The Industry in Central Europe.
Page 9
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Important Ploughing Test—A " Mixed " Fire-engine—A Foreign Order.
By Our Own Correspondent In Berlin.
Ploughing with Rotary Cutters.
At the suggestion of Messrs. Heinrich Lanz and Co., of Mannheim, whose motorplough system was recently illustrated in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, a special committee, consisting of members of the Prussian Ministry of Agriculture, the German Agricultural Society and other specialists, has been constituted for studying, over a period of five years, the condition of various soils tilled by the agency of the self-propelled unit with rotary cutters. One may infer that the great Mannheim firm, who have a reputation to lose, will not occupy themselves much with the sale of their system until the committee has made its report, since this report w ill doubtless contain suggestive material for guiding the firm in effecting improvements.
Vienna's Fine New Fire-engines.
Unlike the Berlin Corporation. which has exclusively adopted electric propulsion for its fire-engines proper, the Vienna municipality is giving a trial to the "mixed " system, and I forward an illustration of the first vehicle delivered, together with a brief description of its salient points, tinder the bonnet lies the petrol-electric plant, the dynamo being in front of the internal-combustion engine and in rigid connection with it. The petrol engine represents the AustroDaimler Gesellschaft's four-cylinder long-stroke type, which, at 1200 r.p.m., gives a brake-power of 60. It will be noticed that hub-electromotors are the immediate cause of propulsion, and these were also made in the Gesellschaft' s shops. As is the case with the hub-motors. the dynamo is so constructed that the outwardly-mounted armature revolves for the purpose of serving as flywheel to the petrol engine, the magnet-star, mounted inside, being fixed to a steel bracket, that forms at the same time the forward crossmember. The starting contrivance of the petrol engine is carried forward, in the usual way, through the hollow axle of the magnet-star. A feature of the cooling apparatus is a fan-wheel attached to the dynamo's cover opposite the engine. Thanks to its favourable position for protection against heat from motor or exhaust, as well as to the cooling arrangements in general, the dynamo could be reduced in weight to below 5 ewt. It has six poles, and automatically adjusts itself to the various working conditions by means of a patent magnetic-field governor, whereby the engine's load remains constant in
spite of variations in the strength of the current. To assist in exciting the field at starting, there is a small battery, which takes up the necessary charge on the run. The chassis possesses two mechanical brakes, operated by foot and hand respectively, the action of the foot also switching off the current to the hub-motors. A 12-volts battery,
placed under a seat, supplies current for illumination. At the rear end of the petrol engine is a doublecone coupling for effecting the operation of a rotary pump marketed as the "Rag," which can deliver some 265 gallons of water a minute, under a pressure of 15 atmospheres. In full working order, but without pump, the chassis turns the scale at 53 cwt. 16 lb.
A Russian Government Travelling Workshop.
A Saurer automobile repair workshop, sold to the Russian Government War Office mainly for the purpose of rapidly proceeding to the scene of disabled aeroplanes, but also fitted for automobile repairing generally, is of a type which presents several points of interest. Its chassis embodies the usual features of the firm's newest 4-ton type, with an engine of 30 h.p. and giving a top speed of 15 miles an hour. This rate of travelling is high compared with the entire weight of the vehicle, which turns the scale at 7 tons. The side bodypanels as well as the rear one, it will be noticed, account for the space half-way up, and arc hinged so as to flap down and form a three-side extension of the permanent floor, which carries a collection of machine tools and plant. sailcloth-screens and a drop-sailcloth respectively occupy the upper parts of the lateral and rear space between platform and roof.
The repairing equipment comprises some up-to-date apparatus. For instance, there is a direct-current dynamo of 115 volts, driven by belt through the agency of a patent transmission-shaft mounted between the petrol engine and the gearbox, easily disengaged by an expansion roller. Near the dynamo is a cupboard for tools. Amongst other things is an electric-driven lathe, with a working length of nearly 2 ft. 6 in. ; a small electricdriven shaping machine ; a ribbonsaw worked by hand, pedal, or mechanical power ; a fast-running drill for boring holes up to 15 millimetres; an acetylene-oxygen apparatus for welding ; a carpenter's bench, with wooden and iron vices ; and a portable anvil, etc.