Ipswich Read er Wins Prize
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THIS week's prizewinner is Mr. P. H. I Smith, of Kesgrave, nr. Ipswich, Suffolk. His modification is designed to enable the rear platform of an AEC Mercury tractive unit to be removed in the minimum amount of time by one fitter.
When the Mercury is delivered hew, the rear platform is held in position by 12 0.25 in. bolts and nuts, the nuts being under the top chassis side member flanges —six on either side. The nuts are difficult to undo, because of the various air and vacuum pipes and tanks and so forth on the inside of the chassis. At present it is a two-man job to remove the platform.
The modification is as follows. First remove the platform by the normal twoman method. The platform has eight holes in the top alloy plate, to allow a socket to pass through onto the holding bolts. Drill out four of the holes to tin. diameter—two of them diagonally opposite on either side of the platform top plate, the other two are dit the extreme opposite ends of the platform and can best be cut into a wide Vee shape with a small hacksaw. Drill out to 0.3125 in. clearance, the holes in the angle irons on the underside of the platform to correspond with the 1 in. holes in the top plate.
c 10 Next drill out six of the original holes in the chassis side member top flanges to 0.3125 in. clearance, three holes on either side. The remaining holes are countersunk, using a 0.5 in. drill.
Then cut six lengths of I in. by 0.25 in. mild steel flat bar into 3 in. lengths. Mark off 2.25 in. centres on the 3 in. lengths, and drill 0.3125 in. and 0.25 in. clearance respectively. Bronze weld a 0-3125 in. BSF nut to coincide with the 0.3125 in. clearance hole. Repeat the process on the remaining bars. Using 0.25 in. countersunk setscrews, fit the lengths of 3 in. bar to the underside of the side member top flange. Place the platform in position on the chassis and bolt down using 0-3125 in. by 1.5 in. setscrews. The time needed to complete this modification is approximately 2.5 hours. Materials needed are: 18 in. of tin, by 0'251n. mild steel flat bar; six 0.3125 in. by 1-5 in. BSF setscrews; and six 0.25 in. BSF or Whitworth by 1 in. countersunk set-screws.
'When this modification is used one man can remove the platform in less than five minutes. It is also much easier to work on the silencer assembly—with the platform removed it is unnecessary to use an inspection pit, thus leaving valuable pit space for other jobs.
Comments Handyman: I could not agree more regarding the time lost in removing tractor eat-walk or platform---and this applies to several makes.