From Drivers and Mechanics.
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY is paid for the best communication received, and one penny a line of ten words for anything else published, with an allowance for photographs.
Workshop tips and smart repairs long and successful runs; interesting photographs ; all are suitable subjects. We will knock your letters into shape and will prepare sketches, where necessary,beforePublicatiOn. The absence of a sketch does not disonedify for a Prise. When nailing, use one side of the paper only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name will be disclosed. Payment will he made immediately after Publication. Address "our tellers to The Rditor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 7-25, Rosebery
Avenue. London. F.' C.
Annual Bonuses are given to the most successful contributors.
THE ADDITIONAL DRIVER'S PRIZE.
17..tlension f I oie Jo. Competil,
In connection with the prize of two guineas which we are offering to the driver who sends in the most complete and genuine list of replacements and repairs executed on a steam or petrol lorry of which he is in charge, during any definite period of 12 months; we must remind our readers that the last date for sending in letters is the first day of July, 1912.
Hammer Heads and Jointing Pump Arm:.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
i10491 " X " (Cardiff) writes I enclose sketches and description of two c r three items suggested to me by various letters which have appeared in your columns. Some little time ago a correspondent described a method which he had adopted for fixing hammer heads on shafts. [Our correspondent refers to letter No. 896, " Vice Jaws and Hammer Heads," 18th February, 1912.—En.] " I have used the following method of doing this job for some years now, and find that it answers very well. The idea was originally given to me by a Yankee, but it is none the worse for that. When the shaft has been shaved to a nice driving fit in the head, a hole is bored through the shaft,and a piece of *in. iron wire is passed through and bent, as shown in the sketch. The head is then driven on, and the ends of the wire knocked over.
"It may be helpful to some of your readers to know that powdered glass makes quite a good substitute for borax when the latter cannot be obtained for brazing. Litharge and gold size makes a splendid jointing compound that is not affected by oil, and it will set quite hard in about an hour's time. I have fitted many copper patches on crankcases, gearboxes, etc., and always put a layer of the above compound under the patch in order to make sure of effecting a firstrate joint. " A piece of bluestone, or sulphate of copper, dissolved in sulphuric acid, will be found to stain steel and other metals which it is desired to mark off, far better than chalk, whitewash or other material which drags and flakes. '
About Squeaks.
[1050] " A.H.H." (Cardiff) writes :—" It, very often happens that a squeaking noise occurs on a petrol wagon or van which is very hard to locate. This may be at the same time a source of continual annoyance to the driver. Working, as I do, in a repair shop, I have had a fairish amount of experience in locating squeaks on many vans, and I have had to fill up report sheets and state where and how the noise occurred and how it was found. When the squeak is heard apparently in the engine it is a hard job to find out just where it is. When the machine is run for the special purpose of finding out the trouble, it may be that the engine has not run long enough to start the squeak ; again the squeak may not be in the engine itself at all, but a shackle bolt in one of the springs may be the source of the trouble, or it may be one of the universal joints. Even some makes of carburetters can put up a loud squeak. Wooden panels in van bodies are often the source of intermittent noises near the driver's seat. A panel may work loose and rub against the adjacent wood, making a most nerve-shattering row. I was once driving from Chepstow with a light van, when I suddenly heard an ominous noise which suggested a. seizing up.' This occurred about three times, and I pulled up and examined all the gear and gave a dose of oil to the plate-clutch and clutchfork. This being done, I started away again, but still the sound was heard. I got down and oiled the differential, and all the gear I could get at while the engine was running slowly. About 800 yards further on the noise again occurred. This time I stopped the engine and oiled in every possible, and some few impossible, places that I could think of. At last I found the trouble was due to the fan shaft, the grease-cup of which had run out of oil. This was most peculiar, as I could have sworn that the sound came from under my feet when I was sitting at the wheel. I think, myself, that it must have appeared +o come from under my feet owing to the bonnet being enclosed and the slots in the footboards."
Burning Liquid Fuel.
