PATENTS SUMMARIZED.
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A K.W. Impulse Starter:
The K.W. Ignition Co. was one of the first to recognize the importance of fitting an impulse starter to aid. ea,sy starting, and. they have for some ti-the 'marketed magnetoa embodying this fitting.
In patent specification No. -to5,3g8 5s described the latest form -of the dev,ice as fitted •jayathat concern. The drive gear to theMagneto pperates through a spring, vishich normally • takes-up the position as illustrated inour drawing. -The longei ,of the two springs shown is the important one, the short one only acting as a .buffer. TWo pins are shown, one at either -end of the spring; the shaded one is attached to the magn'eto apindle, the other is se_cur‘d to tldfivlug coupling. Above the coupling is the
pawl-mad-latch mechanism, which operates the impulse. gear.
When about. to start, the latch is lifted and the pawl allowed to engage with one of the notdhes-in the coupling. The mag, net() arniature:,shaft is thus helOistatiOnaiy while the spring is compressed The pa -W1 is t-laen,litted by one of the.projections on the coupling, and the armature, actirir, under the additional pressure put
on by the released spring, revolves at high speed, thus producing a good spark for starting.
• Balance Ploughs.
It is a-peculiar feature of English agricultural practice that it varies considerably according to the locality. The balance plough, for example, is particularly favoured for general use in the county of Kent, so much ..so that it is frequently called the Kent plough. • •
The adaptation of the motor tractor for use with a plough of the balance type is under Consideration by many 'inventors.' Patent No. 111,264, by D. Y. Whtatley, of Bythe, Kent,refers to a two-wheeled tractor, with a four-share4lOugh• of the Kent or balance type attached.
The two wheels of the traetor are intended to . ran, one in the furrow, the other on the land, and the necessary Mechanism for correcting the heights of the _ wheels is incorporated. The machine ,may he controlled from either end. :
A Caterpillar .Track Improve . ' ment.
A recent improV.ernent_ in connection with the construction of caterpillar traCks is registered under No. .111,242, by Caterpillar -Tractors,SLtd. It is stated to be particularly adapted for use With lighter types of tractor.
It embodies a three-point suspension between the trucks which run, on tbe
track and the main frame. Moreover,the • connection between each a thee° trucks and the frame is a flexible one. •
In the design which forme the subject, of the present patent the front end of the main trarn-. is carried on a single bearing, which is carried on a crossbar, itself sup 1
ported by shackles from .the trucks. The rear end of each truck frame carries a compressible helical spring, upon which rests the Tear end of the main frame. In this fashion is the three-point suspension attained... To .prevent rocking or lateral motion of the main.frame, a pair of standards are erected on the trucks.
The rear sprockets are the driving ones. They'are' connected to the ti ticks by coupling rods, which serve also as pullrods, by which the main tractor is pulled along by the trucks. The forward
sprockets are idlers. They are carried on the trucks, and are adjustable so that whenthe chains become slackas the re sult of wear, theymay be tightened up. ,
• Reducing the Compression . . Pressure.
When using paratfin,in a petrol engine it is frequently advantageous to reduce the compression pressure, This may he accomplished by increasing the volume of the combustion chamber. H. Garner, of Birmingham, has invented an improvol method of carrying this out; it is described in specification NO. 110,657. Its special features are that the compression pressure may be altered easily.
A special hollow valve cap provides the additional space, ard this is closed at the cylinder end by means of a diaphragm. Communication between the cylinder and the inside of the valve cap is through, a small hole in the diaphragm. When the engine rani slowly there is time for the* valve can to b.e filled with the compressed gases, and its inthaence as on the compreasiofi pressure is fully eXerted. When the speed increases, the reduction in pressure is not 60 great,'owing to the fact that the gaseS have net time to escape into the' interior c the valve cap.