skilled repaire: Point to Be Remembered. It is well to remember that some types of oil filtering device gradually decrease in efficiency as the filter be- comes clogged with dirt and sludge it removes from the lubricant. Kventu- ally it will cease to function, usually between 10,000 and 15,000 miles. For this reason the fliter cartridge should DOWN THE ROAD—Things That Make Bolsheviks. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €. AUGUST 14 1927—PART- BRIDGE TOLLS YIELD MONEY THE LADY . WHOSE CAR CROWDS UP.ON THE CROSSING,, COMPELLING PEDESTRIANS TO DETOUR, WHILE SHE WAITS FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO CHANGE. MOTOR AS HEALTH PROMOTER IS GAINING IN POPULARITY Brief Daily Rides in Automobile Regarded as Most: Effective Stimulant to the Active Business Man. One phase of motoring which is gaining popularity is the use of the automobile for a_brief, daily ride as a means of guarding and. stimulating the health of the owner. This tendency is a growing one, and everywhere a widening number of motorists are taking a few min- utes out of even the busiest davs to get behind the wheel and ride out into the fresh air. This value of the automobile often is overlooked, many motorists view- ing the motor car merely as a means of quick conveyance from home to office and then back again, and, occasionally, when there is nothing more important, an afternoon’s trip in the country some Sunday during the month. Instead of making (’ne or two after- noon trips during the month, car owners would do well to take a drive every day, communing with Nature as_often as possible, and securing fullest advantage from car, good roads and pleasant days. ‘The daily jaunt should be as much a part of the day’s program as break- fast, luncheon or dinner. As an effective means for steadying frazzled nerves, bolstering tottering health and eliminating strain and worry, it has no equal, and physicians appear unamimous in advising the motor drive to revive both interest and appetite. Idea Gaining Ground. Gradually, however. this idea 1is gaining ground, and the park drives, boulevards and suburban drives are becoming more and ‘more crowded during all hours of the day. Busy business men are coming to realize the value of the dally ride, and many have profited materially through im- proved health gnd clearer minds. The factors which have operated to prevent the.incorporation of the daily ride as a part of the day's regular program gradually are being elimi- nated with the recognition of the in- creased need for health protection. More effective means of transporta- tion and the speeding up of traffic make it possible to get out of con- gested districts in less time, thus providing more leisure to the worker in the city. Special routes, leading straight to certain points of the larger cities whence egress to the coun- try is easily negotiated have been established. Daylight-saving time, closing of offices at noon on Saturdays and other conditions have helped to give the worker more leisure, and the possible establishment in some lines of the five-day week will considerably add to this amount of time which may be spent in recreation. That the person who neglects a daily ride in his car unwittingly is handi- capping himself in his quest for or in the maintenance of his health is cer- tain. The wise business man and car owner, for instance, makes his rides a part of his business, looking upon them as not so much time wasted, but rather as an investment in himselt, in increasing his ability to do more work better. Car Owner Should Know Routes. Every car owner should know the district around his home city so well that he can drive to almost any spot with the least possible dela; The easiest means to acquire this knowl- edge is by directing his daily ride each time to a different direction, and in this way he will become acquainted with newer and less-traveled routes. The type. of ride should vary with the temperament of the driver. Some- times he wants a peaceful, restful drive, while at others he may be in search of an appetite. Should he want & smooth drive, he should choose some “easy” boulevard where there will be little hill climbing and where he will not be bothered with noisy traffic. Should he desire a ride to stimulate his appetite, nothing will serve better than a brisk spin over some country road. It must be invigoratings with the fresh air striking him full, and with a few steep hills to add zest to the excursion. Should the car owner desire a drive before retiring, a jaunt in the park will be most conducive to settling the nerves after the day’s toll. The soft lights of the city, with myriads of re- flections, and the smooth, even roads will evoke a feeling of rest and con- tentment. Many Do Not Know How. Many persons assert that they have no time for recreational driving, but in not a few instances this will be found to be merely an admission that they do not know how to co-ordinate and plot their daily lives so that every- thing fits in. They should remember that by“careful planning they will be ahle take advantage of the automo- bile for at least half an hour’s run, Thus the pleasure car is broaden- ing the scope of its activity, bringing health and happiness in its wake, even though its owner does not drive it far beyond the jmmediate vicinity of his home, office or shop. The Old Mechanic Says: Every one says it's poor policy to meddle with other people’s affairs, but. just the same I sometimes think the policy has merit. They