[1051] " CT." (Fulham) writes : —" The sketch which I enclose illustrates a simple form of jet which is often employed when tar and similar material is used as a fuel. I had charge of a tractor in the colonies some time ago where coal was scarce, and we were forced to use tar as our main fuel. As this system is not widely known amongst drivers in England, I thought a brief account might be of interest. I think the burner can be adapted to many different types of boilers, for no alteration is required to the fire-box or grate, and a hole drilled through the fire-door allows the nozzle of the jet to pass through, and that is all that is required. Of course it follows that before the appliance can be used steam must first be raised in the boiler by means of wood, coal or some other fuel. Usually from 10 to 15 lb. pressure is necessary before the jet can be worked, and, of course, as the pressure rises so the heating power of the jet increases. The appliance must be fitted so that the fuel-feed-pipe is exactly above and in line with the steam-pipe, and both must work on swivel joints in order that the jet may be swung aside when the fire-door is opened for inspection or other purposes. Wheel-valves are provided to both pipes, and in order to bring the jet into action it is necessary to turn on the tar, and then the steam, and to regulate each feed, until the best mixture is obtained. The tar should be atomized as completely as possible. and the results—good or bad—will depend very largely on how this is done. Little or no smoke is given off if the device be properly adjusted. "On the boiler of which I had charge the tar feed was by gravity ; forced-feed can be used where desired. The cost of the fuel was less than for coal, and in practice we found a general freedom from troubles and had no difficulty in keeping up steam."
Criticism of a Driver's Letter.
[1052] " 11.1'." (Cheltenham) writes :—" Knowing that most of my fellow-drivers take a great interest in your 'Drivers and Mechanics' page, I must admit that it is the first page I turn to when THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR arrives at OUT works.
"1 should like to say a word or two with regard to your correspondent who told us of the difficulty which he experienced in getting water into the boiler
of his wagon. [Our correspondent refers to letter 1034, "Filling a Boiler Under Difficulties,"—En.] T think the driver who, in a previous letter to our journal, mentioned that when he noticed the water in his boiler getting low, drew his fire and let the wagon run down the hill without power and with the pump working, was studying his boiler in a very sensible way. [We imagine our correspondent refers to letter 1024, "The Steam Wagon's Pump.'—ED. 1 I think that most drivers will agree with me when I state it is running unnecessary risks to keep the wagon going up hill and down dale when one is not exactly sure as to the amount of water in the boiler. If this he done with a boiler of the loco type, and a hill is ascended when the water is low, it follows that the front
ends of the top tubes cannot be covered and must surely be burned. When going downhill with the water low, it is naturally not possible to see the water in the gauge, as it would run to the front of the boiler. It seems to me that if the fusible plugs are in good condition they should melt out if this position be reached, but perhaps your correspondent, like an apprentice 1 once met in my early days, was running with a solid fusible plug.' " Flooding a Carburetter.
.[1053j " AUTO CHESHIRE " (Sandbach) writes :— " I have been interested in your 'Drivers and Mechanics ' page now for a considerable time, but only. through seeing a friend's name as the winner of a i0s. prize did it strike me that I also could turn an honest copper by sending you a useful hint or suggestion, " Your readers will agree with me, I think, when I state that in cold, wet, and dirty weather it is a nuisance to have to lift up the bonnet of a van in order to flood the carburettor. You will see from the sketch I enclose [We have had this re-drawn lo.] my idea of a little fitment which overcomes the necessity of going out, into the road, A bell-crank 1-wer is attached and pivoted so that one end fits over the float-needle. A small tension spring serves to hold the lever up from the needle when the ap pliance is not in use. At the other end of the crank a length of Bowden cable wire is fitted, and this is led to any convenient place on the dash or 'bonnet, and a collar is brazed at the end to prevent the cable working through. A handle may also be fitted to the wire."
Cleaning the Boiler.
[1054] " FED." (Poplar) writes :—" As a reader of your interesting journal, I should like to say a few words on boiler cleaning. If a piece of in. gas pipe is firmly wedged in the mouth of an ordinary hose pipe, a small stream of water having great pressure is obtained, if there is ordinary pressure at the water mains. If this small jet be used to clean out the mud and scale from the boiler, the velocity of the stream is often enough to knock nearly all the scale off the tubes, and it certainly clears out all the mud which accumulates at the bottom of the firebox underneath the firehole door. Some makes of steam wagons are fitted with back mud-doors, and this, of course, is very useful. A small amount of boiler composition is also a work-saver if put into the boilers regularly, and this can be done quite easily through the pump, provided that the pump is worked from the crankshaft. I have paid this little attention to my Mann steam wagon for four years, and have never had a single complaint from the boiler inspector. When washing out and cleaning, it is a good tip to take the pump clack-valve apart, and also the injector, and just give them a little cleaning up, for the clack-valve gets corroded if it is left too long unattended."