APPLIANCES FOR VEHICLE USERS.
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Ideas Advanced by Our Driver and Mechanic .Readers.
COMPARATIVELY few garage proprietors can afford to purchase a complete set of breakdown tackle, including a crane, as its use is rarely sufficiently continuous to justify the ex
penditure. " G.B.," of Congleton, makes an interesting suggestion in this connection ; this week's prize of 15s. is awarded to him.
Two pieces of old axle shaft, about 1 ft. in ,length, are taken, and a 4-in. length of each piece is flattened to fin. thickness. These pieces are bent slightly in order to provide the necesaary 'angle of the crane legs to the lorry frame. These two pieces, or stubs, are drilled through the flats and bolted to the rear cross-member of the chassis in such, a manner that they have an inclination'twards each other.
Two pieces; of strong steel pipe about 5 ft. or' 6 ft. in length, which fit nicely over the stubs, are taken to form the crane legs. These pipes should be flattened at one end and bent slightly to form an angle to correspond with that of the stubs ; the flattened ends are bolted together, forming an inverted V, which can quickly be detached.
Two guy rods are required to help to take the strain of lifting a damaged vehicle. These consist of fin, round mild-steel rods of a length suitable to reach from the apex of the crane legs to the front and of t..1* lorry body. Threads are cut at the forward ends, and the opposite extremities are drilled after flattening.
Plates' about 6 ins. by 21 ins, by in. are bolted to the front end pf the lorry, through which pass the guy rods. There is a loop at the upper end of the leg assembly into which fit the -blocks and tackle used for lifting purposes. The latter are possessed by most garages, consequently there is no additional expense in this direction. The whole of this outfit can be fitted or removed from a lorry in a very short space of time ; thus it is not necessary to lay up one particular vehicle on the chance of occasional jobs as in the case of the usual breakdown lorry with permanent crane equipment.
DESIGNED by "F.H." of Bath is a .useful erecting stand to hold in a vice. An appliance of this kind is useful when holding tools at various angles
and consists, of two right-angled pieces, one considerably longer than the other. The two are clamped together by a bolt and the grip between the jaws is exerted by means of a bolt and nut with a tommy bar closing the space between the arms, thus gripping the pipe firmly.
The longer arm is flat, so that it can be gripped in a bench vice and tilted to whatever angle is desired. The jaws may be lined with leather or felt, as required, if delicate-surfaced objects . have to be held.
BATTERY filling is often accomplished in a careless manner and a great deal of acid or water is spilt on the top of the battery, causing damage to the terminals.
Two useful suggestions are made by " G.A.L." of Washington, D.C. The first is to take a sheet of stout blotting paper and cut holes in it to register with the filling apertures of the battery. This is placed over the cells and filling proeeeded with, the blotting paper absorbing any spilt liquid.
The use of a metal funnel for filling purposes is not recommended, as the metal contaminates the distilled water and, as often happens, the spout is in direct contact with the battery plates, causing shorts.
" G.A.L." suggests a one-pint glass bottle having the bottom cut off. It may -then be turned upside down and used as a glass flannel. It is necessary, of course, that the diameter of the neck of the bottle be suitable for inserting in the filling orifices of the cells.
AN interesting spanner for handling.
small nuts is suggested by "H.A.B." of Rotherham. It is made of mild steel throughout. The first procedure is to turn a disc 2 ins, in diameter and in. thick, having a fin, hole in the centre. Round the periphery of the disc small
marks are filed, converting it into a knurled edge. The positions of the gaps which are to take the nuts are marked off at equal distances round the disc. Suitable sizes are : Fin., ?On., f-in. Whitworth.
The handle is made of mild steel 8 ins. long by in. wide and I in. thick. Two fin, holes are drilled ins. apart ; the original part of the spanner is the washer, which acts as a lock. This is made in. in diameter, I in. thick and a fin, hole is drilled in. out of centre. The circumference is also knurled to suit the edge of the spanner disc.
The manipulation is as follows:— The jaw is placed over the nut and the locking washer is engaged with the jaw ; owing to eccentricity it tightens up when pressure is applied to the handle. This tool can be used either for screwing or unscrewing nuts, it being necessary to reverse the spanner for move meat in the other direction.