The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 750, 21 July 1904, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol.”)

I notice that the police called Mr Bockaert to account before Mr Kettle, S.M. for driving his car round the corner of Queen and Wellesley streets at other than a walking pace. The magistrate decided that the policeman, who described the meteoric flight of the Auckland Jenatsky, must have been mistaken. Oi course this was the correct view to take, for Mr Bockaert is always noted for the tortoise-like speed of his car when m the city limits. Country folk, however, call him “ the flying machine.” IS THE MECHANISM OF THE MOTOR CAR DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND? We have been often asked if it is really very difficult to understand the mechanism of a motor car, and to any ordrnary intelligent reader, especially with a tendency to mechanics in the ordinary acceptance, we answer—“ No ; an automobile is comparatively a simple mechanism.” In the motor the source of power is, naturally, the most vital part, and a brief statement of its operation will probably interest our readers. The single engine consists of a metal cylinder, in which a piston works, connected with a balanced flywheel on a shaft. When there is only one cylinder the flywheel works in an enclosed case, oil and water tight. With one or two cylinders, the pistonrods are coupled on to a crank-shaft, which works in an enclosed case, and the flywheel is placed outside. By means of a friction-clutch the engine is connected with the rear or driving wheels, the method of power and transmission being either direct by gear-wheels, gear-wheels and chains, or by shaft and differential o-ears. Each cylinder is fitted with an inlet valve for admission of gas, and an exhaust (outlet) valve for discharge of the products of the explosion. By means of a sparking-plug, an electric spark is given off inside the bustion-chamber, formed in the head of the cylinder, and this fires the compressed air, furnishing the motive power of the engine. Inlet valves are either opened by by suction of the piston or by cams set positively and worked from Hie motor - shaft, but the exhaust valves are always mechanically operated by cams. A petrol motors are of the two-cycle principle. In other words, each sing e cylinder gives an impulse at every second revolution of the flywheel. The first revolution provides the downward suctionstroke, which opens the inlet, valve and draws in the charge of explosive gas ; it also provides the upward compressionstroke, which compresses the gas and makes it easier and more powerful of explosion. The first movement of the shaft also makes the spark, and brings about the desired explosion. The second revolution of the flywheel is the power-stroke of the engine. Th,e force of the explosion drives the piston downwards, and on its upward return it pushes out through the exhaust-valve (opened by the , second revolution of the shaft) the products of combustion, and these are conveyed by a pipe, to the silencer. Once the engine is started the operations outlined above become automatic ; but the first movement of the flywheel must be made by means of the handle provided. Of primary importance is the explosive, gas, made by a proper combma-

tion of oil and air. In modern practice this mixture is not the result of vuponsation, but of the purely mechanical process of mixing oil and air by drawing t ie oil from a reservoir (by the medium of a float feed) through a chamber (known as a carburettor), where it forcibly strikes buffle-plates or other obstructions, and is finally divided or atomised, while at the same time are (preferably warmed) is also drawn into the same chamber. llie air is warmed by a pipe carried from the carburettor to the exhaust-pipe. In order to start the cold engine it is desirable to make the mixture rich in oil, and this is done by flooding the carburettor with oil by means of a push-pin and lessening the air supply. The air regulator of the carburettor should not be altered after it is properly set. If the proportions of air and oil be correct —about ten parts of air to one of oil vapour —a highly explosive mixture (called for convenience gas) vJ; result, which, when compressed m the cylinders and exploded, will develop the maximum power of the engine. If this mixture be too rich in oil, it will leave a carbon deposit on the ignition-plugs and on the walls of the combustion-chambers, etc., and the exhaust will be plainly visible, emitting an unpleasant odour. When this condition is present the fouled plugs cannot spark properly, and even if they could, the mixture, being too rich, would not ignite readily and the motor, missing explosions, would run irregularly and with little power. If the mixture be too weak, or. of low explosive value, it would again fail to ignite, but, emitting no odour at the exhaust, not being visible, the novice could readily determine the fault. With a correct gas mixture and other things normal, the explosions will be regular and of maximum power. The gas mixture being coirect, and explosions still irregular, the natural inference is that the ignition apparatus is at fault, and this is the seat of motor troubles in nine out of ten cases. —(Extract Handbook Knowles Aumobile and Power Company. DRIVING OVER STONES ON NEWLVMADE ROADS. Road mending - operations . and the awakening’ of the automobilist to more extended tours abroad have become, as to the bulk of motor-car owners, simultaneous movements, yet the first mentioned strikes awe into all but the most careless, who give not a thought to their tyres (says Melbourne “ Punch ”). A careful driver, however, becomes much exercised as to how he may do his tyres the least possible amount of harm when passing over a newly-laid patch of metal. The more general method is to drop down on to the bottom speed and go over as gently as may be, yet this oft-times results in the tyres being badly cut. Now if when approaching, a rough patch of loose meta] Hie car is allowed to run right up to it at full speed, and the clutch is taken out, before the front wheel strikes the stones, the vehicle will have sufficient momentum to carry it over the average patch of stones. By this method of driving the wheels are relieved of all driving strains) and the tyres are less likely to be damaged, as they simply roll over the stones, and are not subjected to any other severe strains than the dead load. This may seem a daring practice, but we can assure our readers it is an effective one. If by reason of the length of the newly-metalled road or an adverse gradient the car cannot attain sufficient speed to roll over the metal, nothing remains but drop to the low speed, and go over gently. On

