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Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.

12th January 1911
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Page 18, 12th January 1911 — Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Steering, Tire, Driving, Tractor

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 vehictes and tractors, 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 our 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 as—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We will "knock it into shape" and prepare sketches, where necessary, beforc.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 MoTos, 7.15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C.

Drilling a New Front Frame-member.

The sender Of the following e,ommunication has bren awarded the 10s. prize this week.

[815] " H.H.S." (Luton) writes :—" Some time ago 1 had a job to put in a new front member of a cab frame ; the cab had been in an accident. When I got to work on the job, I found that I had an awkward piece of markingout to do. I, of course, got over the difficulty, but, as it iavolved the exercise of some ingenuity to tackle the job properly, I think it may be as well to tell my fellowreaders about it. On the type of cab which I was repairing, the starting-handle bracket had to be bolted inside the front channel-member of the frame and on to the bottom flange. First of all, of course, I had to drill a

in. hole in the web, as a clearance hole for the startinghandle shaft. I next put the bracket in position, and so

lined it up that the two dogs were abutting. The bolt holes were already drilled in the bracket, but the awkward part of the task proved to be the proper marking and drilling of the holes for the same bolts in the bottom flange of the channel. It was obviously impossible to get my drill between the top and bottom flanges of the channel, so that I was obliged to drill from underneath. I first marked the holes through on to the top of the bottom flange. The way I got over the difficulty was as follows :—I got a piece of 1-16 in. plate, about 1 in. wide, and I bent it nearly double, leaving just enough room between to slip it over the bottom flange of the channel. I then drilled a in. hole right through the two strips. This template was eventually pushed on to the bottom flange, into such a position that the hole in the gauge was immediately over the scribed mark I had already made. It was then possible to scribe another hole on the underside of the channel exactly in the right position, and then to drill upwards."

The Future Carrier.—A Mechanic's View.

[816] " G.S.C." (Slough) writes :—" I saw with much pleasure that in the D. and M.' pages of Tim COMMERCIAL Moron for 24th November, you published the opinion of a driver as to the future 3-tonzier. While I do not quite fall in with his views, yet I think that suggestions from the men who actually drive and look after commercial vehicles should be carefully gone into by designers and builders. I now venture to give you my opinion as to the design of the future tri-carrier. In the first place, I do not think that the miniature 4-wheeler will ever oust the 3-wheeler, i.e., a design somewhat on Auto-Carrier' lines, because the first cost of the quadricycle must of necessity be more, on account of the differential and the additional tire.

"My idea for a carrier-tricar is as follows:The chassis should be tubular, of ample strength, and complete in itself, without any lxxlywork. As to the engine and transmission, I hardly think it possible to improve on the Auto-Carrier 'in this respect, except in small details. I should, however, like to see the engine re-designed as one of a two-cycle type. I am very keen on this last, as have carefully studied the two-cycle engine for several years, and am convinced that in time it will be used for commercial work to the complete exclusion of the Ottocycle type.

" The second point on which I should like to lay stress is with regard to the means of operating the 2-speed hubgear. This I am convinced by experience should be by a vertical lever on the right-hand side of the driver ; it should have three positions: forward for the first speed ; central for neutral ; and to the rear for top speed. This in my opinion would be a great improvement on a pedal for first gear and a lever for the top, for the reason, that, in the event of a sudden stoppage being required, the driver would in nine cases out of ten knock out his topspeed lever, and, as the first-speed pedal acts as a brake when the top is in, he would jam down both pedals, which, instead of stopping the carrier, would carry it on to the obstruction on its first speed.

"My third point is with regard to the steering gear_ This I would much prefer to be by wheel instead of hr tiller. It is not necessary for it to he made irreversible.

but some form of reduction should he made between the steering and the road wheel, and I would suggest the rack and pinion as a good compromise. Further 1 would impress upon designers the necessity of making the steering gear strong enough, as a load of 5 cwt., carried over the front axle, puts a tremendous strain upon steering gear when the vehicle is being righted after a skidparticularly on tram lines.

" My fourth and last point is with reference to the tires, these must be solid or of the cushion type. I am sure that if solids are satisfactory on a vehicle weighing 3 to 4 tons at 12 to 15 miles per hour, with proper springing they would be equally satisfactory on a vehicle weighing, with a load, at the outside, of 10 cwt., at 20 miles per hour. I remember that once I had a light motorcycle, and for financial reasons I could not obtain any tires, so I fitted a pair of t in. cushion tires. I wore these tires out completely, and this with a rigid frame. I never had a broken spoke or a petrol pipe, and the same engine is now in splendid condition, driving my lathe, after having done roughly speaking 25,000 miles on the road. Twelve thousand of this was on one pair of 1 in. cushion tires. If I could do this on an old a.m1 obsolete machine, surely a. nutehine can be designed now to do as much, or more."

The Comfort of the Driver.

