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More Power to Their Elbow
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DUTCH R.A.I. EQUIPMENT EXHIBITION A WELL-DESERVED SUCCESS I By A. J. P.WIlding
IF proof were needed of the practicability of an exhibition devoted entirely to garage equipment, it was most certainly given last week in Amsterdam by "Autovak 1964" which was held under the auspices of the Dutch Association, RAI, the organizers of the Amsterdam commercial vehicle and car shows. This marked the first time that a large-scale exhibition of garage equipment, not connected with a vehicle show, had been held in Europe, although I understand there have been moves to hold a similar type of show in Britain, which have not met with soccess for a variety of reasons.
With the current importance of garage equipment in keeping maintenance costs down, it is not satisfactory that exhibitors of equipment should take as minor a part in vehicle exhibitions as they usually do—in many cases selection of the right equipment can be as important as selection of the right vehicles—and invariably the space available is so limited that full jusece in the way of demonstrations of machines and tools cannot be given. This was not the case at Amsterdam, where 100 exhibitors occupied the 49,000 sq. ft. Empire Hall of the R.A.I. building, and on most stands, especially the larger, extremely wide ranges of equipment were shown and adequately demonstrated.
Except for one West German exhibitor, all the concerns taking part were Dutch and the majority were factors rather than manufacturers of equipment, although some fell into both categories. In spite of this, or possibly because of it, the show had a truly international flavour, most of the exhibits being of American or West German manufacture with British, Italian, French, Spanish, as well as Dutch makers also represented.
The degree of support for Autovak is indicated by the fact that exhibitors of garage equipment were given the option of taking part in the R.A.I. vehicle show in February or in Autovak and most decided on the latter. This is quite significant for a new venture and makes it likely that the R.A.I.'s plan to hold the exhibition every two years will be carried through.
Autovak 1964 was staged primarily for the Dutch market Attendance was by invitation (readily obtainable by persons with genuine trade connections) and these had been sent to, and accepted by, large numbers of fleet operators and garage personnel in Holland and in most other European countries. It was obvious from the type of equipment on view that the Dutch and Continental vehicle operator and garage trade are more conscious of the need for advanced equipment for vehicle maintenance than their British counterparts. Maybe they have more difficulty in getting high-grade fitters or —more likely—have realized by now the economic advantages of buying good equipment.
From the number of stands exhibiting electronic engine tune-up analysers, it was apparent that these are considered to he an essential part of garage equipment on the Continent. Most of those to be seen were of American origin—there must have been at least a dozen makes represented—and these ranged from small instruments for specific duties up to fullscale analysers. British equipment included a comprehensive range of Crypton models and the Laycock analysers introduced last year. Of B30 particular interest was a new American analyser, the Allen PB-881 (made by the Allen Electric Equipment Co. of Michigan) shown by Fa. E. H. Mulder, which featured push-button control for the various test sequences. This was a fullscale tester, incorporating an oscilloscope and the use of push-buttons simplified the operation compared with earlier types of unit. • As well as all the usual tests, the unit can be used to check the two types of transistorized ignition systems currently available and the pattern on the oscilloscope screen can be spread and moved to the left and to the right to allow a closer study of the primary and secondary patterns. The brightness and focus of the oscilloscope can be adjusted and, once set, are maintained automat ica for subsequent tests.
Dutch-made analysers were featui byR.A.M.I., NV,, the makers, tho being named Uchtstad testers. The lat model provides for complete checki of engine electrical systems and 1 independent checking of condensers a coils. In the latter case, the coils c be brought to working temperatt before checking. The machine incorp ates an armature growler and can t starters fully. In Holland the net price this latest model is about £150.
An interesting exhibit in the elect testing field was a very small oscilloscc shown by James Ruben N.V. Over dimensions of this instrument were alx 4'15 in. by 5.7 in. by 10 in. and the well about 5.5 lb. This tester, made Schalt-Elektric of Aldenburg, W. G many, is designed for making very sink' checks of ignition circuits on road te The price in Germany is abopt Comprehensive testing of dynamos a alternators is provided by a new Austri test bench which was shown by H. R N.V. This was the Siegl LM 500 which caters for 6 and 12 V machil with outputs of up to 500W. Maximt driving speed is 15,000 r.p.m.
