Steering-Driving Axle for Front Wheels
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A Rosume of Patent Specifications That Have Recently Been Published
CROM Bendix Aviation Corporation, .1 South Bend, Indiana, U.S.A., comes, in patent No. 559,686, a design for a steerable driving axle suitable for the front wheels of a lorry. A constantvelocity universal joint is employed of the type known as the Weiss.
The drawing shows the scheme applied to a full-floating stub axle, in which the hub rotates on its own set of bearings, carried on the axle housing. The housing is outwardly flared to form the bearings for the separate king-pin stubs (1 and 5). •The shafts each carry a mating yoke-member (4) which is grooved to house the torque-transmit-. ting balls (6). As this type of joint tends to separate under angular load, a special thrust-washer (3) is provided at each side of the joint, to ensure exact location.
A central ball (2) acts as an inner thrust member; this is positioned exactly on the axis of the king-pins.
FEEDING .OIL INTO THE INDUCTION SYSTEM
PATENT No. 559,276, shows a device for feeding a fine oil-mist into the air intake of an engine, with the object, generally, of improving -engine • performance. The patentee is R. Fair, 159, Princes Avenue, London, N.W.9.
Thi,s inventor proposes to fit to the air inlet a funnel -(3) equipped with a porous member (2) through which the air is drawn. Oil from an adjustable drip-feed (1) is permitted to soak into the. pad (2) and so introduee a small quantity of oil mist into the ingoing air. A suction-operated valve (4) automatically cuts off the oil when the engine is stationary. There would• appear to be sorne_risk of oil leaking past the valve (4) and reaching the engine via the auction pipe, which would nullify the exact adjustment of the drip-feed.
EXHAUST GAS AS AN ANTI. DETONANT
!THE addition of an inert gas, such 1 as exhaust gas, to the combustible charge of an engine, is,. a principle which has, for many years, been recognized for the prevention of knock, and it is a little surprising that more use has not been made of it Suitable apparatus for the system is shown in patent No. 559,328, from W. Blanc• and J. Paiche, both of Geneva, Switzerlahd.
The usual venturi of the carburetter is provided with a ring of holes .(2), Which leads from a hollow belt surrounding it. The belt is supplied with cooled exhaust gas which mingles with
ingoing charge and imparts the desired anti-knock properties to it The exhaust gas is taken from..the main pipe, passed through an expander-curncooler and then past an. adjustable valve (4) on its way to the ventari tube. This -valve serves to control the proportion of gas, the actual quantity being governed by a throttle valve (5) linked to the main throttle (1) of the carburetter. A complete cut-off cau be given by an extra throttle valve (3).
The inventors state that, whilst the apparatus does not increase the power of an engine, it enables the same power to he obtained on a greatly reduced petrol consumption, provided, of course, that the compression ratio he raised considerably.
A TRAILER THAT FOLDS' AWAY
ACOLLAPSIBLE trailer, that can be carried in the boot of -a motor coach, and brought into action only when actually required, forms the subject of patent No. 559,485, from M. James and IL Andrews, 15, Sea Road, The drawing shows the trailer in the active position; the sides are constructed on the lazy-tongs principle and are extended or closed by a vertical jack-screw operated by a conveuient crank. The floor of the body is made of hinged slats whieh, when retracted, fold after the manner of a fan.
A single wheel, or the more orthodoxtwo wheels, may be employed. These also can be folded away, being hinged' so that they can lie flat against the underside of the floor.
A TYRE.1BORNE. ADJUSTABLE STRAKE use, adjustable tractor strakes are !subjected to very heavy loading, each one having, in turn, to carry the whole weight on the wheel. A scheme in which this load is transmitted to the tyre, instead of to the strake pivot pins, is shown in patent No 539,692 by F. Douglas, " Whiteway," North (7erney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire.
To the' rim of the wheel is secured a -series of lugs, each carrying a pivot pin (2). Each strake has a, forked end embracing one of the lugs, so that it can rock through approximately half a
turn. In the operative position, as shown, the tread portion (1) comes to rest on the tyre and • is thus relieved of the major portion of the load. This avoids stressing the pivots, which can, therefore, be made in a much lighter manner, ,which facilitates handling.