THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,
207 MILES AN HOUR!
What it Means to the Motorist.
Many experiments were carried A little over two months ago, when Major Segrave's 1.000-h.p. out and ultimately a cover was Sunbeam ear was being tested on found that proved satisfactory. the bench in preparation for its It came off the test machine not stupendous task, a group of specia-only intact but quite cool, show. tors watched the proceedings with ing that the material would with
stand terrific hent
Dome anxiety,
MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.
THE ARGYLL ENGINE.
THE GRAND PRIX.
Five Races to Decide
World Championship.. One-Sleeve Two-Cycle.
[By Capt E. de Normanville-
in the Daily Chronicle.]
The motering Grand Prix to be held under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club has been fixed to take place on Saturday, October 1-n fortnight before the Motor Show opens.
Detroit-Success of experiments nade in this country and in Europe in recent years points to the deve lopment and adoption of the two- cycle, single sleeve engine for the automobile.
This is nothing new in Europe, where three passenger car comi- panics and two motor-cycle manu- facturers have been making use of For America this type of motor. it is an innovation.
Among them were Mr. Coatalen, The same exhaustive testa were the designer of this monstrosity in carried out with sparking plugs, machinery, and the man most insprings both for suspension and
This race now forms one of the timately concerned-Major Se valve operation, brake linings, sories under which the World metals of all descriptions, wheels, grave himself,
Both knew only too well the full and, in fact, every component of Championship is decided, the event last year being the first time this meaning of transmitting 1,000-h.p. this extraordinary vehicle,
But the real teat came at Day-country has participated. through the driving wheels, of a motor-car. All kinds of new pro-tona when the car, to everyone's blems were involved. Everything astonishment, exceeded 200 m.p.h. human ingenuity could conceive to Here was the real thing before by a Delage car, though the the original single alceve valve, make the venture a success had which previous bench tests were ultimate been tried, but oven then in creatinsignificant. ing this colossal motor-car alto- gether now and untested theories were in the balance.
Hurtling along the sands at this fantastic speed every component of the car was being fiercely tried, During the test the only trouble and the fact that nothing gave la to faulty magnificent tribute to material, experienced was due lubrication of the driving chains, werkmanship and design. But what a lesson in the necessity.
And now we come to the ques-
for efficient lubrication. Within ation: few seconds the chains became red Of what use is all this to the hot and the giant had quickly to be private car owner and to the motor stopped. A moment more and they would have broken.
The metal was not at fault,
neither was it a question of poor quality oil.
industry generally!
We do not want to travel at 300 miles an hour, oven if this were possible.
We do not want tyres that will withstand 200 miles an hour when our own maximum is 50 and so forth.
ITE
a sense the above is true.
First sighs of this development here was the purchase of the Ar- gyll patents by Continental Motors That particular event was won about two years ago. These are World Championship two-cycle engine patents based on inventions of two Scottish engine- érs, Burt and McCallum.
went to Bugatti.
For this year's premier racing award there are to be five races ጊዜ follows: The Indianapolis Grand Prix, the French, Spanish. Italian and British Grand Prix. Our own event is to be the last of the series, so it may chance to be the deciding factor,
Unfortunately we are still un- able to hold a road race in this country, so the venue will be Brooklands. The course has been extended to 325 miles, against last year's 287.
American Cracks.
Heretofore, American, motordom has been acquainted only with the double sleeve valve engine of the In this case, two Knight type, cylindrical sleeves within the cylin der work up and down, opening and closing the intake and exhaust ports, as openings in the sleeves meet others in the cylinder wall.
Twisting Cylinder,
In the Argyll engine, however, only one sleeve is adjusted so that twist of almost 50 degrees while it moves in a spiral, making a moving up or down along the cylin- der wall an opening or closing the intake or exhaust ports by means of openings at the top,
The oil was not reaching the sprocket. in the final "test when the lubrication system was remedi- el, oil and nutd proved their qualities under the most gruelling, pposing for a moment there A number of special turns and conditions ever essayed.
were no pioneers like Major Sends will be arranged on the
The engines in use in American Now let us turn for a moment grave. In this case there would to tyres. The fastest motor-car in be a necessity for firms to experi-track, though the actual details of automobiles to-day are all of the four-cycle type. Originally, these the world would be useless without men, and without experimental the circuit are not yel settled.
