Passing Comments

26th September 1952, Page 66

26th September 1952

Page 66

Page 67

Page 66, 26th September 1952 — Passing Comments

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Works Visits by Owners SHAREHOLDERS in various companies seldom

have opportunities of learning much about these except by reading the annual reports. Even the annual general meetings at which those who control the destinies of these companies can be seen in person are normally sparsely attended, unless those • holding the shares have some particular grievance to ventilate.

A feeling is growing, however, that the people who largely own public companies should. have an opportunity of learning more about the work-done by them and be afforded opportunities of visiting production centres in cases where manufactures are concerned. In some cases, therefore, companies are B3z organizing parties of shareholders to visit their works, and where convenient such visits usually take place on the same dates as the annual meetings.

This seems to be an excellent system and is calculated to give shareholders more than a mere financial interest.

A Spirit "Steam" Engine H0W many of our readers have seen, or even heard of, the " naphtha " engines used at one time for Propelling small boats on the rivers and lakes of Canada? A fairly light spirit was heated in a form of boiler consisting of many turns of copper tube and the resulting gas drove a curious type of engine with several cylinders in each of which was

a ringless piston resting on, but not attached to, the ball-end of a connecting rod. The big-end was hinged at its base and locked around the crankshaft journal by a splitpin. After passing through the cylinders, the spirit was recondensed and returned to the boiler. Thus the spirit and gas were in a permanently closed circuit, resembling the principle employed in many refrigerators.

Avoiding Backward Running . . .

A DIFFICULTY often experienced with Oil engines is due to their characteristic of being able to run backwards almost as readily as forward; but this is no attribute-and presents disadvantages, such as the blowing of oil-vapour from the air filters. It happens usually if k vehicle or tractor stops on a hill and. begins to run back in gear,. but has caused collisions in bus service, The • method now employed by the

Simms concern is to modify the contour of the cams of the injection pump so that the fuel is not available at the point where this action might occur. This does not appear to have any deleterious effect at speeds up to the highest normally employed.

Another point emphasized by the same concern is that if an engine be not run for some time, great care should be taken to avoid corrosion in the injection pump. The main portion should be kept full of oil and the cam box, etc., protected with special anticorrosive lubricant.

Inefficient Maintenance?

THERE.was a young man of Thermopylae, Whose vehicles behaved most impropylae, When.climbingup hills

They revealed all their ills And on level ground rattled most flopylae.