ADJUSTABLE BRAKE SHOES.
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A Resume of Recently Published Patent Specifications.
MITE specification of Dr. T. Black_I_ wood Murray and the Albion Motor Car Co., No. 256,461, is like most inventions coming from that source—ingenious and useful. It provides in a very simple matter for the adjustment of both ends of the brake shoes, thereby enabling the whole length of the lining on each shoe to be used up instead of as at present, where the end near the cam is worn away whilst the opposite end is practically unwed.
The cam end of each shoe is-formed us usual, but the fulcrum end differs in that the pins on which the shoes awing are not mounted directly on the plate, but are held in place by a double-end adjusting screw.
This screw is provided with a worm wheel in its centre; which is held in place by bearings on each side of the worm wheel. One end is threaded right, whilst the other is threaded left, so that rotary movement will adjust both brake shoes simultaneously by forcing the fillcrum pins apart. The worm is shown in the small view, with the handle for operating it, whilst a locking device will be seen.
The specification points out that great difficulty would be experienced in bringing both shoes in contact with the drum unless some independent means of adjustment were provided for use when setting the shoes in the first place, or adjusting them should one shoe wear more than the other. It will be seen that the right-hand screw is turned down small to pair with the left-hand screw, which is in the form of a sleeve. Each half of the screw carries one-half ef the worm wheel, so that when the worm is removed independent adjustment is possible ; but when the worm is in place both halves of the screw must revolve as one.
Not Quite Perpetual Motion.
AN old friend, in the form of a power increasing machine, in which the power gained is derived from falling weights, appears in the specification of Emanuel Fostinis, of Marseilles, No. 237,914.
In this case the inventor is more modest than usual, as he admits that a certain amount of power, such as an electric motor, is needad to drive the machine. This power, the inventor claims, eau be increased (he does not say to what extent) by adding to the machine the friction of several gears, swinging weights and many joints.
B44 In some way, which is not made clear, these weights give more power when falling than it takes to lift them. It is the old device of the Marquess of Worcester which was invented over 200 years • ago, except that greater complication is introduced.
A New Form of Garage Door. A DOOR which is specially designed for garages is described in the. specification No. 240,876, of C. G. Johnson, of Indiana, U.S.A.
The door is formed on a number of slats which run horizontally across the doorway. These slats are hinged to each other, and each hinge forms the pin on which works a roller that can engage in a track, so arranged that when the door is open it lies along the roof of the garage. It will be seen that the track is slightly at an angle with the door-post, so that as the door is lowered it is brought nearer to the post, and by this means a very tight fit can be assured without unnecessary friction between the door and the post during the whole travel of the door upwards. A flexible cable and spring are shown to act as a counterbalance for the weight of the door.
A More Complete Expulsion of Burnt Gas. IN specification No. 256,286, F. B. Brown shows an engine in which an
auxiliary piston is employed for the purpose of expelling burnt gases. The auxiliary piston works in a cylinder formed in the head of the engine, and is operated by a crank as shown.
Ordinary valves are employed for inlet and exhaust. The auxiliary piston moves upwards away from the main piston so that the usual space shall be provided for the gas on the compression stroke, but when the exhaust stroke is near its end
the auxiliary piston it at its lowest so as more completely to expel burnt gases,
A Tipping Body and Scoop.
POTTER, of New York State, in specification No. 256,125, describes a new form of tipping body which can be used as a scoop for such purposes as clearing away snow. It will be seen from the two views that the body can be slid towards the rear and tilted simultaneously by means of• the toggle arrangement. The particular use of this toggle is that when used as a scoop and backed into a heap of snow, or any other easily moved substance, it is essential that whatever holds the body in the tilted position should be of a rigid nature. The toggle having its members in a straight line is particularly suitable for this purpose.
The link which connects the body to the rear of the chassis also operates the lever which lifts the rear door, and so helps to shovel up the load. The angle at which the body can be tipped does not appear to 11S to be sufficient to enable its contents to slide out freely without assistance.
To Facilitate Combustion.
BL1SCHMANN, of Oberesslingen-a * Neckar, Germany, in specification No. 240,794, describes a method of facilitating the combustion of mixtures which, in the ordinary way, are combustible eialy with difficulty.
According to this invention, a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in the proportions to form water is generated electrolytically by a current from a dynamo driven from the engine and is added to the normal mixture supply to the engine. The addition of this mixture is controlled according to the load or speed of revolutions of the engine. The inventor states that as the amount of gas added is so small relatively to the actual fuel consumption the consumption of energy . by the electrolysis apparatus is negligible and that the electrolytic production of hydrogen and oxygen mix ture only requires water. He further states that the invention is particularly applicable to motor vehicles where a low-voltage direct-current dynamo is driven from the engine. It would appear to us that the quantities of hydrogen and oxygen generated in this manner would hardly be sufficient for snch a purpose, as water is somewhat difficult to decompose.