Equally popular among exhibitors, a probably indicating the general inter by equipment users, were tyre chang• and balancers and other equipment do with tyre maintenance. The empha with tyre changers was on mod designed to save time and effort and tl very good examples were a Germ machine shown by Saarloos' Hand maatschappij N.V. and a Swiss desi which was featured on three stands, first changer was actually designed by Dutchman and is not yet in productit It is planned to be introduced abc ember this year and will be made by kisches Werk of Hatver/Westfalen, tern Germany: Operation is by a bination of air pressure and electric ar and a powered clamp at the side he machine is used to break the tyre I from the rim. After this operation been completed, the tyre and wheel located on a horizontal turntable, re the wheel is clamped in three es. A shaped shoe carried on the of an arm pivoted at the back of machine is then brought close to the of the rim and the tyre bead at one it levered over it. The turntable is
revolved and one side of the tyre rought off the wheel, the operation g carried out a second time to ove the tyre completely. Refitting a ig is equally simple; both beads at point are placed in the well of the el, the shoe brought into position and turntable again rotated—electrically gyrating a pedal—and both beads are d togethen
he three concerns showing the Swiss changer (made by Polyprodukte ., of Zurich)—called the Mewag and ing in Holland about f.100—were Van iy Dorsman, Ambi M.V. and Explora Demonstrations were given by bra and although the Mewag is a tually operated machine, tyre removal shown to be very easy. A lever-type breaker is incorporated and the oval shoe tits on a spindle located rally over the tyre. The spindle is ted by a bar for removal and refitting be casing. Dorsman also showed a raulically-operated tyre-changer of its manufacture and another item of maintenance equipment shown by bra was the American Plug-o-matic (from the Tyler Manufacturing Co. 2,alifornia) for the repair of tubeless s. A mushroom-headed plug is fitted the Plug-o-matic pistol and this is ed" by air pressure through the hole he casing, while at the same time the neter of the plug is reduced, and on oving the pistol the mushroom head :es a good seat on the inside of the . The Dorsman tyre changer was liar in construction to a hydraulic s with adjustable claws in place of ram and is designed for removing imercial vehicle tyres from their rims, ends of the claws locating on the tyre j adjacent to the wheel disc.
/heel balancers shown included types doing their job with the tyre on the
icle or off it. Models suitable for . and commercial vehicles were ured, a Hofmann unit shown by Rooy .sman being particularly suitable for incing commercial-size tyres on the icle. With 'a capacity of up to 11.00-:yres, the balancer is a self-contained with the tyre spinner at one end a seat at the other for the operator. ill wheels at the spinner end allow unit to be moved around easily, there ig a lifting handle at the opposite . The price in Holland of this thine, which is manufactured by :hinefabriek Gebr. Hofmann K.G., of -mstadt, W. Germany, is about £278.
Two interesting machines for tyre maintenance workshops provided a means of finding metallic particles embedded in the tread of tyres. One was shown by Robert Bosch, of Stuttgart, whilst the other was also of German manufacture being by Schalt-Elektric and displayed by James Ruben N.V. Both work on a similar principle, having sensing devices shaped to the contour of the Lyre tread, which transmit a signal when a steel particle comes within range of the sensing head. With the Bosch unit, the presence of metal is denoted by a variation in the light in a neon tube whilst the Schalt unit gives a reading on a scale.
A lot of the tyre servicing equipment at the Exhibition was of American manufacture and this applied particularly to items designed for garage forecourts, such as tyre pressure indicators, and interesting here were the number of " mercurytower " types. An interesting development from Germany was the LoftRoboter garage-type inflator shown by Van Dijk N.V. with which the pressure required in the tyres can be set at the dial and when the inflation connector is fitted on the tyre valve air admits automatically until the set pressure is reached. Operation of the unit which is made by Eichenaur K.G. of Bergen-Enkheim is by electronic equipment, located in the head of the inflator, behind the gauge. .
Also designed primarily for garage forecourts but applicable to use with commercial vehicle fleets were American "Tire Wear Indicators" to be seen on a number of stands. These all work on a similar principle; movable slides protruding from pads at ground level are linked to a gauge and as the vehicle's front wheels run over the slides the amount of toe-in or toe-out existing is shown on a dial, this being done by the relative movement between the slides at each wheel. Commercial vehicles as well as cars are covered by most models and although specifically designed for garages this type of thing would he a good inveSt
merit for operators. If -located, say, in the approach to the fuel-filling pump, it would give a continual check on the setting of tyres which could be put right before excessive tyre wear showed that something was wrong.
The prospect of legislation in Holland prescribing annual or regular tests of vehicles has created considerable interest there for static brake testers of the roller type and many stands featured examples including British, German and American makes. Bitish makers represented were Triangle Products Ltd., by C. Van Maancn and Van Rooy Dorsman featured a Bradbury tester. Dorsman also showed the Hofmann static brake tester which has concrete rollers and gives a written record of the braking effort on a graph. 'I bis shows also the pedal pressure required to produce the reading. The characteristic of the markings on the graph indicates if the drums are oval.
