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Passing Comments

20th June 1958, Page 30
20th June 1958
Page 30
Page 31
Page 30, 20th June 1958 — Passing Comments
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More Oil From the Wells ?

A RECENT evaluation of the " construction " of crude

oil is that it is a colloidal solution and that it contains minute particles, each measuring a 50 billionth of an inch, which contain asphaltenes, as found in tars and asphalt. It is considered that these substances endow the crude with the property of adhesion to the sands and rocks in oil wells. Study is being made of the possibility of adding a " detaching " agent to the oil, in which case more oil could be extracted from existing wells, and possibly new sources of supply opened up.

Pneumatic or Hydro-pneumatic ?

MANYwell-known suspension experts waited in the "A queue on the first open day at the Motor Industries Research Association's ground on June 12 to ride in a Citroen DS19 saloon over the pave' section. The pneumatic springs of this car are combined with a hydraulic system, and in the opinion of many engineers the design represents the basic principle which will ultimately be applied to the majority of cars and commercial vehicles.

Judging by the published views of Firestone technicians, however, the rolling-lobe single-bellows air spring could provide a range of load and frequency ratings to satisfy most vehicle makers, and it is pertinent that a demonstration of this type of springing also aroused great interest. This was -given by Engineering Research and Application, Ltd., an associated company of Solex, Ltd., who have attached a special suspension test rig to the side of a research vehicle based on a Bristol chassis.

The test equipment comprises a tubular framework carrying a pivotly mounted wheel, the movement of which is controlled by a Firestone single-bellows spring unit. Test A28

instruments record wheel displacements, load-input variations, acceleration rates and so on, and means are provided for changing the camber and track of the wheel. Graphs are prepared showing the inter-relation of all the operational factors, and these enable an exact analysis to be made of performance values.

Judging by the data so far collected, changes in the form of the central pedestal can be employed to vary the springing characteristics of an identical bellows over a fairly wide range. This should reduce the work of developing springs to individual requirements. A notable advantage of the rolling-lobe single-bellows suspension is that it will give a lower spring frequency than the two-bellows type. In the E.R.A. rig, a mechanical advantage is obtained by the method of mounting the spring unit on the pivot arm. Direct mounting would not be suitable for most commercial-vehicle applications.

Completed 24 hours before the open day, a new test hill outside the speed track is in the form of a hump-backed bridge with a gradient of 1 in 3 on one side and 1 in 4 on the other. It will be used mainly for testing brakes and transmission components.

Film to Discourage Accidents

AN interesting method of ascertaining driver reaction has been developed by an American haulier. The men are allowed to study a scene projected on to a screen. The same scene, but to which an accident hazard has been added, is then shown for -1-see. Following this the drivers must say immediately what they would do to avoid an accident and explain their reasons for their actions. Group discussion and the element of competition tend to make them remember the safety factors involved.

Latest in Electrical Equipment

nUITE a number of products of some interest to the

production and marketing sides of the road transport industry has been on show since Monday at the British Electrical Power Convention Exhibition at West Street Car Park, Brighton, which closes at 1 p.m. today.

A.E.I. Lamp and Lighting Co. have, amongst other fluorescent fittings, dust-proof and anti-corrosion types, the latter for use where the air is humid or carries corrosive vapours. There is also a flame-proof model to cope with inflammable vapours or explosive gases.

" Sylvalume " is a wall-to-wall fluorescent lighting system resembling an indoor sky. It is a product of Atlas Lighting and is suitable for showrooms. An overhead suspension heating unit, the " Twinstreak " is shown by E. K. Cole. Dimplex have another overhead radiant heater with Inconel elements for heavy-duty use.

Furnace temperatures up to 1,600 degrees C. are catered for by a new Kanthal alloy supplied by Hall and Pickles in the form of elements ready for installation. Amongst the time switches of the Horstmann Gear Co., is one for street-lighting control, giving full illumination at dusk, reducing to half at midnight and switching off at dawn.

The latest in floor heating is a speciality of Panelec (Great Britain), whilst Siemens Edison Swan have introduced a 1,000-w. quartz infra-red lamp, particularly suitable for paint drying on motor-vehicle bodies. Elements in lengths up to 14 ft., available in copper, mild or stainless steel, and aluminium for convectionand infra-red drying and heating, are some of the products of Tetra Engineering Co.

Ultrasonic Cleaning of Boilers

ACCORDING to a Russian source, an ultrasonic device has been developed which can prevent the precipitation in boilers of inorganic salts. It can also be used as a remover where a thick layer of deposit has already formed.

Another use of ultrasonic vibrations is in the dyeing of fabrics. Some which took five hours by usual methods can be dyed in 25 minutes by employing an H.F. generator and several oscillators, the latter being placed in a tank with the dye.

Complete One-lever Control

IN an endeavour to simplify driving controls, the research staff of General Motors in America have evolved a system by means of which steering, acceleration and braking are all effected by the movement of a 4-in, lever, which may be mounted by the right hand for ease of actuation. Pushing the lever forward makes the vehicle accelerate, and pulling it back applies the brakes; movements sideways steer the vehicle appropriately, although the degree of front-wheel turning varies, for at low speeds a given movement of the lever turns the wheels through a greater angle than athigh speeds. The electro-hydraulic linkage between the lever—which has a spring-loaded return to the neutral position—and the wheels provides what is termed a "motion feedback" to the driver. If a skid occurs, for example, the inertia of the heavy knob on the end of the lever indicates to the driver which way the vehicle is pulling, so that he can take suitable corrective action.

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