WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Another Legal Knot.
_ The Watch Committee of Walsall T.C. report, under date 6th September, that having regard to the necessity in the national interest of conserving petrol and other materials,' and in view of the . desirability of avoiding duplication of public vehicular traffic on the Birming. ham road, they considered the time had arrived when that duplication Should cease. Accordingly; the Town Clerk was giveri instructions to inform the Bir
• minghant and Midland Motor (Minibus Co., Ltd., that permission to run their vehicles in the borough would not be continued after 30th June last. The company made application for licences for 12 buses, and for 20 drivers and 20 conductors, but the committee, for the reasons before Stated, deolined to grant the licences applied for., The company had since been running such omnibuses to and from the. Darwall Street. Garage Yard. The Town Clerk was instructed to take proceedings against the company before the Justices for plying for hire with unlicensed buses. The case was heard on 3rd August, and on 10th August the Justices announced their decision that there must ,be a conviction, and imposed a fine of 20s. in each case, but expressed the hope " that some modus vivendi will be arrived at by reason of the great convenience to the public which has to be considered." The omnibus company has served notices requiring the Justices to state
a case for the opinion of the High Court on the point of law involved, and the whole matter is now receiving the careful consideration of the committee.
Organizing the M.T.
An account has been issued showing the growth of the mechanical transport branch of the Army Service Corps. It. gives agood many facts concerning the organization of this branch prior to the outbreak of war, to the growth of the personnel and establishment under wax conditions, to the, methods of training recruits, anel to the method of forming collections of vghieles before allotting them to units. It is stated that the cooperation of the War Department and the manufacturers has produced a, very satisfactory weekly output from each manufacturer under contract, but that the output of British manufacturers is not yet equal to the derriand. The motor vehicles in possession of the M.T. in October, 1916, were two hundred and twenty times, as many as on the biltbreak of war, and at the same late there were ten times as many men serving with the M.T. in France alone as there were on the total strength of the A.S.C. in August, 1914.
Electric Vehicle Activity.
A new company, the Grimsby Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd., has been registered with a capital, of £5000 to undertake the manufacture of electric, vehicles. '
Roadside Gas Supply.
The Keighley Corporation have opened a. station in the centre of the town from wiii.Ch vehicles can receive a supply of gas from the high pressure system. To ordinary consumers 2s. 4d. per thousand feet is charged, but to owners of gas-driven vehiclee the charge is 4€1. per 100 ft. The use of the high pressure system materially reduces the time taken to fill the reservoir. The accompanying illustration shows the firEft vehicle, a two ton dyers van, receiving its charge,
Ford Tractor Not There.
At the recent annual American tractor trials recently held at Fremont, Neb., when 46 agrimotors participated in turning the 301/1 acres reserved for the demonstrations, great disappointment was expressed at the non-appearance of the new Ford farming motor. •:Pressure of work to meet the demand of the British Government for these machines was announced by Henry -Ford to :be the reason for his abstention from the trials,
Whisky as Motor Fuel.
While the use of barley for the distillation of spirits became illegal in the U.S.A. on the 8th inst. under the Food Conservation Law, 60,000,000 bushels are being released for the manufacture 'of, among other things, denatured alcohol.
• ' Vehicle Lighting.
The question of installing an efficient `lighting system should at all times make particular appeal to the commercialvehicle Owner. Although, perhaps, at the present time the working day of the majority of industrial machines is at an end before it becomes necessary for lighting-up regulations to be observed,
the days are not far distant, especially, bearing in mind the reversion to normal -time early next week, when close attention will have to be paid to this matter. The authorities have always been ready to enforce the measure to the tick of the clock, and there is no reason to suppose that leniency will be shown by them with the approach of the winter months.
It may-be argued that as a direct consequence of enforced restrictions as to the intensity of beam to be utilize.d, the necessity for careful and timely consideration of these points does not exist. It must be -borne in mind, however, that. !strength of beam does not necessarily constitute efficiency_ Efficiency of lighting ie the factor which needs primary deliberation, and it is to that factor of importance the industrial-vehicle user should pay heed.
