Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for any thing else published.
Drivers of commercial-motor vehic!es and tractors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, are invited to send short crntributions on any subject which is likely to prove of interest to our readers. Workshop tihs and smart repairs ; long and successful runs,' interesting
photographs ; all are suitable subjects. Send a Post-card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We II" knock it into shape" and prePare sketches, where necessary, before publication. The absence of a sketch does not disqualify for a prize. When writinguse one side of the paper only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name will be disclosed. Payment will be made immediately after publication. Address your letters to The Editor, THE COMUERCIAL M0TOR0 7-15, Hosebery Avenue, London, E.C.
BONUS AWARDS FOR 1910.
In accordance with the terms of the announcement which has appeared in these columns during the past twelvemonth, we have awarded bonuses to the following contributors:—
Two Guineas :
G. Smith,-Clarke, G.W.R., Slough,
for having tivcitted the 10s. weekly prize a larger number of times, &wing the 12 months ended 1st December last, than any other competitor.
One Guinea :
Herbert Beard, Sandbach, Cheshire, for having had the largest number of individual contributions inserted during the 12 months ended 1st December last.
Consolation Prizes.
We have awarded a consolation prize of a COMMERCIAL MOTOR binding cover, in which ' D. and M." or other pages' may be preserved after being detached from the issue, to each of the following contributors:—
"A.L.," Notting Hill.
"Toby," Cardiff. "H.N.," Gateshead.
"C.T.," Fulham. "E.B.," Dartford. " T.D.," London, E.
"In Reply to Yours."
" H.D." (London, N.W.1. The method of valve-grinding which you describe has been mentioned hi these commits on several occasions. Thanks, none the less, for your letter.
C.B."—As you have notsent your address. we should not, in any case, he able to use your contribution. Poetry, moreover, is hardly suitable for the " D. and M. columns, unless it be exceptionally brilliant. Parts of yours ere good, hut the following verses, for example, rather (limayed us
It was getting hot beneath our seat, The petrol tank was there,
So I stopped the engine and then took A big Leap in the air."
" The rreedwny wes entirely blocked And treffm could not pass.
So the policeman held Inuteru With a little ruddy glass."
"Flats" Tor Steam Wagons.
E805] "T.D." (Canning Town) writes :—" The leading article on ' Special Transportation Methods,' in your issue of 24th November, is one for which I have been waiting for a long time. 1 actually made a suggestion to my employers on these lines when the steam-wagon first came out in 1904. There was then, as now, a great deal of grumbling about the time which a wagon took to unload : sometimes this amounted to as much_ as four hours, and that at the end of a long run; as these were not our own jobs on which delays occurred, I had no control over the unloading, but I suggested that if these trays or flats were used and put on to the motor and trailer, complete with their loads, with the aid of the engine of the steam wagon. anti with a simple form of suitable gear. I could get them on and off the chassis in a few moments. I suggested. too, that if they were not prepared to go to any expense in the matter of special fitting I would arrange some gear by which I should he able to move the flats by hand. lint it was no good; my employers would not be told, and I therefore made no more suggestions.
"The loads which I carry consist of wood blocks, and the flat system of transportation would he ideal for the conditions under which we operate. We still go en in the same way; trgys are used, but they are loaded by hand at the saw-bench and are carried by cranes and trailspeters to trucks, ships or motors, and are again stowed by hand. Of course room is saved by this method, but I contend that expenditure would be economized were tray and load together put aboard and suitable arrangements nude for the trays to be returned. Another considerable saving that would be effected by the use of this method is in the checking. The tally clerk could measure the tray itself in a few moments, and there would be no fear of his missing 100 or so blocks, as is often the case flowndays, while loading and unloading is taking place by hand. "I find that there is a considerable amountof prejmliee to be overcome whenever anyone suggests auythite• in the way of a lribour.saviog device. You cannot hurry the ordinary labourer; he is geared low and will not more quickly for anybody. At any rate, T shall have another go at this transportation by means of flats, and I hope that this time, now that I have something to go on, I shall meet with more success.
I have often wondered why you do not bring nut a book composed of pages of contributions from drivers and ireclianice; it would be 4 very-great boon to drivers, who are alWayS al-116111s to secure information, and I should say there would be a big sale for such a publication. I find that no matter how careful I am, I am Cel, tEl hl to lose the must-important page of the lot, and can never put my hand on the page I want without a tedious seareb ; I guard mine like a miser, and I am not the only one by a long way. I know ninny drivers whose sole recreation on Sunday is that of going over their pages of • D. and M.' At one time I used to keep the complete issues, but I found that after some while they would want a small room for themselves; in fact they gut so numerous that I was told I should have to find fresh lodgings by a disobliging landlady. As a result of this
I at once proceeded to tear out all the best pages, and in the 'hurry to get away I left them behind me; when I found out my loss I at once went back, but was too late; they had all been burned.
