Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 29
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY is paid for the best cornmunication received, and one penny a line of ten words for anything else published, with an allowance for photographs.
When the Carburetter7Jibs.
[1223] "A.E.G." (Old Ford) writes —"I have seen several ideas in your journal for the temporary repair of a carburetter float when a leak has developed. have not, however, seen any letter which described a way of getting home when the float has been damaged beyond repair. As I work for a company which does a large amount of haulage on the contract basis, we often have to devise some means of getting the wagon home without loss of time even when damage is sustained. I have been in my present job for over five years, and have had a lot of little troubles on the road, but can say that up to the present I have not actually been held up for any length of time.
" Some time ago, the bottom almost fell out of the float. in the carburetter of a wagon that I was in charge of. What this was due to I do not know, nor can I imagine how it held air-tight for any time at all. In order to overcome the trouble, I took out the float altogether and turned the petrol cock on about one-eighth of a turn, so that the engine only received the necessary supply of petrol. Of course, on the return to the garage a new float had to be fitted, and this method of running the wagon was, of course, somewhat expensive. I think, however, that it was cheaper in the end to use an extra gallon or so of fuel than to have the wagon stranded for a matter of some hours."
A Simple Distributor Connection.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the los. prize this week.
[1224] " (Llandaff) writes :—" I was recently engaged in overhauling a four-cylinder engine, and was instructed to fit two new distributor erinnec tions to the magneto. The old ones, which were of ebonite, had broken away, and the fittings were generally loose in the holes. As our place is not exactly situated in a position where renewals can easily be obtained, I had to effect a repair in the following way. I send you a rough sketch of the method used (We have had this re-drawn—En.]. " I first obtained a piece of 1 in. square fibre, chucked it in a. four-jaw lathe chuck, and turned it down to the outside diameter of the old ebonite connection. I then bored it as shown in the sketch, with the diameter of the bore just a shade under the size of the insulated wire. Next I got a split pin which was a goad fit in the old distributor holes, and with a twist drill just a little under the size of the split pin I drilled the fibre at the bottom as shown. then stripped the insulation back for a little distance at one end of the wire, and soldered it through the head of the split pin. Lastly, I gently twisted the whole into position. The job has now held for over nine months; and there is no sign of its giving way."
Leaving Vehicles Unattended.
[12251 " H.S.J." (Pimlico) writes :—" I think you might, with advantage pay more attention to the vexed question of leaving horses and motors unattended in the streets. Whether I have been particularly unfortunate or not in this respect, I cannot say, but I have been fined on two occasions for leaving my van without an attendant while going into a shop to secure or deliver orders. "I was employed by a well-known tea company some time ago, and had a round which ran from Birmingham to Aberystwyth via Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. While in the latter town I had booked and was serving an order, and, as it was a very cold morning, I left the engine just ticking round at the lowest possible speed. When leaving the shop, a policeman informed me that I would be eummoned for leaving the van unattended, and the consequence was that T was fined 7s. Bd. and costs.
"About a fortnight afterwards. I happened to be in the town again, on the return journey, and was driving down a side street, when an unattended horse took fright and suddenly dashed off. Anxious to avoid any further trouble, I drove on, but, owing to getting into a rather narrow and bad road, had to reverse and retrace my way. I met the driver of the horse which had bolted, and he inquired if I had seen his animal. He asked me to give him a lift, and some quarter of a mile further on we came across the horse doing a gymnastic performance on some area railings, and it had to be shot. "My contention is that the danger of starting a van with the engine running as slowly as mine was is not to be regarded seriously, while a. horse can be left unattended, to the possible danger of passers-by and property, without police action being taken."