ROADSIDE AND GARAGE.
Page 35
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A Page for Drivers, Mechanics and Foremen.
An Axle Tube Repair.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the extra payment of 5s. this week.
[2,650] " HM." (West Bromwich) writes :—" The axle tube of a well-known American light lorry broke recently. On examination, it was found that, through some fault, either in design or formulae
ture, it had been made too weak for the load which it was intended to carry. H reference be made to the accompanying sketch (Fig. 1) it will be noted that the tube is 24 ins. diameter externally for the greater portion of its length, being turned down to 2 ins, diameter for a length of 5,1ins. At that end, too, it is screwed and slotted for the reception of the fastenings for the ball or roller bearing for the wheel. Internally, the tube is 1 ins, diameter in the larger portion and 1i ins, diameter in the smaller portion. The larger bore has been carried too far along the tube, so that the thickness of the wall of the tube at the junction between the smaller and larger portions was only about in.
" I effected the repair by the use of a piece of 2i in. solid-drawn, weldIess steel tube having an internal bore of l ins. I held this at one end in a jaw chuck, allowing the other end to run in a pipe centre. With it to arranged, I turned the outside diameter to 2 ??., ins. I then arranged a three-point steady for it at the end, and bared it 1i ins, diameter, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be noticed that I did not take this hole to the same depth as on the original shaft, but left a good inch between the end of the bore and the shoulder on the outside of the tube. I next turned down the end of the tube to 2 ins, external diameter, then turned the whole tube end for end and bored it 1i ins, to complete. Two days were occupied on this vb."
Using Only One Cylinder on a Steamer.
[2,351] " W. M. ' ' (Sloane Square) writes :—" 'The following experience which had a short time ego witka
well-known make of steam wagon may be of interest to your readers. I was travelling home one evening, when the low-pressure connecting rod broke, and, incidentally, smashed the cylinder cover at the same time. I had to take steps to get home on one cylinder only, and this I did as follows :—I removed the broken part of the connecting rod from the crankshaft, took out the low-pressure piston, and removed the rings, which happened to be particularly wide ones. I made use of them to block up the ports in the cylinder, thus preventing the admission of any exhaust steam from the h.p. cylinder. I then took care that the remaining portion of the connecting rod was well clear of the crankshaft, and then tightened up the piston rod gland of that cylinder to prevent the rod from moving accidentally. .
I next removed the 1.-p slide valve to allow of means. of exhaust for the steam from the la.p. cylinder, which would thus pass direct through the l.4). exhaust port into the exhaust 'pipe and so to the smoke-box. I was able to start by manipulation of the reversing lever, and managed to get home quite easily on top gear. It took the stoker and myself about half an hour to effect the necessary operations in order to enable me to proceed in the above manner."
Care of the Fusible Mug.
[2,352] " A. W." (Dewsbury) writes :— " One of the important fittings about a boiler is the fusible plug. Its use is to guard both machine and driver against the effects of low water, and in view of this it is most surprising how frequently it is neglected. • Let any driver, however, who has dropped a plug ask himself what would have happened to him had it not operated as it should, and he will then have little difficulty in appreciating its value.
" Fueible plugs should be changed every three to six months, according to the state of the water which is habitually used. If not changed there is a risk of the ping being coated with scale and
rendered inoperative. Again, if net changed very aten, the corners of the plug are likely to become burned off, making it impossible to remove them by the aid of the spanner, so that ia the end they have to be drilled out, making much work where little would have sufficed.
"After a lapse of time it is frequently found that parts of the boiler plate round about the plug hole become eaten away. When this occurs, the proper procedure is to remove the plug and to put it in a corresponding place on the other side of the boiler, plating the old hole over when. this is done. The accompanying sketch shows the relative positions of the old and new plug holes. Some drivers know make a practice of taking out the plug once a mouth when they are washing the boiler, this insures it always being accessible, and that no scale is lodging around it.
"It is, of course, not invariably the fault of the driver when the plug ,,toes One of the best drivers I ever knew could not get a plug to stay in for any reasonable period of time; in fact, on one occasion he had three go in a fortnight, notwithstanding that water was showing in the glass on each occasion. This, of course, is an extremely rare occurrence, and although there was, perhaps, a sound reason for it, it was not one that would easily be understood. At the very least, however, it behoves everyone using steam at 200 lb. pressure per square inch to take care of the fusible.plug, and to see that it functions properly.'
Lamps Alight.
Gln Satarday, February 4th, light your lamps at 5.22 in London, 5.17 in Newcastle, 5.27 in Birmingham, 5.20 in Edinburgh, 5.28 in Liverpool, 5.32 in Bristol, and 6.11 in Dublin.