Opinions from Others.
Page 17
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one slue of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation ts reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
Length of Foden's Run on One Water Filling. The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
' [1496] Sir,—With your permission I should like ko, say a few words with reference to your answer to your correspondent 0251, Diamoecia appearing in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR dated the `Asa May, in regard to the distance usually run by a Foden steam iva,gon before taking in water. I think you are un-der-rating it when you say that one can cover a0 Miles, or more at a pinch, on one filling. I am quite aware there are exceptions, but it depends a great
deal on the drivers. •
I am driving a 5-ton Foden, three years old, and I shall be sorry when I have to part with it-to take over a new one in a week or two ; it has never been out of rray hands yet for repairs.With this machine it is a Very eommoniahing for nse to go 36 miles, and once I covered 41 wile, without taking in water ; and not a selected road. at that. My work takes me all over the coantry on tilt sorts of roads arid under various conditioas, up to 100 miles from home. I am willing to answer any questions concerning this wagon and the roads on which it has travelled.—Yours
" YORKSHIRE." Bradford.
[We should like to have the opinions of other drivers on this long ran on one filling—En.] A Criticism of Harding's Coiled-tube Radiator.
The Editor, THE CommExcIAL MOTOR.
[1497] Sir,—About, I think, ten rears ago there was fitted to the cars made by the Eclipse Machine Co., Ltd., Oldham, a radiator known tor some of us at the shows as "the eye dazzler" or the " wim-wona." We were young and irresponsible in those days, andcertainly should now hesitate to apply those rather exotic terms to the radiator brought out by Mr. Harding and illustrated in your issue ofithe 7th inst. But it is Of the same construction, except that Mr. Plarding has added unions at each end.
it has been for these many years common practice in some branches of cooling work to fit a coiled unit secured by unions either to lxqes or tithe plates at either end, and for caloriheri: steam heaters..and: some other work it has much to recommend it.
It has not been so far adopted for radiators (after all, although sometimes forgotten, only,.a. branch ef the family of cooling, heating, and condensing ap paratus) for various reasons. "
Close coils must be made of thick tube ; this has a serious effect both on the weight. and cost, and especially the latter. The coils are flexible and tend to rattle. The number of union joints is high—as many as 100 ia a radiator. This is rather h serious expense.
Shortly: this construction is perfectly well known to any competent maker of heavy radiators. It could, and would, have been made in quantities had it been worth while. It has not been thought worth while. In the first paragraph of your article you make statements in re the gilled tube radiator (which is now specified by our war department and also by the U.S.A. war department), which are not at all fair to the type. It is not possible to take your points one by one, but the radiator illustrated is as liable to bursts from frost as -any other.
There is no saving in the size of the radiator ; the footage required is approximately the same, perhaps a little less, and whether it is coiled or straight it must met py much the same amount of snace.
The writer holds the view that if, a form of construction is brought forward as something new and • patentable, and it is known to specialists that such is not the case, it is better for all parties that the facts should be made known ; thereby, possible future trouble is avoided.
In the present instance if Sergeant-Major Harding will have a search made in thecoaling apparatus' section of the abridged patents at i the Patent Office, he will find that my statements are fully borne out. The invention of radiator types has been almost done to death ; no one can at this date bring out a type which in whole or Tart is novel. In this connec tiotaif the record of the London General Omnibus Co. on radiator types used and scrapped were available to inventors it would be a godsend, for they would be saved much time and meney. That firm, in the earlier days, were burdened with every conceivable
contraPtion of coolerethat could be made from thin metal nod solder, and in the end only one type survived,sand in now exclusively used. The moral of it all is, that an inventor should always go to someone who really understands the subject, and he will then,
in nearly all cases receive full information and din. interested advice. But it is the general experience that nearly all inventors avoid the man who understands the subject with which he is dealing, fearing that his device will be appropriated.—Yours faith
fully, BEOAR BENNETT. London.
Rubberine Tire Fillings.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1498] Sir,—We notice in your issue of the 31st May an answer to a correspondent (42.50, Drinkwater) re itubterine, and think that there are one or two points on which you have hardly.doneeour system justice. For example, you instance trouble having been experienced due from some cause or other to tires having been inadequately filled ; now this is quite impossible, as-they are always filled to standard pressures, according to the weight to be carried, such pressure being regulated by gauges which are -periodically tested. tkubberine Tire Fillings-con
Of course should a weight be carried very greatly
In excess of that given us by the owner pn or to filling the tires, trouble may ensue, in which ease, however, it would he the tire itself which would give way long before the filling. Regarding the effects produced by a serious cut in the tire, you say that the Rubberiee would "
exude" this rather gives the impression that
Rubberine is in a plastic state, whereas we guarantee no liquefying or flats, our filling being distinctly of a arm and rubber-like nature, and the result of a bad cut, such as you mention, would be that on continued running in this state, the filling. at this particular place would gradually wear away by attrition in the event of the cut not receiving attention and eventually a .fiat would ensue.
