MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 311, 20 September 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By "Clutcb,")

Since the war began more than one invention has been marketed which bids fair to do away for ever with ono of the most unpleasant features of tyre, repair or replacement on the road. Tho latest device is a hydraulic jack, wliioli promisee real relief from this trouble, , although tho initial expense may for a tifno be too heavy for the motorists, who at present have to study the matter of car upkeep, especially in vipw of tho almost prohibitive cost of potrol. 'Pho modo of operation of tho hydraulic jack is as follows:—Four inverted jacks are permanently fitted to cho car—a pair to each axle —aud are worked from a central mechanically operated pump. On tho dashboard of the- car is a switchboard with five plungers—one for each jack, and the fifth for returning oil to the tank. In the event of tyre trouble- the driver simply stops tho car, presses a plunger, and tho corresponding jack shoots out and raises the deflated wheel, almost instantaneously, from tho ground. If desired, any two wheols, three, or even •ill four wheels .cnn be lifted at once. The operation is said to be nmnzutg in its simplicity and almost uncanny to watch. It is an English patent. An Interesting SuggestionIt is very often forgotten that petrol vapour is heavier than, air, while coalgas is lighter, two facts which . are worth taking into consideration when deciding upon the position- of the carburettor.. Recently we demonstrated the fact that petrol vapour is heavier than air in the following way. A friend possessed an automatic lighter, which was particularly obstinate in igniting, especially after being freshly charged. Ho hold it on its side, upright, and, in fnct, in all positions pxcopt upside down, but was convinced that the best position to get it to light was the right way up, as near as possible to something fairly hot, such as a fire or a radiator, to induce the vapour io rise. Wo inverted the ■ lighter, and it lit every'time,'much to tho astonishment of our friend, wlio at first refused to beliove that the vapour would descend, not ascend. Seeing was believing , , howovor. JS T o\\y is it. nob feasible that'as all motor spirits used for car propulsion are heavier than air wlinn vaporised, tho position of the carburettor, instead of being below, the valve ports, should be above them? In all as with other things , in ongine design, it is more conventionality which places tho carburettor in its present position. Without attempting- to go deeply into tho advantage to be derived from reversing usual practice, we throw out the suggestion that this point is worthy of consideration.—"Light' Cnr." Here and Thore. Considering. tho. amount of mess it can produce when upset in a crowded locker, it is surprising liow few owners trouble to take precautions about the oilcani A few slaips of wood areeasily arranged to confine it to a corner, but a still batter plan is to get ablock of wood,;, say, 6in. by 3in. by LJin., mark the outline of the can, and hollow it out roughly to shape with a chisel. If tho block is then screwed on to the floor of the locker ihe oilcan, will lie safely in it without need of fastening. A good place for tile oilcan is under the bonnet. In tho event of a burst in the cover, a special canvas patch should bo' fixed across from edgo to ed.ee, so ns to be gripped under tho beading. Tho beet metliod of securing this canvas patch to the cover is to solution both it and the cover several times, allowing the coats to dry between, .tho applications. Tho patch must be- applied whilst the last coat of solution is just wet. Lighbinsr-up time: To-day, 5.44 p.m. Next Friday, 5,02 'p.m; •-. ■- '