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Answers to Queries.

6th March 1913, Page 19
6th March 1913
Page 19
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Page 19, 6th March 1913 — Answers to Queries.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Our readers will be informed by the Editor on any Points connected with the construction or use of commercial motors. Where a direct reply is desired, a stamped and addressed envelope should be enclosed : if a request for privacy is not specially made, any query and answer may be published. Some replies, owing to pressure on our space, are held several weeks. Numerous requests reach us for lists of motorcab and commercial-vehicle owners; these we never supply. Our advertisement

columns are open to those who desire to make announcements to owners for the purposes of trade.

London Street Accidents.

12120] "SELECT COM3IITTEE " writes:—" Can you tell me the terms of reference to the Select Committee of the House of Commons on London motor traffic, and also who are or. that committee?"

Aaswna.—The terms of reference are: "To inquire into the circumstances which have led to the large and increasing number of fatal accidents in the Metropolis, due to motor omnibuses and other forms of power-driven vehicles, and to make recommendations as to the measure to be taken to secure greater ::afety in the streets."

The members of the committee are :—Messrs. Allen Baker, Shirley Beim, Daniel Boyle, Stephen Collins, F. Goldsmith, Walter Guinness, H. P. Harris, F. Rollaway, Earl of Kerry, J. A. Morrison, H. Munro, J. Nolan, W. Thorne, Lord A. Thynne, and Sir George Toulmin (chairman).

What We Have Said.

[2121] " CYNICUB " writes : --" I have studied your summary of the L.G.O.C. report and meeting, and I feel rather amused at the oft-hand way in which you have fixed upon 50 million miles as the total running of the company's motorbuses. Why not say 40 million or 60 million? Have you any basis for taking this round figure, and drawing inferences from it "

AxswEn.—Our correspondent is fully entitled to challenge any figure which is published in this journal. We do not, however, publish statistics the bases of which cannot be stated. The daily mileage of the L.G.O.C. motorbuses varies between 120 miles and 140 miles, and we were guided by certain information which is in our possession when we took as the average a daily mileage, between those extremes, which, on multiplication by 2030 and by 193 days (21st June to 31st December), gave a product of approximately 50,00(000. As a matter of fact, the figure did not come out exactly at 50,000,000, but we reduced it to that round figure, in accordance with our published statement in the paragraph which preceded the extracted working-costs per bus-mile.

Licences and Taxes in Private Hire.

[2122] " SOUTHERNER " writes :—" I shall be very glad of your advice on the following :—I am at present running 'a n-tonner (type A) Thornycroft Ian, which is, of course, registered and weighs under two tons. T am able to get a little team work (football and cricket), and I would fit removable wagonette seats. Please inform me, can I use machine on this essentially private-hire work without any additional licences, or must I take a £2 2s. hackney-carriage licence ? The work will be very occasional indecd. Also, am. I entitled to rebate on petrol used ? "

ANswEa.--For the class of work which you indicate, you must take out a hackney-carriage licence, according to the amended scale of the 1696 Motor Car Act. That means you will have to pay 2s. for a vehicle of the weight mentioned. The definition of a "hackney carriage" includes any carriage let for hire by a coachmaker or other person, unless such carriage is let for a period of three months or more. To secure exemption as a trade vehicle, you must not even use the vehicle incidentally for the conveyance of passengers, or you have no option but to pay. You will be liable for the 3d. per gallon petrol duty, without rebate. How to Advise His Board.

[2123] " CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY MANAGER" writes: —" I shall esteem it a favour if you will kindly assist me in the following matter. I write on behalf of a large co-operative society who wish me to procure details as to the maintenance of a three-ton lorry. A — van is favoured by them. This van on an average would do 100 miles per day in a hilly district.

•• I shall be extremely obliged if you will let me know the yearly depreciation. Is it 25 per cent. 1 Also, the running cost, including driver and the tire upkeep (solid), and reasonable repairs. If you can further give information as to a steam wagon it will be appreciated."

ANSWER.—A three-ton van, such as the one to which you refer, should work at an inclusive cost of 9d. per mile, including depreciation. You should see that it has tires fitted of 140 inm. width, singles on the front wheels and twins on the back wheels. There is no need to charge depreciation at 25 per cent. per annum ; we have included it at 14 per cent, per annum. With petrol at its present price, a three-ton steam wagon would undoubtedly work more cheaply than a petrol wagon, but you would have the inconvenience of obtaining water on the road.

