KNOCKED DOWN TO TEST INVENTION.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 2026, 16 September 1913, Page 2

KNOCKED DOWN TO TEST INVENTION.

DESIGNER'S FA^T C I IN MOTOR BUS LIFE GUARD. London, August 5 The startling spectacle of an inventor allowing himself to be knock ed down by a motor bus in order to demonstrate the serviceability of his design attache • to t e bus for preventing accidets was witnessed in the streets of Pimlico and VauxLall on Saturday. Mr D A. Sweeney, of the Marsefc Place, New Maiden, and Mr W. J. Gooding, of Burlington road, New Mai en, are the inventors of a life guard or "cowcatcher" for heavy motor vehicles which, it is claimed, will materially diminisu the present heavy death, roll from street accidents NEARLY FIVE TONS. A large motor bus, weighing nearly five tone, was procured, and the patent lifeguar-, which consists mainly of a perpen icular steel wire screen about 7ft wide an;i Bft 6in deep, affixed to the chassis by steel tubes, and fenders of tbe same material was attached.

The inventors claimed that if a man were struck an ( > knecked rown by the bus i.e would be at once lifted on to the fender and carried along until £the vehicle was brought to a standstill. There were eight separate tests on Saturday morning, Mr Sweeney being knocKed down by the bos on eac<! occasion. The bus was taken some distance up Warnor road, and then driven at a speed varying from 12 to lb" miles. As it neared him Mr Sweeney waikel across the road, cama into violent contact with the lifeguard, and he was carrie.) along the road on the fender until the bus pulled up. Beyond being a little shaken by the daring test, the inventor sustained no injury. EXPERIMENT REPEATED. The experiment was repeated three times on the same road and with the same result, except that on one occasion Mr Sweeney received a slight abrasion on the face through coming in contact with the wire screen. Then 5. the bas was taken over Vauxhall Bridge into Grosvenor road. Pimlico, where the same test was gone through four times. Wuilst crossing toe r ad in one ;f the experiments Mr Sweeney narrowly escaped being knocked down by a motor car just before he eame in contact with the bas, and was picked up by the lifeguard. When seen after the last test Mr Sweeney said apart from the slight abrasion in his face he was none the worse for his exciting adventure. ,