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Answers to Queries.

4th April 1912, Page 19
4th April 1912
Page 19
Page 19, 4th April 1912 — Answers to Queries.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Our readers will be informed by the Editor on any points connected with the construction or use of commercial motors. Where a direct reply is desired, a stamped and addressed envelope shoutd be enclosed : if a request for privacy is not specially made, any query and answer may oe published. Some repties,owing to pressure (41 our space, are held several weeks. Numerous requests reach us for lists of motorcab and commercial-vehicle owners ; these we never supply. Our advertisement

columns are open to those who desire to make announcements to owners for the purposes of trade.

All About Taximeters.

[1956] " CAMYSTOOL " writes : --" Kindly tell US where to hire taximeters, of the latest pattern, which cannot be tampered with. Do the firm fit them ? Do taxis come under hackney carriage revenue? Is there a special insurance policy issued for taxis, and where? Where can I purchase benzol 1 Has duty to be paid on petrol used in taxis ? "

AwswEa.—You can obtain an all-British taximeter from Motormeters Ltd., Broad SanctuarLehambers, Westminster. Other well-known fare-registering appliances are handled by : Bruhn's Taxameter Ltd., 245, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. ; Metropolitan Fare Register Co., 80, Belvedere Road, S.E. ; Aron Taximeters, Ltd., 80a, Salusbury Road, Kilburn, In almost all cases taximeter manufacturers only hire their instruments at an agreed rate per annum. For this sum, which is not in excess of £7 per year, they will fit the taximeter and maintain it.

You can apply to A. R. Pole and Co., 72-73, Gracechurch Street, E.C., or the Car and General Insurance Corporation, I, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., for insurance terms with regard to taxicabs. Taxicabs are subject to the provisions of the hackney-carriage licensing regulations. You can purchase benzol from the South Metropolitan Gas Co., and from several similar gas-making concerns.

Petrol used for taxicabs on service is subject to a 30 per cent. rebate on the 3d. tax.

An American Manufacturer's Inquiry. --The Reply.

[1957] " EAGLE (Peoria, Ill., U.S.A.) writes:— " Will you be good enough to send me a complete list of all the commercial trucks that are made in your country, together with the fullest possible particulars of their constructional features? I want to know the sizes of engines, the types of drive, wheel bases, etc., etc. I shall be glad to have all the dimensions you can give me, together with full constructional details of any worm drives. Please also tell me what your makers think of the relative advantages of worm and chain drives, and outline, as far as possible, the failures which have occurred on existing models. Do you publish a full list giving all these particulars?"

ANSWER.—We have not hitherto found it necessary to publish full statistical records of all the constructional details of British-made commercial vehicles, although we must admit that we are constantly receiving applications from American manufacturers for particulars of the latest British models, and of the changes which their extensive experiences have necessitated. We regret that we are unable, in this instance, to provide you with the voluminous report for which you call. Whilst admiring the thoroughness with which you set to work to collect statistics upon a subject of which you evidently know very little, we are not convinced that it is in anybody's interest but your own that we should endeavour to collect information of this class, in order that you should be able to produce a model that should compete over here with existing manufacturers who have had to buy their experience very dearly. An alternative method, and one which we should recommend. is the purchase of an example of each of the standard types of British-made commercial vehicles. You would not, it. is true, by this method be able to understand why certain forms of construction were adopted, but you would at least have a guide as to dimensions, and that, in the absence of native designing talent, should be of some assistance. You might also engage, at a sufficient salary, one of the ma,ny competent and experienced designers in this country.

Electric-Cable Data.

119581 " QU1LLIA.11 " writes Will you be good enough to give me some idea of the size of electric cable I should use to carry 145 amps? I have some repair-shop installation to do, and I am not quite sure of my facts in this respect."

ANSWER.—The section of conductor to carry an ordinary current is largely dependent upon the length of the line needed and the drop of voltage permissible. You will readily understand that there is a loss of power in transmitting electrical energy, and this is due to the resistance of the conductor The larger the conductor the less the resistance, and so the smaller the loss of energy in transmission. Calculating the size of a conductor for a transmission line a happy medium has to be struck on the interest of the capital sunk in the purchase of the conductor and the loss of energy in the given transmission.

In a water-power scheme, where the energy at the power house is cheap, it might pay to put up with a large loss in transmission and to save money by putting in a small conductor. In the case of a steamdriven plant in London, where coal is dear, the cost of producing energy at the power house is great, in which case it would pay to put more capital into the cables and so to save loss in transmission. For general purposes, however, it is sufficient to assume a cable the capacity of which is based on the ratio of 1000 amps. to the sq. in. This is all right, as a rule, for house-wiring and general work, so that for 145 amps, a conductor with a cross-sectional area of .145 sq. in. should be sufficient. A 37/15 cable would be about right, as it has an area of .152 sq. in. The above data may be useful to enable you to calculate the correct wiring to use for power transmission in connection with garages and repair shops.

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