Chassis Designers' Link with Tyre Wear
Page 34
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
CRITICISM,-and especially candid criticism:can_ lead only to results, and if your contributbr," L.V.B." Will not spare the " lash "?' With SN'110 is riot* yes man , your journal may be The meanS for helping the country to save rubber and tyre mileage.
Ile cites,in his article published on -March :5, _three mainpoints; the firstand second. of which, be says, are conflicting, and he-asks:, " If-it be agreed that most tyre waste 'could be obviated by, preventive inaintenance . . how can thi engipeers and designers cure the trbuble? He also says that I :thirak .he.has not touched on" creative causes," and he adds,'" I cannot agree."But he does, agree with. the American jourlial from Tquoted, th_Rt-cu4se. should be eliminated before.effect takes_pla-cet Be "thinks" I ani much at fault in my view that much • of the tyre waste which is taking place -can be cured by engineers and designers, and it is my job to satisfy him that he has another-think coming to him, and probably a few surprises, especially an regard to what he quotes as" his unshakable' opinion based . on long experience which can le proved a thousand times over.
Way back in 1911, when the old fabric Clincher tyre was a diffiehlt job to manipulate, I spent the whole of one memorable Friday afternoon, with the help of a cus; tarter, juggling with a .refractory tyre, which we eventually ruined • in forcing it from a rusted rim. The following Saturday, all Saturday' night and Sunday, I spent wrestling with two or three Clincher rims and a number of hack-saws. On the Monday I took out a provisional .patent /biWhat developed into the Warland Dual Rim. .Starne Biii-ningham friends joined nrc; we madeu a quantity of samples, and at that -time the job solved the prob16m, of -Clincher-tyre manipulation. But, as our experiments Proceeded, I began to check up the Mileage on Our test cars, and whether or not it was the fault of our clumsy test samples, I was Mat at that time sure, but as the tests proceeded, and I started losing sleep. I. eventually Cam& to the conclossion that it was wrong in principle to cut a, rim through laterally, because it interfered With its inherent springing quality..
I Was frank enOugh to tell my Birmingham friends that We ought to'experiment further, but they were satisfied , with the manipulativeovirtue of the severed rim, and they removed • the works from my premises at Stourbridge, took the workmen with them, and later on the Warland Dual Rim was pfonouneed a huge success. The' spent several hundreds of pounds on its development and made many thousands. Meanwhile I. ought to add that they gave me the squarest of deals. They paid me a substantial four-figure sum for my part of the job, which, since then, I have spent, with many thou sands added, "buying experience." Whether it is "good business " or not, I am satisfied with What many of my friends amongst themselves smile about and term "chucking tin-ie and Money away in trying td paint. iheiily "—as the lily is represented in the tyre and wheel
. , world of to-day. FRED ,W.BAKER.
Stourbridge.