lose nothin’ by it and sometimes you gain. Every car owner’s got some sort of car trouble, It may be anythin’ from a purely imaginary grief to somethin’ that has ‘stumped the best of mechanics. Ordinarily a car own- er won’t spill his woes, but if you nose around diplomatically you can find out what it's all about. And then both begin to profit. I'm not goin’ to harp on that old business about knowin’ the faults of the other automobiles so's you can avoid them when you go into the market for a new machine. That's all right, but I'm thinkin’ of a newer angle. Maybe these ailments with cars ain't ailments at all—but just owner's mistakes. I know three fellows who come in here to have me work on valves and silence tappets. They're all dri- vin' the same make of car and if vou didn't know the facts, you'd think there was somethin’ wrong with this particular make of automobile, But_just by gettin’_the inside dope, REMEDY WITHIN REACH. Owner of Car Need Not Worry Over Minor Inconveniences, Sometimes after he has driven the car for a while, the owner becomes conscious that some feature of it is inconvenient—that the door latches are hard to reach or the gear shift lever is too short or some similar infelicity. The remedy always is handy. These very faults have been noted by accessory manufacturers and they have produced the device that the motorist needs to overcome the difficuity and establish his ad miration for the c: has to do is take his problem to the man, It will be solved SEP THESE IN MI Having the motor tuned occasion- reflected in reduced fuel bills as in that pleasant droning Keeping the rims free from dents and rust is a simple job that will as- sure greater tire mileage. The carburetor will stand a much be changed. Otherwise wear will be caused by the dirty oil that is per- mitted to enter the engine. leaner mixture in Summer, which means that the car will run on more air and less gasoline, All the owner | you soon discover that the owners are to blam The car tempts them to drive at top speed and they can’t resist. For normal drivin’ these cars would be quiet and free from uble, Ther's a temptation to draw hasty conclusions about cars. You hear a machine squeakin’ by and come to the conclusion that it is badly put together and that you don’t want | one ke it. at the driver. that many of those squeaks start with the man at the wheel. Many times drivers complain of troubles that don’t exist anywhere but in their own minds. Unless y know this, you may be fooled out buyin’ a good car. Mindin’ times is poor business, ‘to my way of thinkin’. Masters in the Art of [Refinishing ~ Upholstering Seats Covers Tops {Metal Work Body Building Blacksmithing WEST 2222 21st and Va. Ave. N.W. For some strange reason, you look always at the car and not| I'm here to tell you!l u of |* your own business some- | MAY PROVE COSTLY. Some motorists who have noticed that tire pressure is increased by the heat generated by friction in driving are tempted to make an allowance for this when they inflate the tires. This may prove costly. The tires are made to stand for any such additional pressure and the manu- facturer has taken the factor into consideration when specifying the nor- mal amount of air. Regardless of the heat of the day or the length of the drive, the tires should be inflated to the specified pressure: BECK |1 EXPERT EXPLAINS AUTO SHIMMYING John F. Duby Finds Excessive Camber Effect on Forward Wheels Is Basic Cause. Excesslvé camber effect is the basic cause of the shimmying of the forward wheels of an automobile, in the opinion of John F. Duby of Boston, who has made extensive re- searches into the subject and whose findings have been publisheq in the latest issue of the Journal of the Soclety of Automotive Engineers. Without this basic cause. not a single case of shimmy was found that con- tinued for any appreciable time, it is shown. The excessive camber effect is a condition that is desirable to make steering easy, but even a small amount of it will cause shimmy, pro- vided all other conditions are favor- able. For that reason it is highly de- sirable, the article states, that these contributing factors be adjusted to as near ideal as possible so that a slight camber effect may be produced to facilitate steering. < “Cars of some makes are practical- ly free from shimmying although they are equipped with balloon tires the same a: er cars that are noted for shimmyi Mr. Duby points out. “It would seem that there must be something in the mechanical con- struction of certain cars that makes them more subject to shimmy than cars of other makes. My experience in eliminating shimmy would bear out_this theor¥ in every case. “Balloon tires and front-wheel brakes have made it necessary to maintain a greater degree of accu- racy in the setting of the axle, and to do this we must have the proper means of ascertaining these settings. If we are to stop the shimmy we must first determine the exact amount of tilt that exists and then insert shims to bring it to the cor- rect angle.” FOR BETTER TRAFFIC ROUTE| Approaches to Camden Span Will Be Wid- ened to Provide for Great Number of Automobiles Crossing River. ‘With the toll income reaching large proportions, due to the tremendous volume of traffic passing over the structure, Philadelphia officials are planning to attack the difficult prob- lem of providing adequate approaches to Camden Bridge. Quite interesting is the fact that these toll bridge charges, which Philadelphia officials opposed