Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 17
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEALY for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for any
thing else published.
Drivers of conmiercial-molor vehicles and tractors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, are invited to send short contributions on any sutiect which is likely to prove of interest to our readers. Work. shop tips and smart repairs ; long and successful rims ; interesting photographs : all are suitable subjects. Send a Post-card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no matter low short, or how written, or how worded. We will" knock it into shape" and prepare sketches, where necessary, before publication. The absence of a sketch does not disqualify for a prize. When writing use one side of the paper onlv and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name will be disclosed. Payment will be made imme
diately after publication Address your letters to The Editor, THE Costm excise Moron, 7-15, hosthery Avenue, London, E.C.
In Reply to Yours.
" F.C.M." (Ilford).—The method of attaching a clutch leather, about which you write to us, is quite a good one. We have to inform you, however, that this was described in the course of our article upon Martin's three-ton chassis in our issue for 5th of May of this year. We shall be glad to consider any other communication that you may care to submit to us.
" 11.S." (Luton).—We have to remind you that you must observe the rules which appear every week at the head of these columns. Particularly would we draw your attention to the need for you to write only on one side of the paper. You should also try to make your communications less cramped, as they would then be a great deal easier to read.
The Steering-wheel Position on Motorbuses.
7809] " (New Cross) writes:—" I notice the sug gestion in a letter to ' The Times ' from Mr. Charles Jarrett, the ex-racing motorist, to the effect that motorbus drivers should be more comfortably accommodated. I think that every driver will agree that raked steering, a bigger steering wheel, push pedals, upholstered bneket seats, etc., would be in the nature of improvements that would be appreciated, and they would ngree that such alterations should be carried out, even if it meant crittine down the accommodation for passengers.
" I should like to add to these suggestions another one, viz., that every driver should be accompanied by it fitter, who should travel with him, in order to start up the engine and look for trouble whenever it is likely to occur. In his spare time he might attend to the personal wants of the driver, such as lighting his pipe, etc.!
" 1 enclose a sketch showing what I consider a motorbus should look like under these new conditions." [We regret that we are unable to reproduce this.—ED.]
(in In letter from Mr. Jarrott, to which our correspondent refers, it appears that Otis writer to the 'noes " is under the hnpression that the steering pillars of modern motorbuses are all vertical. The only well.known types of chassis that are used for public-servive work, and which have vertical steering pillars, are one type of Clarkson steam chassis, and the old Orions, which latter have long been banished from the Metropolis. We do not think that Mr. Jarrott can have had any expm-knee of the driving of heavily-loaded chassis under service conditions. Judging by the tenour of his remarks, it is evident that be offers his suggestions on the basis of his extensive experience as a driver of high-p.iwered racing cars.—klu.).
Steel Chips that Don't Matter.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
[810" " rt.s.c." (Leeds) writes:-.-" It is possible that the following tip may be of sufficient interest for you to include it in your 'D. and M.' columns, and I think its subject matter is original.
"In gearboxes in which plain bearings are employed, the chippings off the case-hardened teeth often score the shafts and the brass bearings very badly. Now, if the brass bushes be replaced by white metal, the diamond-like chippings, instead of scoring the bushes or the shafts, become embedded in the white metal, and form a surface that is a mixture of soft metal and dead-hard steel. Running in a bearing of this sort the shaft will remain perfectly smooth and bright, although at first sight it would be anticipated that the steel chips would have a tendency to score the shaft. I send you a sketch—[We have tied this redrawn.—ED.1—of one example of the way in which this method can be employed. In the sketch it will he seen that the hearing in question is the one in which the slidinggear shaft revolves inside the hollow shaft, which carries one member of a direct-drive positive clutch.
" Now, the bearing end of the sliding-gear shaft should be made to taper very slightly, and two brass1 r.ngs, shown
black in the drawing, should he used to keep central and in line, while the white metal is being poured. These rings should be a good fit, both in the outer shaft and on the inner shaft, and should he pressed into position. The holes should be drilled in the outer shaft in convenient position. One of these will be used for pouring the metal, and the other as a vent. Before boring commences, the whole thing should be warmed up, in doing which great care must be taken that none of the gears or other hardened parts are softened. A little black lead on the inner shaft-end will facilitate the withdrawal of this part from the white-metal bearing. A clay funnel may with advantage be used when the metal is being poured, in order to give it a good head.
" In conclusion I would only say that this idea is quite an original one in its special treatment, and I have employed it with very-considerable success under conditions which I outlined at the beginning of this letter." the shaft