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Opinions from Others.

30th March 1916, Page 18
30th March 1916
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Page 18, 30th March 1916 — Opinions from Others.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Suggested Similarity Between the Albion and Clyde Chassis; Letters from the Makers of Both. A Motorbus Company's Petrol.

PETROL SHORTAGE AND LACK OF STORAGE TANK.

The Editor, THB COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[1605] Sir,—We are much disturbed about. our petrol supply, and shall be glad to have your assistance and information thereon.

We have a contract with Messrs. The AngloAmerican Oil Co., Ltd., until the end of 1916. We have been unable to obtain our usual regular supplies, and cannot get any definite information as to tho future. Our motorbus service has in consequence had-to be suspended for a .'.ew days until we had another small consignment from them, as we have no storage tank.

Our case is one of unusual hardship. As we have no storage tank, we should have the privilege of having our regular supply. Take the case of the bus companies with large storage tanks of 1000 gallons or so, they are in a much better position to stand fluctuations in delivery, consequently their stock seldom drops below 500 gallons.---Yours faithfully, THE LOUGHBOROUGH ROAD CAR CO.,_ 0. RALLS, Manager.

The following reply was received by our correspondents from the Leicester Branch Manager of the Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd. :—

"We mush regret that owing to abnormal conditions respecting transportation and shortage of labour, we have found it impossible to supply your requirements of spirit for the last few weeks. Last week we gave you a good proportion of the small supply we had to hand, and as we have another car in transit, we shall take the first opportunity of giving you further supplies on arrival. The situation as acute, hut we are trusting the difficulties will shortly be overcome.'

THE ALBION AND THE CLYDE.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

H6061 Sir,—With reference to the description of the Clyde thee-ton chassis given in . your issue of 9th March, it appears to us the designer of this model has been rather scarce of original ideas. On looking over the illustrations given in your paper, we find many points of great similarity to Albion design, among which we would particularly mention :— (a) The actuating gear for change-speed portion of gearbox, " the substantial dog clutches" having been a special feature of Albion gearboxes for a great number of years.

(b) The foot brake appears to be an exact facsimile of the Albion, both in our three-ton model and our lighter models.

(c) The differential gear also appears to be similar to the Albion.

While, of course, imitation is the sincerest flattery, we observe no reference is made in the article to the similarity to Albion practice, although we note with interest that you state: " There is a little in the detailed construction which may be described as strikingly original. The aim of the maker seems to have been that of proceeding along well-defined lines." From the other illustrations in the article, there are a number of other points which show a, want of originality, but we think some credit should be given to the source of their inspiration.—Yours

faithfully, ALBION MOTOR CAR CO., LTD.

[The above letter was submitted to Mackay and Jardine. Ltd., before publication in order to give the blinder of the Clyde chassis an (ippon tunity to reply in the saute issue, should this be desired. The reply is

produced herewith.—ED.J

THE CLYDE MAKER'S REPLY.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[1607] Sir,—We are surprised to note the contents of letter sent you by Messrs. The Albion Motor Car Co. with reference to our three-ton Clyde chassis, in which they say that "it appears to them that the designer has been rather scarce of original ideas."

We think that the Albion Co. should be the last firm in the world to throw a Stone at anyone in this respect.

Unlike them, we have never claimed to be the originators of mechanical devices which have been in use for a. generation or more.

It is our boast that, in the main' we have only has, (with improvements) what as, by long experience, been proved to be the best in commercialmotor construction.

In some cases we have improved, and in others simplified, the designs, and have also embodied a few novel features, such as our brake (Patent No. 23169/14

The result is that we hold that we have now a chassis second to none, not excepting the Albion.

On looking over the different Albion gearbox designs, one is confused by their number, and it would be difficult indeed to avoid approximating to same of them. For instance : their 15 cwt. gearbox for worm drive back axle ; their one-ton gearbox with double reduction to bevel-drive back axle ; their 30 cwt. gearbox with double differential gear and side chains ; their two-ton gearbox with worm-driven differential and side chains ; their 3-4 ton gearbox with single crown wheel and bevel and jack-in-thebox differential with side chains. All these gearboxes are quite different to ours, and they all contain some sliding gears, and some of them have two countershafts which are both entirely absent in ours.

(a) Our actuating gear for the change-speed portion of the gearbox is of entirely different principle and design to the Albion. We enclose photos. Dog clutches have been in use for over a century in connection with engineering, and are used on almost every make of car for top speed. The Albion, Co. surely do not claim to be the originator.

(b) Their foot brake is of the loco type which was applied to the earliest locomotive, and adopted by the De Dion Co. to their earliest type of car. Is it possible that they claim to be originators of this also ?

(c) We are not certain, whether the Albion Co. or the Milnes-Daimler were the first to use the two crown wheels and pinions for the differential. We think it was the latter, but the principle is a very good one.

We do not agree with their last paragraph, for even a novice could distinguish any and all of the-different parts which they have claimed to be of great similarity.

They have no just cause, therefore, to be flattered, as we owe them nothing for our inspiration which has simply been due to praetical experience.

In conclusion,

ONE HEARS—That the Albion Co. are now testing a 3-ton worm drive axle,

and ONE WoNnBas—From which source they got

their belated inspiration. Was it DENNIS

Yours faithfully, Wishaw. MACKAY AND JARDINE, LTD.

AGRIMOTORS AND STATE AID FOR THEIR PURCHASE.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[1608] Sir,—I have read your article on motor ploughs in THE COMMERdIAL MOTOR of 16th March.

