Opinions from Others.
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one siae of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
Motor-vehicle Statistics in Edinburgh.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
• [1469] Sir,—In the early days of motor transit., it was difficult to persuade the public that the automobile was anything more than the rich mao's toy. The business man looked askance at it, and was hard to convince. Accordingly for a good many years the commercial vehicle was a rara avis. But the stage has now been reached when it is becoming the predominant trade vehicle. The ollowing statistics of passing vehicle S during one working week here in Edinburgh prove this conclusively. The observations were made for an hour or an hour-and-a-half each day, and in different parts of the town.
This iS the more remarkable, as so many motor vehicles are appropriated for use at the-war front, so that they are difficult to obtain for home work, and the high price and restricted issue of petrol make traders hesitate to change their mode of traction.— Yours faithfully, J. H. A. MACDONALD. Edinburgh.
[We are sure that Sir John Macdonald's records will be of interest to readers generally. Edinburgh is giving a satisfactory lead to certain other Beottish towns—En.i Springs and Tires for Motorbuses.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1470] Sir,—I have read with interest your article on motorbus weight, and I was particularly interested in paragraphs re (1) compensating springs, and (2) air-cushion tires. These are two problems requiring immediate solution. In connection with springs, I think I may say with confidence that this problem has been recently solved, and in this connection I enclose you particulars of two inventions ; one I call my unbreakable yet always sensitive laminated spring, and the other I call my lever spring device. Each of these springs has its important advantages, which advantages are set forth below.
In connection with chassis springs, experts have always contended : (1) That it is impossible to design and attach a laminated spring which is unbreakable, and at the same time flexible, under each and every varying load, because they say that if a spring is unbreakab)e, it must of necessity be so strong as to prohibit easy flexing. (2) That a laminated spring, because of the nature of the material, when properly graduated, carries one load sensitively, and cannot carry sensitively each and every varying load from maximum to minimum. (3) That existing laminated springs cannot increase in strength with increase of load if properly graduated.
(4) That the longer a spring is when fitted to a chassis, the greater is the possible axle rise and fall, and therefore the easier it is to absorb potholes, but the increased length of spring must slow 'its frequency of repose" and be detrimental for absorbing the small and numesous inequalities met with each minute when travelling over, say, a bad wood road. In other ci52
words spring makers say you cannot construct a spring which has the advantages of a long spring without •its disadvantages, and the advantages of a short spring without its disadvantages.
Now I contend that my invention solves the four problems which spring experts have in the past considered impossible to be solved. With regard to air-cushion tires, I have had some experience with them, being the inventor of not only the N.A.P. air-cushion tube tire, but the K.T. aircushion stud tire, both of which have been referred to on many occasions in your valuable journal. Re road destruction and potholes, which the existing six-ton motorbuses undoubtedly develop :—
Experts are Rot agreed as to what really causes potholes. In my opinion, there is not the shadow of a doubt that potholes are caused because of the objectionable periodicity of (a) the tire used, and (b) the suspension used, and when the objectionable periodicity of the tire and the suspension (or perhaps either) is gradica,ted, then potholes will disappear. My unbreakable yet sensitive laminated spring has been invented with the object of damping out the objectionable periodicity which exists in connection with all long springs, and as you know, confined air is the only means of damping out objectionable periodicity in any type of tire ; therefore, if the London buses of the future, with their slow speeds, can be fitted with solid-rubber band tires, the same as to-day, but have their suspension problem solved, then in my opinion the potholes are likely to disappear ; but if, in addition to suspending a bus sensitively under each and every varying load ,(damping out the objectionable periodicity of the suspension under all conditions), air-cushion tires are also fitted to the wheels of a bus, there is, in my opinion, not the shadow of a doubt that all potholes will disappear.
You will acknowledge that an unbreakable spring, which is always sensitive under each and every varying load, is what the motoring world has been looking for since a chassis existed, and coupled with "said ideal spring," the motoring world has also been wanting badly an unburstable air-cushion tire.
Re the Cary type of spring which you refer to :This Cary type of spring has the disadvantage you point out, namely, it allows dirt and grit to g0 between the leaves, and it does not increase in strength with increase of load, which my unbreakable yet sensitive spring does.
The two subjects referred to in this letter are subjects which I have carefully studied. The following are a-few of the advantages of the devices named : (A) The Killen SENSITIVE and Unbreakable Laminated Spring. •
(1) It is sensitive under all loads from minimum to maximum automatically. (2) It can be constructed practically unbreakable, and yet always retain its sensitiveness under all loads from minimum to maximum. (3) It is properly graduated to carry maximum loads and shocks, and with increase of load it is automatically increased in strength. (4) In combination with an efficient cheek device objectionable periodicity is damped out and a greater frequency of repose is obtained in the suspension, thereby causing much easier going under all road conditions. (5) It is mechanically extremely simple, and has a
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longer life than ordinary aprings, as it cannot be subject to overload or injurious strain. (6) The life of tires and other working or wearing parts of the car is much lengthened.
Springs and Tires for Motorbuses—con.
