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Passing Comments

4th September 1959
Page 38
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Page 38, 4th September 1959 — Passing Comments
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Factors in U.S. Road Transport

SOME interesting points on the transport of goods by road are referred to in a study made by the Auto

mobile Manufacturers' Association of America. It is revealed that in modern fleets the units average 71,000 miles without accident, as compared with 22,000 in 1948, whilst the total annual mileage has risen from 74,000m. miles in 1948 to 115,000m. last year. Vehicle improvements have been a vital factor in thus lowering the accident rate.

Improvements in general include the following: Greater durability, which gives almost double the vehicle life of 10 years ago, so that low-priced models commonly run up to 100,000 miles without major repairs, and with larger ones this figure is often doubled or even trebled; brake facings which last a third longer, averaging 35,000 miles in town use and 150,000 miles on main roads; increased vision in new forward-cab designs; improved mirrors; a greater glass area: practicable windscreen washers and defrosters, and more effective headlights.

Power-to-weight ratios have been raised to permit articulated vehicles to keep up with the normal traffic and give adequate speed on gradients, whilst better shock absorbers, variable-rate suspension, comfortable seats and increased cab ventilation and insulation have added to the comfort of drivers. It is interesting to note that road vehicles now carry 78 per cent of the total freight tonnage, the road transport industry employs one in every 10 workers, and that 26 miles of carriage by road is required for approximately each 132 of national production.

Where Rolling Stones Gather Moss

pURNITURE removals must be a most paying business

in the U.S.A. and might well make some of our contractors envious. The president of one important American removals concern recently stated that a fifth of the families there move annually, and it is successful people who change their quarters most frequently. The object usually is to take advantage of better opportunities in jobs, homes and communities.

Young executives who serve corporations with widespread interests may change the towns and cities in which they reside as frequently as 15 times before settling down as seniors in the head offices: This refutes the old adage concerning the rolling stone gathering no moss, because usually each move means an advance to success.

This great activity has promoted methods of packing, one example being that breakable parts, such as dishes, are protected by a new material that leaves no mess in the new home, whilst there are special cartons for mattresses. lampshades and other articles which may easily soil or are fragile.

npressed Air in Fire-fighting Service

tE fighting is always an interesting subject, but !very experienced fireman knows that to deal with such reaks is only one part of his job. There are numerous

r emergencies with which firemen and their appliances fairly frequently called to deal, and they must be ared to deal with all of them, even if it be the stray n stranded in a tree orthe child who has locked himself a bathroom.

this connection the Fire Department of Montreal has loped unusually effective rescue apparatus which des two mobile units each with a powerful air cornor as the main equipment. This can drive drills, smoke ors, sump pumps, pavement breakers, air fans and even lar saws, as well as certain surgical devices. The cornor, which in this case is the Atlas Copco two-stage type, is mounted on a Diamond-T truck and driven the engine by the centre power take-off. It operates at .p.m. and has an output of 330 Cu. ft. per min.

le of the main factors in deciding upon the use of Dressed air was that the equipment employed with it It affected by water or the absence of electrical power, t cannot short circuit when wet and thus obviates the of explosions. In addition, a great amount of power he weight involved is placed in the hands of one man.

ping Abreast With Ideas

E present relationship between ideas and their achievement is in many ways similar to that faced by da i, when production methods were unable to give birth s designs.

Le difference now, however, is that little time is afforded ait for production know how" to develop leisurely. ad, it must be ready for any challenge, as information 1esigns become available. Throughout the world, scientists and designers are travelling along new paths which, only a few years ago, would have been considered as the fantasies of disordered minds, and those who are able to take early advantage of these, where they are practicable, will reap any benefits that arise from them. That is why it is so important that new and appropriate methods of production must be made available as quickly as possible.

The Higher, The Fewer

THERE is an old Scottish saying, "Many a mickle makes a muckle." This applies even to the smallest economies and the business men in that wealthy country, America, are not beyond endeavouring to save on quite small items, such as paper towels. When these were first introduced in offices and works the managements concerned were amazed at the number used per person per day. Consequently, their cost was far above what had been estimated, Inquiries showed that if the containers were almost at basin level users grabbed a handful at a time and continued mopping up with a succession of them. The way out of the difficulty was to raise the containers to shoulder level so that if the hands of the users were raised to take them without being given a good shake first, the water ran down and wetted their sleeves. As a result of this, one towel was normally found to he sufficient to meet the need of any person.

Something might also be done to improve certain liquidsoap dispensers. One pull on these is considered to give sufficient for a good wash, but many users give two or more pulls. If the dispensers could be equipped with a slow return for the pump lever, this might save quite a lot of soap.


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