Saarloos' exhibited two types of static brAe tester. One was Danish, made by H. P. Andersen of Copenhagen—this also gave a reading of pedal effort—and the other American by the Clayton Manufacturing Co. of California. Both are suitable for commercial vehicles. The larger of two static brake testers shown by N.V. Scher and Co.--they were made by Carl Schenk Maschinenfabrik GmbH of Darnstadt. W. Germany—was also suitable for commercial vehicles, having a capacity for axle loads of up to 12 tons. whilst a tester shown by Frijdal-Techniek N.V. (also Danish, by V. Lowener of Copenhagen) was suitable only for vehicles with an axle load of 2.5 tons.
Also featured by Frijdal was an interesting Italian tool for use on bleeding hydraulic brake circuits. Called the Prestop, this consists of a pistol-type hand pump to which is attached a container. Two pipes lead from the pump, one to an adapter fitted in place of the hydraulicfluid reservoir cap, the other to the bleeder valve at the wheel cylinder of the particular circuit being cleared of air. When the pipes have been connected and the container filled with hydraulic fluid, pressure is applied to the circuit by means of a lever close to the handpiece of the pump body. This causes fluid to flow right through the circuit and any air in the system is removed by an air separator located in the container as the fluid passes through it. In .Holland the Prestop unit costs £27, less adapters.
A useful piece of equipment which was shown by Koopman and Co. of Amsterdam was a rotatable platform—called the Pernurn—developed by the concern as an aid to parking vehicles. Anyone trying to get the greatest number of vehicles into the smallest possible space would find this unit a geat advantage. The size of vehicle which can be used on the table is limited because the platform measures about 10 ft. by 20 ft. only, but this covers many vans. The platform is pivoted about the middle of one side and by operating a lever which lies flush with one edge when the platform is braked, the platform can be rotated to position the vehicle in a convenient position for it to enter a parking space. Another good idea was to be seen on the stand of Ravas N.Y., this company exhibiting a range of Danish trolley jacks which had a pair of pneumatic-tyred wheels mounted on the body of the jack between the normal steel wheels. When the jacks are unladen, the weight is taken by the rubber wheels and the steel wheels are just clear of 'the ground, which makes for easier manceuvrability around a garage floor, When the jack is in use, the load on the saddle brings all four steel wheels into contact with the ground.
The widest ranges of garage equipment were exhibited by two factors who had the largest stands at the exhibition and who have already been referred to-Saarloos' and Rooy Dorsman. Other items of interest shown by Saarloos' included Magasa fueI-injection pump test B32
benches imported from Barcelona, Spain. These are similar in construction to the well-known Hartridge and Merlin machines, which were also to be seen at the Exhibition on the stands of the dealers for the respective makers. Two Magasa_models were shown, the Model F which gives full facilities for pump testing including electronic phasing and the Model G.which is of a similar size but provides less facilities. Prices in Holland are about £800 for the Model G and £1,175 for the Model F.
Saarloos' also featured a new design of spray painting equipment of French manufacture. The air pressure supplied to the gun is provided by a portable electrically powered blower unit, the being heated as it passes over the tur producing the pressure. The gun, w can be pressure or gravity fed, incor ates a nozzle which gives a " misth spray pattern. The heat in the air to the gun is said to be an impox factor in this respect but another is a "shield " of air which is eje around the spray from the nozzle.
Other items of interest on the Dorsi stand included a number of Italian il of garage equipment made by Cec and C. S.p.A., Vicenza, including a c ing-systenn cleaner which provide pulsating flow of water, trolley ja compressors and tyre inflation equiprr
On the stand of Unitrans N.V. a i tively new American system of autorr chassis lubrication was featured. ' was the Alemite Oil-Mist which powered by an air connection to vehicle's air-pressure system—supplie about 20 p.s.i.—and this produces ar vapour in a pipe circuit. Convenie placed along the pipe are take-off pc to feed lubricant to points on the cha At the junction blocks there are ba (at each feed pipe) which convert the to a liquid which is then fed to the being lubricated. Other Alemite eq ment featured by Unitrans inch. pump-type spraying equipment vehicle washing and the applicatior underbody sealing. A 2-ton-capa cantilever lift made by Elicon, a s company to the exhibitors, was shown, this being a portable lift (ele citify powered hydraulic in operat which gives a lift of 5 ft. 6 in. In Holl the unit sells for about £250.
The equipment described repres only a small part of that to be seen week at the Autovak exhibition—it w‘ be impossible to cover such an exhibi adequately in one article. As well as exhibits referred to, there were things as large cylinder hones, a. g variety of lubrication plant, vehicle and washing plant; most of it desk primarily for use with cars but a g deal still applicable to commei vehicles,