The Purchase Department.
Page 19
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Where to Buy your Supplies.
Magnalite Pistons.
The illustration we include herewith shows a ghostview of a Magnalite aluminium-alloy piston, as rflarltifactured by the Walker M. Levett Co., New York, This class of piston construction, which has met with Much favour ..in the States, is claimed to pessess several advantages Over the east-iron type. One of the chief is the cleanliness. of the piston heads as compared with this latter construction, which is in a great measure due to the fact that aluminium Possesses a. better thermal conductivity, and then again radiating ribs can be cast inside the piston without increasing the weight to any great. extent. These ribs serve to strengthen the piston head, thus permitting the latter to be reduced in thickness, whilst., owing to their radiating effect they a-re stated to reduce the accumulation of carbon on the piston head. The construction of the ribs and other details of the Magnalite piston can be clearly seen in our illustration.
Change of Address.
We have been advised that the Commercial Ignition Co. has. found it necessary to remove to larger and much more commodious premises as a result of the continuous growth of their business. As our readers will be aware, this concern specializes in high-tension magneto and dynamo repairs. The new, address is 8.5, Lavender Hill, London, S.W., and the telephone number 2133 Battersea.
A Vandervell Catalogue.
A particularly attractive catalogue is to hand from C. A. Vandervell and Co., the well-known electrical engineers of Acton Vale, London, W. It is well produced, clearly printed, and deals exclusively with the question of lighting for public service and other commercial vehicles. Numerous illustrations of the various types of dynamos and lamps manufactured are included, together with suitable textual matter. Interested readers should apply to the address given above for a copy of this useful and informative book. Ferro Twelve-cylinder Engine.
Our readers will remember that we published on the 25th March an illustration of a remarkably line casting by the Ferro Machine and Foundry Co., of Ohio, of eight cylinders and the top half of the crankcase all in one block. The gradual replacement of the eight-cylinder engine by the twelve among all the fashionable makes of American touring cars has led the same company to attempt an even more unusual feat, and we have before us a couple of photographs, one of which we reproduce, showing a casting which, contains no fewer than twelve cylinders as well as the top half of the crankcase, hearings for camshafts, tappet guides and so on.
It may not be out of place to mention one or two of the special features of the Ferro 12-V type motor. The crankshaft, for example, is counterbalanced by means of counter-weights actually forged and turned on the crankshaft-. The bore and stroke of the engine is 2+ ins. by 4,1i ins. respectively. There are three crankshaftbearings, the diameters of which are 1 in., 2 ins., and -21 ins. with length 3 3-16 ins., 21 ins. and 2i ins, respectively, reading from the front end bearing. The timing gear is driven by silent chain, the valves being overhead with gear totally enclosed.