1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
BY ASHLEY TAYLOR,
Page 86
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A.1411.1.R.T.E., AssocInst. T,
Hydraulic Rescue
PORTABLE hydraulic equipment designed to force apart wedged doors, or to open out distorted Metal, was the subject of a demonstration by the Hertfordshire Fire Brigade at Watford last month. The. Blackhawk rescue sets then shown are designed for operation in confined spaces or other cramped conditions and will simplify the moving of heavy objects. Lifting, spreading, or forcing of bodywork, doors and railings is greatly facilitated. Members of the Hertfordshire Brigade say that such sets have been invaluable in freeing persons trapped in crashes. The kit consists of an oil-filled hand pump and flexible metal tubing which enable great pressure to be applied to extending rams or to the jaws of . Wedges. The sets are manufactured by Applied Power Inthistries Inc.(UK.) Ltd..
. Such equipment as oxy-acctylene cutters and hacksaws will obviously still be .required. Nevertheless, the hydraulic units should be of great value in 'aCcelerating the release of anyone who is trapped. Rescue sets are made: up in. various . standard sizes with capacities from 4 to 10 tons.
Squeeze Box
AS houses with nice roaring kitchen fires get fewer, and packaging becomes fancier, the volume-weight ratio of refuse increases in disparity. This is a problem that over the years has claimed a great deal of attention from the Eagle Engineering Co. Ltd. and the Crushload, that company's most recent offering by way of an answer, was first shown to the connoisseurs at the Institute of Public Cleansing Conference in 1962. The Crushload .Mk. II, which operates on a
slightly different principle, is now going into service. Special mechanism pre' crushes the load to-a considerable extent before it even enters the main compartment. The design aims at permitting continuous loading for periods of up to 6-8 hours, thus giving a high degree of collection-hours in relation to the length of time hauling to the tip.
Delayed Settlement
THE term "battle against the elements ", so often used in connection with snow clearance, is particularly apposite in so far as the reactions of the participants are concerned. Getting the roads clear is the first consideration, the straightening-up process, they feel, can he left until later. This was well illustrated at Northallerton County Court just recently when a farmer claimed damages from the North Riding County Council for the demolishing of part of his boundary wall. Evidence was given that on being told by the farmer of the damage, the district surveyor had replied to the effect that thern county council would clear the roads and would fight out who was going to pay later. "This ", said Judge C. Cohen, "was a good Yorkshire answer ".
Two claims were entered and in one case. Judge Cohen gave judgment for the plaintiff for the agreed sum, of £8. The judge said he was satisfied that the driver of the Mack, which carried a heavy snowplough, was travelling too fast for the
conditionsat the time. The second part of the case was adjourned to a later date. Up and down the country thousands of claims of a like nature are pending, and in Northumberland alone the total in connection with the 1963 winter amounts to something like £50,000. Road users whose progress is barred by snow drifts certainly have I little patience with clearance workers using kid-glove methods, but the sheer size and number of the claims involved make it obvious that snowplough operators are likely to work more warily in the future.
Moving the Money
WITH the assistance of a mobile,office, Hawarden R.D.c. is to provide rates collection facilities at more than. 20 , places in the authority's 55-square-mile area. An Austin 152 standard van has been modified by the addition of a glass fibre top which enables, a person' of normal height to stand upright inside without discomfort. Entrance is by way of a single, full-width door at the rear, there being a cushioned seat in the public section and, further forward, a 'transverse deck and grille for the use of the collection clerk.
. The normal facilities for rates payment at the central-and sub-office will continue, but the mobile office will.take the place of part-time collection points located in houses, schools and other buildings., The new system will go into action at the beginning of April.