The Master Patch, and Other Things.
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The Patch.
The Master Patch, on which we have already favourably reported upon several occasions, and which, in the form in which it first appeared, proved of much use to a member of our staff, has lately undergone some slight improvement. Difficulties, we understand, had been encountered, in endeavouring to secure uniformity of the material used for backing these patches. This had cotton as a basis, and uniformity, as a matter of fact, was found to be difficult of attainment. The patches are now made of rubber throughout, and there is consequently more flexibility in the patch, and it is thus better enabled to accommodate itself to any elasticity of the tube.
Some New Lines.
This reference to the Master Patch is, in a sense, by the way. We happened to meet Mr. Robinson, of Gerrard and Co, and he informed us that he had several items of interest to our readers, which he would be pleased to display to us if we could find time to call round at 15-19, Great Titchfield street, W. 1. Bearing in mind the very useful sidecar and parcelAr experiences with this company's tire-repair outfit, we decided that we could not do better than pay an early visit and examine the new lines in which the company is now interesting itself.
Not Competitive.
We found these to be somewhat varied in style, having, however, one feature in common„ that they are not what might be described as popular accessories. We were, in fact, informed by Mr. Robinson that his company is endeavouring for the time to concentrate on such articles as, whilst being undoubtedly extremely useful, are not yet being handled to any great extent by business houses in this country. We suggested that the patch itself was hardly an item to which this stricture would apply, and the response was to the effect that, once used, the Master Patch was without a competitor.
• An Oil.-less Searing.
However this may be undoubtedly it is a fact that die new branches' of activity are actually concerned with almost entirely novel items. The Master Bearing, for example, strikes us as being an extremely useful fitting. It is one for which we forecast an extremely wide use. .4; This is a. bearing of which we have heard mu& from the United States, whence it emanates. Its outstanding feature is that once fitted it needs no lubrication. The shaft, or spindle runs in a bearing which is actually made of graphite-impregnated asbestos compressed into place under an extremely high'pressure. The utility of such aibearing in any class of machinery is apparent. Its especial usefulness in connection with4the,:motor vehicle, and particularly the commercial motor; is strikingly self-evident. By displacing the present style of bush by this bearing,the need for a score or so of grease cups per lorry willkvanish. The driver's only care in respect of lubrication will be to pour thesrequisite quantities of oil into the 'engine, gearbox and crankcase filling apertures. The spring-pin bushes, the steering-rod bushes, thebrake-rod bushes and similar bearings will henceforward, when the use of Master Bearings becomes general, cease to exist so far as any need for lubrication is concerned.
Laminum.
The next striking item, which will appear in the company's new catalogue, is known by the curious
name of Laminum. As its name almost implies, this is a material for shims for main engine bearings and connecting rod bearings, or for other portions of mechanism where a certain amount of wear may from time to time have to be taken up. This material normally exists in the form of sheets, each sheet being made up of a number of laminations varying in thickness, according to requirements, from two to three thousandths of an inch. Alternatively the sheets may be partly solid and partly laminated. This laminated material may be stamped out in any special shape or designa required, as, for example, in the shape of the end of a connecting rod with the
necessary bolt holes. Its utility will be apparent when it is first desired to take up a slight amount of wear in a part where Laminum has been applied. With a penknife one or more sheets of the material may be .removed, so that any amount of P wear from one fivehundredth of an inch upwards, increasing by one five-hundredth of an inch, may be removed.
Free Tire Inflation.
It is perhaps a, far cry from
engine bearingstire inflation. This, however,is the operation which is performed by the next interesting item on the list. We refer to the Lectroflater. This is, so far as we are aware, an entirely novel introduction to the English market, and consists of a. small self-contained electrio-motor airpump.. complete with cooler and pressure gauge, together with suitable lengths of hose piping and electric flex. It is possible to inflate a large car tire to any reasonable pressure for a small fraction of a penny. Such service, as is well known' would be willingly paid for by the majority of car or van users. The garage man, to whom this tool appeals as much as
anyone, will find perhaps that as a Paying proposition it had better be installed and utilized to give this service free to customers. The managers of big stores, sach, for example, as Harrods, Selfridges, etc., will also no doubt find some justification for having such a pump and attendant handily situated near to their most imposing show window or main. entrances. The rendering of free service of this kind and the general spread of the knowledge that it was available would without doubt have the effect of increasing the interest in the premises and Introducing probable Custoiners.
The machine is •supplied in several forms. At the present time, the most useful is undoubtedly the plain pump and motor complete with aocessories, which may be either carried on a steel bracket • or so placed that it can be moved about as occasion requires. In , its other style the machine is carried on a small movable platform.
A Portable Electric Drill.
Of partie' ular interest to works managers, garage proprietors, agents, etc., is the Master portable
-drill. This is neatly designed and can be readily used in corners or close up to what otherwise might prove to be obstructions.. The main portions of the casing is of aluminium, and the weight in all is much .,,below the average. • A par.ticulaa)lleature is the extreme simplicity of its operation. The pulh mg of a trigger either starts or stops the drill. it is supplied' complete with sell-centering chuck and with either handle or breast-plate.
A Speed Controller for Converted Touring Cars.
Bearing in mind the comparatively large number of converted touring cars which are in use on the road as goods-carrying vehicles, and that such machines are normally rated to run at a speed much higher than is advisable when carrying a dead load considerably above the capacity of the machine as constructed, it will be agreed that some method of limiting the maximum speed is desirable. The obvious method of overcoming this difficulty is by the fitting of a governor.
Such a one, handily adapted for fitting to existing vehicles is the ,Pierce controller. This may be attached so that it is driven from the engine and thus limits the maxi
Intuit speed of the engine and also the maximum rate of speed when on top, or it may be driven from the propeller shaft or wheel hubs as in the case of a speedometer. If the latter ,arrangenient be adopted, better facilities are afforded for using. the power of the engine on the 194 gears than' with the former or more popular example. When this governor is in position it is int, possible for the driver to tamper with it, and it may be set from time to time by the owner and locked and sealed after resetting.
Not Forgetting the Ford Van.
The Ford owner has not been neglected-it would be strange if he had. Gerrard and Co., has• secured the sole agency for a useful type of shock absorber. This, as is illustrated, is a conical, hellcat spring, which is bolted at one end to the standard Ford road springs and takes a bearing at its other end on a toggle lever, Which is part and parcel of the spnng shackle.
Others Beside.
Space forbids our going into details of one or two other items,' such, for example, as the milling fitment. which converts an ordinary lathe into -a universal milling machine. Another line of interest