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Invention an Index of Progress

30th June 1931, Page 35
30th June 1931
Page 35
Page 35, 30th June 1931 — Invention an Index of Progress
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0 NE of the most important factors by which the possibilities of any particular industry can be gauged is by making a study of the trend of ideas amongst those inventors and designers who concern themselves. particu larly wit li the .various branches of work pertaining to it. . It is impossible to reach:finality in any section of research work, although there may come a time when interest flags and, consequently, the number of ;inventions falls considerably.

In the road-transport induztry there are as yet no signs of any such lack of interest. Just at the tinao when it might appear that the commercial vehicle had reached something approaching the last word in the design and materials embodied in its construction, there come additional stimuli in connection with the development of such striking innovation z as high-speed oil engines and on-fuel pumps, self-changing gearboxes, automatic clutches, free wheels, multiple-servo brake s, and others, all of which indicate a very satisfactory state of virility a n d one which augurs well for the future success of British commercial-vehicle prodncts.

The tendencies in these directions can be observed by studying the specifiCaCons which are issued weekly by the Patent Office. Many of these concern various methods. of designing combustion chambers to ensure the smoother running of oil engines and the production of more power per unit of weight. Others concern new types of gearbox, some epicyclic and some of the ordinary type, in which efforts are being made to avoid the clashing of gears when changing the ratios, and the obtaining of more silent running when the drive is not direct. The names of .many well-known manufacturing concer no and designers are to be found associated with both these paths of inventive progress.

On the operating side we find increasing attention is being paid to the development of such devices as ticket-issuing machines for conductors, and this is one direction in Which we consider there are important potentialities, for the present fare-checking system, at its best, possesses fundamental , disadvantages and appears to be the weak link of the chain in this age of mechanization of so many branches of accountkeeping.

For a time much energy was devoted by inventors to the development of the free wheel, although a certain apathy and distrust amongst users has somewhat damped their ardour. Having had much experience with devices of this class, we still_ believe that they possess valuable characteristics, particularly in 'those types which protide an automatic spragging effect.

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Organisations: Patent Office

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