MOTOR AND CYCLE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1916, Page 11

MOTOR AND CYCLE

NEWS AND NOTES. An American inventor has patented a device whereby the rear light ia interconnected with the gear lever, so that when tlie gear ia put into reverse a white light is substituted for the red glow in the tail lamp, thus giving a good light for backing the machine. According to returns made by the American Government the value of the motor vehicles turned out in Detroit alone for th e year ended June 30 last reached the astonishing figure of £60,000,000, and showed an advance of about 500 per cent, on the output of the previous twelve months. There are few motorists that have not been "stuck up" at one time or another on the roadside through running out of petrol. The wise motorist usually carries a two gallon tiu, stored away under the back seat, in case of running short of the necessary fuel. A novel idea in this connection has been recently adopted by an English maker. When the engine stops for want of petrol, all that has to be done is to open the filler cap on the tank at the rear, and press down a lever, which lowers the supply pipe, which will then use up the last couple of gallons in the tank. Moreover, the supply pipe is so arranged that the lever when in the lower position ia so placed that a funnel cannot be inserted for refilling the tank until the lever is replaced in the high position, thus ensuring a continued reserve. Many motorists erroneously attempt to judge the quality of motor covers and tubes by the color. Pure rubber, with nothing but sulphur introduced, will, on "blooming out" after vulcanisation, be grey. Any other color than this may result from the addition of various chemical substances introduced to.-im-part special properties, usually to toughen or improve the wearing qualities of the,rubber. It may also be the consequence of adulteration having no virtue whatever, and employed simply to cheapen the product. White-looking rubber is obtained by the use of oxide of zinc, red tubes by the addition of antimony or oxide of iron, but the mere color, the Dunlop Rubber Co, states, indicates nothing as regards the quality of rubber. That the exliaust gases from motorcars in closed garages are asphyxiating is unfortunately too true, but" it has been left to America to discover that they can be utilised to exterminate rats. According to news just to hand the idea has been tried by a farmer whose chicken bouse was infested with rats. It is stated that a hose was attached to the exhaust pipe of a car and inserted under the floor of the infested building. Twenty rats tried to escape, but were killed by dogs, and later when the floor was taken Up no fewer than 140 more were found dead or stupefied. The same idea might with advantage be tried in some of our rabbit-infested country, and little ingenuity should be required to ensure conveying the carbon-monoxide gas into the burrows, and keeping it there until its deadly work was finished.

• Big amounts are won by successful racing motorists in America. In 1915 a sum of £56,400 was distributed in prize-money alone. Amongst the prizewinners was Dario Resta, whose aggiegate winnings amounted to no less than £7500, G. Anderson, the winner of the Astor Cup race, running him close with £7400. As to the cars competing, the Stutz team comes out top with no less than £18,330 to its credit, the Peugedt drivers between them netting £8390 and running second. In addition to j the valuable prizes to be won, big retainers and salaries are received by the .successful drivers from American car, tyre and accessories' makers. The speeds obtained were remarkable, Resta on a Peugeot averaging 105.30 m.p.h. in a 100 mileg race at New York, and Anderson, on a Stutz, doing 102.56 m.p.h. fo: 350 miles on the same track. There are now nine automobile racing tracks in tne States, four of wood and asphalt, one of brick, one concrete, one asphalt and one of "jumbo mud," and experience would appear to show the wood to be the faster, both the high speeds above recorded having been done on a two-mile wood track with parabolic banking. In point of pure speed records BrooWai" (England) still retains the lead up 150 miles, but beyond that distance the American records made this year aTe claimed to be world's records, the figures for 200 miles being Ihr. oOmin. 21.40 sec.; 300 miles, 2hrs. 55min. 32.235ec; 400 miles, 4hr. 4min. 48scc; 500 miles, shr 7min. 20sec., whilst th e late Harry Grant, on a six-cylinder Sunbeam, made a new non-stop record of 500 miles, accomplishing the entire distance in the Chicago race, without a stop for any cause whatever at a 94.3 m.p.h. average pace. The recent success claimed for the German "Fokker'' aeroplane will focus considerable attention on the development of the new French invisible aeroplane. The French Government is naturally very .secretive about this invention, which bids fair to revolutionise aerial warfare, and information is difficult to obtain, but it is rumored that one of these machines recently attacked and destroyed a German Aviatik without a battle. The enemy craft had no intimation of the attack until under fire from the mitrailleuse of the French machine. In type this new marvel is similar to the "Voisin." The body and frame work arc constructed as in ordinary machines, of aluminium braced with wire. Over the framework, instead of canvas. is stretched a transparent material which looks like a cross between mica and celluloid. It i 5 called "cellon," and is a chemical combination of cellulose and acetic acid. Of almost the same transparency as glass, it does not crack or splinter, and has the toughness and pliability of rubber. It is neither inflammable nor soluble, and is impervious to the effects of gasolene. Experiments with cellon have also keen made extensively by the Germans and for the same purpose, hut without success, hecause of the tendency to warp, which they were unable to overcome. The French success lies in having eliminated th«* tendency. And in doing so' they have 'ompleted a practically invincible, as vreu jis invisible machine. At a height oi 13000 feet it becomes an indistinct blur, At 6000 feet it is absolute[V lest to /ight. This means a great inch ise in scouting possibilities and less mmger t o operators. Since the aeroplane can be detected only by the noise of its engines it is no longer a target for hostile guns. The European war might well be called a war of aircraft, and the opinion is growing that its issue will be decided by the birdmen. Almost every day sees new inventions or methods introduced to still further increase speed or power or efficiency. If the French Government has perfected the invisible aeroplane, then there's a bad time fitaaj