Motor center

“ Next to the engine itself the construction of the transmission gear is the most important thing about an autocar; for as this portion of the machine is the medium through which the power is conveyed from the engine to the wheels, it does not require an intimate knowledge of mechanics to perceive that bad design and undue friction here may make a very material difference in the running and speed of the car. ”

“ It must be remembered that the engine has to drive the car and not the car the engine, which if caused to rotate at a much greater speed than that for which it was constructed may result in a serious breakage. Therefore do not let the clutch in until the speed of the car is sufficiently reduced to give the engine some work to do when the pedal is lifted up. ”

“ As a matter of fact the whole power of the engine is never available for the work of turning the wheels of the car, a certain portion of it always being absorbed in the work of driving the gear; indeed, it is not too much to say that in some instances—as has indeed been proved by actual tests—fully one half of the power developed by the engine is thus lost between the motor and the wheels. ”

“ The change-speed mechanism, to which the clutch transmits the power of the engine, is to the engine what a block and tackle is to a man who lifts a heavy weight, and is necessary because of the varying resistance to the movement of the car in traversing steep, rough hills and smooth avenues. A change-speed mechanism may be defined as an arrangement by which the relative number of revolutions of the crank shaft and driving wheels may be altered to suit conditions. ”

“ It's guaranteed to run the car under electric power for nearly a mile, without the motor being operated. All we'll have to do will be to set the starter going—that turns the fly wheel, you know. Then we can put in low gear, slip in the clutch, just as if the motor was in operation, and get the car to the top of the hill. ”

“ An electric vehicle may be regarded as consisting of a body, a running gear, with one or two motors mounted on it and arranged to operate the driving wheels of the vehicle through speed reduction gearing, of a battery of accumulators carried on the car itself, of connections between this battery and the motors, and of a controller, the functions of which will be explained. ”

“ After having been for a drive or having the engine running, the next thing to do is to go through another set of regular functions which should always take place before putting the car away. Turn off electric current, or if lamp ignition, blow out lamps, and after a few minutes turn off petrol to the lamps; turn off main petrol to carburetter, turn off lubricators, and then have the engine turned smartly by hand and a little paraffin pumped into the cylinders from the pump provided for this purpose. ”

“ Luckily the fly-wheel of the engine struck on a mound and stopped the car with the two front wheels over the edge of the cliff. Make it therefore a golden rule: never leave your car, whether the engine is running or not, without first putting the speed lever in the out-of-gear position and also putting the side brakes on. ”

“ It matters not whether one call it an automobile, a tin lizzie, a gas wagon, or what not, it consists of a steel frame upon which are mounted wheels, an engine, appliances for connecting the engine to the driving wheels, a fuel supply tank, a system for producing ignition at the right moment, and appliances for regulating the speed of the engine and the direction of the car. ”

“ In this type the electric motor is connected with the axle of the vehicle, so that it is always ready for service whether the gasoline motor is running or not.
In the ordinary gasoline automobile it is essential that the motor must be maintained in service at all times, so that any derangement in that part of the system, which includes the mechanism intermediate the motor and axle, or the electrical devices, or the carbureter, means a dead car. ”

“ I could imagine that more than half the fun of owning a motor car would lie in understanding the thing inside and out; and I said so.
"It's a little like controlling the elements," Jack answered. "Think of the difference in this machine, when it's asleep—cold and quiet, an engine mounted on a frame, a tank of water, a reservoir of cheap spirit, a pump, a radiator, a magnet, some geared wheels fitting together, a lever or two. My man twists a handle. On the instant the machine leaps into frenzied life. ”

“ If the governor goes wrong at an awkward moment in the traffic, and the engine begins to race, it may be controlled by switching off and on, or retarding ignition, admitting an excess of air, or the exhaust-valve lifters may be thrown out by hand. ”

“ Or the driving wheels may be mounted on a live rear axle, the motor driving on to the compensating gear, either by a chain, by spur gearing, or by means of worm gearing, which gives a nice silent drive, and is used in the Oppermann cars. In any case the use of a single motor involves, in addition to the motor, a differential gear. What is to be avoided is a live rear axle with the motor so mounted that any large proportion of its weight comes on this live axle. ”

“ MOTOR-CARS THE MOTOR OMNIBUS — RAILWAY MOTOR-CARS
The development of the motor-car has been phenomenal. Early in 1896 the only mechanically moved vehicles to be seen on our roads were the traction-engine, preceded by a man bearing a red flag, the steam-roller, and, in the towns, a few trams. To-day the motor is apparent everywhere, dodging through street traffic, or raising the dust of the country roads and lanes, or lumbering along with its load of merchandise at a steady gait.
As a purely speed machine the motor-car has practically reached its limit. With 100 h.p. ”

“ Where the driver understands gear shifting well enough to do it on a grade, the proper way to approach a hill is on high, with the accelerator opened enough, and spark advanced, to speed up the car. Then when the car begins to lose speed and before it has slowed down too much, the shift should be made to second-speed gear, which should carry the car up any ordinary hill. ”

“ Assuming that the vehicle is in perfect condition for use and the engine has been set going, the first thing to do is to examine the ways and means of starting the carriage either forward or backward, to ascertain how to stop it when desired, and steer it from side to side or round a corner, or to avoid an obstacle. We will suppose that the vehicle is of the Panhard type, with wheel steering and single lever at the right-hand side, giving the speeds forward and reverse. ”

“ While many high-powered cars, and sometimes those of less pretentious build, will take almost any hill on high gear, it is not always policy to do this. Some modern motors are designed with a view to make the climbing of hills easy, but even so, the climb made on second-speed gear will take but a trifle longer and the car will not be submitted to the tremendous strain of operation on high speed. ”

