High Road and By-Road

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17982, 29 March 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

High Road and By-Road

NEW TYRE IPJFLATSON SYSTEM

For many ye#rs inventors have been working on some system of inflating the tyres while the car is in motion, but certain practical difficulties have been encountered in making the necessary connection between the stationary axles and the revolving wheels. The problem has now, apparently, been solved by the Cancel's phcumatic tyre inflation system. The system consists of an enginedriven air pump which is connected to what may be termed a distribution box attached to the scuttle. From this box four lines lead to the. wheels, and four taps allow any required air line to be brought into use as desired. The control taps arc attached to the instrument board, and there are close to them a pressure gauge and a control to bring the pump into action when necessary. One of the most important features of the system is, of course, the method of connecting the air pipe to the revolving wheel, and this Is done through a special sleeve running on ball bearings on an annular member attached to the hub. The standard hubs are utilised and the whole system is essentially practical. At a recent demonstration in London three punctures were made in the near-side front, wheel, which became deflated in approximately five minutes. The engine was then started, the pump put into action, and the control tap to that wheel opened. In about three minutes the tyre had been inflated sufficiently for the car to be driven, and a few minutes later the pressure gauge showed that the tyre had reached its normal pressure of 351 b per square inch. The size of the lyre incidentally, was 29 x 4.50 in. The car was then slopped, and, as the engine was also stopped, the punctured tyre rapidly deflated. Two punctures were then made in the nearside rear tyre, and wthen both tyres were deflated the engine and pump were started up. Again it was possible to drive the car away in about five minutes, and botli tyres rapidly reached the correct pressure, the pump maintaining the pressure constant at 351 b per square inch as a release valve on the distribution box was set accordingly. Incidentally, this valve can be rapidly adjusted, so that should an unusually heavy load bo carried tho tyre pressures can be easily increased slightly to cope with it. It is not suggested, of course, that punctures should be neglected, but there is no need to .change a wheel on tho road, as this can safely be deferred until the end of the journey. The pump is capable of inflating all four tyres at the same time, and, furthermore, tho pressure in each tyre can be tested whenever the driver desires. Finally, it may be said that the appearance of the car is normal, and, although In the case of the car on which f.ho system was demonstrated the pump was driven by chain from tho engine, it would bo a simple matter to arrange for tho pump to bo located close to the goar box and for its drive to he provided with a dutch, so tho pump itself would inoperative until it was actually in: . u.

the place of the gears.

Keen motorists who have mastered their gear-boxes, and therefore enjoy gear changing, because they do not fear it, usually change down at sha.rp corners in order to make safer and faster turns. The practice, with the resultant

A COLUMN FOR MOTORISTS.

accelerative thrill, is to 'be commended. Exactly where to make the change when a corner is being taken which is sufficiently sharp to call l'or the use of a lower gear has long been a subject of heated controversy. Actually, there are three courses open to a driver; he may change dowm before the corner, he can change actually on the corner, or he may keep in top gear until he has got round, making the change after straightening out. Those who have studied and been convinced by the methods of racing drivers usually prefer the first method, and in most cases it is certainly better, as the driver can use the engine as a brake for slowing up to take the turn, and is ready to accelerate immediately he sees that the road is clear round the corner. On the other hand,, taking a bend in a race is not quite the same as taking a corner on the road, for the racing driver has to assume that the road will he clear, and that he will not be held up after he has taken the corner. Consequenly, he can “tread on it” as he is straightening out, and thus make a quick get-away. Apart from racing, however,, matters are slightly different, and a driver who has already changed dowm may find when he actually reaches the corner that he has practically to stop and then make a further change owing to traffic conditions. In other words, he may have to make two changes of gear when one—i.e-, top to bottom — would have done had he known what to expect. This would seem to indicate the desirability, of delaying the change until after making the turn, but, generally speaking, this is bad practice, as it often prompts a driver to take t*he corner a trifle too fast, or if this is not done the transmission may be harshly treated owing to the car being driven too slowly in top gear. In any case, the man w’ho keeps in top loses valuable time in getting away. This leaves one other method — changing on the corner—to be considered, and when it is practicable it has much in its favour. The words “when it is practicable,” are important, however, for skilful driving is called for and heavy steering makes it practically impossible, for both hands may be needed to turn the wheels if the corner is sharp. With a really small car having light and fairly “direct” steering it is not difficult and it certainly possesses the advantage that a driver can see whether second or bottom gear will be needed and thus change accordingly. The get-away will be quite as quick as if the change were made before the corner, and the only drawback —a very trilling one—is the loss of the braking effect of one of the Indirect gears when the corner Is approached.

SPARKS. A new motor horn is said to make a noise like a chord on a harp. That’s a nasty hint to pedestrians! adds Passing Show. * * * * That Johns Hopkins chemist who has made motor exhaust fumes innocuous might now turn his attention to making them smell like fried ghicken, says Philadelphia Bulletin. * * * * True (observes an American paper) street widening is making the sidewalks narrower and narrower, but it is also making the pedestrians fewer and fewer. d I. Motor engines arc the most difficult things in the world to humour —women, of course, excepted. In Johannesburg petrol is 2s 9d a gallon, yet the bigger type of car, with a relatively high consumption, is most popular. * * * * The Fiat Company, of Turin, ha.s presented to the Red Cross Society /t Rome a travelling dispensary, which is equipped with all the 'latest appliances known to science for fighting tuberculosis. * » * * It has been computed that the average motor car owner in trie United States spends 4s 9d a day on the upkeep and operation of his car. This also includes depreciation. $ * * There is a large class of motorists who know that when they press the accelerator pedal the car goes faster, but they have no conception as to what happens, or why. * * * * Out in New Mexico even public signs come direct to the point. In a garage at Albuquerque is posted: “Don't smoke round the tank! If your life isn’t worth anything, petrol is 1” * o * * It is stated that 100,000 people in Italy make their living in the motor car industry. The car exporters are the fourth largest of Italy’s exports, and one in every two cars is sent out of the country. # * * * Footpaths made up with a greencoloured top-dressing are a feature of some main roads in Shropshire, England. At night it is easier than usual to distinguish between them and the road surface itself. » * * * For the International Motor Show to be held in Melbourne early in May one of the chief attractions will be the Golden Arrow with which Sir Henry Segrave established the world speed record at Daytona last year.

It is understood that tlie price paid by Shell-Mex., Ltd., for the Hotel Cecil London, was £1,520,000. It is intended to convert the upper storey of the hotel into business offices while the ground floor will retain its public restaurant. * s * * When a youth at Southland said he was driving round a hairpin bend the magistrate said: “1 should have thought you were too young to know what a hairpin bend is, in these days of bobbing and ‘shingling.”