A Fireproof Material
Page 57
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for Body Panels and Floors
IN connect4On with our recent competition for ideas for the promotion of safety in passenger vehicles, we have had an interesting cemmtutication from Turner Brothers Asbestos Co., Ltd., Rochdale, relative to a panel board which it mannfactures. This can be used for lining bulkheads and floorboards. It is interesting to note that the substance in question is the result of two years' research work, undertaken primarily at the instance of one of the largest railway-carriage builders in the court, try.
Features of the board are that it is tough and considerably lighter in weight than 20-gauge iron sheet, being also 10 per cent. lighter than 18-gauge aluminium sheet. It takes paint and enamel very readily and a priming coat is not necessarv. Oxidization under the paint is prevented and the material cannot be affected by atmospheric action. It can be punched and' cut easily and will fit the curved framework of a body, provided the curvature is in one direction only. Under a temperature of 800 degrees F. it will not ignite; it tends to absorb sound, thus making for quiet running.
The price of the material is 9d. per sq. ft. It can be obtained in various thicknesses ; at present tha two most popular are 2 mm. and Tig in. The Maximum sizes are 13 ft. 4 ins. by 3 ft. and 12 ft. by 4 ft. respectively. We took up with the maker the question of the absorption• of liquids. The company pointed out that, after a 48-hour immersion test at the National Physical Laboratory, the.averagepincrease in weight of four samples?was found to b.e 6.3 per cent. The boards tested were not painted; as this class of finish will usually be applied in the case of bus panels, the absorption in practice should be negligible.
The tensile strength proved to be 2 tons per sq.. in., which is' equal to the figure for teak ; pine board gives a reading of 1 ton per sq. in., or oak and aluminium 4 tons per sq. in., Compressibility is 51 per cent, and the yield does not increase in proportion to the applied load. No difficulty need be anticipated with screws coming loose owing to the material yielding under the heads after it is fixed,