Opinions from Others.
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Sign of the Times.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,31; Sir,—A new society has been formed to promote the use of steam on roads. This is another nail in the coffin of steam road engines. A horse and horse-vehicle users society was formed, when the automobile movement was well on its legs. That steam should require a .special organization to promote its use on common roads points to the fact that there is a change coming over the methods used up till now, and the best argument in favour of the internalcombustion engine is the formation of the above society. Steam, due to our ignorance of internalcombustion engines, has had and is having a considerable vogue, but, in the long run, when the wear and tear on the roads Ina.s to be considered, as it. will be shortly, the lighter and less-inconvenient form of power [mist eventually win. Our big traction-engine firms, being full of work, have not yet cared to turn their attention to the internal-combustion engine, with one or two exceptions, but the other big firms would do well if they immediately set aside a certain sant per annum and commenced experiments with the internal-combustion engine for heavy haulage.—Yours faithfully,
"NOT TO BE LEFT."
Speedometers and Steel Tires.
The Editor, THE C'OMMETtCIAL MOTOR.
[1,352] Sir,—If speedometers will not give satisfaction on steel-tired vehicles, and I have heard complaints as to their working on robber-tired vehicles for the matter of that, -would not a form of counter, worked by a cam and lever, give better results than no speedometer at all l I have seen these revolution counters fixed to steam road rollers, which, of course, are not mounted on springs and have to meet considerably-higher shocks than motor vehicles with steel tires. The extreme simplicity of the mechanism would be impervious to shocks and, although no speed would be registered, still, the day's work could be calculated instead of, as now, guessed at. For commercial vehicles, it is advisable, when obtaining a speedometer, to have two sets of driving gear, in order that the speedometer can always be kept running. There seems to be no trouble in the instrument itself, but, if any trouble does arise, it is always in the driving gear, i.e., from the driven wheel, universal joint, bracket, or the flexible connection. With a
spare set of driving gear, one can replace any part out of order immediately, and the part can then be repaired at leisure.—Yours faithfully,
Birmingham. T. C. AVELINO.
Muir "Shock-shifter " Hubs.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
1,353] Sir,—In the excellent article on the " Shockshifter " hub in your issue of 13th April, you lucidly and accurately explain : that because the axle in that. device rests upon a liquid bearing of superimposed steel halls, which enable the wheel to adjust itself tcs road inequalities, rentarkable results are obtained int easy running over exceptionally-bad roads ; also, that, when the wheel is at rest, the tendency of the axle with its superimposed weight is to push the lower balhi in the ball chamber out of the way, as set
forth in the special drawing you have so kindly furnished. You add, however, that, " once on the move again, the balls would force the hub to assume its practically-central position." ALay I venture to intrude upon your notice and for your consideration a few remarks on this last-named point. It seems to me, that the inexorable law of gravity is constantly operating in this liquid bearing, whether the wheel is in movement or is at rest, and that, when road shocks are encountered, this fluid bearing flows round the axle at an accelerated pace without affecting its plane ; therefore, the axle does not perform an eccentric orbit at ail, but it is, I submit, the balls which do so, for which reason the usual violent oscillations of the axle, produced by the use of a rigid wheel, are successfully avoided. The motor, therefore, lays down its own track, and is freed from those destructive vibrations, which work havoc with all parts of the vehicle and roadway, and seriously affect all costs of maintenance. I may attach too much importance to this apparently-simple feature of the device, but the opinion is unanimous, that, on motorbuses, industrial vehicles and taxicabs, to say nothing of high-powered touring cars running at 50 miles an hour on solid rubber with greater ease than on pneumatics, the desired result, which I indicated, at any rate is achieved. Where the object is to run economically, the consequent savings of tires, petrol and all oils, and in repairs on ehassis and engine, are too important to be neglected You speak of the dynamic effect of the device as being much the same as many of those contrivances which are known as shock absorbers. I do not think you can effectively absorb shock, because of physical law, but you can convert it into heat, light or motion, and the dominant idea of this device is to convert it into rotary motion, as the most-useful thing in a wheel. Heat we can usefully dispense with there, and light on the subject we hope to find in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. Those who claim that this device "enables the energy expended in overcoming obstacles to be turned into potential energy which can be applied to assist propulsion," and who thus account for the admittedly-large saving of petrol invariably experienced, misunderstand, I venture to think, the working of the " Shock-shifter," or, perhaps, I do in spite of protracted and expensive experience. It seems to me, that, when the clutch goes in, a few balls are displaced before the first bolt can get into engagement ; hence, the axle with its superimposed weight is sent forward and downward, through this fluid bearing, in the direction of propulsion. Then comes the next bolt into engagement,. repeating exactly the same process, the fluid bearing always yielding in a slightly-eccentric manner, the ball chamber always maintaining, however, the same cubic capacity, and the inexorable law of gravity at work compelling the axle always to fall forward and downward. When a road obstacle is encountered, the balls are driven at an accelerated rate from the forward to the backward part of the wheel, and the result of this centrifugal action is that the .energy which would have been expended in producing the usual bump and thump, on a rigid wheel, is expended with turbine-like effect on the outer liner of the hub, which is the inner liner of the wheel. I may be wrong, but I cannot get, as yet, any other satisfactory explanation by the results obtained.