It is not then out of place to bring to thenotice of our readers the following names which rank ae some of the foremost manufacturers ef and dealers in this class of equipment :—Blake and Co., 22, Rodney Street, Liverpool ; Bleriet, Ltd., Long Acre, London, N'V.C. $ • Brown Bros. Ltd. Great Eastern
Street,, London, ; Ltd., Motor Industries, Ltd., Denmark Street,'London, W.C. • Liversidge and Sons, Ltd., Old Kent Road, London, S.E. ; Lucas, Ltd., Great King Street, Birmingham ; ()Wield. Ltd., Warwick Street, Birmingham; Rotae Motor Accessories Co., Ltd., Willesden Junction, NAV. ; Smith and Sens (M.A.), Ita-L. Great Portland Street, W., and Vandcrvell and Co., Ltd., Acton, W. Most of the above manufacturers ;ire engaged upon the production of war essentials, which naturally restricts their activity to meet civilian needs.
Circus Motorization.
A well-known American circus has been motorized. More than 100 mechanically-propelled vehicles are required to handle the equipment,
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Tyre Longevity.
Careful users, as is evell known, can always secure good results from Dunlop tyres. To bring home this fact the Dunlop Rubber Co. are exhibiting at, their various depots tyres which, having received proper consideration from the drivers, have put up some big mileages.'
It has been found that the average run by 42 Dunlop solid rubber tyres is 64,920i miles.
Novel Delivery Methods.
A further instance of an effort lay a commercial vehicle agent to conserve petrol and labour ie evidenced in the illustration included on page 64. It shows , one day's delivery of Austin lorries to Harris and Easel!, Ltd., the West of England agent for this make of chassis. It will be seen that the centre machines • are mounted upon one another. The company inform us that they have been taking delivery of chassis in this manner for some time pait. It is interesting to record that these four vehicles plus a Karrier and Palladium chassis were all sold in one day.
Borrowing Fire Engine.
Chester R.D.C. is endeavouring to arrange with neighbouring local authorities for the provision of a motor fire-engine for attendance at fires in the district, as its steam-engine cannot for the time being be used.
Fageol Tractor.
The Fageol, aeliglit farming tractor of American design,recently been, placed on the market by the Fageol Motors Co., Oakland, Califoreia.e This machine, possessing several new features, is primarily intended to be of use to the small farmer. It is particularly suitable by reason Of it mobility for orchard cultivation.
The salient characteristic of the tractor is the novel but practical method by which tractive effort is secured. The two wheels are in the form of drums to the outside surface of which drums,
U-shaped prongs are mounted, and so set as to be able to penetrate and „break up the hard subsoil, and the wheels of the Fageol tractor, it is stated, will negotiate :VD y kind of soil, wet, or_ dry, without becoming stalled.
A four-cylinder water-cooled engine of conventional design forme the power unit. It is mounted on a pressed-steel frame. The final drive is by internal gear ; the transmission gearsara enclosed and run in oil. The main frame sweeps inesard at the rear forming a semi-circle, the supplementary frame, on which the trailer steering wheels are mounted, being connected to it in a manner which enables steering to be effected through a gear and sector arrangement.
Another interesting feature is an ingenious band designed to go over the lug on the driving wheel, to enable the machine to be quickly converted for driving along the high-road. The machine. although only weighing 1750 lb., has the pulling of a four-horse team at the drawbar, due to its effective gripping powers. The simple manceuvring capabilities of the Fageol !rector are well pronounced. The tractor sells in America for 1085 dollars. "
Petrol Storage.
Chelmsford T.C. has transferred the licence held by the British Petroleum Co., Ltd., for the local storage of 2000 gallons of petrol, to the Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd.
