THIEF-PROOF MOTORCARS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16583, 24 July 1919, Page 9

THIEF-PROOF MOTORCARS.

Fame and fortune await a motorist with a bright idea for making motorcars . thief-proof. What is wanted is a simplo, inexpensive, easily fitted accessory that a driver can operate with a' touch of tho finger, so to speak, 'When leaving his car unattended in the street. "-To be really effective the device must prevent the cn >" from- being towod -or pushed away, as well as making it difficult, if not impossible, for a thief to sttart the engine without the "key." So far all the "market" can provide for this purpose is a length of chain, with a padlock large enough to secure the gates of the Tower. At every stop the driver, without consideration for lii^' dress, entwines this chain around the ispokes and axle of the front wheels. No one will question the security of this method—or the length of the bill for Repairs to the spokp3 should the : driver inadvertently drive off without, hauling up the "anciior." Thi't mouern motor thief, who watches very closely any covert action of his intended victim "when leaving his car, is an carport mechanic, and if he has any dornits about being able to start! tho enf.itpe ho is not above towing the car off Jxihind his pirato craft which is lurking ift the "offing'' m readiness for an emergency. The police say this has been don® on many occasions. In thes® circumstances, can any inventive ptttvon bring forward an idea, for making; ii car givo out a loud alarm! when bein^; 1 towed or driven 'against) its will"? inventor says that by simply, turnfny; a Yale key in a secreted lock closo to tho driver's hand he can move the clapf.er of an alarm gong into position so that any movement would make tho car as conspicuous in crowded tho.volughfaro as a runaway fire-engine. To prevent ;V bar from being started and driven in a casual way there are of course many rtimpl© expedients that could be adopted' which would at any rate delay an expert thief for some little time while* he tried to find out what was wrong. A hidden switch in the magneto circuit, for instance, would necessitate the thief raising the bonnet to remove the "earth" wire from ihe magneto before he could start the ortg'ne —not too simple a job' if the bonnet were locked. One driver \rihom T know fitted an extra air valve under the induction pioe, which ho wide with a hidden wire When leiyvyng his seat. A subsequent owner srjttaV- three days in trying to start tho Another devised a secret catch to, hold the clutch out of engagement, whicft was released by pressing a spring. An easy method of looking tho'steering suggests itself which ivould prevent the car from being driven or towed, but there is always tho dangeV of the driver starting off without releasing the gear, in which case an accident 'wV>nld almost certainlv result.—(W. P. IV,. in London "Daily Mail.")