After obtaining orders in Paris, a few days ago, for "
Shock-shifter" hubs for the first of the 1,000 new buses starting in that city, I was confronted there with the statement in your article that Scotland Yard would not permit my tests to be continued in London on account of weight. I had never heard of it before. I knew the trials had given " every satisfaction," as expressed by the London General Oinnilms Co., and to everyone else who accepted the well-advertised offer for months to try on bus running through the City and West End of London ten times daily. As I could not hope to do any more than give "every satisfaction," that expense was sensibly stopped, but, so far as Scotland Yard is concerned, it can be resumed any day, I believe, if any good purpose is to be served. Whilst Scotland Yard exercises lynxeyed vigilance over any device which in any degree might endanger public safety, and must first be consulted even before an innovation is tried, they are not the stumbling blocks sometimes represented, nor would they in an arbitrary and exacting manner block progress or stifle such attempts to overcome vibration and earth tremor so largely complained of ; they do encourage any well-conceived effort in every consistent way. I have found, in many trials on public vehicles, that patience, courtesy and incisive ability of the highest order characterized their whole attitude, and
believe you have been misinformed. I think it right to add, however, as it may explain your impression, that the new-pattern light buses, of course, require lighter wheels than the old, and that those in pressed steel are on trial now.
The prime cost of " Shock-shifter" wheels is not
much over that of ordinary wheels plus the cost of convincing the user—a big item in some eases—to cease to shake, and to learn to do well, by scrapping his old wheels, and in a few weeks savnig in maintenance the price of the new. Wear is much slower than on ordinary wheels, and, after a year or two, where it does occur on case-hardened. surfaces, " lateral stability " is secured by removing cotter pins and adjusting bolts to take it up. All road tests have the same result. Those who know the " Shockshifter " best like it most.
Of course, as I have nursed this baby through measles, whooping cough and many kindred ills of juvenility, and even took it back from a cold world when it had something like cholera morbus in other hands, I may be pardoned for being a little unduly proud, perhaps, of its acquired robust constitution, as now certified by your good self, a conclusion you are not at all guilty of haste in reaching.Yours faith fully, Joule Aftia.
We agree that the results yielded by Mr. Muir's hubs are encouragingly good. As to weight. whilst we hold written proof of the correctof the statement which we made, it is clear that not every motor vehicle to which these hubs might be fitted, with advantage, needs to be eat dawn by ounces. En.) Bonuses to Drivers Who Take Care of Their Tires. The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,354j am quite in accord with your corre
spondent "Fair Competition," in your issue of the 27th April, in that the bonus scheme offered by the Continental Tyre Co, will not work to the best interests of the commercial-vehicle user and owner. Neither is it to the best interests of the trade as a whole, or the manufacturers of solid, heavy, rubber tires. It is setting a dangerous precedent, and is, moreover, a questionable expedient in order to gain trade at the expense of competing firms. It is well known that a move of this description, on I he part of one tire manufacturer, is rapidly adopted by another. The bonus of 5s. is not a serious matter in proportion to the value of the tires, but. the point to be considered is whether the principle of the -cherne is worthy of general adoption. There are more points against it than in its favour, and those who wish the trade well will not hold with anything which may prove derogatory to the employer as a consequence of a slight monetary advantage to the (iriver. I will point out its probable consequences.
Schemes of this description have only one object : to coerce drivers to have their vehicles fitted with the particular type of tire in question, and for their own personal gain. It is doubtful if the owner would ain by the innovation. The bonus might operate in the sense of a bribe, and cause a driver to inflate the actual distances travelled, in order to qualify for the bonus offered. Then, again, a driver may so manipulate his loads, by carrying a lesser weight per journey, as to enable him to exceed the guaranteed distance, and by so doing cause his employer more expense in proportion to the volume of traffic than the saving effected in the life of the tires. Such practices may not become general, but. the tendencies of the scheme would not altogether lead to desirable conditions. On these grounds, there is a most-insidious and undesirable element about it, and it would be to the advantage of all engaged in the utility section of the industry to discourage schemes of this description.—Yours faithfully,
"A MOTOR JOURNALIST."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,355] Sir,—I thoroughly agree with the remarks of your correspondent "Fair Competition." 1 do not like this system of doing business. The Continental Tyre Co. must not run away with the idea that this is the end of such a scheme, as another company can offer the driver EL per tire in every case where the tires do 10,000 miles, and we might even have still another company offering £1 )0s. per tire premium, and possibly a present for the wife. If such a scheme as that of the Continental Co, is to take effect, there certainly can be no end to it, and this es. per tire is only the thin end of the wedge, which we are better without. Let the Continental Co. and all other tire companies see to it that their tires are of good quality and are not overladen, and they have nothing to fear—even although there is no premium offered to the driver.—Yours faithfully,
" FAIR COMPETITION No. 2."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,056] Sir,—With regard to the correspondence which appeared in your issue of the 27th April, dealing with bonuses to drivers who take care of their tires, it is very interesting to large users of commercial vehicles that steps arc being taken by one of the leading tire companies in giving inducements to drivers of cars to study their tires. There is not the slightest doubt that the cost of tires is largely to do with the man at the wheel, and we think that the scheme which is now being put forward by the Continental Tyre Co. is worthy of encouragement by owners, and should result in decreased tire bills. We do not quite agree with the remarks of "Fair Competition," that this company's scheme will be liable to cheek competition, as it is evident that now one company has paved the way the other tire companies will also come forward with schemes and suggestions to encourage the well-keeping of cars. This should prove not ohly a saving of tires but also on the chassis. The scheme will, therefore, have our support.—Yours faithfully,
For and on behalf of COMMERCIAL CAR HIRERS, LTD. J. COVENTON MOTH. [We deal elsewhere in the issue with some aspects of this departu