1930-05-08 — Page 11

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1930.

CHASSIS CARE,

The Lubrication

Problem.

The Stutz system, which is inter esting for purposes of comparison, differs really only in detail, a valve

being operated by hand through a trigger placed on the engino side of the dashboard, the valve allowing The gradual evolution of the crank case oll to flow to the chassis modern system of chassis lubrication bearings whenever required. To is really a rotection on human na lubricate the chassis, therefore, the ture. Because of man's essential engine is kept running slowly, the idioness, all sorts of kinds of bonnet is raised, the trigger oper- ingenious little mechanisms have to fated, and the operation proceeds. be evolved and fitted to cars in order Rubber For Bearings. to do his work.

Jubrication

THE

packing of lubricant. They will only need to be repacked with lubricant, therefore, when the car is

looked over at the end of a year's

use. This arrangement does not en- tirely delete the necessity for lubrication, but very nearly does að.

the

CHINA

MAIL.

CAR COMFORT.

Pneumatic Upholstery an Asset.

years

These examples should serve as

During the past few proof that within the next few years people will wonder what was meant pneumatic upholstery has grown Im- when we of this period talk about mansely in public favgur; how there the "dimculties of chassis lubrica- has been introduced a very interest- tion." These who consider that ing type which is calculated to make every car should instantly be pro- The original form of chassis. A device known as the Silentbloc duced with some form of automatic this kind of upholstery even more and can be used at dozens of different lubrication for its minor bearings popular in view of the very fine extremely Wis severely simple. Where minor points which normally have a bush must remember that every feature riding comfort which it provides. bearing for, say, a countershaft. requiring lubrication.

The term added to a car costs money. The Such is it, in fact, that although the a brake rod, or a part of the steer-Silentbloc does not really explain pipes, nipples and extra mechanism

we tested the new ing gear existed, someone drilled a the nature of the device. Briefly, it

single-shot lubrication cur in which hole through the surrounding metal consists of a thick ring of rubber scheme, equally with the parts of the cushions and squabs was an old one into the bush and countersunk the which is forced on to a steel bush, automatie lubrication scheme, add a and none too well sprung, it could hole. No more than half an hour's steel sleeve being forced on to the considerable

sum to production rubber ring; sufi-charges. Roller or ball bearings are

be driven over kerbs and very work, as a rule, was sufficient for outside of the the chassis to receive Its proper

cient pressure is used to make cor- expensive, and even the use of the rough stretches of road without the mued of lubricant. But-and this tain that neither the bush nor the rubber aystem may make a com

passengers experiencing any of the wak the trying part-the owner of external sleeve can move relative to ponent cost considerably more than usual jolts, and bumps (anys the the car had to spend a great dent of the rubber. It is obvious, to take it did before.

Motor). They remained practically time lying on, his back underneath single example, that if the ex- it, poking the long spot of an oil can the end of a leaf spring, and if what

sorbed actually in the cushion. We ternal sleeve were fixed tightly to

stationary, all the jerks being ab- into small and ineccssibly placed holes. It was not long before each is usually the shackle bolt were

can say that this new upholstery is countersunk hole received its due lamp such a bush Armly to a brad- passed through the Inner bush to coating of dust stuck together by congealed oil, wherefore the manu-ket or to a dumb iron, then the facturer rext ased a small fubries-spring can only move by flexing the tor with a d and 4 advanced one will require no lubrication. The rubber, in which circumstances it Since bil very speedily ran from adoption of this device means, in fact, that the bearing concerned the early types of bearings, grease had to be substituted. For this the ceases to weed any lubrication.

step.

screw-down cap naturally followed; There is another method of tackl-

but whatever method was adopted, ing this important problem. Instead there remained one difficulty. The of bushes, large ball or roller races which came easily to can be used, and can be relied upon

Jubricators

出する

hand received, if anything, too much give a year's wear with one

oil, while those bearings which pre-

sented any difficulty in being reach-

ed received very little, some running dry until such time as a variety of naises heralded the day when a somewhat expensive repair bill had to be faced. Gradually but firmly it was borne in upon designers that the average owner disliked going round —his car with an oil can only a shade loss than he disliked the compara- tively messy business of attempting to fill grease cups which steadfastly refused to be filled.

1

Then the problem was tackled in another way, and after special tins which made it relatively easy for anybody possessing juggler's ability to fill grease cups had been tried, the cup was removed, a nipple took its place, and a single high- pressure grease or oil gun was sup- plied with the car. This idea was at first heralded with great joy, but subsequently proved just as likely to be neglected; for if a man will not use a grease or oil-gun of what value is an elaborate form of nipple?

