The Supply Department.
Page 19
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Lamps for Commercial-motor Vehicles.
It is probable that J. and R. Oldfield, Ltd., of Refulgent Lamp Works, Warwick Street, Birmingham, is a manufacturer which is best known to the user as the maker of the " Dependence" tail lamp, although, as a matter ol fact, this is only one of ninny special types of lamps for which Oldfield's works are noteworthy. Electric, acetylene and oil lamps of all classes, including a large range of unique patterns which have been specially designed for use on commercial-motor vehicles, are included in the corn
prehensive list which is sent out by this maker. Any user of average commonsense is quite able to select a lamp that is sufficiently strongly constructed for his purpose; the subject is not one that is fraught with grave technical complications; it is, as a rule, only necessary that he should know where he can obtain lamps of a suitable class.
We have made a careful inspection of a number of special " commercial" and " public-service " patterns of lamps that are turned out by Oldfield's, and, in this connection, we reproduce a photograph of a representative group of these accessories. The example on the left of the group is a strong side lamp, designed to burn petroleum; it is very-substantially made throughout ; it ‘veighs 4:1 lb. and has a 44-in, condenser lens. A still heavier example of this class of lamp is that illustrated on the right of the group; its weight is 6 lb., it is made throughout of extra-heavy-gauge metal and is fitted with a strong form of spring suspension. The two smaller specimens in the middle of the group are a taximeter-illuminating lamp aud the well-known " Dependence " tail lamp of extrastiff manufacture. The taximeter lamp is provided with a movable shield, which can be made to swing over k coloured glass which bears the words " for hire '' upon it. Special features of Oldfield's tail lamp are the spring mounting of the oil reservoir and burner and the two side windows, one of which acts as a tell-tale by throwing a beam of light out to the side of the car.
A New Bruhn Taximeter.
Brhhins Taxameter, Ltd., is the official title of the company which is handling the Bruhn fare-registering appliance in England; its London offices and works are at 245, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. The Briihn appliance is, we be-. here, the oldest in existence; we understand that the first instrument of this make was put into service in Hamburg some 20 years ago. It has been of considerable interest to a member of our staff to examine a new type of taximeter which this well-tried maker has recently produced. Although the broad principles of the mechanism remain the same, many important details have been modified ; the whide casing has, for instance, now been made more compact, and this is true also of the supporting feet. The appearance of the new machine certainly compares favourably with anything that is yet on the market.. We reproduce a series of photographs which illustrate both the general arrangement of the appliance and its new outer characteristics, which last are, perhaps, of most interest to our readers. The positive independent stop in connection with the positions of the flag shaft—a feature which we believe originated with the makers of the Briihn—is, of course, retained in this latest model, although the locking is now obtained with much less effort than heretofore. The indicator numbers are now white on a black background, and are rather over one centimetre in height; no bars appear between contiguous figures, in accordance with the latest police suggestions. The recorders have been increased in capacity; even the extras can now be registered up to 99 shillings, although the utility of this provision is not quite apparent. In order to obviate the possibility of tampering with the totalizers taking place, a neat arrangement of shutters has now been embodied ; the totals recorded are, on this new instrument, only rendered visible by the movement of a lever which may be sealed nightly by the person who books the records and inspects the machines. The totalizers are now composed of drum counters, instead of discs as on the older pattern. Another feature, which will be appreciated by the hirer, is the semaphore arm, bearing the word " Stopped," which is automatically dropped across the face of the instrument, when, at the end of a journey, the driver has to stop the registration by time.
Altogether, this new machine bids fair thoroughly to uphold the great reputation which the original " Briihn "
has so long maintained. judging by the unanimous chorus of praise voiced in files of letters from appreciative clients, which we have been privileged to inspect, the personal attention of the staff at Gray's Inn Road is a characteristic of this company's business relations which secures as much appreciation as the reliability of the Briihn Taxameter itself.