were called "four-stroke-cycle" un- tyres that would withstand great work motor design and develop The race is for cars with an gines, because the piston made heat and terrific triction.
engine capacity not exceeding four strokes in each cycle of the A cycle, in Major Segrave did, not say to
engine's operation,' Practically every cutstanding de-1,500 cc., and of a minimum un- the tyre maker "Please send me veloment in the motor-curto-day laden weight of 700 kgs., approxi-this case, is the complete action along a set of ayres for my 1,500-is the outcome of racing and re-mately 1d ewle
cord-breaking experience. h.p. car."
The rules this year permit the He said in effect: "I am hav- The reason our tyres enjoy such
the tyre American practice of a centrally ing a motor-car built with which a long life is because I hope to do a speed of 200 miles maker has made important dis sunted driver, so it is hoped that en hour. Can you make a set of coveries when building tyres for for the first time we may see some of the American racing cracks at tyres that will stand up to such high speed.
Brooklands. speed."
The makers rep .ed: "We do not honestly know, but we can try, and if we are steressful we will fit your ear."
ment would stagnate.
to sparking The same applies plugs. Nearly all the improve- ments in metal texture are due to the same reason.
The lessons learned are incor-
So they created a special testingporated in the touring motor-car. machine, which as near as possible would prove if an outer-cover could stand such hard going.
Record-breaking has not only made motor-curs and their acces-
At the first test when the first Sories more durable and efficient
AUTO WELL ADVERTISED.
tyre was run on the machine at a has also increased the margin the largest users of national news speed corresponding to 200 miles of safety in moturing. And this
an hour, the tread came adrift and is an object that is worth while. went clean through the roof of the test shed.
At least Major Sotrave and the other pioneers think so.
Manufacturers of automobiles and automobile accessories were paper and nitgazine advertising in 1926, according to a report by the United States Department of Com-
merce.
that takes place in each cylinder. This consists of two upward and
two downward motions of the piston in the following order: 1 intake of gasolene when the piston goes down; 2-compression as piston gues up; 3-power as piston goes down; 4-exhaust of used gas as piston goes up.
Power at Each Stroke Only the third stroke is effective
VALVE
SATURDAY, MAY 7: 1927.
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Cross-section of one cylin der of the Argyll single-sleeve engine.
in propelling, the car. The, other downward stroke is practically waste. The two-cycle engine makes every downward stroke a power stroke.
In this case, the cycle consists of: 1-up, or compression, stroke; 2-down, or power, stroke.
It is while the piston is on its way down that both the exhaust and intake valves are opened by the moving sleeve, permitting the exhaustion of the used gas and the entrance of the new gas. The ex haust valve is opened slightly be fore the inlet, so that the cylinder may be almost entirely cleared of the used gas before the unused gas comes in.
Longer life, less power to drive, silence, less carbon deposit, great- er fuel efficiency are some of the advantages claimed for this type of engine. Tests have shown that a small motor developing 30 horse power at 9,000 revolutions a min- ute, in an average small car, will give 30 miles to a gallon of gaso lene.
PROTECTS SEIZED
CARS.
A bill has been introduced into the North Carolina etate legisla- ture which would prohibit the use by any state, county, township or municipal officer of any automo- bile Bolzed by an agent while en- forcing a law.
A
substantial increase in sales for the first twenty days of February over the same period last year is stated by Mr.
E. T. Strong, President of the Buick Motor Company to be an indication that bis company and the industry'in general are on the threshold of one of the greatest selling scasons the automobile business ever enjoyed. Such increases constitute. an excellent barometer of favorable business conditions throughout the greater part of the world i
"Buick deliveries showed an incrense during the first twenty days of February of nearly a thousand cars over a similar We have found that au- period in 1926," Mr. Strong said. tomobile sales are an accurate index of general business conditions."
"The value in using these sales figures as an index lies in the fact there has been nothing done to stimulate sales or create a demand which might be contrary to general conditions. The models now on the market are the ones introduced last August with the exception of two additional body styles which were added to the line later. Thus the upward trend in sales can be attributed to more favorable business conditions."
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