before the bridge was opened, will enable the city to assail the traffic problem around it. In the first year of operation of the bridge Philadelphia received $432,669 as its share of toll collections. This represents one-fourth of the revenue of the span. The money is sufficiont to discharge all obligations attending the $10,5600,000 of bridge bonds issued in _that city, Philadelphia authorities thus have been able to request the courts to re- lieve the borrowing capacity of the city from the bond issue encumbrance. This permits the use of that amount for other purposes. The importance to Philadelphia cannot be overlooked. The city is still short of funds, due to the Sesquicentennial Ixposition, and it was thought last month that the city employes might be forced to go without pay. Acute Need for Relief. The need for relief of the congestion t the Philadelphia end of the bridge is acute. For several Sun this season, when traffic over the bridge reached mew high levels, always ex- cepting the first week end opening. the fact was disclosed that unless Philadelphia attends to her approaches thé eflicacy of the bridge will be ma- terially lessened. The bridge is far from handling its maximum traffic ca- pacity and may never do so if the ap proaches prove a constant bar to the swift movement of vehicles. Bridge Manager Joseph K. Costello called attention to this condition in his monthly report, just submitted to the Delaware River Bridge Joint Com- mission. WHEN YOU WANT 7 ACTUAL 70 - ~ HERE ITIS - ~ ~ —~WITH THE SWEETEST, SMOOTHEST TOURING, SPEED EVER DELIVERED GO SEVENTY ANY TIME YOU CARE—OR DARE-TO! PERFORMANCE. DRIVE IT AN HOUR—AND YOU'LL DRIVE IT FOR YEARS. “The greatest task lies in getting rid of the cars in Philadelphia,” said Mr. Costello. “It is for a very im- portant purpose that the captain of bridge police takes personal charge at Fifth street in Philadelphla on Sun- day night. Even when the streets are bare the duty of getting the cars off the bridge is no easy job, but when Fifth street, Sixth street and Vine street are clogged with parked cars and machines getting gasoline at curbstone pumps there is grief and slow-moving traffic. “Then one realizes that the bridge is akin to a hose, and unless the nozzle permits the easy escape of the contents the pressure is increased until trouble ensues.” On the Camden side of the bridge |, are the toll booths, but these fail to slow down materially the flow of traf- fic at that approach. Regarding the New Jersey side, Mr. Costello says: Record-breaking Traffic. “By 6 p.m. on Sunday the tide of traffic has turned westward and most of the motorists who went over to Camden In a steady stream during the day come horhe. The cars are as- sembled in the Camden Plaza, directed to the toll booths, where the collectors, grown skillful through a year’s prac- tice, pass 450 cars per hour through each of the lanes. The stream splits at the toll booths, to reassemble at the foot of the Camden incline and pass steadily over the river.” Trafic during July was record- breaking. In the first two weeks, for instance, the tolls aggregated $111,303, which is $9.698 more than was col- lected last year in the same perlod. Bus business in the same period al- most doubled. In 1926 bus tolls col- lections were $12.673; this year they were $24,819. An interesting side light is that the tolls of the Penn-Jersey busses, a_Philadelphia’ Rapid Transit subsidiary, pay $1.000 a day, sufficient to pay all operating expenses of the bridge. - ; SEMMES MOTOR COMPANY 8 Dt‘lpont Circle 2819 M St. N.W. Edward B. Semmes, Inc. Alexandria, Va. ENIO $1595 RAPHAEL SEMMES, President 613 G St. N.W. 1424 Florida Ave. N.E. Main 6660—Night Phone, Main 1943 Associate Dealer H. C. Fleming Motor Co. Hyattsville, Ma. 'Dopee BROTH SEDA F. O. B. DETROIT [ ?MARYLAND HAS BARGAINS IN AUTO LICENSE TAGS Offers Issues for 1927 to Vehicles Using Pneumatic Tires at Half Price. Special Dispatch to Tho Star. BALTIMORE, August 13.—Automo- bile license tags for 1927 for vehicles using pneumatic tires went on sale in Maryland at half price this week. The “bargain sale,” provided for by the last Legislature, will remain in effect until December 15, when the 1928 tags may be displayed. For private cars license tags and registration cards will be issued at 16 cents for each horsepower instead of the full rate of cents, The new law was passed, it is said, at the instance of autornobile Gealers, who discovered some opposition among purchasers to buving new cars in_tho middle of the year when it would be necessary to pay the full rate for tags to be used only five months or less. e “DON’T” WORTH NOTING. Hint Given on Switching Off Igni- tion When Coasting. Some motorists have the habit switching off the ignition when coast- ing with the car’s momentum turning over the engine. This is assumed to Increase the engine's resistance The 8ain is but slight and not enough to compensate for the potential damage by the unburned fuel, that, thus, is admitted to the cylinders, there to condense and wash-off the oll I\'h‘ll, th 1 REPAIRING ALL MAKES Gardner, Flint and Hudson SERVICE A SPECIALTY T.J. CAMFIELD 1615 O St. N.W. North 9767 Tires and Accessories -~ o e e SIX CYLINDERS SURCHARGED WITH POWER. PRODIGAL POWER, CONTEMPTUOUS OF GRADES—SCORNFUL OF SLOUGHS AND DETOURS. GRASP THE BIG WALNUT WHEEL OF THE GREAT DODGE SENIOR AND JFEEL THE URGE TO TRAVEL FAR AND FAST. YOURS IS THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY—COMMAND OF THE ROAD. MIRACULOUS