For DRIVERS MECHANICS & FOREMEN
Page 21
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A PRIZE OF TEN' SHILLINGS is awarded each week to the sender of the best letter which we publish on this page ; all others are paid for at the rate of a penny a hue, with an allowance for photographs. All notes are edited before being published. Mention your employer's name, in confidence, as evidence of good faith. Address, A, M. and 17„ "The Commercial Motor," 7-25, Rosebery Avenue, London, k.c. 2.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, 7th December, light your lamps at 4.20 in London, 4.37 in Edinburgh, 4.7 in Newcastle, 421 in Liverpool, 4.22 in Birmingham, 4.30 in Bristol, and 5.5 in Dublin.
Some Anti-skid Devices.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
[1922] " A.W." (Dewsbury) writes :—" Following your recent editorial suggestion that a suitable subject for communications for the 'D., M. and F.' page, would be descriptions of home-:made non-Aids, I beg to send you a few sketches [We have had these redrawn.—En.]1 showing various appliances with which I have experimented myself during a period when I was waiting delivery of some Sheppee non-skids. " As regards steel-tyred wheels, I do not 'recollect ever to have seen any special non-skids advertised for use on this type of wheel. All the manufacturers of this type of accessory seem to have devoted their attention to rubber tyres.. It is true, I think, judging by the results of observation, that the popularity of steel tyres is rapidly waning. There are, however, still a number of steam wagons with the older type of wheel, and there must have been many more in years gone by, so that I am still somewhat puzzled as to the reason for the non-inclusion of nonskids for steel tyres in accessory manufacturers' lists and catalogues.
"I myself have been able to get along very well with the straked type of wheel in bad weather, by driving hardwood blocks between the strakes With the plain-faced wheel the difficulty is intensified, and I have had blocks specially made for the purpose. On • one of the sketches herewith [We have had these redrawn.—ED.] will be found an illustration of the • device which I used. Suitable blocks of wood had V-notches cut along their outer edges. A piece of bar iron,. 1 in. diameter, bent to a broad U-shape, dropped into this notch, the vertical members of the U projecting below the wheel. A plate drilled with holes of a suitable size and the right centres was then slipped over these projecting ends, nuts serving to bold this improvised clamp and non-skid in place. With a number of these disposed round the rim of the wheel, I have had little difficulty in getting about even in the worst of skidding weather. After a time, I got into the habit, too, of carrying with me some permanent non-skids for the straked wheels, these consisting of blocks of hardivood, suitably drilled and recessed for bolts to pass through the rivet holes in the run. I usually found it better to have these additional .strakes somewhat longer than the width of the wheel, so that they projected on each side, thus affording additional grip...
"So much for steel wheels, on which, as will be understood, the familiar chain type of non-skid is practically useless, as the chains break with the first revolution of the wheel. On rubber tyres, however, chains are very effective indeed. The simplest form is a number Of short lengths of chain, each of which is wrapped round the tyres and a,.spoke of the wheel, being finally secured by a short bolt passing through the two end links. Three or four of these on each wheel make very effective anti-skids.
" They are quickly positioned on the rim, and can be as quickly removed. Another advantage is that they take up very little room in the toolbox. A longer piece of chain taken over the tyre and round a spoke, and over the tyre again several times, is also a, useful alternative. Cotton or wire rope wound round the rim and spokes in this manner in one direction, and then wound again in the reverse manner, so that the layers of rope cress one another at intervals, is very effective. Where the wire rope available is only in short lengths, it can be suitably clamped to the spokes as shown in another of the sketches. As it is difficult to make a tight and successful knot with wire rope, the middle of the length of wire might be flattened out, then the ends carried over the rim and down alongside the spoke to which they are clipped by means of hook iron clamps, suitably fastened, and short belie. One of the sketches shows the wellknown frost stud for use in connection with steel tyred wheels, but the use of this on the highway is forbidden for obvious reasons. They could only be used in soft ground."