For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 21
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A PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS is awarded each week to the sender of the best letter which we publish on this pap.. all others are paid for at the rate ol a penny a tine, with an allowance for photographs. All notes are edited before being iJublished. Mention your employer's name. in Confidence. as evidence of good faith. Address, D., Al. and F., "The Commercial Motor," 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C. 1.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, 30th November, light your lamps at 4.24 in London, 4.43 in Edinburgh, 4.12 in Newcastle, 4.26 in Liverpool, 4.27 in Birmingham, 4.34 in Bristol, and 5.12 in Dublin.
A Universal Clamp.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 108. prize this week.
[19-20] " P.S.A." (Westminster) writes :—" Having had considerable experience of the use and maintenance of Cornmer Cars, I beg to compliment a recent contributor to your D., M. and F. page on his design of valve-cap spanner. I am sure there will now be many readers who will be engaged upon mak ing for themselves a similar tool. Realization of the value of that contribution to your D., M. and F.' page suggested to me the advisability of making public in the same manner one or two gadgets which have occurred to me in the course of very many years of experience in connection with commercial motors. At one period I had charge of a fleet which included chassis of various types and different designs. in consequence, whenever I had occasion to remove a sprocket, brake drum, or other similar part calling for the Use of a clamp or other tool of like nature, in order successfully to perform the operation, I found that I had not a. tool of the right size for the job, and also, owing to the variety of types which formed the fleet. I should have had to have kept a large stock of clamps in order to be ready to meet an emergency of this kind. I therefore went to the trouble of designing an adjustable and universal clamp. This proved extremely satisfactory, meeting all my requirements for that type of tool. "The sketch herewith [We have had it redrawn.— En.] is' I hope and believe, sufficient to enable any reader to make a similar one for himself without any very long description. As first made, it consisted of a crossbar, a 'main central screw with a round head and tommy holes, two legs, and theyins by which these legs were pivoted to the crossbar. Experience of its use, however, soon convinced me that a little addition was necessary in order to prevent the legs of the tool from spreading when an unusually heavy strainwas put upon them, and for this purpose made a couple of plates, which were kept up against the sides of the legs by means of a couple of lengths al stud iron, suitably disposed as shown in the sketch, It will be realized that this clamp, besides being adjustable for all sizes of.wheel, can also • be used whether it is tmore desirable to grip the part internally or externally. Also, owing to the fact that the legs can be slipped into position before they are coupled to the crossbar, it -can frequently be used. where it would not be possible to insert an ordinary fixed clamp.
"The apparatus itself is simply made, but goodclass materials should be usedior it. For the crosspiece and the legs I used good mild steel, but the central screw was of nickel steel. One point which is perhaps not quite so clear on the sketch as it might be, but which is important, is that the thread of the central screw should be a square thread and not a V thread. With the latter there is a great tendency for the bolt to bind in the nut, thus materially increasing the force necessary to remove any stubborn part."
Repair to a Broken Radius Rod.
[1921] " P.S." (Newhaven) writes :—" Rscently the radius rod of one of our steam wagons buckled, and, on being straightened, it broke. A neat repair was effected by shrinking into place a piece of steel tubing which we had in stock, and which, fortunately, happened to he the right size and correct bore for the purpose. It occurs to me that the accompanying sketch [Which we have had redrawn.—En.] might be of interest to your readers, and, further, I should point out that had we not,happened to have a piece of tubing in stock the right size, I should have effected the repair by slitting in halves a piece slight:IF larger, hammering it round to fit, the rod and riveting in place, as was done with the other when it had been shrunk on. A supplementary pair. of clips, round this split tubing, would make the repair more reliable."
[The lot of many drivers in the winter is an unenviable one, unprotected as some of them are from the elements by windscreen or stormproof sheet. We have seen on several occasions evidence of individual ingenuity expended in an endeavour to provide an additional measure of comfort and protection, and feel sure that some of the readers of this page have interesting ideas for the alleviation of the drivers' task during the winter months. We shall be pleased to receive their suggestions in letter form for publication on this page.—En.]