A Simple Vehicle-use Recorder
Page 58
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ALL wise operators of commercial motors keep a cheek upon the use of their machines; human nature being what it is there isalways the risk that time and mciney are being wasted while a vehicle s on the road away from supervision. A cheek can be maintained only by, the use of a recording device which is fixed to the vehicle and cannot be tampered with, other than by deliberate destruction.
Such an instrument is the A.M.C. recorder, a British-built machine working upon the vibration principle; it costs £10 10s., complete with fixing instructions, the necessary screws and a supply of charts. It is made by the Arc Manufacturing Co., Hyde, near Manchester.
A substantially made case, which call be bolted or screwed to a suitable part of the vehicle, contains the mechanism
and a waxed chart. The hinged lid holds the eight-day clock, on the face of which the 24-hour chart is clipped ; the other half of the easing houses the two stylus points, the pendulum, etc., and provides, the anchorageofor the fixing screws. The halves are normally held closed by a lock ; in the case of single instruments each key is of an exclusive pattern, but, in the case of a group of recorders for a fleet, the keys may be similar.
In a period of 24 hours the chart revolves once and it should then he changed ; its simple markings show the time during which the engine has been running and the time occupied while the vehicle has been on the move. These facts enable an operator to ascertain whether the machine has been properly employed. By comparing the "engine running" line with the "vehicle running "line it is possible to note how much idling of the engine has been allowed. The record, of course, shows the times of starting and finishing work, meal hours, loading and unloading periods and enables the operator to keep a check on overtime.
Although the movement is an eightday one it is recommended that the clock be wound daily ; this can easily be done by giving one turn to the disc on the mechanism, immediately before putting on the new chart for the day.
A feature of the A.M.C. is that there are no drives to be provided and one type of instrument will do for any vehicle. The fitting can be carried out in a few minutes by any driver. Fixing the charts is most simple. The complete device is guaranteed for one year ; it is solidly built and should last the lifetime of several vehicles.