URING the past year many developments have been made in spark-plug design and construction. One of the plugs involving a number of novel ideas is the McCormick power spark-plug, Fig. 1, which is distinguished by the use of a porcelain, the lower part of which is shaped as a cone and contained in a chamber serving as primary ignition space, of an electrode construction which produces a spark traveling around the positive sparking point and a condenser inclosed in a steel-case and effecting a stronger spark than would be obtained without its use. The illustration shows these several features, part of the shell and the steelcase being cut away for this purpose. The principal part which distinguishes this plug from others is the condenser which is interposed between the binding post terminal and the firing point. The latter, shaped as shown in Fig. 1, is covered by the porcelain insulation, against the lower end of which seats the flat flange of the conical point. This point is located centrally within the ring-shaped negative electrode, consisting of a sleeve which fits into the inner face of the shell. The spark always occurring at the coolest points is formed alternately at various places around the circumference of the shell, so that it travels, so to speak, around the positive electrode and does not permit the formation of soot and oil deposits on the plug. The effect of the space above the sparking point is that mixture is compressed in it during the compression stroke, and is ignited quickly all over. It is claimed that by the combined effect of the various features of this plug its working efficiency is materially increased, resulting in the production of a very powerful spark, which again helps to produce perfect combustion. The plug is made by the McCormick Manufacturing Company, Dayton, O., in the standard sizes, so that it may be fitted in place

Fig. 1-McCormick power spark-plug

of any other spark-plug which it is desired to replace in an automobile motor. All McCormick spark-plugs are made standard and with interchangeable parts.

Matchless Pocket Lighting Device

The pocket lighter, Fig. 7, called the Matchless, is made by the Schiller Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., for the lighting of acetylene and oil lamps on automobiles without the use of matches. The lighter is hardly 5 inches long and fitted with a clip so that it may be carried in the pocket like a fountain pen. It consists of a long, hollow piece into which fits a cap carrying a steel rod which has an alloy-steel point. The latter is surrounded by a wick. In practice the long piece is filled to about half its capacity with gasoline or alcohol, so that the wick is always soaked with the fuel. To produce a flame the cap and rod are pulled out of the hollow piece and the end of the rod is struck against the knurled piece of steel attached to the long piece, whereby a series of sparks is made which ignite the alcohol or gasoline with which the wick is soaked. A small but strong flame is thus obtained which is not easily extinguished by wind.

Emergency Gasoline Tank Gauge

The gasoline gauge shown in Fig. 6 is made by the Emergency Novelty Company, Port Huron, Mich., and is equally adaptable for gravity and pressure-feed systems. The gauge is attached and connected to the tank C by means of a coupling F inserted into the gasoline line leading to the carbureter and a pipe G providing a communication between the upper portion of the tank and the upper space in the gauge vessel. The latter is a glass tube, the upper and lower end of which is closed by a check valve opening downwardly. B is the lower valve which separates the gasoline in the tank from that in the gauge, and A is a pushbutton which may be pressed down. If this is done. the air pressures in gauge and tank equalize through the pipe G, and the gasoline in the gauge assumes the same level as in the tank, so that the amount of fuel contained in the latter may be read easily on the scale attached to the gauge glass. If the glass is broken, only the gasoline in the gauge tube is spilled. while the contents of the tanks is kept from flowing out by the valve B, which is pressed against its seat formed at the bottom of the gauge, by a spring. The gauge scale may, of course, be adapted to fit any type or design of gasoline tank, making the gauge applicable to any automobile.

Edelmann Tire Chuck and Gauge

E. Edelmann & Company, 229 West Illinois street, Chicago, Ill., have added another tire specialty to their line of accessories. This is the inflating chuck, Fig. 6, which is an entirely automatic device. It is simply a coupling built up on a right-angled air lead, one arm being formed with a ratchet surface over which the hose is slipped while the other fits over the tire valve, being pressed on it to make an airtight joint. When the tire is fully inflated, the air chuck is pulled off the valve, which is thereby shut automatically. Fitted in the chuck is a tire gauge of the ordinary Edelmann design, which at all times indicates the pressure obtaining in the tube.

American Compensating Valve

A sensitive compensating valve for multi-cylinder engines is seen in Fig. 3; it is said to give more perfect combustion at high speeds than can be obtained without it. The valve consists of a truncated cone in which a number of spring-controlled check valves are mounted and which is attached to the air inlet of the carbureter. Fig. 3 shows the valve mounted on the air inlet of a Schebler carbureter. The valve is shown at A, being mounted

in place of a plate which normally closes the pipe, which is bored at B for the normal air admission. The air opening B is fixed and supplies the motor at low speeds, wherefore the needle valve C must be adjusted to give the right mixture under these conditions. As the motor speeds up with the throttle opened wider, the auxiliary compensating valve supplies the necessary air, one check valve opening first, the others after, in response to the increasing vacuum in the cylinders. The design of compensating valves varies for the various types of carbureters, but the American Compensating Valve Company, Manitowoc, Wis., makes designs to fit every type of carbureter now on the American market.

Ackerman Ventilating Windshield

Joseph N. Smith & Company, Detroit, Mich., manufacture a two-piece type of windshield which permits of a variety of positions of its panes and consequently gives a variable effect. Fig. 2 shows the shield in such a position that the upper shield deflects the wind so that it passes over the head of the driver, while the lower pane, being turned in, ventilates the lower space in front of him. The upper pane may be turned completely around the axis formed by the two points at which it is secured to the frame of the lower pane. The joints are so constructed as to be proof against rattling. The shields may be had with black enamel, brass or nickel finish, or a black enameled frame with brass or nickel mounting.

