Passing Comments
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Ingenious Sideline
As may be expected, the natural ingenuity of Swiss
engineers does not reveal itself only in the major products designed in Switzerland. At the recent Geneva show, a new type of vehicle hoist was displayed which overcomes many of the objections of some of the existing types and is indicative too of a new approach to the problem of lifting a vehicle.
The hoist in question, made by Etab. J. Villars, S.A., Versoix, is a single square post on which a forked arm is mounted at right angles. The arm may be arranged to pass under the chassis side-members or under the wheels of the vehicle and is raised by an
A26 electric motor. The great saving in space alone makes the type of interest to operators, especially those running small vehicles. It would seem possible to develop it as a wall-mounted hoist, which would save still more space.
Perkins Majority Attained
ERE is little doubt that F. Perkins, Ltd., will experience a large demand, both at home and overseas, for their new R.6 oil engine, of which full details were published last week.
In formally introducing this 108 b.h.p. unit, Mr. Frank Perkins, the chairman and managing director,
-gave some interesting details of the remarkable progress of his company, which has just celebrated its 21st birthday. In 1932, the works covered 5,504 sq. ft. and the total number of employees was 12. Now there are 565,402 sq. ft, of works on a site of 120 acres and the employees number 4,256, whilst almost as many again produce components for Perkins power units in the workshops of the suppliers. Since 1940, when the horse-power output was 7/,692, it has risen almost year by year to 2,550,000 in 1952.
One type of unit being tested in London-type taxicabs is achieving 33-34 m.p.g. and it is hoped shortly to produce sufficient suitable engines to help a great many more taxicab owners.
Tested on French roads, in a vehicle carrying a full load of gravel, the R.6 unit showed that it could maintain an average speed of 45 m.p.h., which would he creditable for most cars.
Safety Consciousness
MEASURES to promote safety consciousness and good housekeeping can lead to a great reduction of lost-time accidents in industry. This was emphasized recently in Edinburgh by Mr. G. R. McNear, managing director of the North British Rubber Co., Ltd., when he presented awards to six employees fof their winning slogans for a competition held there.
In 1948, he said, the number of these accidents was ,155, but by 1952, it had been reduced to 30. The best slogan was considered to be "Safety applied, means danger denied." Others included;—" More care less dare ", "Safety reveals what danger conceals ", "Be careful, be tidy—you'll benefit on Friday," "Distraction aids destruction, don't sabotage production ", and "As in home so in mill, pride in both—accidents nil."