For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 25
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Repair of the Hose-pipe of a Steam Wagon.
The sender of the following communication, has been • awarded the los. prize this week.
• [18101 " W.H.C." (Worcester) writes :—" A short time ago, on drawing away from a ,ivatering place, I had the misfortune to run over my hose pipe, with the result that, for a length of 18 ins, in the middle, it was flattened and, as regards that portion, damaged beyond repair. It seemed a pity to waste the remainder, however, which was quite sound. So I cast about in my mind to see if I could discover some means of making good the defect. Eventually I thought I had found a way; and proceeded as follows.
"Clearly the first thing to be. done was to cut away the damaged part, and this I did. Fortunately, amongst some odds and 'ends, I discovered a piece of copper pipe, about 6 ins, long, which was the same diameter externally as the inside of the hosepipe. The latter was of the armoured type, wire-wound inside, and it was therefore necessary to remoVe the wire for A distance of 3 ins. from each of the exposed ends of the hose.
"Next, it occurred to me, baaring in mind previous experiences of this kind, that when I commenced to push the copper pipe into the inside of the hose-with the object of joining together the two sound pieces—I should have trouble owing to the canvas inside the hose puckering up and -blocking the entrance to the copper tube either entirely, or sufficiently to cause trouble later on To obviate this I cut two liners of tin to fit inside the base. These I could-contract so that they would readily enter, the latter, afterwards expanding them in place. It was then a simple matter to push the two ends of the hose, with their liners of tin, over the ends of the copper tube, the iob being completed by fitting two clips, of the kind used on the water pipes of petrol engines, over the outside.
In the event of any other driver adopting •this method he should bear in mind that the hose-pipe has been shortened about 18 ins, by the repair, and tli'at he may not be able to get water at some of his customary stopping places. Also that, in view of the constricted area of the pipe, he .should not .open the steam valve to the water lift quite so wide as he did before." .
Some Useful Tips. • Limij " J.H." (Leyland) writes:—". Copper pipes, for petrol or oil, are -liable tcr. be chafed, .or to crack. Generally it is possible to repair them, but the methods vary, and, boat as regards neatness and durability, they frequently leave something to le desired. I have had no little experience of this class of work, and have adopted the following. as a regular means
of preserving such pipes from relegation to the scrap . • . heap. • .
"The first thing to do is thoroughly .to clean the exterior of the pipe at the point where it is chafed
or. cracked. The portions 'of pipe at each 'end of the crack should -be cleaned for lengths of about 1 in. in each direction. The pipe should. then ha well and
carefully tinned. Procure a piece of copper wire of suitable thickness; wind it closely on to the pipe over the full length of the crack, and' overlap it at each end. The whole should then be well soldered, and the result will be a sound job.
"If the pipe is actually broken, it may be repaired by the use of a short sleeve, cut from a larger pipe, the bore of the latter being such that it is a sliding fit on the broken one. This sleeve should be slipped into place over one of the pieces of pipe, the two broken ends being brought together, and the sleeve slid into place so that it covers the -break. It can be soldered in this position, and makes a good job. Care
must be taken, when running in the solder, that none of it enters the pipe, which. it 'would effectually block.
," Broken studs are another bugbear of the repair man. They Usually occur as the result of the at tempted removal of a very tight nut, or because the strength of the stud itself has been undermined by rust. In my opinion, all studs or bolts which are observed, during an 'overhaul, to show signs of rust, should be scrapped ; otherwise they are liable to give trouble at most awkward times. Generally they break when the-driver is going over the joints tightening up when everything is warm.
If there is enough of the broken stud projecting, it may be removed, as a rule, with the. aid of a pair of footprints.' Generally, if a little paraffin be al lowed • to soak in and round rot of the stud, it wilt be more easily extracted. If it has -broken off level. with the -surface of the casting-or forging into whkh it is screwed, it may frequently be removed with the aid of a blunt round-nosed chisel; or a punch, either of which must be applied to the stud so that blows from the hammer tend to unscrew the stud.
"If neither of these methods are successful recourse will have to be had to the drill. If -available, a drill ground to cut left-handed should first be ' tried, and in that ease, if it is heavily loaded, the piece of stud will very often unscrew. If it does not do 60, the drill must be sent ta the bottom of the stud.
"If doubt isfelt as to the right size of drill to use, the nut from the stud will serve as a_ guide. Use a drill"that will just pass freely through the nut with out touching the threads. When drilling, take great care to commence exactly in the centre oof the stud,and keep the drill perfectly square with the face of the work.; that -.is to .say, exactly in line with the axis of the stud."