STEAM WAGON TIPS.
Page 30
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Useful.Hints, which are Well Worth Perusal, by Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
jE HAVE occasionally paid tribute, in these columns, to the sagacity the steam-wagon driver, to his 'achy for keeping his machine in good 11, and to his ingenuityin devising ans of repair, either in cases of ergency,.as.temporary expedients, or -permanent improvements on the gon for which he is 'responsible. thing that we have ever said went te so far, in that respect, as the niori expressed by Mr. G. W. Watson a recent meeting of the Institution of toroobile Engineers Mr. Watson is )ive, to most drives.. He is the eonLing engineer to the C.M.U.A., sets papers for the annual examinations drivers, and judges the answers. Iflo unines hundreds of steam wagons, and rol chassis too, every year, and says .t he is constantly being surprised at all-round efficiency of the steamgon driver, who keeps his machine do and span and in good working order, en in the most adverse circumstances; wagon, perhaps, having no better ne than an open yard, and the men ring to work on it while ankle deep mud. We are glad to have this cur.oration from such a source, and to re this opportunity to give it L little help, it is said, is worth a deal. pity. Many a man, conscientious nigh in every way, gives himself a of trouble because he lacks any idea method Or system. His jobs are done, I well done, and to suggest any imvement in the direction of bettering actual execution of any individual k would be well-nigh impossible. On other hand, his manner of going nit his work is irritating to anyone Is the least idea of system and thod. The letter front "LAB.," of itton, should be a help to many a n, and for that reason we have asere in awardingthe sender the 15s. se this week. He outlines what he Is a" daily routine " to be followed the driver of an overtype wagon, as ceivs
I) Fill up the boiler with water.
2) Glean tubes, smoke-box, iirebars, ash-pan.
3) Place some wood, and some oily ite or similar inflammable material, the fire-bars. The sticks of wood sold not lie flat, but should be inted upwards, resting on the waste. ;lit the latter, and, when the fire has well hold, put on more wood, allowthat in turn to get well alight before ling on small and medium-sized lumps mal. Avoid the use of slack or large ces of coal at the start.
1) The oileans may be placed close the firebox so that the oil may be 7ming while the fire is burning up.
3) Go round' the machine with hamand spanners, looking out for loose s, or cotters.
i) By the time this little job is done n.d it will take some time if it is carried out properly—the off should he warmed sufficiently for use. The mechanical lubricator should now be filled, and given a few turns, with the test cock open, to make sure that it is working properly. All other lubricators should be replenished.
(7) Examine the tail trimmings, where these, are employed, and make sure that they are not too tight in the oilways, and that: they will pass sufficient oil. In winter it is usual to make the worsteds less tight than in the summer, to allow for the variation in the freedom with which the oil will flow according to the temperature. This is, however, not
so important an overtype wagons as on those of the other variety, as the heat from the boiler is such as to maintain the temperature of the machine as a. -whole fairly constant, notwithstanding that of the outside air. This particular property of the overtype, however, imposes another condition on the driver of that kind of machine. He must use only good heavy engine oil, even on the pump and second motion shafts. Should any bearing show signs of receiving too much oil, the number of tails in the trimming should be reduced. This must be done cautiously, or trouble will ensue. Too much oil is better than too little.
-(8) The differential is apt to be overooked, in the course of the daily tour with the oilcan, owing to the fact that it s a little difficult of access. Wheel
lbushes ano front axle swivel should Ise oiled every 20 or 30 miles ; steering gear, sprinis ends, radius rods, brake screws, and plus should be treated every day, and ar., the same time examined. The driving chain also'should be well oiled
daily. •
With the damper .open, steam should be raised within the hour, which will give time for cleening and inspection, the former facilitating the latter. The :boiler should be allowed to make steam gently. Avoid using the blower.
Before starting op, rotate the engine flywheel once or twice by hand to make sure that everything is bee; then torn on steam, and run the engine quietly fin a while before moving off.
A useful windscreen for the chimney of his wagon has been designed be
• " A.E.G.," of Denford, Northants. rt, is frequently difficult, he reminds us, to get op steam when the wagon is outside, owing to. down .draughts and cross-'currents, particularly if the wagon is standing in the middle of two or three buildings, from the roofs of which the wind seems Sometimes to drop right down the chimney of the wagon. He sends no description of his device, merely a sketch, which we reproduce, agreeing with him that no description is necessary over and above the notes which actually appear on the drawing.
"G.M.T.," of Stroud, refers back, not without disparagement, to Some descriptions and sketches of chimney dampers which have appeared from time to time on this page'. and sends along his own design, with particulars. He points out that sheet steel of 16 S.W.G., which is usually recommended for the job, is much too light, as these dampers are not invariably given the best of treatment. For example, a damper, he points out, after it has been on the chimney for solne time, has a habit of getting hot. The driver attempts, to remove it with
• his bare hand, and, having removed it, lets go of it as quickly as he ear. If it is made of thin material it soon loses its shape.
The damper indicated on the accompanying sketch is of kin, iron plate the distance-pieces are either fin. nuts
or pieces of gas piping. There is no object in having the flange any deeper than 1 in. Indeed, it may be in some cases inconvenient to have it any deeper than that, as, for example, when the canopy of the wagon fits .too closely te the chimney, and there is none too much room to put on or remove any kind of
damper at all. . .
Gn the sketch, A indicates a plate ce sheet steel ; it is 1 in. larger in the diameter than the chimney (inside); B is also of On. material, but is lesssin diameter than the inside of the chimney; .0 is a piece of round iron, flattened at one end, where it is riveted to the plate; D shows rivets and distance-pieces, to which reference has already been made.