Drivers and Mechanics.
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY is paid For the best communication received, and one penny a line of ten words tor anything else published, with an allowance for photographs.
'Workshop tips and smart repairs ; long an if successful runs; iuteresting photographs , all are suitable subjects. We will knock your letters into shape and will prepare sketches, where necessary, before Publication. The absence of a. sketch does not disqualify for a prize, When 7.V7 iting, use (The side of the Paper only and mention y011r 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 Zellers to The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 7-15, Rosebery
Avenue, London, E.C.
Annual Bonuses are given to the most successful contributors.
THE :ADDITIONAL DRIVERS PRIZE.
Readers must take note that the last date on which entries for the two guinea prize which we are offering for the most complete list of genuine replacements and repairs on a steam or petrol lorry of which any driver may be in charge, during a definite period of twelve months., can be received is the 1ST DAY OF JULY, 1912. A large number of letters is to hand, and the repair bills range in value between 25 sea 230.
A Useful Lock-nut Washer.
[1001] "S.C." (Glasgow) writes :—'• I send you particulars of a lock-nut washer, which is being largely used in our works. The sketch shows plan view of the washer. It is made from -tit in. sheet iron, and a hole is punched or drilled in the centre large enough to take the shank of any bolt which has to be locked. When the nut on the bolt has been screwed up tight, the washer is locked by knocking one of the lugs down over any convenient projecting surface, while the remaining lug is knocked up against the flat side of the nut. In the case of a bolt securing a pipe-flange, the lug can be bent over the edge of the flange as shown in sketch.
"This locking washer is not claimed to be of universal usefulness, as it cannot be used where there is no projecting edge near the bolt, as in the case of a stay-rod. The difficulty can be overcome in this case A Handy Pinch Bar.
[1062] " C.B." (Hornsey Rise) writes :—" A simple lever made as follows will be found a very useful addition to any small garage, as with its aid a driver or
mechanic can move a 5-ton van by degrees without any assistance. The enclosed rough sketch, which possibly you may re-draw [This has been done. —ED.] shows how the bar is used. It should be made from an old hickory or ash pole, though any good hard wood will serve. The length should be about 6 ft. 6 in., and the section at the bottom 4 in. by 3 in., tapering towards the handle to 2 in., and being rounded off to a convenient size for
gripping. The butt end should be cut to a wedge shape, as shown in the sketch, and an extra block should be bolted on the back and used to give additional leverage.
To Soften Files and Make Paste for Grease Cups.
[1063] " C.B." (Hornsey) writes :—" When doing highly-finished work in the vice a mechanic occasionally comes across a file that is too hard and which tears and rucks the metal. It is necessary to soften the file a little in order to overcome this. I found that a good dodge is to cover the file with a thin smear of oil, and then to hold it over the fire until the oil blazes. As soon as the flame runs all over the file it should be plunged into a bucket of cold water.
Owner-drivers may care to know how to prepare their own paste for Stauffer's lubricators, and ordinary grease cups. The proportions are : lard, about 2i lb., camphor, 1 oz., black lead, lb. The camphor should be rubbed down to a paste with the aid of a little lard. The black lead and the remainder of the lard may then be added, and the whole should be well mixed together. This forms an extremely useful paste."
To Fill the Compression Taps.
[1064] " R.T." (Andover) writes;—" The inconvenience sometimes experienced when introducing a small quantity of petrol into the compression taps of an engine may be obviated by the use of a small dustcap, which may either be specially made or may be removed from a tire-valve. A small hole of about TIT in. diameter should be drilled at the bottom end of the cap. If the cap be then filled with petrol, and the thumb held over the top, as shown in the photograph (Fig. 1), the petrol will remain in the cap until it Is held in the required position over the compression tap. By raising the thumb, as is shown in Fig. 2, a stream of petrol will flow, and this may be squirted in any direction required. The feed may be stopped at once by simply jambing the thumb over the top of the cap. A tire dust-cap used in this manner will contain sufficient petrol to ' prime ' a four-cylinder engine.
A Narrow Escape with a 4-toaster.
[i065] " W.H.C." (Hereford) writes I am send ing you some photographs and a report of an accident which happened to a 4-ton lorry which I drive for a local firm of brewers. The wagon was carrying a load of beer and spirits, and when crossing the bridge at. Lazebury, over the River Wye, the timbers supporting the roadway gave way. The bridge was undergoing repairs at the time, and owing to the timbers slipping, the front wheels of the vehicle sank through the crust of the road. Some of the load was pitched over into the river. The rear wheels also sank through the roadway, but rested on one of the main cross-timbers, which proved strong enough to support the weight. Mechanics were sent out from a neighbouring engineering works, and after a hard morning's work succeeded in extricating the lorry from this awkward position. It was re-loaded, and although a little shaken was in perfectly good condition, and we managed to run her into the home garage on her own power. There are many bridges in this district which are not really strong enough to carry heavy motor vehicles, and I think that the C.M.U.A. should give us a little more help in this matter than they have done hitherto. All their attention seems to be given to London. The local authorities think that our heavy vans are a great nuisance and rarely help us in any way. They will eventually be brought. to their senses by the march of modern progress ; in the meantime let the C.M.U.A. take off its coat."
IThe C.M.U.A. by co means COlIfillttS its attention to any wie partied. !nr district.
An Effective Chain Tightener.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
[10661 " A.C." (Wigan) writes :—" I am deeply interested in THE COMMERCIAL Moron, and have derived great benefit from reading it. For the last five years I have been engaged in driving commercial vehicles, and I have occasionally experienced trouble through the driving-chain breaking, and in having to fit new ones when I have been out on the road. Your readers will know that this is a very difficult one-handed job, and after being held up for the best part of one afternoon through an accident of this sort, I resolved that it should not occur again if I could help it. Accordingly, on my return to the garage, I made a little device, of which I send you a sketch [We have had this re-drawn.—En.]. You will see that it is cheap and simple, and almost explains itself, A piece of in. round steel should be procured, and the ends should be drawn out and bent, as shown in the sketch. The steel should then be cut in two with a hack saw, making two hooks of equal size. A right-hand thread should then be cut on one hook for a distance of about in., and a left-hand thread on the other hook for a similar distance. All that is then required is in. right and left-hand coupling, which may be filed hexagon on the outside, or, alternatively, may have tommy holes drilled in it. When a chain adjustment is necessary the two hooks should be hooked into the rollers on the chain which have the link which it is intended to repair between them. By turning the coupling the chain is then pulled into the position at which the repair may best be done and the pin easily placed in position."