Opinions from Others.
Page 25
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A Van for Six-cwt. Loads, The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR [1494] Sir,—I, like " Devonian" in your issue of the 1st February, have been watching your valued paper for over a year looking for a light compact van to carry not more than six cwt. (not bulky). I should be pleased to have name of maker of light van mentioned by"Devonian," but omitted from your paper. I cannot increase my net load, so think it would not be policy to get a larger van.; 13 to 14 hands ponies do
m my work, but with a otor I van expect to get same done much earlier in the day.
I see nothing light enough as yet catalogued at Manchester, although I will be there having a look around, Kindly oblige me with name of firm mentioned above.—Yours faithfully,
" ClLTMBERLA ND."
[We withheld the name because we are not in a position to endorse the claims imele for the light Val,. It is our hope, soon, to be able to report a test, run and trial of rt vehicle to snit this correspondent's needs—BD.] Night Storage: Another Offer.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[149i5] Sir,—I note with interest the letter in the issue of the 8th inst. re night storage accommodation. I think if every owner would state the putting-up planes in his district, and also a place for coals and water, it would help the trade a good deal.
I give, with pleasure, those from Manchester to Leeds: five or six miles out, Snipers Inn, Andershaw ; lst miles out, Floating Light Inn, Saddleworth ; our yard, Lintlawaite, room for two (both coals, oil and water can be had here, and there is no charge for storage); '22 miles out, White Horse Inn, Huddersfield (room for a dozen wagons); Three Nuns, Mirfield (room for 40 wa-gons); three miles short of Leeds, Bridge Inn, Wortley. I think if every owner will give 20 miles each side of his door, strangers will have a. better idea where to make for.
I would like to see a few more letters on fuel consumption, miles run, and oil used. I also think it would be a great. benefit if more people were posted up with the owners of wagons who are members of the C.M.U.A., so that, if they had any inquiries for haulage, they could recommend them to inquirers.— Yours faithfully, ALLEN KNIGHT AND CO. Bargate, Linthwaite.
Protection for the Driver.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1496] Sir,--I have been carefully watching correspondence on the above subject, which has manifold interests—(1) humane, (2) mechanical, and (3) profitearning. The first should not be overlooked. Every workman is entitled to a generous thought from his employer, as man to man, and many commercialmotor owners deserve complimenting under this heading. The second point is easily overcome it is a matter of designing something easy to handle, and not likely to blur the driver's view in stormy weather. The cost need only be a few pounds. As to the profitearning valtie of a storm-shield or windscreen, there can he no doubt about it. The device will make the driver think better of his employer ; the work Can he done better, because there is. less discomfort ; and it is an economic fact that service well rendered is more profitable than the work of a sullen and miserable man.
A motor lorry with the name of OrreIl and Son (or Co.), of Parwen, passed me the other day, with a F,ereen that at a passing glance looked very good indeed. If this catches the owners' eyes, will they send particulars and a photo. to the "CM," for the benefit of other men in South Lancashire ?-.Yours. faithfully, "FAIR TO The Shepherd "Easily-tired" Wheel.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1497] Sir,--1 was pleased to note that Mr. Shepherd and myself have found some points in common. At the same time, they are only matters of fact. As Mr. Shepherd says, supposing the wheel to be 1 in. away from the hub flange, this puts the bolts into bending stress, instead of pure shear.
Mr. Shepherd has passed over my remarks on oneline and two-line contact, and he likens his hub and spokes to a cone friction-clutch. I appreciate this point, but think that, due to the road wheels' taking the maximum torque of the transmission, he would find his small hub friction-clutch would have to rely on Ins overhanging bolts for the. greater portion of the drive. Mr. Shepherd again speaks too lightly of 1 in. horizontal displacement on the hub. It is, perhaps, news to him that manufacturers of chain-driven ears invariably raise serious objection to their clients' fitting wider. tires than specified in their catalogues, for the simple reason that wider tires throw more load on the outer ball bearing than their designs were intended to take. A great deal of this trouble is due to the designer's not caring to have his hub caps protrude much beyond the outer edge of the wheel, and often with this point in view the outer bearing is already taking more than its fair share of the load.
The following suggestion might. probably be of sonic value. to Mr. Shepherd, as it practically illuminates the whole of my objections to his wheel in its present form. That is, instead of boring hisspokes tapered, bore them parallel, forming a gap. between the hub and wheel when the wheel is pushed. up against the brake flange, the hub to be left tapered ; turn a ring, the same taper inside as the hub, and parallel outside, the thickness of this ring to be in excess of the resultant gap, and split in one or more places ; then, drive or by other means insert the taperedring expanding the wheel, This would insure the wheel's always being in its proper position relative to the bearing, and would not be difficult to manufacture, or unsightly. The above method is often used when a wheel becomes loose.
With regard to the taper hexagon cones, and " its utter impracticability on manufacturing grounds," I put it to him, if, after turning the hub for the ball bearing—and, in the case of a back wheel, for the brake drum, would it not be an easy matter to mill six flat faces, each about six degrees from the horizontal, also to slot the ends of the spokes where they come in contact with the huh at the same angle? This would compare favourably with the turning necessary on Mr. Shepherd's wheel, and would omit the extra operation of milling the key-ways, and the fittings of the keys.
Again, let us suppose that Mr. Shepherd does not wish his hubs to be unduly large, and so to conform with average practice, the outside diameter of the hub would not be more than 7 in. (equal to a circumference of 22 in.) ; this, divided by six, and deducting .1 in. for gap between spokes, and another h in. for key-way, gives an effective circumferential contact of about 2.6 in. per spoke. Let us also suppose that this is a back wheel, with a diameter inside the tire. of 30 in. ; this gives a spoke length of ll in. Now, has Mr. Shepherd considered the toggle-like action of this arrangement, tending to burst the tire every time the clutch is let in, which is the moment of greatest strain on the driving mechanism Mr. Shepherd, no doubt, would like to know the identity of " Hexagon," but I would point out that knowledge does not always bring happiness. At the same time, I appreciate the compliment be pays rue• in referring so politely to my practical criticism.-- Yours faithfully, " HEXAGON!'