ENGINEERING NOTES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 243, 18 October 1921, Page 3 (Supplement)

ENGINEERING NOTES.

THINNING ROOTS BY MACHINERY Among the many useful appliances shown at a recent Agricultural Exhibition in England, was a novel form of machine for thinning roots. This machine is designed to be hauled bv one horse, except on heavy ground, and it is light in draught and simple in construction. Two longitudinal shafts carry two screw discs, which are driven bv chains from a gear-box fitted above. By changing the speed of these screw discs—which can be done independently in each case—tho. distances apart of the roots may be altered. Two rows may thus be thinned at once. Turnips, swedes, mangolds, and all other roots may bo thinned by this machine either on the ridge or flat at distances of 9, 10, or 12 inches as desired.

A POWER SAW ON A WHEELBARROW. A portable power-driven c ross-cut saw, exhibited by a British firm at a recent agricutural show in England, has many points of interest. It will do any kind of cross-cutting or cutting in tho field or in the timber yard. A petrol engine of four horse-power is mounted on tho shafts, which have handles at one end and a wheel at the other, wheelbarrow fashion. The light flywheel of the engine carries a small sprocket which drives a chain operating a large sprocket to which is attached the stroke arm of the connecting rod to the saw. Although this machine carries a 5-foot saw and can cut through a trunk 4 feet G inches in diameter, it can be wheeled about hy one man. Tho whole outfit is self-contained, with tanks for water and fuel. Another feature is that the engine carries a small pulley from which, farm or other machinery may be driven.

BRITAIN’S LATEST AEROPLANE. The latest type of British passenger carrying aeroplane has an enclosed cabin for eight passengers and an open cockpit for the pilot and mechanic. It is a biplane, driven by a single engine of 15() horse-power. The seats are made collapsible, so that practically the whole of the cabin space mav be used for cargo if desired. An interesting detail is that for the benefit of passengers liable to air sickness, a small concealed, self-emptying basin is provided close to each seat. Wiu-

(lows, to open, are fitted on the full length of each side of the cabin, and heating is provided by hot air muffs round the exhaust pipes. The pilot’s cockpit is fitted with a complete wireless telephone and telegraph installation. This iqaehine, when fully loaded takes only 9 minutes to (limb to 5000 feet, at which height its speed is 118 miles per hour. Fuel and oil sufficient for a journey of 400 miles are carried bn board. THE CLYDE’S LARGEST DREDGER Tho largest dredger ever built on the Clyde was launched recently. It has a hopper capacity of 80,000 cubic feet, and carries a suction pipe bv which dredging can be done to a depth of 45 feet. Special arrangements have been made to enable dredging to be continued when the vessel is going either ahead or astern. This dredger

is designed for dealing with light sand at the mouth of an Indian river, and an ingenious device has been fitted to trap this light sand so that none of it is wasted in the overflow. Everything in the hull and equipment is Al at Lloyds. A complete system of electric lighting, including one searchlight, has been installed. The pumps are driven by a special set of triple .expansion engines, and are capable of raising and discharging about 5000 tons of sand and silt per hour.