A PRIZE OP TEN SHILLINGS is awarded each week to
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the sender of the best letter which we _publish on this page ; all others paid for at the rate of a pemay a line, with an allowance for photographs. An notes are edited before being
published. Mention your employer's same, in confidence, as evidence of good faith. Address 31, and F. "The Comniercia Motor," Bosebery Avenue, London, E.C,
The Garrett Steam Wagon Supplementary Notes.
The Guinea prize for the best hitter On Keeping a Garrett Fit has been awarded to the sender of the following
communication.
[1690j " P .S." (Newhaven) writes:—" When packing steam glands take care, when cutting off packing mater-al, to allow for expansion. Do not use a larger size than will fit the gland comfortably, and eat the end off diagonally, i.e., not square. If it is necessary to fit more than one layer of packing, take care not to put one joint over another. Attention to these points will keep the packing from wrinkling and ensure the glands being steam tight. Well grease the packing before using it, and do not screw the gland down more tightly than is necessary to keep the steam from leaking, anything beyond that only binds the peeking down, causes unnecessary friction, and interferes with the frca motion of the rods. "When adjusting bearings it is a good plan to smear the journals with red-lead paste, put the halve of each pair of brasses together on their respective journals, and give them a turn or two backwards and forwards; on taking them off again any high or uneven places will be plainly indicated these are easily taken down to proper level ikith an Old half-round file ground off smooth and to a keen edge along the sides. When washing out the boilera scraper made of .22 in. or in. hoop iron or half-round iron bent over at right angles for about in. at one end will he found very useful as a scraper. If half-round iron is used for this purpose it is a good plan to flatten out the turned-over end a little. The mudhole jointings must be a good fit, care being taken to clean the door and its facing before refitting the joint ring ; this should be smeared over with a good coat of blacklead or blacklead paste, it will then serve manytimes over. The blacklead not only allows the joint to be used over again, but prevents sticking and enables the joint to be easily broken ; be careful to smear a fresh coat over each time it is broken. Inspect the firebox occasionally, and note the condition of the boiler stay heads. Stays depend a great deal on the soundness of their heads, and if these are wasted • away or cracked they, should be renewed at the first opportunity. When the lagging is off for inspection of boiler plate note the condition 9f the crank bracket and cylinder joints, as these are very likely places for defects to arise. In regard to burst tubes some insurance companies are very much against the practice of stopping up the ends of such tubes with iron taper plugs as very dangerous. .A better method is to use a longitudinal bolt through the tube with a Cap and nut at each end. Care should always be taken to stop at once any leak that may show. The tube expander usually supplied by the makers for the purpose will be found an efficient tool for this purpose.
"The fusible plug should be occasionally removed
a.nd any hard deposit which has formed on the fire side, and scale or deposit on the water side, removed ; it is advisable to have the plug refilled after about two years or, if necessary, renewed.
"The pump valves should be inspected occasionally; note whether they are well down on their Beatings; if not, they should be ground in with emery
powder or one of the compositions sold for the purpose of grinding motor valves. A good plan where no other provision is made is to cut a slit across the .top of the valve with a hacksaw deep enough to give a good grip with a screwdriver bit which can be used in a.,rachet brace ; this enables the job to be quickly, easily, and well done, as a good pressure can then be brought to bear. The injector valves and cones should also be inspected periodically and kept clear. The boiler check valves of both should be taken right off every three months or so, and the waterways cleared well out as a great deal of deposit is often found here, and, if left, will seriously affect the working of the pump or injector.
"The safety valve should be allowed to blow off daily ; note the pressure at which it opens, and make sure that it is /et proper working order. The steam gauge should be taken off occasionally, and the syphon blown through from the boiler to make sure that it is clear ; also, take the syphon off at the boiler connection and inspect it for furr. Take care to fill the syphon with water on replacing it, or the gauge will probably become overheated. Care should also be taken if the wagon is left out in frosty weather to cover this syphon up ; or it may be removed, as there is a risk of the water inside freezing. "The water gauge should be tested each morning by blowing through each connection separately, also note how the water rises. If it is at all sluggish the waterways are not clear, and should be examined at the first opportunity. For this purpose remove the studs opposite each waterway and pass a piece of stout wire through the boiler. " With regard to the brakes, remove the band and
inspect occasionally. See that all blocks are tight and taking their proper bearings. Care should be exercised to see that none of the iron bolts used to secure the wood blocks to the band come in contact -with the surface of the brake drum or they will groove it. If rivets are used they should be of eoppez or brass, preferably the former. Keep all connections oiled and free from mud or dirt, also see that they all work freely. Where the road wheels are of the riveted cross-shoe type it is a good elan to carry a countersunk-headed bolt or wire of sufficient length to go through the plate and rim, and take a couple of nuts of the same diameter as the rivet ; in event of rivet coming out or working loose it can be replaced by the bolt, and the plate will be kept in position all right ; this should be replaced as soon as possible by a rivet."