Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1918-08-04 | Page 20 | Hotchkiss Drive Little Known Portion of Car

Hotchkiss Drive Little Known Portion of CarT CarTHEnE Car are arc few tew mechanical contrivances con- con T THEnE JL of or the modern automobile automobile auto auto- mobile ot of which the average a car owner knows so little as the so- so called calle Hotchkiss drive rl II nv lIx lUG HIGH Most ers drivers not skilled In the Intricacies of or their vehicles vehicles' mechanism are likely to assume that Hotchkiss drive rl Is some new sort of a bevel el or the latest Innovation innovation Inno Inno- In axles These guileless souls m may be glad Iau to learn a little little lit lit- tle tic something more definite In re regard regard regard re- re gard to this renU really Important Innovation Innovation Inno Inno- In modern design n. n To begin with the they should know that Hotchkiss drive Is 18 not a definite definite nite part of or the mechanism Rather flather It Is n a method of ot eliminating certain certain tam tain parts of or the running gear e that had always alwa's been considered ered essen t i al a D By making tho the springs s do lou lou- blo hIe work strengthening them for that purpose It Is possible to elimInate eliminate elim dim a number of ot minor parts thereby simplifying the tho design an end that i Is greatly to be desired and Is being striven en for tor or b by the best en engineering talent In the world to today to- to day Hotchkiss drive Is not strictly speaking a ne now development for tor forway forway wa way back In 1902 which Is an an ancient an- an dent late date for or motoring this method of ot design n was embodied In Inthe Inthe the tho Hotchkiss car the product of or oror of or an American engineer but manufactured manufactured manu manu- In France and brou brought ht to this country countr as an nn alien B By one of or the anomalies that arc are almost habitual In the business world It took twelve yc years rs for the Hotchkiss drive to achieve popularity popularity larity in this country Perhaps this was due clue to the Ule fact tact that It w was s san an Idea rather than a n part or a R. device de which would be pushed b by some sonic manufacturing company compan The nd anta advantage e of ot utilizing the springs In this wn way simply had to come home to the American en engineering engi engl- l- l fraternity In fates fate's own good time No o pressure was brought ht to bear to Introduce the Idea which finally In 1913 won Its place as the predominating method of ot design for tor this part of or the iii mechanism a n is in p purely purel u re I y a and n d a simp simply i in y through Its Inherent merit At the present time nearly three fifths of oC the cars on the American market embo embody Hotchkiss drive Stripped of or complications Hotchkiss Hotchkiss Hotch Hotch- kiss drive means simply that the propulsive e power Is IA transmitted through the springs Instead of or through h radius rods etc as used to be the custom and also that the rear springs are called upon to take talce the torque or twist of the whole real axle assembly The rear axle unit Is peculiarly liable to twisting tendencies b be because be cause RUse of or Its position In the mechanism and functions When the car Is being driven straight ahead there Is a n. certain twisting movement on the part of oC the rear axle whenever er the rate of oC speed Is altered This Is Js somewhat different from toni the movement mo present when the brakes are applied In this caso the wheels wheela are suddenly stopped whereas the rest of oC the car tends to proceed In tho the direction In which It has been going In accordance with the laws of or Inertia When hen the lie car Is being started the axle develops clops a tendency to turn forward In some ca cases es where the springs are unusually flexible tho the rear axles can actually be bo seen to turn forward when tho the car Is being started Now ow as we noted before beCore fn rn cars embodying Hotchkiss drive e all this twist or torque of or the rear axle ns assembly embly Is taken care arc of b by tho springs s In other words th the springs are called upon to absorb this tendency to revolve rc Further after aCter the car Is In motion motion mo mo- tion Ion the rear axle and wheels must keep the rest of oC the vehicle moving mo LJ by pushing It It Is evident e on a moments moment's thought ht that this Is so because the driving ln wheels the rear wheels give gl the Impetus to the whole holc vehicle In Hotchkiss drive he this pushing unction function is also shouldered b by the springs s. s Obviously Ob with the springs being called upon to perform pcr so man many and such diverse erse functions the they will need to be especially designed for the tho work The usual practice Is to employ a main leaf lent of ot particularly par par- sturdy dimensions and material as nearly all of or the work falls upon this keystone of oC tho the spring arch A Again AgrIn It Is er very Important thata that a n satisfactory method of or anchorIng anchoring anchor- anchor Ing InS the tho spring to the axle be em- em Our en engineers have ha spent man many thoughtful hours In the de design he- he sign of of the seemingly minor spring perches and spring clips These parts demand the employment of the tho best beat grades rades of or aHo alloy steel carefully carefully care care- fully handled In the lie processes of or manufacture Castellated nuts are arc generally used on tho the clips the tho nuts being firmly secured by b- means of cotter pins As s a general thing two clips are found sufficient to distribute distribute distribute dis dis- tribute the torque or 01 twist to the spring as a n whole relieving the central leaf lent of sonic some of or the burden RI Right flight ht here lot let me mc emphasize the need of or the thc car owners owner's Inspecting the he springs s from time to time and seeing that the clips are allowed to become loose relaxing the tile pressure pressure pressure pres pres- sure on the spring the driving force ma may vcr very cull easily produce so toO much of or a strain that the part larL wIllbe willbe will be broken When hen the car owner understands Just how Important a part the springs pIa play he mn may bo be tempted to o I give them hem more care than he usually usual usual- ly h seems to bestow upon them Not ot only should the shackle bolts be systematically lub lubricated but the spring leaves should hould be pried d dap ap apart rt once or twice a to season ffeRSOn anyway anyway any any- Va way and be nc given I a thorough coatIng coating coat- coat Ing of ot graphite e The aVera average c spring suspension Is adequate to the lie car It carries but It Is not adequate to abuse It must have a reasonable amount of or attention or It will tall fall with consequent consequent con con- sequent Inconvenience Incon and expense nse to the car owner