no account should the clutch be let in so that momentum may be maintained, as immediately the engine begins to drive, when the gear ratio speed is above that of the speed of the vehicle, the very worst cutting action is put on the tyies. The British Motor Club has issued a circular letter to members and to the press, urging motorists to drive with the utmost courtesy and consideration for other road-users. * * * * In Great Britain the coachbuilders are at last taking up the manufacture of motors. Y ears ago they scoffed at the idea of automobiles taking the place of carriages, and would not consider them seriously. * * * * An application has been made to the Local Government Board by the City of London for a ten-mile limit of motor speed on all roads on the city proper. * * * * The French Government, keenly alive to the importance of the automobile industry, has decreed that all parts of motor cars sent to France to be repaired shall be entered free of all duty.

An enthusiastic Southern motorist states that the best way of seeming’ relief from unpleasant embarrassment by thelaw would be to adopt his scheme. When he got his motor car he called in turn on a judge, a magistrate and a sub-in-spector of police and took them all forrides. He believed that the judge and the magistrate enjoyed the experience,, but the sub-inspector was very busy throughout the journey, giving minute directions as to the regulation of speed in the various localities visited.

Camille Jenatzy, who has loomed so jjrominently in European motor races during the past two years, used to be known .as Jonah,” owing - to his continuous bad luck in automobile racing,, but during the last two seasons he has been as fortunate as he used to be unlucky. According to “ C. B. Fry’s Magazine,” Jenatzy, who so cleverly snatched the victory from the French team in Ireland, has had a strange and chequered career. A Belgian and an engineer by profession, he was amongst the earliest to take up motor racing, and from the first was distinguished by his skill and daring. But he was dogged by defeat in. every race until the Gordon-Bennett Cup. contest last year. Disasters of all kinds had been encountered by him, until it seemed almost impossible for him to besuccessful. Cars have collapsed and wheels rolled off their axles when he wasracing at full speed, and how he has escaped with his life during all these years of racing is incomprehensible. When theFates spared him from disaster they held back victory by the most pitiless tricks.. Thus a swarm of bees s’poiled his chancein the Paris-Madrid Race, as many were sucked in through the radiator of his Mercedes, and one choked up the carburetter. Jenatzy raced against the Fates in the Cup Race of 1903 ; and in. his sou’-wester and rubber coat, with his red, scraggy beard, thin lips, and hardset features, he looked the very incarnation of the Flying Dutchman as he raced furiously along. The wind caught in hia coat and filled it out : he sat high above his steering wheel, and bounded and quivered in unison with the car as it plunged and jumped along the rough Irish roadway. Strange and weird, he looked like some relentless spirit hounding down a victim. Jenatzy finished second in thisyear’s Gordon-Bennett Race, held on June--17, in Germany.