Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/137

 Automobile Shop Repairs

��Replacing Automobile Piston-Rings

WHEK replacing the piston in ihe cylinder of a gasoline engine, after it has been taken apart, it is usually difficult to get the compression- rings to enter the bore because they have to be sprung shut one at a time in order to slide in. A new de\ice has been designed to obviate this difficulty. It is formed of two flexible steel cables connec- ted by a series of steel bars, the last bar on one end and several bars t)n the other end being fitted with lugs.

The method of using the device is to wrap it around the rings of the piston, after which a small clamp is placed on the proper lugs and screwed up until the rings have closed tightly around the piston. When the piston is slipped into the cylinder the contrivance is pushed off the rings as they enter the cylinder in succession. — E. G.!ngr.\m.

��The difficulty of re- placing the piston in the cylinder of a gasoline engine can be facilitated by means of a series of steel bars which are arranged as shown

��Steam as a Carbon Remover

FOR a number of years certain tractor manufacturers have been able to use kerosene as a fuel by injecting a small amount of water in it. The water flashed into steam from the heat of the explosion and reduced carbon deposits that would otherwise form in the combustion chamlter. A small steam \aporizer has been devised re- cently for use with gasoline automobile engines which makes the admission of steam into the firing-chamber an auto- matic process. The device is shown in accompanying-illustration. The water- container A carries a float B and a float-regulatcd-watcr-admission valve C, and is designed to be clamped around the exhaust-manifold. The cover con-

����Steam vaporizer for reducing carbon deposits in combustion chamber

tains a chamber D into which water passes through hole E from the water- jacket around the cylinder-head. Hole E is connected with the water jacket by a pipe and unions. There is sufficient pressure due to head of water in the radiator to force the water through the pipe to E, then up through the filter to the orifice controlled by the float-\alve C. The steam generated in chamber A by the heat of the exhaust-pipe is drawn out through pipe G, which communicates with the induction pipe alx)ve the carburetor.

-A certain C|uantily of steam or water \ apor is mixed with each ingoing charge and the engine not only develops more power, owing to an increase of the mean efl'ecti\e pressure of the explosion, but the ox\gen gas liljerated b\- the breaking up of the steam keeps the engine clean by combining with excess unconsumed carbon. It is doubtful whether the small amount of steam drawn into the mixture can make any appreciable difference with the power developed, but it is a known fact that introducing water vapor in proper (|uantities will tend to reduce lialiility of carl)on deposit in the combustion chamber. — Victor \V. Pag^.

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