WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES.
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Some Hints, Useful When Faced With Unexpected Difficulties, Contributed by Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
1 T IS by the skill and rapidity with which he devises means for getting out of difficulties which arise unexpectedly on the road that the real quality/ of the commercial motor driver is measured. It can be said, too, that the average grading of such men is a high one. They are not often nonplussed, although it is frequently the case that a man's capacity in this regard remains unknown until the emergency arises and the actual need for the exercise of his skill is felt. In other words, no man knows what he can do until he tries, and
more often than not opportunity makes the man. However that may be, and however great be the Skill of any individual driver, he will not be likely to scorn the assistance of his fellows, however proffered, and certainly not, we take it, if it be made available through the medium of this page. The letters which follow show how some of our readers met, and overcame, trouble suddenly encountered.
• None of the devices described shows any great amount of originality or ingenuity. That, perhaps, is hardly to be expected it is generally enough to make use,. even if rough use, of the materials available. In awarding the 15s. prize to " liV.H.W.;" of Ileckneontheike, we have the.belief that we are rewarding the man
who had to get out of the worst pickle. He was in charge of a steel-tired 5-6ton steam wagon, which, as he puts it,. "broke its back axle through. dropping off a raised tram-line." The axle broke, it appears, at a point close to the chain sprocket wheel, and " W.H.W.'s " job was to get the lorry home. He borrowed a four-wheel fro...eery truck, and on it mounted a strong_ wooden box, roping the two together. The road wheel nearest the fracture was reanoved, together with the piece of axle, spring seat and spring, and in its place were fitted this box and truck, which were firmly secured to the frame of the lorry by ropes, as shown in the accompanying sketch. A 4-in. by 2-in. iron bar was laid across the frame and the overhanging axle supported from it by means of a ohain sling. A second chain, strong from the radius-rod bracket to the truck, helped to keep the latter in proper relation .to the rest of the outfit.
Altogether, states " W.H.W.," the whole job, including towing the disabled lorry half a mile home, occupied three hours, and they did have a bit of fun with the truck whenever one of its wheels got in the tram-lines.
" H.A.B.," of Rotherham, had to deal with a petrol-lorry which shed its front wheel as the result of a collision. In this case a pillar of timber, 3 ft. long and 3 ins. square as to its section, was secured to the front axle, as shown in the sketch, by means of a piece of plate and a couple of bolts. A slot in the bottom end of the pillar admitted a pulley, which was a rather loose fit on its axle, which, how -ever, was a tight fit in the wood. So equipped, it was possible to drive the vehicle, in reverse gear, a mile home to the garage.
" A.J.D.," of Sapcote, had a pipe burst in the feed-water heater ; more strictly speaking, we should say the pipe in the feed-water heater burst, so that the boiler feed water, instead of riassing to the boiler, was blown out with the exhaust steam. One method of proceeding would have been to use the injector instead of the pump. To this course our
correspondent objected, as being rather awkward in town, besides being very wasteful of steam. Eventually he " got by" with the use of the cooper pipe whioh is fitted for Supplyine steam to the cleaning jets which are olaced.just below the boiler top. This pipe •leap-pened to be the same size as that in the feed heater, and, by putting a slight bend in it, as shown in the sketch, he was able to -fit it inside,the heater and'econtinue his journey.
" F.R.," ofilEarnborough; had a fire on his lorry, He was removing a shovel full of red-hot clinker, when he caught the reversing lever with the handle, and spilt some ef the red-hot clinker into the oil lying below the crankshaft. This was soon in flames, which were rapidly spreading to the canopy when he bethought himself of a 7-ft. length of hose'pipe which hetha,d, and which would fit the overflow pipe of the injector. This was quickly applied, the check valve ;turned off and the water. on full. He held the hose on to the injector while his mate-sprayed the fire, which was rapidly extinguished.