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Probably the most novel automobile exhibited at the recent show in the Grand Central Palace was that in which two 4-cylinder air-cooled motors of 24 horse-power each formed the motive power of the car. The idea of a duplicate power plant came to Mr. Howard O. Carter, the inventor, one day when he was stranded many miles from home on account of a disabled engine ; and that he has followed out this apparently somewhat freakish notion to a successful conclusion, can be seen from the accompanying illustration. The two engines are mounted side by side, and are- connected, through cone clutches in the flywheels and by Morse silent chains, to a single three-speed transmission placed in the center of the car. Each engine, with all accessories, is entirely separate from its neighbor. The method of operation is as follows: One engine is started by cranking in the usual manner. The car is then run along on the one engine until a steep grade or bad piece of road is met with. Then the clutch of the other engine is engaged while the car is running slowly on the high speed. The second engine immediately starts, and with double the horse-power instantly available, the car can ascend the grade or traverse the bad road without dropping back to a lower gear. The main idea of the inventor, however, is the provi sion of a duplicate power plant, which is instantly available in case of a serious breakdown of the regular one. That this system does not make an abnormally heavy car can be seen from the fact that the (Continued on page 347.) The Hewitt S-Cylinder 90-Degree Motor. {Continued from page 323.) placed in valve chambers on the upper sides of the cylinders. A single cam shaft within the crank case and between the cylinders operates all the valves. The connecting rods and pistons, while light, are still strong and substantial. On account of the perfect balance of all the parts, the motor can be speeded from 250 to 2,500 revolutions a minute without trouble. The 50 to 60 horse-power engine which we illustrate has cylinders of 4 inches bore and 4lh inches stroke, and develops its rated horse-power at 850 to 900 R. P. M. The Carter Two-Engine Car. (Continued from page 323.) inventor claims one horse-power for every 75 pounds of total weight. He has carried his ideas still further in the construction of both 4 and 6-cylinder water-cooled cars having twin radiators and engines (that is, two 4-cylinder engines or two 6-cylinder engines). The advantage of the duplex radiators is said to be quite as great as that of the duplex engines; and as far as economy is concerned, the inventor claims that his system is more economical of fuel than the usual system of employing but one high-powered engine.