" There are many pages I should like to keep besides e the'n. and M. think there is a demand for a thin edition of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, SO that III° whole book could be saved without taking up too-much room. Special features which I should keep would be the Leading Articles, Papers read before Societies, Letters to the Editor, New Designs of Vehicles, and last, but not least, as I have said, the pages of 'D. and M.' I should like to know if any drivers have a system of keeping their peeve by which they could put their hands on an particular one, as I should be greatly obliged to hear of it. At present I often require to look up some paint, and it takes me hours to do it. I take a special interest in the Letters of a 'Lancashire Carrier, and the logs given by a Motor Wagon Carrier. I consider that the conditions of long hours and hard work under which the steamwagon driver is employed are very hard."
A Water-tank Gauge.
The sender of the following communication has been warded the 10s. prize this week.
-L806] 1-1.13.'' (Cheshire) writes: " I send you a description and illustration of a home-made gauge-fitting, which I suggest might very well be applied to many water-tanks such as are fitted on motor vehicles. A water-gauge is an extremely-useful fitting, and it is surprising how often this is omitted. The ordinary glass gauge is liable to be damaged, especially in the exposed position which it is likely to occupy on a steam-wagon water-tank. The device is certainly very simple. and, what is quite as important, it is substantial and not liable to accidental damage. My drawing [We reproduce this. Erej should illustrate quite clearly the nature of the titling. The gauge itself consists of a short length in. Mae, bent. to the required shape. The tank plate was drilled and tapped to accommodate the nut which carries the gauge. This nut, in turn, was screwed interually to take a gland nut, so that a simple form of stuffing box could be provided, in order to ensure water-tight joint. The height of the tube should rein-In
to the top of the tank, and thc packing should Inc so effected that. it is just firm and rigid enough to allow the tube to he moved as required. In order to test the level of the water in the tank, it is only necessary just to lower the top of the pipe until it comes into line with the water level inside the tank. Immediately the pipe is swivelled into this position, the water will, of course, flow out of the top, and thus the level will be indicated.
I think many a driver will he tempted to fit on such a
device as this on his own account, if his tank is not already provided with an efficient gauge; it is certainly preferable to a glass fitting, which stands very little chance, owing to the vibration of a steamer. I estimate the cost of it at about four shillings. In conclusion, I only have to suggest two points, namely that the two nuts might very well be made of gunmetal, and that which screws into the tank might be brazed in position."
tOur rorresnmeent would have made a better Job of this gauge had he arranged tor a nut inside the tank, and for suitable washers on the Intuit plate. This would have been much better than screwing into the
plate.En.]
Mudguards for Rubber-tired Steamers.
[807] " E.B." (Bradford) writes;—" I drive a three-ton rubber-tired — wagon, and I have come to the conclusion that it eonsiderable amount of wear takes place on the chain drive and the differential gear of the back axle, owing to the mud which is thrown up from the tires. As I have te see to the repairs myself I thought it was best to arrange something to keep this mud out of the _gear. I fixed up a simple sheeteiran mudguard, which I fastened to the undersides of the axle-boxes by means of the spring
clips. I made two hangers for each guard out of in. by a in. bar, and the guard itself wasmade of a suitable bit of sheet iron. The whole thing was so arranged that it could be taken off readily. I made it 0 in. deep and gave it a good set inwards, as I found that this was the mosteffective way to keep the mud, that was thrown up by the tires, from the transmission gear on one side and the brake drum on the other. I gave it a clearance of 6 in. from the road. I think this is a much cheaper method than making cases to go round the differential gear and chain, and it certainly protects the brake mechanism in a capital way. The arrangement has answered very well indeed at present, and I daresay sonic other drivers of steamers will be glad to know of this successful dodge."
A Friendly Critic.
[808] " A.K." (Royston) writes:—" The arrangement for a tail-lamp detector, described by N.B.' (Cheshire) [Letter No. 800.—En.] is a very-good idea, but I cannot see from the sketch how it can be applied to a Foden steamwagon. I take it that the tube must be kept straight. " I must say that the ` knocking into shape ' of contributions is an excellent business, as there are many men who havegood practical ideas and yet have not the ability to describe them properly.
" One of your contributors says that all steamers for transport and delivery require two men and a boy. That is not correct, as there are lots of steamers running with two men or with one man and a boy only. The steamer may not have a lee to stand on, but a considerable number have four gotarwheels to run on, and they give a good
aceount of themselves too. Feetteeey ' (Manchester) [Letter No. 787.—En.] states that they are compelled to leave a man in charge when leaving a, lorry in front of a pub. This is news to me ; I have never deemed it necessary, because steam-wagons are registered under the Motor Car Acts. -We have been standing for hours during the day with the wagon unattended, and have never been. molested by the police. Not many days pass that we do not find horses and carts left unattended in the middle of the road. Then my mate has to go and move them, while I go slowly past. *Otherwise there would often be a runaway horse, which I should he sorry to see, as it is apt to create a. had opinion of motors.
" During the frosty weather I always have a fire in the firebox, except when cleaning out, as it is much better for the boiler and tubes to be maintained at one heat. as much as possible.
"1 think that the request from "AMY ' (Cardiff) [Letter No. 788.—En.-:, viz., that you should publish a book
of extracts, is agood one. I take every week the
The Motor,' and ` Motor Cycling.' I always save the Information Pages of all. I had thought of haying them classified and printed in book form, calling it Accumulated Advice.' The ' D. and M.' portion would he the matyalnablb." •