PATENTS SUMMARIZED.
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New Ideas in Trailers.
More and more attention is being paid at the present time to the development of trailers and attachments of a similar nature. Two patents bearing on this subject, but each approaching it from an entirely different point of view, have recently been published and are Of particular interest. lhe Lacre Motor Co Ltd is responsible for one of these, which is perhaps typical of this kind of commercial vehicle. This company's experience should be valuable, its two-wheeled trailers having been largely used by the Air Board, and are, externally at least, familiar to most of our readers. The patent, No. 119,132, has reference to that type of trailer, and its object is that of facilitating the use of a number of trailers of the same type in connection with one source of tractive effort. A number of trailers can be employed with one tractor, and this invention provides rapid means of coupling and uncoupling of the trailer from its tractor, incorporating also a method of supporting the free end of the two-wheeled trailer itself when it is not actually baing towed. The axle of the trailer is positioned near one end
the rear. At the .front a support is hinged to the frame, and so designed that it can readily be sustained in either of its two main positions : (1) Depending vertie
ally from the chassis with its lower end resting on the 4round, or (2) swung until it is almost horizontal and lies closely beneath the chassis framework. A crossmember at the front of the trailer serves as support for a couple of rollers, and in the centre is a vertical downwardly depending pin or pivot. The rear of the tractor is formed with channel iron runways for these rollers, so that as the tractor is backed into position, the rollers are guided on to a circular platform, and the pivot pin into a trough-shaped socket within which it is locked by means of a spring latch or bolt. A spring buffer is proYided to absorb the shock' of the engagement of this pivot pin.
The other patent hearing on this same problem embodies the provision of means for wheeling the trailer bodily up on to the chassis of the tractor. 1The object appears to be that of utilizing existing horse-drawn or other trailers and facilitating the rapid loading of the powerdriven vehicle. Channel iron ramps are provided with extensions which reach to the ground and can be quickly fitted or removed. The trailer is wheeled up the ramp into position in these channel iron gu.des on the chassis of the tractor. The principle will readily be gathered by reference to the drawing. The -patentee is W. Taylor, and the number of the specification 119,051.
Detail Improvements.
C. F. King, in No. 119,168, makes several improvements on that type of carburetter most popularly represented by the Zenith. The bearings for the throttle valve spindle are drilled at right angles to the ax's; and passages along that spindle communicate with the induction pipe and allow for the admission of air into the induction pipe either from the chamber into which the submerged jot opens, or from the outer air. Simple methods of adjusting the supply of air to the pilot jet and to the chamber above the submerged main jet are also incorporated.
Edison Accumulators, .Ltd., describe in No. 119,192 an arramgement_ of . electric battery chassis, the object being to diminish the amount of necessary wiring, and to eliminate from the construction of the chasiis the differential. Two motors are used, situate about midway of the length of the frame. These drive, in the first place, through chains and sprockets to horizontal longitudinal propeller shafts, one on each side of the chassis. Each of these shafts drives its corresponding wheel radlally through the medium of either bevels or worm gearing. The whole of the driving gear is enclosed.' The Austin Motor Co., Ltd., patent, in No. 119,107, a spring clip for facilitating the entry of pistons and rings into mono bloc cylinder castings.
Commercial Cars, Ltd., embody, in No. 118,998, one or two improvements in connection with a paraffin carburetter, in which the fuel is actually heated by means of the flame from a wick which is fed by the smile fuel as the jet.
In the Bamford tractor, described in No.' 119,071, the rear driving wheels are supported on independent 'stub axles, each of which is carried on -radial arrns fulcrumed on the, gearbox casting. The free end of each radial arm is supported between a pair of helical springs, which are connected with the frame,