Var Machines Disposal.
n a recent issue of the German paper ler Motorwagen " appears an article thing to the working of the "Active vice Car Co.," formed by German bor manufacturers to dispose of ward vehicles at home and abroad in such say that the sales of new machines 1 nbt be affected. The company has, to the present, Sold 400 machines, 1, so far, only2 per cent. have had be repaired again• after-ehbrt -service. is, fact proves the care which must be :seised in the repair -of vehicles rened from the various fighting-fronts. be activities of the Feldkra7ftwagen are not confined to selling touring s,_ but also motor lorries as well as Hers. Only_such firms as are regissd as of ." war importance" can at sent obtain deliveries of these exvice motor vehicles. It is stated that demand has been in excess of the nber of vehicles. on offer. The COMly is also in a position to put the user the way of obtaining a sufficient supof petrol.. They are also able to obi good drivers for tho machines sold. is point is carefully watched by the apany, as they realize that, to a very at extent, the ability of thevehicle stand up to modern service conditions Is with the driver. Many firms are ing advantage of the offer by the .dkraftwagen,C..o., for they are of .the nion that the Present is the best time obtain delivery rather than to wait -Al the war is over, when it is possible I the dernatid will be far in excess of number of machines manufactured.
New Ambulance Design. 'wo new motor ambulances, which as been specially designed by the at War Committee of the British Red iss Society and the Order of St. John carry seriouS cases "60 and from the ualty clearing stations have recently n despatched Overseas for trial and inspection by the military.' medical authorities. there.--The bodywork of these vehicles is of interesting design. The body is built with duplex panels between which is an insulating material. The whole of one side is designed to open. The beds are heavily stuffed with horsehair, and provided with adjustable back rests. A telescopic rail is fitted on both sides of each bed. The beds slide It-ransversely an rollers into berths at each end of the body, and are held in position by .stsaps. Electric fout-warmers are provided, the heat for which is supplied by the ordinary liglating installa tint]. The exhaust gases from the engine are also used for heating the interior of the body, being led through pipes placed .beneath each bed. The question of providing ample light has bean given much consideration, which is exhibited by the -inclusion of skylights and duplex windows. The patients are, therefore,in a, vehicle, which is not only insulated from outside teniperature_ but also from sound.
A British Magneto.
The ML 2 Magneto Syndicate, Ltd., Victoria Works, Coventry, have introduced an interesting :descriptive handbook explaining the development of their works during the past three years. At . the present time it is one of the largest works in the country producing. allBritish magnetos by all-British labour. The brochure contains a number of reproductions of photographs of the various departments, and it is noteworthy that the works .are equipped with the latest automatic machinery for the production of every type of magneto in quantities. Every care is taken to ensure electrical and mechanical efficiency, the tests that each fini,shed. machine undergoes being far more severe than the work it has to withstand in ordinary practice. The handbook can be„ had on application to the syndicate.
Small Tools.
'A copy of the-fifth edition of a pocket catalogue of small tools is to hand from Alfred Herbert, Ltd. Its 600, odd pages are full of useful and interesting information, and it contains many more parthiculars of tools and accessories than have been included in earlier editions. Reference is made to accessories for • which the well-known Coventry concern is agent as well as to machine tools of the company's own manufaeture. Tbs. book is neatly and profusely illustrated. It should be most helpful as a guide to works managers.
Recent Registrations.
Vanadium Tyres, Ltd., with a capital of 27500 in 21 shares, to take over the . business of factor and dealers in tyres, etc., carried on by L. Norman.
Dalgleish and Sons, Ltd., with a capital of £30,000 in £1 shares, to take over the business of haulage contractots, etc., carried on by Dalgleish and Sons, Nevern Works, Bobbers Mill, Nottingham.
North London Engineering Co., Ltd., with a capital of £5000, and its registered office at 2011, Godbold Road, Willesden, N.W. to carry on the business of Motorvehicle manufacturers and mechanical engineers.
