PATENT JACKS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 July 1927, Page 12

PATENT JACKS.

VARIOUS SYSTEMS.

At least half a dozen patent jacks for permanent attachment to the car have been offering in Great Britain, and some of the builders of better class bodies have selected one of these devices as a standard fitting. The simplest form of attached jacks are secured to the running boards. A set is installed on each side of the car about midway between the front and back wheels. When it is desired to jack up the wheels, the lifter portion of the jack is dropped into a. vertical position. A convenient winding handle is then fitted into a socket, and both back and front- wheels on one side of the car are lifted clear of the ground. Another form consists of a species of large cam of which is attached to each axle. When it is- desired to lift a wheel a cam is dropped until it touches the ground, and if the car is given a light touch on the clutch it will lift one side clear of the ground on the high edge of the cam. The most novel jacking system yet evolved is a pneumatic apparatus attached near each wheel. In appearance the devices are like four common hydraulic jacks. The greatest feature is that the jacks can be brought into operation from the driver’s seat by a remarkable array of soda syphon sparklet bulbs containing compressed gas. On the instrument board a magazine of eight bulbs is fitted, and tubing connects- with the jacks. The operation of a jack is very similar to the aeration of a soda syphon. By pressing a lever the driver releases the gas into any chosen jack. A light car will reouiro onlv -one bulb. but a second is needed for n heavy vehicle. After the operation the pressing of a lever returns the plunger to its barrel. and the bulbs are renewed. The svstem costs about 012 10s for a large car.