H.J ." (Bordesley Green) writes :—" Inotice the remarks which you publish from your correspondent ' S.I.' (New Cross) [Letter No. 809 in our issue tor 22nd December.—ED.] They referred particularly to Mr. Charles Jarrott's suggestions that motorbus drivers should be more comfortably accommodated. I am afraid that your correspondent does not fully realize what it is like to sit on a hard-boarded seat, driving a motorbus for 16 hours, with nothing better than an upright steering column to get hold of, and the frame of a window the only soft place against which to rest your hack.

" Unfortunately three years ago I was obliged to drive a 30 h.p. — motorbus for one of the large motorbus eompanics during a period of over nine months, and since then I have had considerable experience with highpowered cars. I consider that there is little to choose between the driving of motorbuses and that of racing cars, and from that point of view I confirm Mr. Jarrott's suggestion that a sloping steering wheel would be of great advantage to drivers of the heavier machines. This is true both with regard to the control of the machine and to the comfort of the driver. The latter eonsideraCon, however, is one which does not appeal to manufacturers. It is when a driver is tired out that accidents as a rule happen, so that care should he taken to see that a driver is not tired unnecessarily.

" With regard to your correspondent, S.I.'s ' suggestion—which is evidently a cynical one—that each driver should have a filter in attendance on him, I suggest that no man should be allowed to drive a motorbus until he is able to dispense with the advice and assistance of either the bus-conductor or the so-called road-fitter."

[18.1

g " 5.1." (New Cross) writes:—'' The inildrict of _ motor-einnibus steering, as well as that. of the means which are taken to ensure the comfort of drivers is one whieit has attracted considerable attention in the general press. I notice a letter from a Mr. Hill in a recent issue of the ' Daily Mail,' and I think his suggestion that drivers of motor omnibuses should stand while they are operating their machines is a ridiculous one. I should like to ask him how can a man stand up while he is steering and working two or more pedals—sometimes two at the same time—without possessing more than his usual com plement of legs. Perhaps this correspondent of the

Mail ' has in mind the magnetic brakes that arc fitted on tramcars. I think he knows very little about motoromnibus driving, and therefore his opinions are not of marl, rise, I have driven over London roads for six years, and T know the class of work and the amount of labour it requires to keep motorbuses in proper condition. Drivers of pleasure cars, like Mr. Jarrott and others. seldom know the conditions under which commercial vehicles have to work. I am sure they are not aware of the number of stops and of gear changes that the ordinary motorbus has to be built to withstand. I give you below the approximate figures for my own journey for a single nine-mile London road under ordinary working-day conditions: gear-changing, 130 times; application of brake, 180 times; number of stops, 70. I think you will agree that this gives some idea of the work. Of course in foggy weather the figures are higher ; and this is also the case when the engine is pulling badly ; when there are carburation or ignition troubles; or when the clutch, or other working parts are slightly out of adjustment.

" Some of these non-stop car gentlemen, driving amongst comfortable cushions and rugs—with stops whenever they wish for refreshments--who do not, as a rule, have to trouble themselves to put a spanner to a loose nut or to a bolt, should try their hands at London busdriving ; they will agree that it is hard work all the time.

" There is plenty of room for improvement in the mechanical details of omnibuses yet, but the right men are at work on them, and the models that are being produoed are improving every day. One of the chief improvements, however, that must be embodied is that better protection and comfort be provided for the drivers, and, if the present correspondence does nothing more, it will at least focus attention on this requirement."

[819j " F. C. MACE)." (Word) writes :—" .1 quite agree with Mr. Charles Jarrott in the letter which he wrote to The Times,' and I am sure that anyone who has undertaken long journeys on heavy vehicles, or whose business necessitates his driving about in London traffic all day long, as does a motorbus driver's, will fully appreciate his remarks. It appears to me that the convenience of the driver is the last thing to be thought about during the construction of chassis and body. How often do we see bus-drivers in London backed up with three or four cushions behind them, two or three underneath, and with their feet hardly touching the pedals, while every now and then they have to let. go the steering gear in order to adjust one or other of these props. To say the least of it, this is a very-dangerous state of affairs. One cannot blame the men for taking these precautions; it is quite a necessity to have cushions of some sort; but why should there not be a fixed padded Seat with a properlyupholstered back ; or, better still, a bucket seat.

" I would also advocate raked steering of a type which need not in any way interfere with the accommodation which is made on the rest of the chassis for passengers. I would suggest something of the sort that is provided on the .Arrol-Johnston buses that belong to the Great eastern Co., of London, It will be noticed that there is quite a big rake on the steering columns of these machines, and their drivers are certainly more at ease than are those in charge of any other machines in similar service in London.

" I notice that on the new London General X.' and ' B.' types of chassis, an all-metal steering wheel is a standard fitting. I wonder how many owners of private ears would rare to drive about all day long during this time of the year, clasping a cold metal wheel; even the old Milnes-Daimler steering wheels were leather-covered. All this would lead one to think that the present-day motorbus drivers' comforts are not considered in the least degree."

Tags

People: Charles Jarrott
Locations: Slough

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