Passing Comments
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Jazzing it Up
CENTRED on the Cy Laurie Jazz Band and a Ford '–'15-cwt. personnel carrier, a new publicity film, produced by World Wide Pictures, Ltd., for the Ford film library has a refreshingly novel approach to this sales medium.
Filled with direct " plugs " for the attractive features in the specification of the personnel carrier, the film, nevertheless, manages to be highly entertaining. Without a commentary, it has a running time of 94 min.
Also in the programme, when this film was shown to the Press, was a 9+-min. cartoon film suitable for school children and—in the words of the Ford handout—the uninitiated, on the elementary principles of the internalcombustion engine.
Both the films are in 16mm. colour and are available on free hire from the Ford Film Library (R5g.), Ford Motor Co.. Ltd., 88 Regent Street, London, W.1.
B78
Restrictions on Italian Transport
ITALY has introduced stringent new highway regulations many of which have already come into force. Amongst these are that driving licences will be valid for 10 years, except to applicants over 55 years old, when renewal is limited to five years, whilst persons over 60 will not be permitted to drive coaches or buses. A speed limit of 31 m.p.h. is imposed on all motor vehicles in built-up areas, and a similar speed on lorries everywhere, but public service vehicles will be allowed 37.5 m.p.h.
A particularly interesting requirement is that a minimum distance of 44 yd. must be maintained between vehicles travelling in the same direction. This is increased to 110 yd. in the case of lorries with trailers. One regulation that is to operate gradually is that all commercial vehicles of over 4-ton unladen weight must be equipped with righthand steering. Another limitation to the largest types ot goods vehicle is maximum length, 36 ft. I in.
e Battle Against Corrosion
ORROSION is one of the most pernicious and expensive troubles, and research is constantly being 'ducted to inhibit it and reduce its most drastic effects. this connection much good work is being done by the rrosion of Metals Group of the National Chemical vratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial iearch, who will be featuring this at the Corrosion nibition to be staged in the Horticultural Hall, stminster, London, S.W.!, on April 27-30.
he aim of the group is to gain knowledge of corrosion icesses and of preventive measures and assist industry the application of existing knowledge.
F.xperimental water circulating systems are in use at N.C.L., where the effects of water composition, flow ed and temperature on the corrosion of metal pipes being investigated. Various methods of treatment being tried before application in large industrial Ferns.
n contrast to this, an extremely sensitive means is being d to discover how compounds such as chromates vent corrosion of immersed steel when sufficient are led to the water. This involves the use of a radiolye tracer and Geiger counter.
The corrosion of enclosed iron and steel by moist air be prevented by using volatile inhibitors, which porate slowly so that protective vapours permeate the space, but care is needed in their choice if the metal likely to be contaminated with certain types of solid posit.
Wire Coil Adds Traction
xjARIOUS devices to fit over pneumatic tyres so that they can give better traction off the road, or in other difficult conditions, have been devised. The latest, from America, is a coil of two strands of heavy-gauge steel
wire twisted together to give a diameter of in.
The twisting is said to give extra strength and provide a shape which will lock into the tread rubber without bending or slipping, and yet give the necessary freedom of movement. It is not stated how the ends are locked, but that should not be a difficult matter.
Air Suspension Limits Braking
AMETHOD of brake operation which automatically modulates application under all load conditions has been developed by General Motors, and is now available on the two new G.M.C. truck models DLR 8000 and DER 8000, which were described in The Commercial Motor dated January 16.
The system has been made possible as a result of the new air-suspension equipment which, with the addition of a brake-regulating valve, automatically adjusts the braking effort on the rear wheels in relation to the load on them. The result is that a vehicle can approachits minimum stopping distance regardless of its load. This takes care of the extremes when there may be much more weight on the rear wheels than on the front, and yet when without a semi-trailer the load at the rear may be halved, adding to the danger of loss of control.