A BOON TO MOTORISTS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 149, 30 July 1914, Page 3

A BOON TO MOTORISTS.

SAVING IN TEMPER AND LANGUAGE. , One of the principal bases of a motorist's life is the p"J in ping-up of tyres. The frequent necessity of labourously and perspiringly wrestling with a pump and a tyre for ten or fifteen minutes, is prolifically productive if bad language and, through improper inflation of tyros, of expense. Now, however, Christcliurch motorists will bo able to blow up their tyros quickly, easily, and without, loss of temper. This decrease in the profanity which accompanies motoring will be due to a contrivance which has been installed at Messrs W. B. Scott and Co.'a commodious garage in Gloucester Street. A powerful air compressor has been - placed in the machine-room of the garage. 'lt is automatic; the machine has been ganged to stop immediately a v pressure of 1201b to the square inch is reached, and to start again when the pressuro drops to 901b. Of course, it can be gauged to give a much higher pressure than 1201b. Strong pipes carry the air from tho compressor into differ- , v ent parts of the building, and even on to the street: Connected with the pip# [ are long lengths of very strong, wirobound rubber tubing, fitted with noz/.lea ar.d pressure indicators. One of-theso lengths of tubing will reach any wheel of any car in tho large garage. To blow up a tyre the nozzle has simply to be fitted —the work of an instant —to the valve of a tyre, and a small pointer on the pressure indicator is switched over to the required pressure, and in. a few moments tho tyro is ready for the road. This morning a SUN representative watched a mechanic inflate a couple of tyres, " which had been right "down." From tEe time that the mechanic took the valve-cap ! off th* tyre to fit the compressor nozzle until it was on again with the tyre fully inflated, only about ten seconds elapsed. Formerly, without the com* p?essor, the inflation of the tyre would have occupied about ten minutes, and hard work at that. Of course, care has to be taken that too strong a pressure is not put into tho tyre. The pressure required for car tyres from 90 millimetres to 135 milli- ♦. metres in diameter ranges from 421b to 701b to the square inch. It is, however, very easy for motorists to obtain inflation tables. . . ' Messrs W. B. Scott and Co. have .not stopped at using the compressor only .. for themselves. A length of tubing and a gauge have been attached to the pipe which has been previously mentioned as running out to the street, and these, are meant for the use of any motorist v ho likes to take advantage of an op- • [portunity to inflate his tyres without _ • ! trouble. The tubing „and gauge are contained in a small tfupboard attached, b-y permission of thfcCity. Council, te of tbe verandah posts. A motorist,' '■jpplkmolfar cyclist, without askihg *'By yenr leave," may drive up, open the cupboard, inflate his tyres in a Tew seconds, and. drive away again, without either thanks or payment. "We don want all the airj" said Mr Scott, ' ' and the motoring public might as well make ! use of it. Of course, the machine has' cost us a deal, biit we will save that in the time and trouble which our men have previously had to spend i* blowing up tyres." During the winter. n;Onths, the! public compressor will be. locked up, at;s p.m., to prevent it being tampered with, but during the summer months it will be available to motorists iii the evening. ' *' ' . v • :