BRITISH FORWARD MOVEMENT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3143, 13 November 1922, Page 2

BRITISH FORWARD MOVEMENT.

In arranging for the transport of raw cotton, wool or other fibrous material, the first step is to compress it into tho smallest possible space. Hand baling presses are generally used for this purpose, but. of course, they arc not nearly so effective as power operated presses nor are they so economical where large quantities have to be handled. A British firm has lately devised a, special type of electrically operated baling press which works almost automatically. The box of this press is constructed of steel plates in sections, more than halt of which are below ground. The material is filled: into the box from the floor above and, also by sweeping it along the floor and through a door in the side- of the box. Inside the box is a movable platen which can be hauled up by means of an,electrically operated haulage gear to compress the material in the box with a maximum pressure of 25 tons. The motor is controlled by three separate push buttons, so that once the box is filled the rest of the proceeding amounts simply to tho pressing of these buttons: Presses of this type are made in various sizes capable of exerting pressures of ten to one hundred tons and suitable for any weight of bale. • # k m Du.riifng tlie-trapid development of tho aeroplane for war purposes, instrument after instrument was added to the equipment until the pilot was obliged to keep his eye on an embarrassing number of dials. Many of the instruments were essential for night flying, when it was impossible for tho pilot to observe at what angle or speed or in what direction he was flying. The most important of these instruments were ah air-speed indicator, a compass, and clinometer or measure of inclination. In order to simplify this part of the equipment a leading British firm has put on the market a single indicator which includes the air-speed indicator, the clinometer, and a turn indicator which has been found more reliable than a compass for recording movements to the right or left. A glance, at this single instrument gives the pilot every indication he requires i > opcratingthe controls so as to maintain a- straight and level course. When he is making a turn the instrument will show him whether or not his banking is correct. Experience lias proved that the use of this instrument greatly reduces the physical and mental strain of a long flight, especially during the night or in foggy weather. The equipment weighs only' 6 J lbs and can easily he fitted to any kind of machine for commercial or militarv work.

The advantages to be derived from compressing coal dust into solid blocks of fuel have been recognised for many years', and briquettes of this type are in use for a great variety of purposes. Hitherto they have all suffered from the drawback that a large amount of tarry binding material has been used in order to consolidate the dust; and this binding material gives a smoky flame and prevents the briquette from burning brightly. This drawback is completely overcome in a new briquetting system invented by a British company and recently tested with complete success. Ground-up coal is mixed with about half the quantity of water and placed in a special form of press which squeezes out practically all the water. The water, in fact, comes out as a clear jet, and the briquette itself is produced in a compact shape with a more or lesshard surface. Within a few hours the briquette is so hard that it can be thrown about without breaking. The amount of binding material required in making this briquette is only about onethird of that usually employed and its fuel value is consequently much superior. When burned this fuel opens out well in the fire and burns brightly. Experts declare that this invention marks a. revolution in the briquetting industry. Both in capital cost and in working expenses the new system is cheaper than its rivals.

Greater attention i.s being given today than ever before in the history of engineering to the subject of fuel economy. Scientist after scientist has pointed out that tbe. world is wasteful!}* consuming its coal resources; and on this and other grounds endeavors have been made to deal with' coal more efficiently than by binning it under a boiler' or converting it at a high temperature into gas with a. hard coke; and various tarry materials as by-products. Great hopes have been entertained of the process known as "low temperature carbonisation," which, differs from the ordinary process in gas works by reason of the beating of the coal to a degree much below the usual standard. The object is to obtain not only a supply of gas hut also a. smokeless fuel which will burn brightly in the ordinary grate:, and a* many as possible of the various fuel oils ami other products of value in one direction and another. The whole question, which is exceedingly complicated, has been investigated by a Fuel Bcsearch Hoard appointed by the British Government. This Hoard, which has carried out ex|>criinents on a large scale. recently issued its report covering the work of the years 1920 and 1921. The problem is not yet solved, but the information which the Hoard has produced represents the highest point yet reached in the;' endeavor to find a sound commercial method of utilising tho manifold wealth hidden in our black diamonds.

A jjresit deal of attention has boon given lately to the danger caused by the use of powerful headlights on motor cars. These lights have a blinding effect on pedestrians and on the drivers of cars, and their use lias been the source of si number of serious accidents. The Royal Automobile Club of Groat Britain offered a substantial prize for a form of headlight which would be free from this disastrous dazzling olfeet. and numerous attempts were made to find a way out of the difficulty of securing a lijiht which would be strong enough to let the driver see where he was going and yet would not dazzle the eyes of people coming in the opposite direction. The problem was in fact abandoned by many people as insoluble, but recently two British inventors worked out different solutions, both of a most promising character. In one caae the lamp is placed at the focus of an elliptical reflector, thus concentrating the light of the lamp on Ibe second focus of the ellipse. At this point a small diaphragm is placed to reflect the light in such a way that no rays rise above the level of the lamp. The rays below this point pass through a lens which spreads them out so that the road surface is strongly illuminated for ;i good distance ahead, and the sides of the road receive sufficient light. The second inventor uses a special form of lens with a series of prisms which bend the light in such a manner that none escapes above the level of three feet from the load surface. The reflector is scientifically designed to assist this distribution of the light and to ensure that the sides of the roadway receive the requisite amount of illumination. Both these devices have been tested and have astonished experts familiar with early forms of anti-daz-zle lamps—which, in fact. consisted chiefly of arrangements for ditiling the light and thus depriving the user of the necessary illumination.