Opinions from Others.
Page 21
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Skidding and Brakes.
The Editor THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1318] Sir,--With reference to your recent article, has it occurred to you that a dangerous surface is robbed of its terrors when all four wheels are braked simultaneously? The Argyll patented system is not yet known to everybody, but there are scores of people who to-day owe their lives and sound limbs to our system, which will not under any circumstances cause the vehicle to deviate from the line in which it is travelling.—Yours faithfully, J. S. MATTHEW.
For ARGYLLS, LTD.,
Rubber Tires for Tractors.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
11319] Sir,—We note that a paragraph has been going the rounds of the motoring and illustrated papers to the effect that a certain firm of well-known removal contractors and general carriers have just had one of their steam tractors fitted with solid tires, and reference is made to this as being a new departure of great interest.
We note with interest that such firms are considering the advisability of adopting such tires, but the statement that this is a new departure is quite erroileons, for as far back as 15 or 20 4'ears ago we supplied solid rubber tires for traction engines, and, what is more, have been supplying these front time to tirne front that date.
Our last order for such tires dales back but a week or two.—Yours faithfully,
THE NORTH BRITISH RUBBER Co., LTD.
We ourselves did not give currency to the claim in question. We were aware of the mach earlier examples. Col. Crompton fitted Thomson's solid tires to a small traction engine more then 40 years ago.—End
Tractors for Fire Appliances.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1320] Sir,—I am astounded to read the letter which appears in your issue of the 5th ult., over the pseudonym "Fire Bird."
Why a man should take refuge under a nom de plume, when merely giving an account of his actual experiences with a particular type of machine, I cannot understand, unless he is more interested in the manufacture of new motor fire pumps. In any case, the trouble and danger which he suggests he has experienced in trying tractor-drawn fire-engines is so I entirely at variance with the experience, that have lhad, that I cannot allow his statements to go unchallenged. He says, " After considerable trouble and experiments, we found it was impossible to control the steam fire-engines when hauled on greasy surfaces ; moreover, in very bad cases of sideslip, we found that the steam engine itself would take the back of the tractor with it, and so the whole eightwheeled contraption would become almost entirely unmanageable."
Over three years ago, the Itedcar Urban District Council purchased asecond-hand 16-20 lap. Martini chassis, which the engineering members of the fire brigade converted into a motor, fire tender and tractor for drawing the steam fire-engine. Since then, the whole " contraption " (as " Fire Bird " describes it) has been in constant use in all weathers and on all kinds of road surfaces—macadam, tar macadam, slag, brick, and wood paving, and on no occasion has the " contraption" either sideslipped or shown any signs of becoming unmanageable. A moment's 'consideration will convinea anyone that the motor has less chance of sideslipping than an ordinary motorcar, secured as it is to a. machine behind it weighing a couple of tons or more, and to suppose that the fire-engine with its iron tires would be more easily able to sideslip when drawn with the motor than when it is with two horses is too ridiculous to need refutation.
I would like to make a wager with "Fire Bird "to testthe relative sideslipping tendencies of an ordinary motorcar and a motor tractor with fire-engine, and I would wager that the ordinary motor would give more trouble on greasy roads through sideslipping than the motor tractor with fire-engine I write with some experience on the subject, as I have been a motorist and driven all kinds of machines during the last 12 years. There are numerous urban districts that are equipped with steam fire-engines, and which would hesitate before incurring an expenditure of 2800 to £1000 for a motor fire-engine to replace their steamer, and for whom the adoption of a motor tender or tractor would be a wise and economical policy.
As Captain Seymour, of the Henley Brigade, truly says, country brigades have difficulties which town brigades do not have to meet ; where no regular horses' are kept, and no permanent fire staff is employed, the installation of a motor tractor solves half the difficulties, and, in our own ease, we were enabled to work the brigade at an appreciably less cost per annum.---Yours faithfully,
A. M. Hama (Late Captain Redcar Fire Brigade) We imagine that our correspondent "Fine Bird" implied the uncon trolled sideslipping of the trailer and not of the tractor, the latter is obviously more or less anehored, although we ourselves have seen had cases of front skidding. Our present correspondent should recollect that the horses attached to an ordinary tram fire-engine antomatioally correct the undoubted and obvious tendency of the engine to swing and sideslip. The motor tractor cannot so quickly exercise similar venue]. We have
desired merely to direct attention to the risk.—ED. I
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1321] Sir,—I have noticed the correspondence on this subject in your issues of 5th and 12th February, and as I was probably the first to draw public attention to the desirability of utilizing all good modern horse-drawn plant by the application of motor tractors, T have, needless to say, watched developments since. I note that mixed opinions have been expressed, and one of your correspondents appears to have been particularly unsuccessful. Well, it is probable that his tractor was not equal to the task, either in power, strength of chassis or weight to give proper adhesion. You would not put a light cab-horse to pull a three ton lorry.
I cannot think that an ordinary touring chassis with reconstructed body will be properly equal to the work required and expected of it. Some excess power is needed, the chassis must have solid-rubber tires-dual on back—and be strong enough to carry a proper tender body with a liberal supply of hose and the small appliances required for out-of-town fires, together with the staff of men. It is important that the engine or other vehicle towed should he fitted with a good brake, and the driver's seat. occupied by a man who knows bow and when to use it judiciously.
Have your correspondents never seen the " sway" on a steamer when drawn at speed by horses, as well as the dangerous skidding when rounding corners on paved streets, chiefly due to having so much of the weight behind ? Well now, after about three years of experience, I have no necessity to alter a single statement made by ma in 1912. With proper driving the steamer does travel steadier after the motor engine. Frozen Jarrah wood pavement and greasy asphalt must, of course, be negotiated carefully and with less speed. In addition to steamers, I have repeatedly and safely drawn four-wheeled A.erial turntable fire-escapes with men and gear-2j tons—to fires at 20 m.p.h. when the usual horses were laid off in the care of the veterinary surgeon.---Yours faith
fully,
Thomas P. PURCELL.
Chief Officer Dublin Fire Brigade.