Petrol Motor Wagons for Collection and Removal of Domestic Refuse.

[2124] "SUPERINTENDENT OF CLEANSING" writes:— " My committee are presently considering the question of petrol motor wagons for refuse collection purposes, and for their guidance I am endeni'ouring to obtain all possible information in connection therewith. Bearing in mind your ripened experience and knowledge of motors in general, and more particularly from a commercial point of view, I approach you in the hope that you may be able to furnish me with any data dealing with the subject.

" I am already aware that. dust collection by motor presents difficulties in the quest for economical advantages over horse haulage, no doubt due to the nature of the work, but, as a saving is claimed in some quarters for the former when applied to districts remote from the point of deposit. I shall be glad to have your opinion as to the minimum distance necessary to effect. a saving over horse haulage."

ANSWER.—The question which you put is one of some difficulty, owing to the want of really-comparable data. The needs of every town vary with local conditions—both of topography and of the systems in vogue in the departments. Broadly speaking, we should say that, on even the household collections, provided sufficient labour is furnished, the motor vehicle could not fail to beat the horse handsomely, on inclusive working costs, if the self-propelled vehicle were given a " lead " of not less than two miles from the depot or destructor before collections were started.

Perhaps you have worked out, or have the data at your disposition to secure such a figure, the cost per unit. ner hour? We certainly suggest that you should consider whether a figure of that kind would be of any help to you. If so, and if you will tell us the load capacity of the petrol vehicles of which you are contemplating the purchase. we could probably furni.h some sort of a guiding figure to help you. In hilly districts, we think there is no question that so big a lead as two miles would not be necessary in order to show undoubted economy. AN IMPROVED TRAILER BRAKE.

We had occasion to call on Mr. H. W. Wigan, of the Eastern Motor Wagon Co., Ltd., at Buttersland Bond, E.C., the other moining, and whilst there, Mr. Brassington, the company's engineer, showed us an interesting trailer-brake arrangement for which he has recently secured a patent. This consists of a compactly-contrived worm gearing with a reduction of about three to one, which enables a small wire-rope sheath to be rotated by means of a short handle. This device is self-locking, and insui es sufficient draught on the wire rope, by virtue of the capacity of the pulley, to take up the inevitable slack which is part and parcel of trailer-brake connections, in order to accommodate the varying distance between the trailer and wagon when turning corners. The brakes to be operated by this new device are spring controlled, so that, when the wire is positively slacked off, the brake shoes themselves come out of engagement with the drums. This is a neat little contrivance, and should insure satisfactory compliance with the law as to trailer brakes.

Mr. Wigan and Mr. Brassington agreed that the ideal trailer brake is one which will combine the qualities of their new device and will, in addition. come into operation automatically should the trailer become accidentally detached from the tractor. Any additional complication to insure this end, however, is to be deprecated, especially for machines engaged in the class of work for which steam wagons are generally employed, in London or elsewliel e.

ARGYLL BRAKE DEVELOPMENTS.

We have been interested to examine drawings which have been sent to us by Argylls; Ltd., of this company's latest version of the front wheel braking problem, to which it has given unremitting attention. The Argyll designers have gone as far as anybody we knowif not further—in regard to the solution of the problem. They have now standardized a system of diagonal braking, by which all four wheels, are operated simultaneously. It is suggested, and we shall be interested to observe a demonstration.. that this method will do much to obviate the dangers of sideslip under conditions similar to those which pertain on greasy days in the streets of the Metropolis and other great towns. The front *heel braking scheme of the latest Argyll pattern is very corn. pact. The stub axles are inclined, and the brake drums are located vertically over them, attached. of course, by suitable belts to the hub centres themselves, The brakes are of the internal-expanding pattern, spring controlled, and are cam-operated by suitable rods through universal and telescopic joints.

Those who are interested in this problem will be well advised to examine more closely the result of the Argyll designing staff's painstaking efforts in this direction. We are of the opinion that the ultimate solution of the side-slip problem will be found in careful chassis design. The more so as none of the many devices brought forward during recent years for this purpose can be termed unqualified successes. The Arp-,yll brake promises to be an exception.


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