Document y8pqdMgO7rRJZ4D3Mb60146X

i n t e r -o f f i c e CORRESPONDENCE Et hyl Gasol ine Corporat ion Ch k y s l k .r Bu il d in g 105 Lex in g t o n Avenue' Ne w Yo r k August 5, 1937 Dr* S. A. Kehoe, My dear Bob: I dont know whether or not you have been familiar with the activi ties of a concern known as the Fuel Research Corporation during the last few years in attempting to push a material known by the trade name of "Anilol". This is esentially anilin blended with certain alcohols. These" people have developed an injector by which this mixture of anilin and (usually) methyl alcohol may be injected into the air-stream of an aircraft engine when the throttle is open past a certain point. This gives additional antiknock value for take-off or emergency and is regarded as a safety device. A number of the air lines have been interested, particularly Pan American Airways, who has been using this material for the last couple of years on one or more ships in the Mexican run. It is reported to us that many of the air lines expecting to use some of the new, large heavy-duty ships with highly rated engines are expecting to use such a device. We have been interested in the matter from a patent standpoint, as the use of anilin in this way is apparently a clear violation of our patents but we have not felt like opposing the use too strongly if the air lines feel that it is a safety matter. This morning I was called up by Mr. A. L. Beall of the Wright Aeronautical Corporation who has been doing some full scale engine testing on the Anilol injector. He tells me that the device and the fluid are reasonably satisfactory but tliat the use of the fluid is considerably more expensive than could he desired and he feels that the air lines would very much rather have a similar device equipped for injecting diluted ETHYL fluid rather than anilin. The probable concentration which would he necessary would be something like 25 to 100 c.c. per gallon in a small tank in one of the wings connected with an injector for feeding this to the engine when the throttle was open past a certain point. Mr. Beall feels that a satis factory injector for this use could be easily developed, but before doing any work on the project, he wanted to sound us out as to the possibility. He said he could not believe that the hazard would be any greater than that involved in the similar use of a 50% solution of anilin in methyl alcohol, and in this I am inclined to agree with him* Of course, this application of lead could be limited to the use of large transport planes a n d :one would assume that the personnel will be always intelligent and under definite instructions. Dr. Kehoe, 2- - 8/ 5/37 I would appreciate it if you will give me your frank opinion as to whether it might be possible to permit such a use as this, bearing in mind, of course, that any final approval on your part would be after consideration of whatever actual devices might be developed for the purpose. GEsC cc to Mr. S. D. Heron, Detroit. " " Mr. Joe W. Morrison, Hew York. t. KE' 0015423