Life, 1911-05-11 · page 29 of 44
Life — May 11, 1911 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire** but a straightforward automobile advertisement. The page promotes the Elmore Manufacturing Company's "Valveless High Duty Motor," a genuine competing technology in early automotive history. The ad's rhetorical strategy appeals to "broad-minded" American businessmen by framing the valveless engine as a logical, fact-based choice. It emphasizes technical advantages: the four cylinders work as a single unit via a patented gas distributor, eliminating the need for traditional valves (which required frequent maintenance and regrinding). This design supposedly produced more continuous power and less carbonization than conventional motors. The heading's phrase "Carries Conviction Straight Home to You" uses confrontational language typical of 1911 advertising—essentially claiming the evidence is irrefutable. Multiple car models and prices are listed, indicating this was a serious competitor in the pre-Model T automotive market, not a satirical subject. The valveless design ultimately proved inferior and disappeared from the market by the 1920s.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Elmore Valveless High Duty Motor Carries Conviction Straight Home to You make the most sweeping changes in your methods. That is the attitude of the average broad-minded American toward his recreations as well as his —— business. ryee te That is why the Elmore Valveless High Duty Motor has been the most discussed gasoline tein apely engine in this country since it first appeared. That is why we were obliged to treble our plant’s capacity for 1911, and are now preparing to double, almost, the size of its present buildings. You cannot ignore these amazingly important advantages, which are found only in our High Duty Motor: High duty literally means a higher range of power than can be The Elmore owner never needs to regrind his valves-—never, secured from any other engine extant. . mark you—The High Duty Motor has no valves. Ina preliminary sense this is due to the fact that the four cylin- The Elmore owner has a motor which does not carbonize, while ders of the High Duty Motor, unlike any other in existence, the ordinary motor must be taken down at frequent inter- act as a single power unit—not as four sepa- _ Vals in order that the carbon may be scraped rate cylinders. and chipped out. This in turn is rendered possible by the prin- The Elmore Valveless High Duty Motor has no ciple of the patented gas distributer found in ¢ small outer parts, while ordinary motors have the Elmore and no other. twenty or more on each cylinder; must have y means of this distributer the gas is Valveless 2-Cycle them to operate its valves. “timed,” so that by admitting it, early or The Elmore Valveless High Duty Motor has twice late, the Elmore owner may select that degree of power the power impulses per crank shaft revolution of any desired. engine with valves—more nearly continuous power than = sue is possible with any four-cycle motor yet built or likely The Elmore owner thus has, within a range unknown to other foe built. . 7 2 y motors, a low power for easy work ge a high power for The four related Elmore cylinders have as many power impulses difficult going, with an engine that is ideally economical as could be secured by an eight-cylinder four-cycle, could and efficient at every point. such a motor be made practical. i f Five-Passenger Touring Model 36-B, 50 H.P., $1,750 . When you as a business nian are confronted by incontrovertible facts, you do not hesitate to Ask us for the 1911 Elmore book, as your first step in relation to these important questions, Better write for it to-day. Roadster Model 25, 30 H. P., $1,200. Touring Model 25, 30 H. P., $1,250. Demi-Tonneau (Detachable) Four-Passenger Touring Model 36-B, 50 H. P., $1,750. ELMORE MANUFACTURING COMPANY 2904 Amanda Street Clyde, Ohio comicbooks.com