Your remarks about the Board of Agriculture (Scottish) advancing the cost of 2190 to Scottish Agricultural Associations are in order and they stipulate that it must be a Wyles motor plough, as that proved to be the best implement for farmers at the Highland and Agricultural Society's trials in 19M at Stirling and Inverness.

I have sold two of these motor ploughs to the West Lothian Agricultural Food Production Committee ; these are let out on hire at 15s. per acre. Every farmer who has had the use of them is highly pleased with their work, and they do not think the charge too high. Before this awful war started an incoming tenant farmer who had any ploughing done for him had to pay 12s. 6d. per week, and now look at the advanced prices of corn, hay, straw, and ploughmen's wages.

I took up the agency for this plough in December, 1914, and at my first demonstration in Roxburghshire I was offered a contract to plough 300 acres in Perthshire at 21s. per acre, but eould not take it on, owing to being booked up for demonstrations in different counties. At these trials I booked more ploughs than headquarters could turn out, for Want of labour. I have got Wyles motor ploughs working in the following counties : Roxburgh, Berwick, Haddington, Linlithgow, Stirling, Fife, Forfar, and one tn Co. Meath (Ireland). I sold one to Mr. koLaren, factor to the Right Hon. Earl of Rosebery (Dahneny), and met Mr. S. Sinclair, the home farm manager, last Wednes.day at Edinburgh Corn Mart and he said the plough was working first-class and doing better than tlje. ordinary swing ploughs. I. might mention that a number of county agricultural societies were going to purchase ploughs from me, but I could not give delivery in time, as all orders are given out in rotation, and, as already explained, the Board of Agriculture will (mil, give grants for the Wyles motor plough.

Thanking you for your article of the 16th.—Yours

faithfully, F. W. USMAR.

[Our correspondent will see, from a paragraph on page 92'a, that the Scottish Board of Agriculture is apparently giving facilities for other makes of agrimotor as well as the Wvles.—End NO EFFECTIVE NON-SKID AVAILABLE.

Tile Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR 116091 Sir,—Despatch from the Front No. '79 contains useful information and criticism. My experience on public service and commercial supply work confirms absolutely the paragraphs relating to radiators.

The criticism, however, with which I am most in sympathy is that relating to non-skids, and which is headed "Wanted Effective Non-skids."

During the past four weeks of snowstorms in the North of England we have attempted with varying success to keep public services running on eight different routes, a number of which have to be worked on roads that have had snowdrifts for long stretches from 3 ft. to 4 ft. high. The vehicle way has been cleared in the centre, but no room given to pass other vehicles except by pulling out into the deep snow. Again, when the snow left in the cleared roadway has gone hard, traction has become most difficult. We have tried all the known chains and attachments for use under such conditions, not one of which can be said to be even fairly satisfactory. The cross-chain type of non-skid does not last on the average more than one journey. The types which fit between the twin tire when worn simply allow wheels to spin round on the hard snow without assisting in any way to obtain grip.

In desperation we have commenced the experiment with a chain of our own design, sketch of which I enclose. [Not reproduced.—En.] Generally speaking it is a A in. chain which fits round the wheel between the twin tire and has two larger-sized links made of .a in metal in three or four places round the circumference of the wheel. These larger links stand out sufficiently to enable the wheel to get hold on ice and snow, and reduce the slipping so that the vehicle can make progress even under bad conditions. Unfortunately we did not get this arrangement working until towards the end of the snowstorms so cannot yet say whether it will be entirely successful or not.

We realize of course that a much easier method would have been to follow the example of our predecessors on a number of these routes and some of our competitors who still occasionally attempt to run a service and have abandoned such services until the weather improves. This, however, we did not desire to do as we have always endeavoured to maintain our public services under all conditions.

• If any of your readers have, during the bad weather, successfully found a satisfactory non-skid or non-slip attachment for twin-tired wheels I trust they will give us the benefit of their experience.—Yours faithfully, "GENERAL MANAGER." Perhaps the chief officer of the Malvern Fire Brigade can give a hint 2 We refer to a trip by his Dennis engine on nags 95.—En.; THE DANGER OF INSECURE ROADS., The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[1610] Sir,—A lorry was brought in here after an accident Which brings out in such a terrible way the danger of running a vehicle without having the load properly secured on the platform, that we think the attention of owners should be called to a danger which they do not at present realize.

The lorry in question was a War Office type of vehicle with a, cab, and from which the sides and tailboard had been removed. It was loaded with 31 tons -of corrugated iron sheets. The driver seemingly was , bending down to fix something on the footstep, and must. have at the same time moved the steering wheel, as while he was in this position the vehicle charged a telegraph post. The result was that the load moved bodily forward and carried the cab with it. The force was so ,great that the steering column was bent right up against the petrol tank and the driver was pinned between the cab and the tank. The load had to be levered back with crowbars before he could be got out from this position in a terribly damaged state. On examining the front of the vehicle we found that the telegraph post had struck the radiator guard and bent it about 6 ins., so that the vehicle must have been brought to rest in this distance.

If you calculate out, you will find that under these conditions it would require—if the vehicle were' travelling at 7 m.p.h.—a force of over 12 tons to keep the load from moving, or at 12 m.p.h. it would require over 30 tons.

The conditions of this accident are, of co.nrse, exceptional, as in most cases the driver would have Slowed the vehicle down considerably before striking such a solid object. Nevertheless, it is a very real danger, and we think that by calling attention to it in your paper you would be doing a valuable service. —Yours faithfully, ALBION MOTOR CAR TD.,

J. F. HENDERSON, Co.,danaging Director.


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