NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18140, 1 August 1924, Page 4

NOTES.

I A now night danger signal hiu Leeu I introduced to Australian motorists by Lan American firm. This is the RedIflex signal, which contains no lights and no mechanism, yet, it is claimed, iit serves the purpose extremely well. The invention is based on tho wellknown "red reflector" used on bicycles. When approached by an automobile with lights either dim or full burning, the signal takes on tho appearance of a huge brilliant red light or ball of fire. The Redfiex Jens is, in effect, 1-14 lenses, each reflecting light at ;>• different angle. The lens is 12in square, heimetically sealed in a cast aluminium ease, and protected by a galvanised screen, which is proof r'trst stones or other missiles. Above lens is tho daylight danger sigzial. This consists of the word "dan- ! ger" in oin black letters raised on a 1 white background. The sign is made of cast aluminium copper, and it is not affected by tho weather.

When installed, tho post is set in a concrete base, which insures rigidity and permanence. The signal is mounted on a standard of 2in galvanised steel post oft long, tho top of which is 30in from road lovel. Tin's highway signal constitutes a positive warning, even through fog, dust, or rain. Tho signal is so positioned that approaching lights will cause it to bo seen at a distance of 1000 ft or more.

Tho main road from "Wellington to Auckland via Mokau and To Kuiti is practically impassable between those two places at tho present time. Tho unmetalled gap between Tongaporutu and Awakino, on the Main North road, in quite impassable to anything but horse traffic, regular users of the route stating that a few of the mud-holes aro deep enough to half bury a car in. Though motor traffic has been at a standstill since shortly after Easter, and it will need several weeks of fine weather to dry up the mud, a good' start had been made with tho metalling southward from the Mot an river, oefore tho wet weather compelled a virtual suspension of operations, and it is understood that the- length of ten miles or so now in mud will be in a condition for all-the-year motor traffic by the time next winter comes. Owina to tho recent excessively heavy rainfall, tho road between To Kuiti and Piopio was submerged in four places. At one spot tho water was 2 feet G inches deep, and tho mail car had to ho towed through tho flood by horses.

Much interest has been created in England owing to particulars that have been announced relative to a light car that it is proposed to market in England for 100 guineas. The power unit is a single cylinder 350 c.c. aircooled engine which is incorporated in a. novel manner into a casing that houses the torque converter. Tho latter takes the place of a gear-box, and automatically provides the correct ratios. There is no gear lever or clutch pedal in this car, a email hand lever sufficing to give tho driver the option of three controls, viz., forward, neutral, and reverse. The procedure when starting is simply to place this lever into fcho forward position when the vehicle mil remain at rest until the driver opens the throttle. The torquo converter then picks up tho load and tho car will gradually get under way, being subsequently controlled simply by means of the accelerator pedal. It is claimed that this car, ■U*o wijj run up to &5 ra.p hj., on au extremely low fuel consumption.

While the shaft-drive for the motorcycle has succeeded up to a point with the expenditure of many thousands, its suceess has been attained through comB re-finises not altogether satisfactory. •no of the chief difficulties is to olimifliite noise, but tho special type of berel gear used did not provo durable; it was not sufficiently reliable for the public. and deadening of noise is not needed on a car because the car has a differential winch is oni» of tho finest types of transmission shock-absorber available. Apart from engine shock and torque, the motor-cycle lias to absorb all road shocks with its single driving wheel. njud it is tho road shocks thrown baek through the transmission which make Bliaffc-drivo so knotty a problem for tho two-whee!er. The shook to the transmission is enormous, and if this is solid or direct obviously something must go sooner or later. Therefore the shock-absorber which is to be efficient for this type of transmission muse be doubly efficient, possessing- both tho properties of the spring and of tho friction device. There are some difficulties yet to be overcome.

What- is the greatest distance covered by a motorist in 12 months? No Authentic records have- been published in this connexion, but figures rec-entlv published in England show that one of the tyre testers employed by the J) union Tyre Co.. lias driven a car bS.QSO miles in the 17 months lx;t\v<en November Ist, 19-22, and March 31st, 192-f. Based or. a monthly average this would give 5769 monthly, equal to (59*2$ mile-? in 11' months, which must- be iu the region of a record.

"When the luggage of Mr H. Murphv of the official party of the All nbiolrj) ivm Iwing put en board the liftfiruera cb "Weilingt-m '.his v.vi-k it "/Jf ~ l£>- ! c? d to contain two cricket hats. '"Wvoicy," said ono of the erew who V.TS3 handling it. "I thought, we wesro taking a fcotbnll team Homo, but they re going to chew them up a'-crickc-t as well'"