Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 19
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for any thing else published.
Drivers of commercial-motor vehicles and tra::tors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, are invited to send short contributions on any subject which is likely to Prove of interest to oar readers. Workshop tips and smart repairs ; long and successful 'runs ; interesting photographs : all are suitable subjects. Send a post-card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We will " knock it into shape" and prepare sketches, where necessary, before publication. The absence of a sketch does not disqualify for a prize. When writing use one side of the paper only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name will be disclosed, Payment will be made immediately after publication. Address your letters to The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL. Mfir0R, 7-75, blosebery A venue, London, E.C.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the Ws. prize this week.
[857] '' 11.13." (Cheshire) writes :—" In a recent issue, I was interested to note a description of a method of grinding on an ordinary lathe which was sent to you by your correspondent ' J. L.' (Malvern). [Letter No. 832, in the issue for the 9th of February. —ED.]. This letter recalled to my mind a grinding attachment which I rigged up some time ago ; this
was an arrangement for reforming the ordinary lathe centre. I have sketched the apparatus that I use. [We have had this redrawn.—ED.]
" As is well known, lathe centres on which a lot of rough work is done, after a time become very badly worn, and they certainly want trueing up every now and then. It is practically an impossible task to true them up by turning them, unless they he previously softened. To avoid this trouble, I devised the simple grinding apparatus of which I now send you a description. You will see by examination of the sketch that T use a bracket (B) which carries two small shafts, one of which is friction-driven from the face plate, and the other of which carries a small emery wheel. The first shaft carries a bevel-face friction pulley (I)). The drive is taken from this first shaft by means of a small rope or belt to the grinding shaft, and the latter is so arranged as to allow the emery wheel to be fed lengthwise as required. The friction cone 1) should be set at an angle of 30 degrees to the face plate, and this will give the correct angle of travel for the grinding shaft. A squared portion of the second shaft carries the rope pulley, and so allows endwise motion without disturbance of the drive. A small clutch lever (L) serves to operate the feed of the emery wheel. The bracket B should be bolted firmly to the tool rest, and the method of operation thereafter will be readily understood by further consideration of the drawing to which I have already referred."
The Risk a Fire.
L858] " W.W." (Dartford) writes : ---" I recently saw in the I). and M.' columns of your journal, a letter describing a method of warming the induction pipe of an engine which it was found difficult to start [Letter No. 840 in the issue for the 16th Februarys—ED.]. I admit that this method would to a certain extent bring about the desired effect of facilitating the starting of an obstinate engine, but I must emphasize my opinion that it would be attended with considerable danger. I am quite sure that. the insurance companies would soon be after any driver or owner whom they suspected of such practice. " I remember I Haw in One of your issues an amusingly phrased statement to the effect that many drivers were in the habit of milking their petrol tanks in order to get spirit with which to clean their engines. If this sort of thing be done, more or less of the spirit is sure to collect in the tray where it is awkward to dislodge it. I do not think that halfsufficient care is taken by many drivers with regard to this risk of fire.
" I would like to tell you of a method which I have found very safe and effective ! At one time I had a great many low-tension ignition engines to start up ; they had to stand in an open yard when they were riot on service during practically the whole of one winter, so that you can imagine I had considerable difficulty in starting them on cold mornings.
" I had a Kaye's patent squirt can, and I used to fill this with petrol and stand it in some hot-water or on some convenient hot sin-face, such as a stove for instance, taking care, of course, that no flames were in proximity. I used then to squirt a little of this hot petrol down through the compression cocks on to the top of the cylinder. A good swing of the engine nearly always then enabled me to start up. Another simple method was to have a cup tap on the ton of the induction pipe, so that petrol could he readily introduced at that point while the engine was being turned. All these tips, however, are practically useless unless the engine be properly timed. Plugs must be kept clean and contacts free from dirt ; otherwise engines that are fitted with lowtension magneto are absolutely bound to give trouble in the matter of starting, especially when cold weather prevails."