A Six-speed Gearbox from France
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pAtENT No. 1530,899 comes . from
Soci&6 pour l'Exploitation des brevets M.G.D., Grenoble, France, and discloses a design for a six-speed gearbox, The ratios are obtained by using a normal three-speed box in conjunction with an initial two-speed gear arranged in series. The patent states that the gearbox is particularly suitable for four-wheel-drive vehicles, but its use is not limited to them, .
The input shaft '( I) carries two bevel pinions .(2 and 3), each of which meshes with its own respective crownwheel (4 and 5). The two crownwheels are freely journalled. but either can be coupled by a clutch (6) to a central sleeve, thus providing .a.choice of two ratios: The end of the sleeve carries a spur pinion (7), which constitutes the input member of a normal-typethree-speed box shown generally at 8. The-free-running gears 'in this box are coupled to the output shaft by means of a " diSaPpearing feather" (9). a type of key which has always seemed attractive to French Iesigners. The key, Can be moved endwise bY a .
central rod (10), whilst the primary clutch is operated . by a second rod (11). The box is little larger than normal.
SWIRL-PRODUCING INJECTOR-NOZZLE
PATENT No. 629,809 comes from Joseph Lucas, Ltd., and F. Marlow, both of Great King Street, Birmingham, 19, and shows an improved type of injector nozzle. Its chief purpose is to impart a swirl to the issuing charge-of fuel.
The drawing shows the tip of the nozzle; it is provided with a narrow A40 recess which houses a thin disc (1). When pressure is applied to the fuel, the disc is forced on to a seating (2) whilst the fuel squeezes its way round the disc and issues from tangential grooves (3) and thus sets up a swirl in chamber 4. The clearance space (5), shown exaggerated in the drawing, is actually kept at •a minimum so that it can act as a filter to the fuel.
SECURING BODYWORK PANELS
PATENT No. 631,700 comes from Strachans Successors, Ltd., and E. Houldcroft, both of Wales Farm Road, London, W.3, and describes a constructional detail for use in bodywork. The device shown is a
means for securing panels where they meet edge to edge.
In the drawing, I and 2 are the panels to be joined; they are in-turned at the edges (3) so as to hook over shoulders formed on an. H-shaped .boxgirder . (4). The edges are clamped by a. moulding strip (5) held in place by bolts screwed into captive nuts (6). The foregoing refers to the outside panelling; that on the inside is secured by woodscrews (7) anchored in a wood fillet housed in the oppo site groove.
A WINDOW GLAZING STRIP
FROM C. Bailey andLeyland Motors, Ltd., Ham n Works, Kingston-" on-Thames, comes patent No. 630,827, :describing an improved glazing strip for vehicle windows. Its object is to form a sound joint without creating projecting surfaces where dirt can lodge.
The drawing shows a section. The -strip is made by extrusion from rubber.. It contains a_lower slot (1) to receive the window fitting, and a pair of :thin ears (2) which are Pressed by their own resilience into dustproOf contact with the surrounding surfaces. The window glass goesinto the upper slot (3) and a hard-rubber wedge is then slid into channel 4. This forces edge 5 into close contact -with the glass and completes the assembly.
A still tighter :joint can be made by locking the tongue in position. For this purpose the edge of the interior or exterior fitting nearer to the glass, is rolled over through more than 180 degrees, and one tongue is formed with a projection adapted tobe sprung into and to fill this rolled-over edge. The use of glazing strip is also a big time-saver in making bodies.
WARNING DEVICE FOR BUS PLATFORMS
ACCIDENTS occur when passengers attempt to board or leave a bus without the driver's knowledge, and patent No. 631,209 shows a device which will give a warning in such circumstances. The patentee is G. Rock, "Castle Mount," Spring Hill, Lincoln.
The scheme calls for a special construction of handrail on the rear platform, which will, when grasped by a passenger, complete an eke-. tric circuit and give a visual or a udible warning to -the driver or conductor. The drawing shows how the handrail is made; it consists of an outer rubber-sleeve-(1) lined with metal strips or wires-(2).
These are spaced from the central metal tube (3) by a thin ribbon of insulating material (4), so that normally there is no contact 'between strip and tube. But when grasped by a passenger, the parts are squeezed into contact at some spot, a circuit is completed, and a light shows or a buzzer sounds.
Although such a scheme would not prevent a determined passenger from taking risks, it would eliminate accidents due to the driver starting by guesswork, as often happens when the conductor is absent from the platform.
INDUCTION-PIPE LAYOUT
A CCORDING to patent No. 631,659. .1--1 it is possible to effect considerable economy in fuel if the induction pipe be formed in a certain manner, the saving being that arising from a fuel-air ratio of I to 21, instead of the more usual I to 14. The .patentee is J. Jameson, Chessington Lodge, Spring Street, Ewell, Surrey,
According to the inventor, it is necessary that the induction pipes of a multicylindered engine branch from a Common chamber in a positional sequence corresponding to the cylinder-firing sequence. Moreover, the individual .pipes must be smoothly curved, and every precaution taken to avoid turbulence. .
The basic idea is to provide a charge that is lean in its first part and richer towards its end. When this is compressed, the rich part is nearer to the sparking plug and is fired first, igniting the leaner part later. The patent states that with an engine embodying these features, it has been possible to obtain 120 b.m.e.p. with a . fuel consumption of only .43 pint per b.h.p. hour,