Answers to Queries.
Page 19
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Back Axle-weights.
[3004] (Chepstow).—If you wish the vehicle to travel at 12 m.p.h., you should paint six tons on your van as the back axle-weight. The best way to settle the matter is to .put into the van the maximum load that you are ever likely to carry, and then to weigh the axles separately on some local weighbridge.
Storage of Petrol Without Licence.
[3005] (Country).—Statutory Rule and Order 225 of 1903, made under Section 5 of the Locomotives and Highways Act of 1896, allows an owner of any commercial vehicle to store up to 60 gallons of petrol, in two-gallon tins, notwithstanding any regulation in force under the Petroleum Act of 1871. The.ordinary right of storage for any other private individual or trader, in the absence of a licence, extends only to three gallons, the whole of which must be kept in special vessels, securely stoppered, containing not more than one pint each. Under licence from the local authority, there is practically no limit to the amount which may be stored, -according to the terms
• of the licence.
Damages Caused by Failure of Part.
[3006] (Repairers).—We have examined the part submitted. It appears to us to have been flawed ; such • flaw is no doubt covered, in the ordinary course, according to the practice of the industry, by the published terms of the manufacturer's guarantee. We think you are wrong in believing that you can claim successfully for consequential damages, due to losses of any kind. We recommend you to put the facts before the makers in. a, friendly way, when you have some chance of arranging that they will meet you ex • gratia. The conditions on the back of the quotation, which we have read carefully, appear to us to safeguard the seller against consequence of damage, but you must take legal advice as to, whether such a printed condition can put the vendor outside the corn MOICI law.
Notice Under Insurance Policy.
[3007] (Hit).—We have perused the report of the case at Torquay, in which the local motorcab company .unsuccessfully claimed upon a. group of Lloyd's underivriters. We observe that the underwriters advanced the defence that they were protected because the -policy had in it a clause requiring notice and• particulars of an accident to be _given in writing as soon as possible, together with full information as to the circumstances and concerning all claims or notice of. claims by third parties. It is interesting to see that the motoreab company had to defend an action in respect of the death of a pedestrian, who was run over on the 27th November, ,1915, and who diedjthe next day. The company did not hear of the accident until the 29th November, an inquest was held on the 30th. The solicitors to the dead man's wife Made a claim on the 7th December, addressing it to the driver, and subsequently a direct claim to the motorcab company on the 18th December, on whibh date notice of the claim was sent to the underwriters, who repudiated liability the next day. The fact that judgment was given against the motorcab company, which was held in the foregoing circumstances not to have given the necessary notice under the agreement., should act as a warning to all insured owners to notify the circumstances of any accident forthwith, as soon as they are brought to their notice, notwithstanding the non-arrival at that period of any notice of claim. The circumstances of the accident are apparently required in law to be communicated as a separate and distinct factor; apart from any subsequent notice of claim, or any claim.
"When Petrol Fails."
[3008] (Motorbuses).—We definitely consider that you need have no fear on the fuel question. Some of the two-fuel carburetters will undoubtedly solve it. We have recently been in the north testing the Binks carburetter, and our opinion of it is that it will be one of the successes. Mr. Binks has recently found the way to avoid "pinking," which was previously a great source of trouble when running on paraffin. He replaces the sparking plug by a cast-steel air bottle (as illustrated on page 308 in this issue) with internal dimensions of about 24 ins. by I in., into the neck of which inverted bottle he screws the plug. The cushioning effect eliminates defects which had previously appeared insuperable. The name and address of these people are :—C. Binks, Ltd., Church Road, Eccles, Lancs. You may care to communicate with them. They will require a blue print of the exhaust and inlet arrangements on any engine, before being able to make a set for you.
Registering Authority -Which Has Issued Registration Certificate Differing from Data Furnished.
[3009] (Stores).—We recommend you to. return the registration form to the Clerk of the Council which issued it, accompanied by a letter which might include references to the undermentioned points :—
That you have correctly declared the axleweights for afour vehicle, in. accordance with Article 4 (I) of the Heavy Motor Car Order, whereas they have sent back a form to you on which they have stated, on their own responsibility, inapplicable axle-weights—in fact merely a division of the Unladen weight at their own choice. The-weights which they haveso included are not ." axle-weights" as defined by the Heavy Motor CAT Order, • and you request them to correct the registration in accordance with your declaration. You hold yourself at their disposal, if they wish it, to submit the vehicle, duly loaded,,so that.they may check. the axle-weights, as provided by Section 2 (A) of Article 4 of the Order.
Is It Setter to Market a New One-tonner or, a New Three-tonner ?
[3010] (Assemblers).—The article concerning one-ton .vans was published by us more than a year before the outbreak of war. It was based upon the conviction that the one-horse van will have to disappear in thousands of instances where it now survives temporarily. The advice which you have been given, to enter upon the manufacture of chassis for threeton loads, is in o.ur opinion unsound. The competition, between the manufacturers of three-ton models was severe before the war, and it will undoubtedly be more severe hereafter, due to the increase of output engendered by the war. The Ford van is not aone-tonner, if strict regard be paid to capacity. Experience shows that such a van can only work commercially, in a paved city. with a naaximuin useful load of 6 cwt. This, with the.body, driver and stores, may represent a total imposed weight of as much as 11 cwt. Of course, on sthooth roads, and subject to careful driving, there 'are instances of apparent satisfaction from the use of Ford vans under loads of 10 cwt. net. The various conversion units, under which the mechanism of a Ford van is essentially adapted, by embodiment in -framework extension, to deal With loads of -one-ton, have yet to be proved in this -country, or for that matter, in America, so far as duration of life goes. We see no reason to dissuade you from proceeding with the manufacture of a one-ton chassis, but you will. no doubt appreciate the necessity for arranging to produce and market a chassis which will be worthy of that description, and which will not merely be a one-tonner in name only.