CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 70, 18 March 1912, Page 3

CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

On Wednesday, February 28 th, J. I’niterson, a visiting .motor cyclist from England, made an attempt If lower the existing 24 hours’ rnotoi cycle record hold hy F. A. Richardson, made on a 3.V-h.p. Triumph maolii’it and standing at 510 miles. Patterson rode a 2:|-h.p. Now Hudson, shod with Dunlop tyros, and carrying Pratt’s spirit and vacuum mohilcil. The course selected was a circuit ii the Western District, commencin' from Camperdowu and running through Torang, Mortlako, Lisaion and hack to Cainpcrdown—B3 miles ir. ail. Starting at 4.5 p.m. Patterson completed his first round in the splendid time of 2 hours 16 minutes. ‘ Aftsi lowering his gear and adjusting tin exhaust valve ho set off again, returning at 9.14 - p.m.j,; actual riding time for this circuit being 2ifrs 3Grnin The clock showed 42.55 p.m. as hi touched Camperdowu for the third thru Lamp troubles were now -hindering Ids progress and were finally responsible for a sudden and unexpected termination to the splendid ride. Whilst' within six .miles of the finis! of the fourth circuit the lamp failed • just as the record breaker was about to negotiate the most difficult am 1 clangorous turn in the road, leaving the rider in complete darkness. Thus handicapped he mistook the turn and rede into a solid stone wall. He walked into Camperdowu and reported the occurrence, when a hurried visit to the scene of the accident showed unfortunately that it was utterly impossible to continue the effort, for the machine was a long way past road side repair. In 12 hours Patterson covered 312 miles, a splendid achievement indeed, and seeing that he would have entered upon daylight riding again within less than an hour aitoi misfortune he-fcl him there is hut little doubt that he would have recorded at least 650 miles in the 24 hours. Hi;•riding was far to good to deserve tin abrupt termination to it which was the case, hut good-naturedly and will lino sportsmanlike spirit he expressed less disappointment than any of the hundreds of his well-wishers who watdhed his progress. In view of the fact that manufacturers as a rule have been quick to see and adopt valuable features which are calculated to increase the efficiency of their products in general, perhaps it is not to he wondered at that they have completely overlooked at least one small thing which, if properly designed and applied, should go far towards decreasing; maintenance, cost, and depreciation. Briefly, it is the fitting of an extra air valve to the .sc-arhurcfter, hv means of which pure

air may bo admitted to the cylinders' when tiho engine is used for braking instead of making necessary the use of the “mixture” for this purpose. That not a few motorists appreciate the advantages incidental to the use of tlio engine as a brake is not to be gainsaid; depreciation is lessened for ino reason that the braking effort if applied smoothly and steadily. Also the braking effect is perfectly equalised, assuming, of course, that the same co-oflicicnt of friction exists at hotih, roar wheels. Bat in order to obtain the greatest braking effect from tlio engine the throttle must be opened to its widest limit and herein arises the objection that under such conditions gasoline consumption increases. If, instead of necessitating the use of the “mixture” in order to obtain the greatest braking effect, an extra air valve wore provided, the benefits accruing would bo two-fold, in that gasolene consumption would he decreased and the general wear and tear on the car incidental to ordinary braking strains would be reduced materially. Of course the design of such a valve requires considerable thought and study, for it must he so constructed that under ordinary conditions the quality of the mixture is not affected as it would he by leaks. But its design scarcely entails the solution of problems harder than those that have been solved in the evolution of other parts of the car, and because of its undoubted advantages it should j£.vj -■» .tei

ho plain that the initial expenditure necessary in its production will bo more than repaid in the end. A new speed record was recently established in France by Vcdrinos, the crack French aviator, mounted on a 100-li.p. monoplane; Vcdriiies Hew 91 miles in 62 min 23sec. A fine motor car performance was registered last week by Mr 11. J. Lewis, a Melbourne motorist, who drove from Sydney to Brisbane (about 700 miles) in 76 hours gross time. His actual driving time was 32 hours. The twenty-fifth Austral Wheel Race was decided at the Melbourne exhibition track on the 25th February, and resulted in a win for E. Priestley (off 60yds) hy a. few inches from J. F. Hazel, with E. Birch third. Time, 4mins 20 4-ssec. A peculiar incident in connection with the event was the fact that the winner only got hito one of the semi-finals through the disqualification of another rider. Ho showed his appreciation by carrying off the £IOO prize. Attention is being drawn in France to the use of engines of the Diesel typo for motor car power purposes. As motorists are probably not acquainted with this .engine, it may be well to give some indication of its operation. In effect the Diesel engine is much the same as the ordinary internal combustion engine—gas or petrol. Its distinguishing feature is the use of what to the engineer seems an enormous compression, and the igniting of the gas charge by its compression alone. Moreover, the charge is introduced into the engine under great pressure and at the time of almost maximum Compression. it is .self-igniting and operates on either the two or four cycle principle, according to the arrangement of the design. Its great advantage, if it is subsequently proved to have advantages over the conventional type, will probably he found in its ability to use an oil of low flash point and cheap in cost of production. The engine may be considered a little more complicated than the usual type of motor, having four valves to each cylinder and also a supply pump and compressor .But, on the other hand, the whole of the electoral equipment is disepnsed with, and finis is a matter of considerable importance. Objections have been rained to this type of engine in that it Ims a want of flexibility as to speed and power output. It is suggested that this flexibility may be obtained by so arranging the mechanism that two out of four of the. cylinders of a four-cyl-inder motor can he put out of commis-

sion at will. Considering the wonderful flexibility of modern patrol engines, this would seem to he putting the hands of the clock,hack with a vengeance.- 'lt remains to be seen, however, whether the, difficulty of inflexibility) cannot bo overcome. High powers. with low grade and cheap fuel and the 'discarding of the electrical plant are .attractive features, but they will not bo sufficient to ensure the adoption of the Diesel engine for pleasure cars if inflexibility, valve complication, increased weight, are to remain as concomitant features of its use. To the average, individual who has had occasion to, “spin” his motor, perlmps on a cold, day when starting has-not been quite as easy as it might be, the knowledge that in doing so he has expended considerably more than one-half horse-power in energy may conic somewhat as a surprise. If lie has acted on his own initiative, or at the suggestion of others, and has opened the cylinder compression taps, ostensibly to make his work easier, he, has actually made matters worse for the energy expended then will be considerably more, and probably will be over the one horso-power mark. Ail of which was proven in a series of tests which wore made in the technical laboratory of the Automobile Club of America. Aside from being instructive in that they should go far towards settling once and for all the question which has lurked in minds of some as to whether it really is easier to “crank” a motor with the compression taps open than (it is with tiic taps closed, til re tests are interesting because they serve to indicate the amount of actual work which must be performed hy the various self-cranking devices which are in use. The motor tested was of the four-cylinder four-cycle typo with cylinders measuring 3 9-46 in. boro and 4f{in. stroke. It required 22,000 foot pounds a minute to revolve the crankshaft 200 times in one minute with the compression taps closed, and marly 29,000 foot pounds a minute with the compression taps open., The principle reason that more power is required with the compression taps onen is that the effect of compression in storing energy is lost. Considering the above figures it is no wonder motorists arc calling cut for self-starters to be made a standard fitment on automobiles.