TRAINING OF MECHANICS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1923, Page 23

TRAINING OF MECHANICS

,Wf o T IOn—L Rear axle a"d drive shaft. 2 Trans, gears and change speed gears. 3. System of ignition-coils, magneto, etc 4. Cooling S y stem . 5 Starting arid lishtin? system

' Fiier.—Storage". '. Carburetters.—Types, surface, drip, wick, and spray (float feed). Pressure and gravity gasoline systems. Vacuum tanks: care and operation. Choke tubes, jets, compensating jets, etc. Floats, filters, etc. Extra air, dash pots, and metering pins, etc. Hot air pipes. Adjustments of weU-known makes. Holly, Kingston, Schebler, Marvel, Zenith, etc. Bearings: types and materials. Ball and roller-bearings. Thrust bearings;. ComPouiid,.bearings. . ■ ■■' ■■: -Jwnts.-Type3 ji ieaitner-: couplings, metaJvjoints, etc. 'r''-.^.-; v Rear Axles,>-Types—Hye'^ndSdead— semi-float—tWeevquarter^arid^.fuU^oat. Differentials.i-Types—bevel geaß and straight todth;; Working" principles. Final drive,:^evel g^;, wormvfe sjraight.-and,helical 'tooth; "■ ■ ■■■'''*■? ■'■■ '•' ' V i- Ud^ eiter-. nal. ■ ■ materials.-' Methods of acV justment and equalisers. Steering Gears. ' Cooling Systems.-Thermo Syphon, forced circulation and air-cooled Circulating . P ump S ,-(centrifuga!). Thermostats. ;;Lubncatmg^ Systems.-Drjp, and- v '?plnsh. fqr^-viseositv 0)1. jpUtaps, gear, and iplunger. -.». Indicators. ;i- £.. ~j : , ;°-,x „-;...'.••.

(By "Autps.:-')

Sonic two years or.Eb.ago^.during'the boom': in the motor trade, when'the denianS for competent motor mechanics greatly exceeded the supply, the Motor Trade Association, conscious >'q! Hhe danger \of employing inadequately-trairied personnel in the garages" of.the Pomiri-: ion,* elaborated a. scheme for .'.the 'train-' ingVbf mechanics Already at ""work? :• This involved the appointment o£ an .expert supervisor to :■ organise classes, and also considerable: expense., The . slump came before the scheme could materialise, but nowanth ■ betiei i ..times''at:'pi;e3snt arid in, prospect the "proposal to train ' apprentices for the motor trade has been revived in a less ambitious but more practicable form. This later scheme, drawn up:by a committee-of-the association, with the services of that admirable organiser, the secretary (Mr. J. F. Cousins), waß,-.before ; the. annual .conference: of the association at New Plymouth last month, and was adopted unanimously. Briefly, it recommends the training of apprentices rather than adults, as in the original scheme, and seeks the cooperation of the technical colleges throughout the Dominion, wherever possible. ■;' The committee;,v;'mpije ; :,inquiries and found that the .authorities i.;,-wert); grilling and anxious : to:;c6-6perate*;in • fhe scheme. The New^Zealand Wholesale Motor; and Cycle .^Tiraders' Association and the New ZealaiiiJ'JMotor Trade'; Association are to beJ;tK& controlling"! authorities of the scheme;, and may ; appoint •;. (a) An executive;-; .^b)vtinst'ee's ; (c) lopal associationslifif.^ga'rig^;.: proprietors in whom they may:.;yeSii^a'uth6rity to carj-y out such portions""'of'tiie' scheme as miy bo found necessary. The; trustees are empowered to make grants] o,f money to the..,technical college authorities accepting ifche..:'. conditions and syllabus settled by theijexecutyye for the purchase of the necessary plint and equipment for caiTyingW-out the trainipg. «£ :.;;??*

The- basis of allocation of these grants is to be the number of students attending tl-je technical classes conducted under the scheme, who are apprentices or assistants in the garages <.'o;r workshops of members of the N.Z 1." Mo^rSj'Ta^e AJS sociation. The amount o'f| tjie'-"graiitS will be.governed by 7the amouu'fc'of the' funds:: subscribed and the number of apprentices who take the course of instruction. Grants should carry a Gov-, eminent £ for £ subsidy. AlU.teehnical colleges which accept this plan and agree to give instruction according to the syllabus J>i»vided will be entitled to a grant as provided for subject to the conditions: (a) Thatl-tkere is or will be when the grant is made-Suitr: able plant and equipment to carry oui the training as set out in syllabus; (b) efficient instructors to impart the requisite knowledge; (c) that preference be given; to apprentices in motor garages as students under this scheme. i