Nowadays matters have advanced considerably farther, and at present there are signs that the chassis lubrication problem is being tackled) from two distinct points of view, both being vory sensible. In one system all the bearings are automa- tically supplied with od; in the other, the bearings either are made to do without one or are packed so that they do not require freah lubricant more frequently than per- haps every twelve months.

Such cost has to be borne by either the purchaser or the manu someone, and the someone will be

facturer. If it is the purchaser. day is strong for loss expensive well and good, but the demand to- cars.

If it is the maker who atands the increase, then some method of manufacture of the car has to be saving an equivalent sum in the thought out

and brought into effective operation.

puri

In the long run a complete system of chassis lubrication will probably pay for itself. But to many chasers the first cost is all import ant, and devices to convert existing cars are not very easy to design.

One of the pupils at the first glider school in America at the con- trols of his motorless craft as he is towed by an automobile at Los Angeles. According to Albert E. Hastings, head of the school and an expert glider, it takes very little ground training to equip the student for his first venture. in the air.

UPSIDE DOWN.

Assembling of de Soto

Chassis.

Automatic Lubrication. Automatic chassis Jubrication is directly evolved from the grease gun; it dates from the day, in fact, when some genius thought that if the gun were made really big and were fixed to a part of the chassis, grease or oll squirted from it could Assembling the chassis up-side- be led by pipes to the bearings, thus down in order to obtain a better reducing almost to a minimum the quality of workmanship is one of amount of manual work required.. the interesting phases of automo- Of course, the easter became the bile building found at the De Soto process of chassis lubrication, the plant in Detroit.'

which we have ever ridden; more- one of the most comfortable types on

over, it yields to the contour of the body in an extraordinary fashion.

The great feature is, however, that whilst it "gives" to the load the design is such that the passenger

does not "bottom" but remains

literally supported on a commodious pocket of air, at all times, extending from the base of the spine, under

we

the thighs to the knees. The pocket has practically the same internal air pressure throughout. By this infer that the air is not driven ́al- most completely from one section carrying the major portion of the load to a part not so heavily laden.

This 13 obtained in a very in- genious but really quite simple man- ner, The upholstery, which is known as the Paxon, is a product of, Paxon, Ltd., of 186, Blythe Road, Hammersmith, London, W.14. The external appearance of a cushion or equab is to all intents and purposes. the same as that of the ordinary sprung typo. There is no sag or looseness whatever but it has an even

and contour giving a neat finlahed appearance. The external covering which is of leather or a similar non-extensible material, houses a pneumatic cushion which in the case of the bucket seat is divid- ed into three compartments by two non-extensible rib or reeds. These do not run quite the full width of the cushion, so that the compart- ments can communicate with each other readily.

11

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1

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Buick's new brakes are of the highly effi cient internal-expanding type. They are fully enclosed-fully protected against dust, dirt and water-and thus assuré maximuLIO braking effectiveness under all-weather conditions.

They represent the highest development of the self-energizing principle, which makes the car's own motion provide part of the

:

114" Wheelbase Marquette Models 118" Wheelbase Buick Models 124" Wheelbase Buick Models 132" Wheelbase Buick Models

braking effort. They reveal un- matched respon siveness to the

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יי

THE DRAGON MOTOR CAR CO., LTD.

Telephone 30228..

33 WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY.

WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT BUICK WILL BUILD THEM.

'THE MODERN MIDAS.'

A Philosopher on Motorists.

It is the method of supporting the air-pocket, however, which enables such excellent riding comfort to be obtained apart from the actual shape and construction. It is car ried in a bottomless frame, the inner sides of which taper at an angle of 45 degrees. Across this is stretched two 3in. wide rubber strips (in the case of the bucket seat) which give to a certain extent to the load, but

Mr. C. E. M. Joad, the lecturer the spaces between allow for the and. writer, speaking in connection cushion to expand between them and with the Beautiful England cam- below. The angle of the frame engine from dust and water from sides provides a sliding action.paign at the Guildhouse, Eccleston the road; the front springs; front Naturally one has to allow, say, two Square, London, said that they axle assembly, which includes the or three inches preferably below the should endeavour to force upon the tie-rod, stearing knuckles, steering level of the rubber cross-members, Government the Rural Amenities arma and front wheel hydraulic, but there are few cars in which this Bill and the Access to Mountains brake assemblies; the rear axle, would not be practicable. assembly, which takes in the differ- entlal gears and the rear wheel load of the passenger is increased,

What happens is that when the and Moorlands Bill. He declared: brake assemblies; the hydraulic

Until recent years the motorist brake fluid tubes; the drag link; road irregularities, the cushion ex-

as it were, as the car jolts owing to wished to see nothing.