Bremer-Wilson Gasoline Saver

Under the name Triplex Gas Saver, the Bremer-Wilson Manufacturing Company, 1256 Michigan avenue, Chicago, Ill., sells a small and effective device which is designed for the breaking up of liquid fuel globules getting past the throttle. To obtain perfect atomization of the fuel, the mixture is forced, on its way from the carbureter to the motor, through a fine, triple screen of wire gauze which is held in a brass frame shaped as the device in Fig. 8. A part of the brass frame on each side is formed en relief, so as to fit between the carbureter and manifold flanges, to which it is bolted. The opening in the gas saver is equal in diameter to the size of the carbureter; the thickness of the device is about .5 inch, so that the only difference made by the installation of the saver on the engine is that the carbureter is placed so much lower, as compared with its original position. The trouble of installing the device is very small, and the result of better atomization of the fuel inevitable.

National Car's Self-Starter

The Gray & Davis starter used on the cars of the National Motor Vehicle Company, Indianapolis, Ind., operates in conjunction with the lighting generator, the latter being of the constant-speed type. This generator construction is used to obtain a current output at constant voltage, a slipping clutch being used between the driving member and the generator shaft itself. The current is fed to the battery which floats on the line of the lamps. The motor which serves for starting is actuated by the current from the battery; it is so connected to the engine that the pressure on a pedal both closes the circuit which energizes the field of the motor and throws the motor shaft in gear with the crankshaft. As soon as the engine speeds up sufficiently, the starting motor is automatically thrown out of gear with the

Fig. 4-Gray & Davis electric starter of National automobiles

engine, and the circuit is interrupted, whereupon the dynamo generator begins to recharge the battery. The battery used in the National equipment is of sufficient capacity to furnish current for the lights for several hours.

Wolf Automobile Fuel Mixer

The mixer of A. M. Wolf, 146 East Eighty-first street, New York, is a device of one-piece construction which fits between the carbureter and the intake pipe. It consists, in principle, of an open sheet-metal cylinder, the lower end of which carries a horizontal flange, and the wall of which has been cut along its entire height, at two places diametrically opposite to each other. Two of the four edges thereby produced are bent inwardly under an incline of about 50 degrees, thereby forming two inclined surfaces in the mixture passage, which have an effect somewhat akin to that of a screw, resulting in a whirling motion set up in the mixture traveling toward the inlet manifold. This whirling motion, in turn, brings the particles of the mixture in very intimate contact and causes whatever liquid parts are carried along in it to be broken up and thus prepared for efficient combustion.

Lubro Anti-Freezing Compound

The Lubro Oil Company, Cleveland, O., has manufactured an anti-freezing fluid, which is red in color, harmless in action and is claimed to prevent the radiator water from freezing even in the coldest weather. In practice I volume of Lubro is used to 2.5 volumes of water.

Fig. 5 Emergency fuel gauge.

yet they overlook one of the most important of all points, the accommodation for the car.

In order to look into the conditions which face the automobilist who braves the cold to make either a short or long trip, a run was taken starting from New York and following along one of the main lines to Boston for a considerable distance. This is one of the most traveled routes in the East, and the inns along this line receive more patronage during the winter than can be found in most other districts. There are a number of large towns along the way which handle a large part of the accommodations for long distance touring parties for the simple reason that the accommodations at the smaller inns are not what they should be for the car, while for the parties themselves they are all that could

be desired. Frequently it is not convenient to make one of the larger towns for dinner or even for the night. A conversation with the proprietor never fails to disclose his expectation of a great increase of winter trade this season, and he invariably based his observations on the fact that his patrons had told him that they intended to keep their cars going all winter.

One,

When asked where the parties who visited the inn left their cars, the replies were various, but always interesting. after making wary inquiries regarding the purpose of his visitor, stated that he was just about to have a charging station for electrics installed, and that his sheds were not in very good condition at the time, although they would soon be in excellent shape, so people left the cars outside in a small parking place, but a walk around to the back disclosed a large and ornate red sign with GARAGE, spelled out in big gold letters and a hand pointing to an open barn-like structure that serves as a combination woodshed, storehouse and hen coop. It is depicted at the top of this page, along with its identifying and somewhat necessary sign. A further conversation with the proprietor who dwelt at length on the comforts and delights of his house, developed the fact that, although nine-tenths of his guests arrived by automobile, he had never thought of providing a protected

spot for the car in which they arrived, regardless of the weather. While some of the large hotels are provided with stone garages containing a stove, these are among the minority. In illustration B is shown one of the stone variety lying along one of the Boston routes. This is connected with an exceptionally large hotel and is everything to be desired in its arrangement. Contrast with this, however, the condition shown in the illustration C, where one of the largest inns along the route from New York to Albany may be partially seen. There is not even a shed in this instance. A sudden rain or snowstorm would find the cars unprotected and open to the damage which may result. Within the inn, however, the appointments are most luxurious. Nothing has been omitted in the arrangement of the furniture or decorations which would lead to the attractiveness of the surroundings. Yet the accommodations for the costly and richly upholstered cars which frequent this resort are worse than those found even at some of the smallest