The Motor Drivers News.
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Useful Chain.
" N.H." (Flintshire) writes us on the tith inst. :—" I am at present driving one of Mann's patent steam tipping wagons. My work is to deliver coal some distance up the country, and in running my vehicle 1 have to climb some terribly steep hills. Last week I had a very unusual experience during my day's work. As I was going along the road, my differential gear gave way without any warning. In the Mann wagon the bell pinion, the large driving gear wheel, and also one of the driving road wheels, are all fixed on one end of the driving shalt. All the above are held in their proper relative positions to one another by a circular nut about three inches in diameter. This nut is kept in its correct place on the screwed end of the shaft by having a hole drilled through both to take a sin. pin, which holds all securely in position. When I looked for the cause of the accident I found that the threaded portion of the shaft had stripped, and that the only thing that took the whole of the strain was the pin above mentioned, with the result that it was bent like a piece of wire. At the time of the accident I was just starting to go up one of the numerous steep hills in the district, and I suppose the large driving bevel wheels were spread apart by the strain, with the result that the nut was forced over the threads, thus allowing too much play between the various portions of the differential gearing. Before I had time to do anything the wagon began to run backwards down the hill, but after it had run a few yards I steered backwards into the cop. I was now in rather a bad plight, so I sent for one of our engines to take on my load and to drag the wagon home. This meant waiting for at least five hours, besides being out late. For a time I could think of nothing to help me out of my difficulty, but I did not intend to give in without having a try at something. What made the situation worse was that I was single-handed, so had no one to help me. I tried to move the wagon at least a dozen times but could not get it to move. Each time I was frightened that the machinery would break up, so I stopped and thought again. At last I hit upon an idea which I thought perhaps might work. I got a piece of chain and fastened it to Lhe cogwheel and then to the road wheel. I next turned on steam, and to my delight the wagon moved all right. So far, so good—I determined to have another try. I turned the wagon round and backed it up the hill, as I thought it easier to go up backwards. I was very careful, as may be ima
gined, and had to keep a watchful eye on the boiler to see that it was being supplied with sufficient water, but at last I got to my destination without further trouble. The hill on which this episode happened is a mile long and has a lot of nasty turnings in its length. When I arrived at the top I turned round, and carefully put in my top gear, starting as slowly as possible to save any undue strain on the chain. I do not know if any driver has had the same experience, and got over it in the same way that I did, but, if so, I should like to read of it in the Drivers News."
My Leyland Lorry.
" Driver " (Chelsea) writes us on the 9th instant as under :—" I hope the following will be inserted in your paper as a reply to' Experience' (London), whose letter appears in your issue of September 7th. I may say that I am a driver of a Leyland steam lorry, and I have been in charge of the same machine for four years : It was built for the owners over live years ago by the Lancashire Steam Motor Company, Limited, and it is at work now over all sorts of roads averaging about is working hours per day. The condition of the machine is almost as good as when it was new. I do not pretend to have much technical knowledge of mechanics, neither do I want to air any superficial talent before the public through the medium of your paper. My experience is that the following points are necessary for the making of a good driver :—He should be (1) industriotis; (2) observant of the requirements both of the boiler and the general machinery; (3) methodical; and (4) possessed of average intelligence. He will then be sure to keep his job."