For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 25
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A PRIZE OF YEN SHILLTIV GS is awarded each week to the sender of the best letter which we publish on this pegs; all others are paid for at the rate of a penny a line, with an allowance for photographs. All notes are edited before being published. Mention your employer's name, in confidence, as evidence of good faith. Address, D., M. and' F., "The Commercial Motor," 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C. 1.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, December 6th, light your iamps at 4.21 in London, 4.12 in Edinburgh, 4.16 in Newcastle, 4.26 in Liverpool, 4.25 in Birmingham,.4.31 in Bristol, and 5.9 in Dublin.
A Simple WindscreenCleaner.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
[2,034] " .T.W." (Leeds) writes :—" Now that better provision for the comfort of the drives in bad weather is becoming general, particularly in the way of better protection from rain and wind, it behoves the driver to take the best care of the accessories which are provided with that end in view, not only with the idea of keeping them in as good order as possible, but also with the idea of utilizing them to the full.
Take windscreens, for example. These are becoming a standard fitting on lorries now, and they are undoubtedly an improvement, from every point of view upen the old-fashioned methods, which generally involved the use of a piece of tarpaulin, and a discarded piece at that, together with a liberal helping of string.
" A windscreen, like most of the blessings of this life, has its undoubted drawbacks, and it becomes, unless properly cared for, a source of trouble on just those occasions when its need is most urgently felt, namely, when it is raining or snowing. In the former circumstances, it is possible to keep the glass free from rain drops by the use of one or other of the chemical compounds which are sold for that express purpose, and which attain their object by greasing the surface of the glass and thus making it difficult for the rain drops to stay on the surface. Snow, however, is not BO easily dealt with, and the driver in a snowstorm is, more often than not, driven to opening the screen entirely and putting up with the discomforts of the weather, rather than rim the risk of an accident owing to his not being,able to see' where he is going. What is wanted is a simple device for cleaning the glass quickly and with a minimum of effort. I have devised, made and used such a tool, and have found it to be satisfactory both in the case of rain and snow.
"The sketch which I enclose is almost self-explanatory. [We have had it redrawn.—ED.1 The material required is about 5 ft. 6 ins, of steel or hard brass wire, preferably the latter,, as it is not so likely to rust, and 2 ft. of rubber tubing, which must be Di fairly tight fit upon the wire. Bend the wire first in the form of a square cornered U, with the base about 6 ins. wide. At a point 1 ft, from the base of the U double the legs back upon themselves (see sketch). Cut the rubber tube into two equal parts, daub the ends of the wire for a distance of a foot from each end with -rubber solution and push the tubing on, one piece to each leg. The cleaner should be slipped into place over the windscreen as shown on the sketch, and should fit so that the rubber presses hard on the surface of the glass—the outside surface, of course.. A single to and fro movement of the cleaner during a rain or snow storm will be found very efficacious in keeping the screen in a fit state for use."
To Avoid Leaking Tubes.
[2,035] " ILL." (Plaistow) writes:—" If there is one thing above all others from which a steamer suffers, it is leaking tuber. Yet if a little care and forethought be exercised, it is a trouble which should very seldom occur. The following are the kinds of things which cause tubes to leak.
"It sometimes occurs that steam happens to be low at the same time as the driver observes that the water in the boiler is ditto: He probably then, unthinkingly, turns the cold water into the boiler, at the same time opening the blower in order to get up steam. Result, in nine •cases out of ten: Leaky tubes. The proper procedure is to get steam up gently, and this can best be accomplished by putting the gears in neutral, and allowing the engine to turn over slowly and thus pull up the steam by the aid of the draught caused by the exhaust.
"Another time, on a fairly long journey, the driver may wish to pick up water. So soon as-he stops he will, as a rule, start to fill up the boiler and make up the fire while his mate is lifting down the hose and dropping it into the stream or pond from which he is going to get his supply. He will then ;start to lift up the water into the tank and may have, say, injector trouble. In thypeantime the water level in the boiler has dropped again and tho steam pressure has come down. On goes the. b/ower, and into the boiler goes a fresh supply of cold water again, and bang goes another tube or two.
Misuse of ferrules is another fruitful cause of trouble. Many 'drivers seem to he under the impression that these useful fittings are there solely to prevent leakage, and they belabour them unmercifully at times in the hope of improving matters in this regard. Now, although ferrules are very useful as preventors of leakage, their main duty is that of protecting the tubes from being burnt by the fire. Finally, a word to younger drivers who may be caught out one of these fine days with tubes leaking so badly that the wagon is hardly able to proceed. Throw out the fire altogether, and let the engine stand for about half-an-hour. Then get up a good( fire as quickly as you can. The result will be that the tubes will tale up again in a way that is surprising, the first time it is experienced. I have sometimes known tubes, temporarily cured in this manner, to stand good for several days."