“ A difficult place to start a car is when stalled on a hill. This is done by holding the machine with the foot brake, throttling the motor with the hand lever, and slowly releasing brake and engaging clutch simultaneously.
243. Driving the Automobile. In driving, many things should be observed. The oil pressure gauge or indicator should be noted from time to time to see that the motor bearings are getting proper lubrication. The speed of the motor should be such that the battery is being charged rather than discharged, as is likewise shown by an indicator on the dash. ”

“ The chief advantage of this "composite" system of power transmission is that the engine is kept running at a constant speed, while the power it develops at the electric motors is regulated by switches which control the action of the armature and field magnets. When heavy work must be done the engine is supplied with more gaseous mixture, and the generators are so operated as to develop full power. In this manner all the variable speed gears and clutches necessary when the petrol motor is connected to the driving-wheels are done away with. ”

“ When a car takes a corner, the outside wheels make a larger curve than the inside, and cover a longer distance. As the front wheels are loose on the axle, they accommodate themselves to this; but as both rear wheels are driven by the engine, it is necessary to apply a device [Pg 153] that will permit them to rotate at different speeds without interfering with their driving the car. This is accomplished by means of a compensating and differential gear. ”

“ By putting on different-sized sprockets on the ends of the countershaft the ratio between the revolutions of engine and road wheels, so far as the top speed is concerned, may be varied to suit requirements, and by shifting the gear wheels, g, h, and i, so that they engage with either k, l, or m, this speed may be maintained or reductions made from it. Thus it will be seen that the different-sized gear wheels are arranged on their respective shafts at such intervals that when one pair are in gear, the others are out of gear. ”

“ The first horseless machine was encumbered with levers, pedals, handles and wheels necessary for its guidance, and with taps and grease-valves to turn, which were indispensable for the functioning [90] of the engine. Now, each generation of motor-cars has dispensed with these more and more completely. One by one, almost all those handles have disappeared which require the incessant intervention of man. ”

“ The driver is not compelled to keep his eye on a water-gauge or the contents of a fuel tank, or to manipulate change-speed gears, sparking levers or the like. All he need trouble about is his steering gear and the position of his controller, with a very occasional glance at his voltmeter and ammeter. Above all the electromobile has no odour of its own, nor does it incur any danger of being run in by intelligent police constables for showing vapour and at the same time travelling above four miles an hour. ”

“ If we scuff our feet on the bare pavement we wear out our shoes, develop a lot of heat, and notice considerable resistance; but if we step on a banana peel, a piece of ice, or a patch of oil or grease, our passage is facilitated, and our feet are likely to slide out from under us and we sit down with little effort. Now this is just like the auto engine. If the parts were all made perfect and fitted together properly and the engine started without lubrication, there would be so much friction that the parts would very quickly wear out. ”

“ The next day, if possible, more driving should be undertaken, but this time on the second speed, first directing the steering with one hand and then with the other, so that perfect control can be exercised with either hand, the hand that is more or less at liberty being engaged in taking articles out of the pocket, &c., adjusting the lubricators, pumping oil into the cylinders, and other small details of this sort, which at times it is expedient to do when actually on a journey. ”

“ While this type is in general use, the gears are often so arranged that the direct drive combination is reached when the control lever is in the third-speed position, the gears meshed by the fourth-speed position driving the square shaft at a still higher speed. This high speed can only be used for running under the best road conditions. ”

“ The earliest cars used toothed-wheel gearing in order to reduce the speed of the small fast-running motor. Improved types on this principle still exist, but there are some interesting forms in which the motors are placed right at the hub of the wheels and effect speed reduction and control by electrical means, without any intermediate gearing. ”

“ The motors are so light that they develop two horse power for every pound of their weight; while, to keep the frames thin, the necessary power is obtained by terrific speed of the moving parts, as though a steam engine, to avoid great pressure in its cylinders, had a long stroke and ran at great piston speed, which, however, is no disadvantage to the rotary motion of the electric motor, there being no reciprocating cranks, etc., that must be started and stopped at each revolution. ”

“ The use of motors for market and farm work is yet in its infancy, but I can see no reason why the distribution of perishable goods from a moving centre should not be one of the improvements of coming years. ”

“ Note.—It is most essential for every motorist to insist on having proper and convenient means fitted on his car for washing the cylinders with paraffin or petrol, both to facilitate starting up and to keep the piston-rings in good order.
Back Firing.—I have said that a considerable resistance should always he felt when turning a motor slowly by hand; sometimes, however, the innocent motorist, when endeavouring to put his engine into motion, receives something considerably more than a mere resistance. ”

“ In shifting to high speed from medium, the engine should be throttled more closely and the shift lever should hesitate again, if one would avoid the thump and jerk commonly felt when the high gear is thrown in. The engaging teeth of gears A and D will stand a sledge-hammer blow, but “constant tapping wears away the hardest rock,” you know, and the best gears made wear and break. Besides there is the jar to engine and car to consider. ”

“ The Ford Transmission It is that part of the mechanism of an automobile which lies between the crank shaft and the drive shaft and by which one is enabled to move at different speeds from the other. It is the speed gear of the car. It sends the car forward at low and high speeds and by it the car is reversed. ”

“ It is no child’s play to which the woman student is ushered when beginning the course. She goes right at a machine and first of all has to learn what the array of bolts and valves and belts and wires is for. The women put on big aprons—or overalls—and gloves, and with sleeves rolled up start to dissect one of the cars as a doctor does a cadaver. From starting crank to differential and from spark plug to oil sump it all has to come down, and, worse yet, has to be put together again. ”