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From Drivers and Mechanics.

24th April 1913, Page 23
24th April 1913
Page 23
Page 23, 24th April 1913 — From Drivers and Mechanics.
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY is paid for the best communication received, and one penny a line of ten words for anything else published, with an allowance for photographs.

Workshop tips and smart repairs; long and succen...sful rens: interesting photographs ;all are suitable snbjects. We will knock your letters into shape and will 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 only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither yoev own nor your employer's name will be disclosed. Payment will be made immediately after Publication. Address your letters to The Editor. THE CO5DIERCIAL MOTOR, 7-15, Rosebery

Annual Bonuses are given to the most successful contributors.

A Greaser for a Head-Lamp Repair.

The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.

[1255] " F.G.W." (Welling) writes :—" I had quite a lot of trouble with the filter chamber at the base of a very old oval-shaped lamp on one of the vans .belonging to the company by which I am employed. I got very sick of the trouble caused, and determined to dispense altogether with the filter. As I was pressed for time, however, and my employers did not see their way to incur any expense, I was forced to make a repair with odd fittings gathered up from various parts of the shop. " I found an old greaser about 2 in. in diameter, and this had a long shank. The threaded end of the shank was first cut off, and the end was bored out to allow of the burner tube being sweated in. The original base of the greaiser was next reduced, trimmed up, and shaped to the contour of the lamp bottom. The other end was in its turn bored out to allow the ingress of a brass elbow, which was, in

cidentally, originally a greaser itself. This elbow formed the connection, through a short piece of copper piping, with the gas pipe.

"The bottom of the lamp was cleaned and tinned, and the shaped portion of the new adaptor brazed to the bottom on the outside. The brass elbow, of course, was sweated in at the same heating. Passages were cleared by means of a drill. The burner tube was brazed in at the top, and a short length of copper tube at the opposite end of the fitting was placed in position, and served to take the gas pipe. "The whole job is now very strong, and it is impossible for a fool of a driver to cause trouble through trying to take out brass-threaded connections."

A Steam Wagon Criticism,

[1256] "N. L." (Aylesbury) writes :—" With reference to the Editorial in your issue dated 20th March, p. 43, entitled The Claims of Steam,' I am at a loss to understand why the makers of the Foden wagon followed tractor practice so closely, especially in regard to the driving arrangements. Even the steering wheel is placed on the opposite side to that adopted by every other English maker. In my

i

opinion, the steering and driving should be n charge of one man, and that this can be easily done, is proved by the success attending the practice on the steam wagon of the side-fired over-type. For economical reasons in running, it seems to me that the space at the back of the firebox reserved for the driver in the Foden wagon is just valuable room wasted. The sidefired wagon can have a wheelbase about 18 in. shorter than the Foden, and yet a longer boiler can be employed. The driving chain, also, can be shorter. The driver seated on the right or off side of the firebox is better situated for noticing the road ahead and for passing traffic, though I grant that an exceptionallypowerful footbrake is required when he is so located. " If the suggestions I have outlined were followed, a fire door and a• bunker could be fitted on each side, so that the driver or his mate could fire, as was most convenient. In conclusion, I may remark that although every type of steam wagon is very hot to drive in the summer months, the wagons of the Paden type are amongst the worst."

(Yet the Foden is so popular.—Ee.;

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