Patent Carburettor Starter Co., Ltd., with a capital of 220,000 in £1 shares, to acquire from E. H. Pringle, Albert Grove; Nottingham, the benefit of certain existing inventions relating tp the starting of internal-combustion engines, W.E.M. Detachable Wheel, Ltd., with a capital of £100,000 in 21 shares, to be mptorear, van and lorry builders, wheelwrights, etc. The registered office is Carriage Works, Cranmer Street, Long Eaton.
Engineerink Components, Ltd., with a capital of -27500 in 21 shares, to take over the business of manufacturing engineers carried on by W. H. Reynolds, Ltd., and to carry on the business of marine, electrical, mechanical and motor engineers. The (registered office is at Reno Works, Rosslyn Crescent, Wealdstone.
Tenders Invited.
Leigh Corporation invites tenders for the supply of a combination motor fireengine with a pumping seffortscrf .500 gallons, capable of carrying the existing escape., Specifications may be had on applicatiOn to the Town Clerk, Town Hall, Leigh. Tenders have to be delivered by 12 noon on the 17th September.
Institute of Metals.
The annual auturin meeting of the Institute of Metals will be held on the 19th inst., in the rooms of the Chemical Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W. 1. Invitations -tobe present at the
meeting can be obtained by noes-members on application to Mr. G. Shaw Scott, M.Sc., Secretary, 36, Victoria Street, S.W. 1., from whom also Particulars of
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the forthcoming ballot for the election of new members can be secured. We are g,iven to. understand that the present interest in metallurgical matters has been responsible for an increase in membership of over 30 per cent, since the beginning of the year
Gold Coast Imports,
According to figures in the "Gold Coast Government Gazette," there was a large increase in the imports of motor
cars and light motor lorries for 1916. This was due in great measUre to .the extension of and improvements in the roads of the Colony. Most of the vehicles imported came from the United States.
High Mileages.
We are sure that the average commercial-vehicle owner or driver will readily agree that for a petrol vehicle to cover 507, 309, 405, 394 and 392 miles in five successive weeks is something in the nature of a -noteworthy performance. This period of running is all the more remarkable when it is -borne in mind that the five weeks total mileage, i.e., 2007, was accomplished in 27 days running. The machine responsible for this consistently good work is an Alldays, in the employ of Messrs. Coleman and Robinson, Rishton, near Blackburn, and the wheels -are shod with Spencer-Moulton solid rub ber tyres. This truly remarkable running s commendable testimony to the quality-manufacture of both vehicle and • tyres.
Positions Available.
We are asked to draw attention to fact that the Central Committee for ployrnent of Discharged Soldiers Sailors connected with the motor in try is in a position at the present to offer a number of remarkably gooc pointnients to discharged officers. 0 nalistie, shipping and insurance app ments in London and Birmingham ai present vacant, as well as the folio. positions abroad Shanghai.—Manager, large motor pany. Good practical experience. necessarily qualified engineer. 250 a month to commence.
Shanghai.—Manager, smaller r garage than above; good premises, financial backing. Salary £33 a and commission on turnover. Singapore.—Thoroughly practical for works manager to large.. ga• wages about 230 a month ; must be class mechanic and used to handling
New Oil Field.
The Goverrunent of Mexico anm the recent discovery of an exte petroleum field on the island ef de Is Guards in the Gulf of Califon):
Ambulance Bodies.
Two sets of specifications for ambt bodies were recently issued by the U War Department, one for a body the standard Ford chassis, and the for a body to fit any make of chassis.
Combination Accessory TI
The name of Brown Bros., Ltd., Eastern Street, E.C., is always w the fore in connection with the pe introduction of new and useful ; seines of service to the commercial-v driver. One of the most recent di marketed by this established hot shown in the accompanying line ill. tion. The usefulness of this part accessory is considerably enhance the fact that the one device serve combined purpose of a valve spring chain puller and patch press.
The construction of this device simple and its application so clear our illustration that it will suffi say that it is supplied in two sire for motorcycles, complete with plat. 4s. 6d.. each, and the, other, wi plates, of larger and more robust struetion for motor vehicles, at 6s. The accessory should prove a usef junct to the average driver's too)