PROTECTION
Page 52
Page 53
Page 54
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
for the
PASSENGER
What Has Been Revealed by Our Competition for the Promotion of Greater Safety in Passengervehicle Operation.
QREAP interest has been taken in thiscompetition, judging by the large number of letters received and the care with which the writersi have dealt with the subject of 'greater safety in public passenger vehicles. The drawings which have accompanied the 'letters have evidently been prepared with considerable care, and in many instances they are most creditable specimens of draughtsmanship.
It would appear that the frequency of fatal fires has been taken somewhat too seriously, and that something approaching a panic has prompted some readers to suggest measures of such a drastic nature as would only he necessary if fatal fires were of daily occurrence instead of, as at present, extremely rare. Such measures as the whole side of a vehicle being made to drop outwards to enable passengers to escape appear to us to be unnecessary and impracticable. Given simpler precautions, such measures should not be required ; we have, therefore, confined our judgment to suggestions of a more simple and economically sound description.
Our, readers' suggestions may be roughly classed under three headings, viz. : General safety of passengers ; easy exit in case of fire or accident ; prevention of fire.,.
Owing to a recent fatal fire this matter is uppermost in the .minds of many people, so we will consider first the schemes pnt forward in this connection. If •there were no fires we would hardly need. to consider how passengers could escape.
The Prevention of Fire.
' One of the most simple suggestions for preventing fires is that of Messrs. J. G. Pike and E. J. Field, who point out, that a conflagration usually, starts at the carburetter. To prevent it from
• spreading or alarming passengers, they recommend the fitting of , an extinguisher in such a position that it can
discharge its contents on the carburetter and adjacent parts, without the driver leaving his seat or the passengers knowing anything about it. This has been suggested before in our feature "Running, Upkeep and Overhaul."
Another practical scheme is that the carburetter should have a funnel mounted below it to lead away into a tauk via a pipe line any floodings or leakages. The suggestion that' a hand extinguisher should be mounted in such a manner that its removal automatically shuts off the petrol could be easily carried out. It is commendable, for in case of fire the person who handles the extinguisher sometimes forgets to turn off the petrol, which continues to feed the flames.
Petrol and Fire Dangers.
Broken fuel pipes may at times cause fires, although we cannot recall an actual instance of this occurring. The matter of preventing these fractures was dealt with at great length some time hack in this journal, when so many practical suggestions were put forward that we can see no excuse for the continued fitting Of pipes which are unsatisfactory.
A proposal that would have reduced the possibility of at least one fatal fire was made by a very practical correspondent, who thinks that tanks for petrol should be made of steel at least
in. thick, and have welded instead of soldered joints. The lagging of petrol tanks with slats of wood_ is suggested to prevent puncture in case of accident; our opinion is, however, that no wood of any kind should' be in contact with the tank—wood acts' as a wick when petrol is leaking or spilt. Nothing but the metal bearers which support the tank should touch it, and no flooring should he under it ; even asbestos sheeting is a danger when adjacent to a tank.
Isolating a Conflagration.
Of the various suggestions for the prevention of fires from spreading, that of Mr. A. R. Wilson is one of the most practical. He proposes that a screen be fitted between the front part, viz., the engine, petrol tank, driver's cabin, silencer—all parts likely to be affected by a petrol fire—and that part of the body which accommodates the passengers. He points out that in petroltank wagons such screens have been fitted for some time, and that during that period we have heard of no fires spreading to the tank. Other readers advocate the same scheme. A fireproof curtain, similar to those used in theatres, to shut off the saloon from the driver's cab, is suggested by one correspondent. such curtains have proved most effective in preventing fires from' spreading in places of amusement. One disadvantage is that -their , use• might be overlooked in a hurry. Fireproof floors' are advocated by many, some preferring metal, whilst others favour wood with asbestos between the layers;': That more care should be exercised in the 'selection of material for flooring is obvious, and we hope to see it attended to immediately.
All-metal bodies are also recommended by several of the writers, some insisting on no wood at all being used, whilst others suggest the employment of as little wood or other inflammable material as possible,. and, where wood is necessary, that it should be treated to makeit fireproof.
Although we cannot trace the origin of a fire to the heating of " shorting" electric wires, there is alWays-the possibility. of such a thing happening. One correspondent recommends covering all-wires with metal, so that heating cannot affect contiguous inflammable materials.
Facilitating Rapid Egress.