It should be remembered, however, that a cut, such as above mentioned, if it-, occurred to a tire under pneumatic conditions, would cause a dangerous burst and possibly the overturning of the car, whereas with Rubberine the same cause would merely result in the gradual uneven wear of the tire. .
So that the axiom of " Safety first, and.economy a very good second" applies with particular force to , "Rubberine Tire Fillings.—Yours faithfully,
For RIIBBERINE, Lm., J. GREEN, Secretary. .
.ijIt WM certainly not our intention to convey the impression that Rubberine exists in &plastic or semi.liquid state. Such is indeed not the case; Mtor a bad cut it may be seen issuing in the form of a One powder, produced at ter the cut, as the result of abrasion.-En.] The Goods Clearing House System.
Me Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
1.499] Sir,—I feel sure that Sir Geo. Gibb will not object to the publication of the following short correspondence which has passed between us. He is evidently in favour of an examination of the system, and, indeed, it is hard to conceive how it is that anyone possessing an intelligent patriotism can be against a full examination and report. Ffere follows my letter of the 23rd May, addressed to Sir Geo. ,Gibb [130PY.] e 23rd May, 1917.
Dear am very glad to hear that you are in favour of a full inquiry into the Goods Clearing House System in all its aspects.
You may not be aware that the inventor. Mr. Gattie, has been asking for such inquiry for the past nine years, but that the Board of Trade—showing, I think, the most unfair and unreasonable opposition—has persistently refused to examine into and report on the system.
• It seems to me unaccountable that the streetwidening proposals should have been taken up and considered, whilst this far more economic and activelyproductive scheme has been entirely neglected. T beg to enclose a few cuttings on the subject, and I shall be grateful if you can suggest any way by which the Boardof Trade may be induced to take an interest in this most important economic invention, which may mean so much to the nation. . I have not been able to secure any satisfactory
replies from the former presidents or from Sir Albert Stanley—the answers are always evasive, and I cannot yet quite decide whether this is due to the permanent official or to the minister, or to both., =?What possible objection can there be to an official inquiry into a system which has been examined and favourably reported upon by scientists and engineers of the highest standing? It looks so bad for the department, and such awkward questionssare now being asked.
Possibly you might, as chairman of the Road Board. Succeed where I and many others have failed, and C54 trust you will not mind my suggesting that you should ask the Board of Trade what objection it has to an examination and full inquiry.-1 remain,' dear sir,
yOurs faithfully, _ (Signed) HEADLEY. To Sir George Gibb.
Here follows a copy of the letter I received from Sir Geo.' Gibb in reply :
[COPY.] 25th May, 1917.
My lord,—I have your letter of the 23rd instant, but I am not prepared to approach the Board of Trade on the subject. The duties of the Road Boca(' in administering the fund for grants to local authorities do not bring them into the matter, except in a remote and indirect manner.
When I said that I was in favour of full inquiry, I was only expressing a personal view as an individual interested in railway and traffic questions. •
Moreover, I think that during the war, you have not the slightest chance of getting any public department to initiate an inquiry. Pressure in that direction now would, I think, only tend to drive officials into an ateitude of opposition to inquiry, which might darmege the chance of getting one after the war. I return the ' cuttings, etc.—Yours faithfully, (Signed) GEORGE S. GIBS.
To the Lord Headley.
The following is a copy of my letter to Sir Geo. Gibb of the 28th May :
[COPY.] 28th May, 1917.
Dear Sir,—Thank you for your letter of the 25th inst., returning cuttings, etc. I hope I am correct in believing that the possible substitution of 5000 or 0000 rubber-tired lorries for the present 100,000 odd heavy vans and carts, or a large percentage of them, could not fail to be a very direct saving as regards the wear and tear of the road surfaces. As a road engineer myself, with considerable experience in road construction and maintenance, I am convinced that such a change as that proposed would at least treble the lives of the London roads, and, if this assumption is anywhere near the truth, it seems to me that the grants to local authorities, administered by your Board, would be proportionately affected.
I quite see the difficulty, of getting attention just now, but must point out that the same difficulty and the same inattention existed for more than six years before the war was even thought of. The Board of Trade has always cold-shouldered the Goods Clearing House System, though eminent scientists and engineers of the front rank have given it their approval,' and the Germans were after it as recently as June, 1914 If the 'authorities can find time to make the drastic changes they have in many other directions, they can verjr easily initiate an inquiry into what is probably the greatest economic invention of our time—one which, if it came into effect, would do more to defeat the Germans in the trade war which will infallibly follow than any otheeweapon we hold. But now is the time for consideration ; after the war there will be much confusion, and I am convinced that such problems as those affecting our commermein peace time should be carefully looked into whilst we are comparatively cool and 'collected. I still hope you may help, even if you cannot approach the Board
of Trade.—Yours faithfully, (Signed) HEADLEY. To Sir Geo. S. Gibb.
Previously to writing to Sir Geo, Gibb, I had approached Sir Albert Stanley on the subject, but the reply vouchsafed was so completely colourless and
non-comnaittal " as to be useless.—Yours faithfully,
Ivy Lodge, St. Margaret's. HEA_DLEY.