AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Fuel System Water Trap

13th August 1965, Page 52
13th August 1965
Page 52
Page 53
Page 54
Page 52, 13th August 1965 — Fuel System Water Trap
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FOB a number of years problems have arisen for operators of diesel-eneined vehicles when water has unavoidably entered the fuel system. Unless in large quantities. water is not always evident immediately after penetrating the circuit, and extensive deterioration of the pump elements and injector needles and pistons creates conditions which lead up to excessive fuel consumption, bad starting, lack of power and the inevitable black smoke,

The well-known ex-owner of Harold Wood and Sons Ltd.. Mr. Harold Wood, has for a number of years been convinced that there was a need for a filter

which was capable of sensing the difference between fuel and water. Should water become evident it must be capable of shutting off the fuel supply to the engine until such time as the water is removed from the system. This sparked off a long series of design and development meetings with Mr. N. A. Baker of R W. Baker (Stonehouse) Ltd., who through his other company, Plough (Contracts) Ltd.. has had such a unit developed.

Design and development of this water trap has been in the hands of Mr. D. V. Gough and has taken 12 months to bring to the present stage of perfection.

The filter trap consists of a collecting bowl within which is titled a float assembly and shut-off valve. In the bottom of the bowl is fitted a drain valve and in the top chamber a by-pass valve. The unit works in the following manner: water being heavier than fuel oil, it will collect in the bottom of the collecting bowl, and because the float of the unit is made in such a way that it will be displaced only by water and not by fuel, should the water level in the bowl increase beyond a predetermined level the float rises and operates a shut-off valve situated in the feed line from the fuel tank. As the engine will continue to run on the fuel in the lines and the top chamber of the filter for a short period, vacuum will be built up in the top chamber and this holds the shut-off valve firmly in the closed position during the draining operation, so preventing air getting into the system. A vacuum switch causes a buzzer to sound in the driver's cab.

Should this occur it is only necessary for the driver to stop and open the drain valve on the lower chamber of the filter, to which is attached a piece of flexible tube led to a level below that of the lowest fuel-line in the running-tank: this will siphon neat fuel from the tank, so clearing the filter bowl. When clean fuel emerges from the drain pipe the drain valve is closed and the vacuum by-pass valve in the top chamber of the filter assembly is opened. This allows the water-float to drop, opening the shut-off valve and reinstating the fuel supply to the engine, which can then be started and run in the normal manner without bleeding. The retail price of the unit is expected to be £12. LAIMED to he the largest machine of its type in the world, a more Awful version of the mobile car :sher shown in the film "Goldfinger s demonstrated last Friday at the Long trston depot of the operators. Bird's mmercial Motors Ltd., of Stratfordm-Avon.

n a short address before the demonition, Sir William Black, chairman of viand Motor Corporation. referred to onerous necessity to dispose of more .n •400.000 derelict ears a year. Later pressed the appropriate :button to start first crushing operation, in which an ttripped Buick eight-cylinder car was ed by the machine.

fhe crusher was then used for the :pose for which it was designed—that to bale cars stripped Of the power unit I all copper, brass and glass fittings. e bales in this case were readily saleto steelworks as No. 5 scrap. A team received intensive training over a iod of a month to strip the vehicles in preparation for baling and to man the crusher. The nominal work rate of the machine is 1.000 cars a week, a stock pile of at least 300 shells being the lowest number that can justify its use economically. As announced by Mr. Anthony P. Bird at the demonstration. it will be employed immediately to bale cars at the Coventry Corporation vehicle dump.

Built under licence to the Harris Machine Co. of America by Sheppard and Sons Ltd., Bridgend. Glamorgan. the crusher cost more than :£65.000 and is operated in conjunction with a mobile crane. Based on a special Dyson two-axle semi-trailer, the machine is hauled by an AEC 6 x 4 tractive unit and the overall length of the outfit is 70 ft. Its weight.ig approximately 40 torts.

The _seven .hydraulic crushing rams, the 'lifting rams of the rear barrier plate and the trailer landing 'logs are actuated by an hydraulic pump, with a maximum pressure rating of 5.000 lb. psi.. which is driven by a "Cummins C-I 80 diesel: this is mounted at the rear or the trailer and develops 170 b.h.p. at 2.400 r.p.m. Dimensions of the charge box (when open) comprise a length of 20 ft.. a width ol 7 ft. and a depth of .3 ft. A bale has a width and depth of about 2 ft. and the length of a typical bale is approximately 3 ft.

A total of • four hydraulic cylinders operate the right-angled hinged sides of the charge box, the lower sections of which form wide. flanking sections of the floor when the charge box is open. Robust triangulated flaps. hinged to he upper sections of the sides, are operated independentlyof the mechanism controlling the sides, and initially baling is performed by a series of crushing actions in which Movements of the sides and flaps are employed at the discretion of the operative for compacting the scrap. the flaps providing a downward as well as an 'inward action. When the material has been sufficiently compacted To close the sides, the main _longitudinally mounted ram (which. hag a thrust of 376 Ions) condenses the bale against an end barrier, which is then raised hydraulically to enable the bale to be .pushed by the ram on to a discharge-bay extension of the charge box.

Vauxhall Pioneer Apprentice Scheme

AJOINT factoryfdealer apprenticeship scheme designed to attract young men with management -potential into the pa its and accessories section of the motor trade is being pioneered by Vauxhall Motors Ltd.

Called the Vauxhall-Bedford Dealers' Paris and Accessories Apprenticeship Scheme. it embraces all aspects of merchandizing and administration within an extensive 3:-year training period.

Training becomes the joint responsibility of the dealer to whom the . apprentice is indentured, and Vauxhall Motots, with whom he is registered.

After an initial period of not less than six. months in the

dealers service depart men t— planned to provide 'a N%orking knowledge of motor vehicles and

basic workshop practice-the ,,pprentice, at the age of 17., ;Idas his specialized training in the parts and accessories depart. ment.

Composite Semi-trailers

L'IGHT composite semi-trailers as illus trated are being built by Duramin Engineering (Lydney) Ltd. The construction of steel semi-trailers is comparatively new to this company, although it is one of the oldest manufacturers of alloy bodywork, and all alloy coil-carrying semi-trailers have been in production for a considerable time.

Utilizing fabricated main-frame members and Rubery Owen R45/2A/I running-gear, the chassis are fitted with high-tensile alloy bodywork incorporating Duraplank flooring having the outer 13 in. on each side angled slightly upwards to facilitate safe stacking of crates.

The semi-trailers are designed to operate within 30 ton g.v.w. whilst carrying a pay


comments powered by Disqus