MATTERS CONCERNING STEAM WAGONS:
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Suggestions by Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
JEAKING water tubes are at all 4 times a trial, and rapid repair is not easily possible, even when in a garage for an hour or two, unless proper tools are at hand for the job.
This week's prim of 15s. is awarded to W.A.," of Stratford-on-Avon, for his suggestion for a universally jointed tube expander for spreading the ends of the tubes without apparent difficulty.
The bit of the expander is a tapered rod which can be pushed into the open ends of the tubes to spread out the metal and thus obtain a tighter joint. The thick end of the mandrel is fastened into a sleeve by a bolt, a similar bolt being located in the opposite end of the sleeve, upon which works another rod. The latter is, of course, drilled so that the bolt passes through it, and a similar hole is drillet at the opposite end, but at right angles to the former one.
The final portion of the tool consists of a forged • bar with an approximately bell-shaped extremity, into which the end of the central rod fits. The shank of the bar should be. of considerable length, so that it will pass through the door of the firebox when the expander is in position in one of the tubes. At the operator's end of the bar a square end is machined, which can be gripped with a double-handed T-piece in order to obtain a degree of rotation together with a steady pressure.
This tool may be operated without the necessity for the driver or mechanic sitting on the ground.
ILLUMINATION of the boiler-pres sure indicator and the water-level indicator is most desirable, and the use of oil lamps or candles, as is often seen, is far from satisfactory.
Electric lighting has been installed by "H.A.B.," of Rotherham, for this purpose. A dry battery is fixed in a wooden box on the canopy of his wagon, together with a switch on the exterior of the box. The wiring is wrapped round the canopy pillars and the two lamps, apparently flashlamp bulbs, are suitably fixed and wired in series, thus one switch may be used, as it is usually desired to see both gauges at one time. If preferred, the lights may be kept on for a moment or so at a time just for checking pressures and levels and then switched off, but should continuous lighting be desired, " H.A.B." states that eight hours' continuous light may be obtained from even a small dry battery. wnEN handling a steam wagon in a narrow space, " W.M.C.," of Frampton-on-Severn, has found that the headlamp bolted on to a bracket projecting in front of the smokebox is apt to get damaged, or it occupies space which may be valuable, and therefore suggests the following type of folding lamp
bracket. • What may be described as a baseplate is fastened by one bolt to the front drawbar bracket on top. At each end of the plate, which is 8 ins, long, a hole is drilled to receive the arms of the bracket, which are tapered and held in position by one nut each on the lower side of the plate. The upper ends of the arms are screwed to receive i-in. lock-nuts to prevent loss of the lamp. Adjustability is, of course, provided by this method of construction, in addition to its capacity for folding fiat against the smokebox or its rapid removal by means of the one central bolt.
WHEN renewing a chain it is not ad
visable to fit one on badly worn sprockets as the load imposed upon the new chain will cause it to wear very rapidly. The portion of the sprocket which usually suffers most is near to the root of each tooth on the leading edge, thus forming a "hook tooth."
Iu many cases the suggestion Of " E.L.J.," of Liverpool, may be put into operation. The sprockets are removed and reversed, thus the leading edge of each tooth becomes the trailing edge, and an almost unworn surface is presented to the new chain, which should enable it to work satisfactorily.
THE majority of steam-wagon drivers, particularly those in charge of vehicles in which the whole front axle turns for steering purposes, have experienced at some time or other the slipping of the frontwheels into soft ground, and it is often a difficult matter ta extricate the vehicle. "I.G.," of Dinuet, suggests a scheme which in many instances may be of assistance.
Providing there be in the vicinity some substantial object, such as a stout gate-post, tree, or the like, a chain cr rope may be fastened to it, the other end being passed round the rear axle of the wagon. The gear lever is put into the reverse position and the engine started. In this manner the rear axle becomes a Winding drum.
ADJUSTMENT of the radius rods for chain tension or other purposes is usually fairly easily accomplished, but it may happen that a driver has not a suitable spanner on the wagon at the
time, and, therefore, the suggestion of "CS.," of Redruth, may prove useful.
On many steam wagons a small length of chain is available, preferably with a loop or ring at one end. The chain is wrapped round the radius rod until about five or six turns are made. A crowbar or other steel bar is passed through the ring of the chain and the free end of the chain held firmly. By pulling upon the bar in the direction in which the chain is wrapped round, a firm grip is obtained on the rod.