Turning now to the• consideration of easier means for exit, we need not necessarily connect this subject with outbreaks of fire, as rapid exit is just as necessary in cases of collision, a vehicle being ditched or overturning.
In the first place most of our correspondents agree that no vehicle should be made in which the floors are on one side only, as in the case of it being driven against a wall or overturning on to that side, there is no means for escape. Most of those who have studied the requirements of rapid exit. consider that some means for escape should be provided in the roof ; in the case of a vehicle turning on its side it is not easy for passengers in a state of panic to climb out of doors or windows that are( above their heads. It would, therefore, seem necessary that for perfect safety a means for opening the roof should be arranged in the design of the body. There are so many simple ways in which this could be carried out that we need hardly dwell on the topic. some correspondents recommend a sliding roof, but, like sliding doors, we would not favour their use, as there is no class of opening that is so easily put out of action by distortion as a slide.
It is well known that doors of ordinary construction will sometimes jam owing to distortion of the body ; this is a cause of fatal results in railway -accidents where the framework can be of more substantial construction
than is possible in a coaen. One suggestion was that a door should be constructed with screw-jack fittings in its frame, • the same handle which is employed to turn the jacks being used as a leverto start the door away from its frame. This method could be applied either to single or double doors. With regard to the windows as a means for escape in cases either of accident or fire, we cannot agree with those who suggest that the passengers should be relied upon to break them and climb out ; the apertures would invariably be left with jagged pieces of glass surrounding them. In the first Dime it is not easy to break the stout glass used in coach windows unless one has an instrument such as a hammer, which is not usually carried by passengers. Our experience is that in the event of fire passengers turn their backs to the windows rather than to the fire, and forget all about the possibility of escape by that way. One practical suggestion is that all windows should be made so that they can be opened from the outside as well as inside ; in most cases there is someone outside—perhaps the conductor—who could do this. All the windows should be low enough for passengers to get out of the frames without having to climb upwards in the first case.
Escape from the Upper Saloon.
Several suggestions are made with regard to the easy exit of passengers froin the upper saloon of a coveredtop double-decker. A side door near the front and provided with a rope ladder is among them. Amongst the suggestions for general safety of passengers, some means for preventing a vehicle from running backwards on a bill appears to be the most important. Many suggest the .fitting of a sprag of the ratchet type either to the drums on the wheels or to some part of the traesmission. It is true that such sprags will effectually prevent running back, but their use is always accompanied by a certain amount of danger, as a careless driver may neglect to put the sprag into action until the vehicle is actually on the run back wards, when its sudden operation may result in dangerous breakages of some parts, often affecting other vital components. The common ground sprag is also suggested, but its use is not favoured by those who have had experience with it. An emergency brake fitted to the transmission is suggested by several correspondents. This class of brake would, if operable by the conductor, be a safeguard in case of the collapse of the driver, which is not an altogether unknown occurrence. A satisfactory form of brake especially designed for this purpose was illustrated in our issue o January 24th, 1922.
Maintaining Brake Efficiency.
A third or emergency brake has been proposed so often and turned down by designers that we feel reluctant to try to revive it, but in the case of the present development of the motor coach with its heavy load of passengers and high potential speed, we feel .that it is worth reconsidering in the form devised by our technical staff and referred to recently in a leading article. We suggested that the brake once applied would remain on until the driver descended to release it. This would avoid its use at ordinary times.
A. suggestion is made for a better method of preventing oil or grease from escaping from the hub-bearings on to the brake drums. A cork washer forced home by means of spring pressure is suggested as being far safer than the usual felt. washer.
The fitting of a windscreen wiper as standard is now recommended by one correspondent ; owing to the high speeds attained now by coaches some means of a clear view for the driver is essential. We should recommend the attention of those interested to the special type of windscreen which we have described in this journal several times, in which an opening 3 ins, deep, without glass intervening, is ,provided, yet freedom from rain or snow is ensured by the construction of the screen. Readers _-should refer to our issue of February 12th, 1929.
A communication cord, similar to those used on railways, is suggested, so that a passenger may call the attention of the driver to anything which may be a danger and yet have escaped his notice. The need for a better method of stopping a vehicle in the case of a driver being taken ill is mentioned by many correspondents.
Many of the suggestions received are, in our opinion, impracticable. Those which impose certain duties upon the passengers we consider not only useless but actually dangerous. The operation of an emergency brake, turning off the petrol, etc., should only be entrusted to the driver and the conductor, both of whom could be instructed as to when such things should be done.