Inexpensive Vacuum Loader
Page 62
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QRIGINALLY developed for raising and. conveying milk churns, a hoist produced by, Middleton. Motors, Ltd., Coopers Lane, Northaw, Potters Bar. Middx., can easily be fitted into delivery
vans to aid loading. . .
The apparatus, wh.ch works by vacuum, has a length of 8-in, diameter tube closed at one end and open at the other. The closed end is fitted with a three-way vacuum valve giving raise, lower and hold positions. A piston runs inside the tube and employs a leather cup held against the cylinder wall by a spring expander for its seal. Attached to the piston is a steel cable which can be run on pulleys to the lifting point.
The vacuum to operate the lift is taken either from the inlet manifold of the vehicle engine or, on a vehicle equipped with servo brakes, from the brake line or vacuum reservoir.
When demonstrated to The Commercial Motor, the vacuum supply was taken from one of two inlet manifolds of a Citroen car. This gave 17 in. of vacuum and enabled 180 lb. to be lifted to a height of 4 ft. in about 5 seconds. 1-Tad the unit been connected to the vacuum tank of a vehicle equipped with an exhauster, the available vacuum would have been in the order of 24 in. and it is reasonable to suppose that over 2 cwt. could have been lifted.
It is felt by the inventor that this device would have applications in delivery vans • where heavy objects such as washing machines or refrigerators have to be regularly dealt with by the drivers. It may be fitted to an overhead rail in the roof of a van. By this means, an object may be picked up at the tailboard of the vehicle and then, by pushing the loader along its rail, be carried to the front of the body.
The model giving a 4-ft. lift costs 125.
Tightening Clips DRICED at 3s. 6d., a screwdriver pro
duced by Herbert Terry and Sons, Ltd.. Redditch, for tightening hose clips has a shrouded, bit to prevent slipping of the tool from out of the groove of the screw,
Polyester Resins
IGHT new polyester resins for glassmat reinforced plastics are described in information sheets produced by Bakelite, Ltd., 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.1. The resins include three self-extinguishing types and a new product for the manufacture of translucent rooilight sheeting.
Bearings Tabled
IAA LEAFLET entitled 'Interchangeability Tables for Clutch Withdrawal Bearings, and Fan and Water-pump Bearings," has been published by Pollard Bearings, Ltd., Ferrybridge, Knottingley. it is also available in the form of a pocket book, and lists bearings for British and American engines.
Safety Booklet
P-1. A SAFETY booklet produced by the Express Dairy Co. (London), Ltd., Tavistock Place, London, W.C.I, is offered free by the company to other transport operators. Entitled "All Clear for the Express," it is mainly approrriate, as might be expected, to special hazards involved in dairy transport, hut is worthy of wider notice because of the manner of its presentation.
Sections into vvhich the text is divided relate to safety in the garage, on the loading bank and on the road, as well as with different types of vehicle—battery-electric floats, fork-lift trucks and medium-sized lorries. Of particular value are the illustrations depicting the effects of lack of care, in which respect the company are to be congratulated in showing such pictures as crates toppling off a swerving lorry. These are well staged and put over their message with telling effect.
Emphasis is laid on the need for care when reversing. An analysis of accidents showed that in a year of 426 accidents, 130 were caused by vehicles reversing and colliding with stationary objects.