(B) The Killen SENSITIVE Lever Device, (1) It is sensitive under all loads from minimum to maximimi, automatically. (2) With every inch of aide rise there is only half an inch of spring deflection. (3) The laminated spring leaves used are a sprung instead of an unsprung weight. (4) Objectionable periodicity is camped out and a great frequency of repose is obtained, thereby causing Much easier going under all road conditions. (51 More quickly responsive in action than any other system, as the usual inertia stresSes (due to mass of metal in ordinary laminated springs having to lift with the wheel) are absent, a. large factor in life of tires. (6) Driving thrust from the wheels is not transmitted throngh the spring leaxes—they have no cornpresaive (or end on) stress, so that they act perfectly as an elastic bed between chassis and wheels. (7) Readily removed or replaced without total disconnection between chassis and wheels. (8) Can never be subject to strain exceeding elastic limit, as total " stroke" (up or down) is. controlled by bullets hence re-setting is seldom required.—Yours faithfully, E. B. KILLEN.
27, Queen Victoria Street. E.C. We have perused Mr. Killen's letter with much interest. His methods of solution appear to us to possess great practical value, apart from their obvious ingenuity, 'whether need apart from one another or in combination. We trust they will receive the merited attention of manufacturers.—Eod
The Prohibition of Motor Chars.a.bancs.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[14711 Sir,—The Government have now definitely decided to prohibit the use of motor cltars-ii-bancs, which prohibition will no doubt extend for the full term of the war—likely to be long, as there is little likelihood of the war being terminated for some time to come. ,
Having regard to the great injustice which has been inflicted upon owners and proprietors of motor chars-a-banes by reason of the total prohibition of their use for ordinary pleasure purposes, without any compensation whatever benig awarded to the ownern under the Govern.nient Commission' we suggest that the least the Government can do is to purchase from char-à-bancs owners all veh.:eles at a fair and proper price. It is well known that chars-it-banes are being used by the military at the Front for the purpose of conveying lightly wounded men to the various hospital bases, and we suggest that instead of the Government placing orders with motor manufacturers for new motor chassis that priority should be given to relieve char-hi-banes owners of their vehicles. It is hardly fair that the Government should take the chassis only and leave the bodies on the hands of the owners, • Buying chassis and bodies would in a slight degree cOmpensate owners and proprietors for the heavy loss which they have sustained and are now sustaining. We venture to say that no other trade has been so drastically restricted without any compensation whatsoever.
Motor manufacturers have made enormous sums out of the war on Government contracts, and the least the Government can do is to help relieve the milertuna,te oWners of these vehicles by purchasing the same for. Government use before placing further orders with manufacturing firms.
We think that all char-à-bancs owners should organize ,cir commlnicate with the authorities to press this matter forward.—Yours faithfully, Falmouth. AARON SMITH'S GARAGE.
[We shall have pleasure in making new enquiries as to possibilities.
—ED.]
Germans in British Wcv-kshops.
The Editor THE COMMERCIAL 3101.0E. [1472] .Sir,—At the innment when Mr. Eonar Law was annolincing in the House of Commons that additional hosPitall'ships hadebeen sunk by the Germans, application was being made here for' employment for an interned German whom it was sought to bring back into British industrial life.
The application was made by a representative of the Friends' Emergency Committee, of St Slephen's House, Westminster Bridge. To us it. seems quite inexplicable that while thousands of alien enemies are still at large in London, and many. others should be rounded up, the werk of liberating men who, apparently for sufficient reasons have already been locked up, should proceed as if the Germans, as we know them to-day, were peace-loving people who could be trusted to act loyally as British citizens. What, perhaps, is most surprising is the statement of the Committee's representative that Lord Newton and the Home Office are specially interesting themselves in this work of liberating interned Germans.
By all means let the Germans work and earn their living, preferably on the land, or on reclamation, forestry, or other work of national utility, under proper supervision, but it seems unthinkable that they can be allowed to take positions in British •engineering shops. It may be that the German resident in Britain is less vicious, and less violent than the American variety which is specialising in the destruction of transatlantic factories. Be that as it may, we could not think of asking our men to work side by side with German workmen, and we do not think they would care to do so at a time when many households in the Kingdom mourn the loss of one or more of their members. We should be glad enough to obtain additional expert workmen, but if we are ever
to rid the country of alien influence now is the time to dolt. Certainly we do not intend to re-introduce the alien elements into a business in which British workers have more than proved their ability to compete with the best that Germany can offer. It seems to us that the whole question is one which affects closely our national life and industry, and it is on this ground that we write.—Yours. faithfully,
BARIMAR (Lan.), Scientific Welding Engineers, C. W. BRF.TT, Managing Director and London. General Manager.
Conversion Sets for Fords.
The Editor, Tun COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1473] Sir,—We have read the answer to query No. 4200 in your issue of the 26th April re conversion sets for Fords. We do not know, of course, to what particular set the inquiry refers, but for your information we have pleasure in saying that, so far as the Olson unit is concerned, we took our first order 14 months ago. The car fitted with it has now been running between 6000 and 7000 miles, and many of the other outfits supplied shortly afterwards have high mileages to their credit. Up to now we have not received a single complaint, nor have we had to supply a single spare part—not even a nut—so that we have the question of the life of the Olson unit, at any rate, on a pretty sound basis.—Yours faithfully,
Coventry. BRAMCO, LTD.