To-day, however, the motorlat had exhaust pipe, muffler and tall pipe; pands underneath and the return discovered a belated taste for beau propeller shaft.

shock Is "absorbed very slowly in-ty, and went in search of the coun- deed. We witnessed some interest-tryside. Unfortunately it receded ing tests in connection with one of at his approach, Country public- the Paxon cushions. The valve was houses became third-rate motoring connected with a special pressure hotels, country lanes broke out into gauge and showed a normal pressure petrol pumps and advertisements. | of one half-pound por square inch; when the demonstrator sat upon it, his weight being about 14 stone, the square inch, and this did not in pressure increased to one pound per

crease by more than about one- sixteenth pound when the bushion spots. and load were subjected to a series

the

Thus, before the chassis starts greater the grumble of the owner! More than twenty-five 09:00-

down the long final assembly line of the car, as he then pointed out bifes are mounted on the chassis in its normal upright position it that the Axed gun was all very well before it Is turned right side up on has been assembled quite comm- in its way, but it soon emptied itself, the production line. The chassis pletely 45 far vág the lower and then he was required to under- starta down the line. in an up-side- units are concerned.

The units take the messy job of refilling it. down position and remains so al named above are mounted on That led to another clever idea most until the moment arrives chaabis on # short ая- the Tecalemit system. It reduces for Installing the engine, when a aembly chain which is indépend- the exertion involved in chassis special apparatus picks it up and ent of the main assembly line. lubrication to more pressure on adeftly turns it over.

The chassis is turned over while button. The driver presses a buttori) It has been found in developing being passed from this short line which connects the top of a special the assembly layout that the men to the beginning of the main as cylinder with the inlet pipa of the do batter work, because the chassis sembly line, which happens to be engine, and the depression in the is in a far more accessible position the longest straight assembly line inlet pipe operates a plunger in that for them while these assemblies In the world, measuring 1352 feet enced in the normal course of driv- cylinder. In its turn the movement are mounted if the, chassis is kept in length. of the plunger sucks oil from the on its back.

of jerks comparable to those experi-

Ing.

Thus the motorist was the modern Midas. Whatever he touched turn- ed to tin and brass!

that it found England a land of It would be said of this generation beauty and left it a land of beauty

It should be made a penal offence

dencies continued, what would be the Assuming that the present ten-

future of the country? He thought that the country would be covered by The cushion for a single-width a network of roads, upon which This assembly line is outstand-teat. Is of slightly different con- thousands of cars would be welded base chamber of the engine and de. The units that are mounted on ing in the cara that is taken la put struction; but the effect is the same. together in a solid Inextricable jam. livers it through a number of pipes the De Soto chassis while it is ting the parts together expertly, so The equabs made in this way also to the various bearings, and the all turned skyward include many im that the De Soto owner may never give a very high degree of comfort for motorists to leave the roads, or thus extracted from the base cham-portant parts. They are the rubber know the patty annoyances that s they actually giva and follow the for landowners ber is replaced when next the sump shackle mountings; the gas tank sometimes arise from loosened

to put up barbed is. filled. The oil, having been in and the gas line; the battery parts. The large number of units contour of the back, filling up the wire fences. The immediate segre- circulation, is warm, and therefore cradle; the rubber axle bumpers; put on before the chassis is turn the small of the back and the country as national parks should space which usually exists betwean gation of large areas of remaining flows freely from the small pipes running board brackets; shock abed over is an example of whore attached to the auxiliary cylinder: sorbers; battery ground connec-precedent le broken in order to

be demanded. Since, there are some bearings tion; the aod pans that protect the secure the best possible results. which need more off than others, an

ingenious baffle ta introduced in the shape of a small portion of circular rod, having a coarse screw thread.

cut on its exterior when plenty of oil is to be supplied, and a fine screw thread for a lesser oil feed. The oil passos round these threads on Ita way to the bearing Possibly some bearings may be over-lubricated with this system, and some may not receive their full supply, but, at all evants, a little reaches all of them, and that is as near the ideal as one tan possibly hope for In the present state of chassis evolution.

The necessary oil may not be drained direct from the crank case; amall auxillary tank can be used Instead, in which case, of course, the owner of the car bas to all the tank at intervaler

upholstery.

FISK

All-Cords

IF YOU DRIVE FAST

DRIVE ON

FISK

“ALL-CORD”

BASIS

FOR SAFETY.

TO-DAY'S

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FOR

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TO-DAY'S

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Bole Distributors- GILMAN & CO.

Telephone 28011.

4A, Des Voeur Road C.