At,a.ny technical college which ii subsidised under this scheme the localmotor trade.'association shall have the right to appoint one motor trader to a seat on the 'IVchmcal College Committee. v

Tho scheme as herewith described shall be plit into operation by each local association of garage proprietors with tiTt locals-technical authorities under ?direc N tion "of central executive. ,

The scheme is intended to include all boys: entering the motor trade after this scheme comes into operation. Under the new Apprentices Act boys who have,not serveel more than two years come 4uiider the Act, and these will be included in the compulsory clauses mentioned' hereafter. ""'■'■-

Other assistants and workshop employe.es may take the course if they desire, but the same will not be compulsory in their case unless they,first' signify their, wish to participate? ""!-;'•• ".- Under the new Apprentices Act the control of apprentices will be .removed from the mechanics'.: award; 1 arid toII be dealt with by ths "Arbitration" Court as a; separate matter. Under this Act at tgehiiicnl classes compulsory, and as apprentices and not as assistans, as is (a)- at the end of the second year, the vides? the necessary additional facilities for .training apprentices^i.thevmotort,rade_ we rsconimeiid.ithat mfulure'- boys entering- the motor business be taken on as apprentices and not as assietants, a« is the case at present!,-.,•- ■ • ; That the course-pi study as 'set out in this plan be considered a. necessary -part.: of the training, of an apprentice. ' As to qualificatidn? -of appseiiticas:i; (a) It will be-necessary for boys desiring to become apprenticea after " this scheme comes into operation to provide satisfactory evidence that they have passed through the sixth standard and hold; a certificate of proficiency. (b) Boys who have not acquired; an elementary knowledge of freehand and mechanical drawing, mechanics, heat and .elementary 'electricity at n secondary -school will be required to tike a year's course in aboye ■„.subjects, at -atechnical school in the first year of appronticeship before commencing the course calbjd for in the syllabus attached hereto. '•■ . .'• ' .

When the qeustion of apprenticeship is before the Court,a" clause.be inserted in indentures makiiigthe attendance of apprentices at technical, classes-'as provided for in this plan compulsory. Indentures shall also include provision for rate of -wages -to be. governed by satisfactory attendance, good' conduct and progress at technical classes.. .. The course of instruction set put in this;plan is intended to"occupy three" years. Classes of not less than' two hours each to be held on two evening, of each week on which the tochnicll college is open. One evening to be devoted to theoretical work, the other to workshop practice. ■ ■■ _ The syllabus provides for two examinations the course of study, one (a) at the en dof the second yea^r the (a.) at the end of-the second jjeav,. the . \"? examinations on theoretical subjects; will ba conducted by the technical but practical examinations shalLbe conducted by an examiner ap scheme authority controlling theStudents passing the examination (a) shall: be envied to an additional' os p\* week m wag_es, and a, further similar \l create willle paid to all students passing, the second examination (b) wJJV^w' P *- fee" t0 technical colleges for the tuition of apprentices, under thi s scheme .shall,be made as iol-

Half the amount by apprentice. Half the amount by trustees of scheme OUTh°/ R v Un tl PT de(l for in clause (I?) 6 ,n^lf y •"• !u V technical training of tTffolbwLs 1:- 116 m°tor trade-todfdes Working ° Practice.—Filing, 'fitti'mr keys; runnm^ up bearings:; fitting IZ fitting rings; grinding valves; ing; carburettor adjuttments; ma°neto and electn O al..a4ju^. men t s and theii'care--wmng (lighting and ignition); tuninv »-> A st™tm S a"d %hting systems.taudard type. sin|i 9 | nd double-

wire: system; switches •.and cut-oat; signs and symbols as applied to wiring diagram;-, electrical terms; distributors and timers; ■■■'breaker mechanism and contact; ignition, timing; testing; troubles ;and remedies.

Theoretical Classes. — Lubrication; "bearings; use of micrometer; operations of:two and four-cycle engines; h.p.'fating formulas, SiA.E., etc.; mechanical efficiency of engine in "simplest form; fuel efficiency of ■ engine in simplest form; I.H.P. and 8.H.P.; engine construction; connecting rods; methods' of fitting, etc.; water-packets, etc. ;Valves..-r-Hushroom, sleeve, and rotary; causes of burning- and pitting; valve timing. ' . , Transmission.—Clutcheß, wet and dry; ■*S*',, c °?-c' m^tiple,. disc,.and dry plate (Ford, Eorg.'and JBeck, Cadillac, etc.); methods of adjustment and repair- operation and clutch brakes. Gear Boies.—Types, selective, epicyclic,, and friction. . ■; . .