Correspondence.
Page 13
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A Commercial Traveller's Experience.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir,—It is a surprise to me that motorists fail to appreciate the great advantage to be derived from the use of large pneumatic tyres on their cars. I travel in all weathers, and average over 300 miles per week all the year round. I have personally driven my present car upwards of 70,000 (seventy thousand) miles during the past four and a half years. I go over the same roads every two months, and have kept accurate daily record of the time occupied between towns, also of petrol consumed, expenses, etc. My car with a load of samples weighs newt., 24 of which are on the driving wheels.
I commenced with zin. solid tyres, and after three months had much trouble through tyres running off.
I tried three different makes, but lost so much time through tyre troubles that I had new wheels built to take 2iin. solid tyres. These were a little improvement, but not much.
About 15 months ago I decided to try kin. Palmer cord pneumatic tyres. I anticipated more trouble, but hoped to gain in comfort and speed. Contrary to my expectations, I lose very much less time with tyre troubles now I have pneumatics than when I used solids, and the difference in speed is remarkable.
I increased the gear of my car zo per cent., and even then could easily get up hills which previously I could not possibly mount without putting on smaller sprockets which I always carried for emergencies. After some time one of the driving tyres gave me some trouble, and the Palmer Tyre Co. advised me that a larger size should be used for such a heavy load, so I had a duplicate set of driving wheels built to take sin. Palmer Cord tyres.
I have never had a puncture or any damage to the fabric of the sin. tyres, which have run nearly 8,000 miles with this heavy load.
An analysis of the times occupied taken from my records is very instructive, and proves conclusively the advantage in employing large tyres.
MAXIMUM SPEED WITH SAME CAR, ON SAME ROAD, SAME DRIVER, AND SAME LOAD.
2in. solid tyres 12 to 14 miles per hour 21in. „ „ 14 „ 18 4in. Palmer pneumatic (all wheels) 16 „ 20 4in. Palmer (front wheels) sin. Palmer (back wheels)
Every two months I run from Reading to Burnham, via Devizes, Bath, Bristol, and Weston-Super-Mare, a distance of 115 miles. My records for this run show :
zin. solid tyres to hours 2iln.
41n. Palmer pneumatic (all wheels) sin. Palmer (back wheels) in Palmer (front wheels)
When I used solid tyres side-slip was a serious trouble, and over wet setts and greasy roads I had to travel very slowly. With pneumatic tyres I find practically no trouble from side-slip, and I very rarely reduce my speed on account of bad roads.
As regards consumption of petrol, I find I use just under one gallon per hour whilst the engine is running whatever tyres are used, but as the distance covered with pneumatic tyres in a given time is so much greater, a very considerable saving results. Besides the increase in comfort, and saving in time, I find my repairs to the car are reduced to about one half since I have used pneumatic tyres. I enclose photo of my car, which is an old two-cylinder Daimler. It is called 6h.p., but it actually develops about toh.p. with electric ignition.
This car will shortly be replaced by a new one being built by the Bristol Motor Co. I may give some further information as to my experience at a future time. My advice to all motorists is to employ large tyres.—Yours faithfully,
J3
18 „ 24
9 PP
7 6 „ Winding Gear for Brewers Wagons.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir,—Being connected with the brewing industry, I was much interested in your special number dealing with motors for brewers.
On examining the different designs I was surprised to find that it does not seem to have occurred to any maker to attach a light form of winding gear, to be driven by the engine when the lorry is stationary, for lowering and raising the casks of beer into publicans' cellars and other places.
It appears to me that a well-designed arrangement of this sort would prove a means of saving labour, so submit the idea, as no doubt all makers of motor lorries carefully read " TUE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."—Yours faithfully, ED WO. TAPLIN. Church House, Heavitree.
Gland Packing.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir,—I was much interested in the letter in No. 5 by
" A. on "Hints for Gland Packing." He is quite right with respect to the good wearing qualities of asbestos packing; in fact, it is doubtful whether for all-round purposes a better material can be found. There is only one thing that I don't quite agree with in " A.J.L.'s " letter; in which he says with respect to new packing, that after running a week or so "another ring can generally be got in." The idea in itself is harmless, perhaps, but there is a certain class of driver who, to put it mildly, does not take as much trouble as he might with the overhauling of his engine, and who is only too glad to save himself trouble. It is quite possible to make worn-out packing do for half a day's extra run by cramming in a new ring over the old stuff, but it is not in any way advisable to do so. If the glands are packed properly they should last until new packing is required without the addition of extra rings at intervals. Hoping that " A.J.L." will take this in the spirit in which it is written, I beg to subscribe myself.—Yours faithfaithfully, No better proof of the active preparation which is being made to carry nacwt. to 3ocwt. loads can be cited than the large capital increase recently secured by one of our leading Scotch makers, the Argyll Company, whose lead has been followed by numerous builders of light cars. With an assured demand before the industry, and one which will know neither seasons nor the vagaries of fashion, we are able to look forward confidently to the appearance of a very large number of competing vehicles in the Van Trials of the Automobile Club, which are announced for September, and which will be the first great event of the kind in England.