High Road and By-Road

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18642, 21 May 1932, Page 20 (Supplement)

High Road and By-Road

i COLUMN FOR MOTORISTS.

free-wheeling device.

mechanism explained. The system now adopted for all mechanical free wheels Is to provide within the gearbox, or its extensions, a method for separating automatically the engine drive from, the transmission. This entails that the engine drive and transmission shafts end at this point within a free wheel caging, the ends of the two shafts being provided with an engagement that oper- ! ates when the engine speed is greater j than that of the rear wheels (and * transmission shaft), and disengages when the rear wheels over-run, or travel faster than the engine. Generally this system is provided by fitting a form of paddle wheel to the end of the engine driven shaft running within a covering cage on the end of the transmission shaft, and inserting rollers between the blades of the paddles. The space between the paddies then is tapered so that the rollers either are forced forward to grip the transmission cage, or are forced backward, freeing that cage, The first action gives normal drive, the second gives free wheeling. Each type of mechanical free wheel only differs in detail design from this outline, and each is provided with a safety control to make the free wheel Inoperative as desired. This control simply is a gear on the ingine shaft which is leverslided back to engage the cage on the transmission shaft. A USEFUL LIGHT. SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE. When mechanical trouble, however, slight, causes a roadside hold-up at night, the task of correcting the fault is almost Invariably aggravated by the absence of a suitable light. If no transportable spotlight is carried, only those parts which can be removed entirely and adjusted in. the light of one of the headlamps can be dealt with in any degree of comfort, and much delay and inconvenience is even then often caused by dismantling components, which, if light were available, could be dealt with In position. Even a transportable spotlight is of limited value only because of its weight and the absence of facilities for holding it in constricted positions. An excellent trouble iight can be made from a bayonet socket and bulb and one of the large type paper-clips. The socket is either soldered or bolted to ! one of tlie finger grips of the clip, and j the clip can then lie used to hold it . in any position on any part of the car. j ]f desired, a protector or reflector can I easily he made from a small tin, painj ted white inside, to slip over the globe, i A length of flexible cord connects this little trouble light to the dash plug, : and the whole lamp can be stored In ' one of the car pockets, when not in. j use. WIND SCREEN WIPER. A HANDY HOME-MADE GADGET Screen wipers operated by engine 'sucton sometimes slow up or stop when the throttle is opened wide. This is due to the decreased depression In the induction pipe, and it may he accentuated in the case of an engine •which uses an extra large choke in the carburetter. Special devices designed to overcome this trouble are on the market, , but an effective substitute may be made at home from an empty quartsize oil tin. Two 3-1 Gin. holes are drilled in the top of the tin, and into each of these is ’soldered a short length of copper tube. The cap of the tin and all tho seams must be air-tight. It is probable that unless the tin has been damI aged the seams will require no attenI ] tion, but a soft washer must be fitted : in the cap. As however, the cap need , never be unscrewed, it might he a : better plan to solder it on. j : Some form of sheet-metal bracket ! will be needed to secure t-he tin to the J , engine side of the dashboard, or in any similar position. The rubber tube of the wiper is out at a point near the tin, and the severed ends slipped over ! the projecting copper tubes. | In use the tin acts as a vacuum : chamber, which in effect stores up a reeerve of suotion, thus keeping the wiper steadily at work during fluctuations of engine speed, or when ollroiI Ing up a lengthy hill. DRIVER’S THIGH. SCIATIC NERVE AFFECTED. j An affeotlon whloh is stated to be fairly generally recognised by both medloal and non-medical motor drivers and to whloh the convenient and descriptive name of “driver's thigh" has been applied is disoussed In the current issue of the Medical Journal of Australia. The oomplaint Is described as a neuralgia or neuritis of tho sciatlo norve, observed In those who spend a fairly large part of their time driving a motor car, and the symptoms vary from an ill-deflned feeling of fatigue of tho thigh musoles to those of a classical soiatloa. In directing attention to the affeotlon, Dr, John Hoets pointed out that the oause was a long-continued pressure on the sciatlo nerve Just before its division in the lower third of the I llilgh. This pressure was produced I by the use of the accelerator pedal, I whloh required the foot to be held in I the one position, often for long perI iods. Treatment which he suggested I was tho adjustment of the seat. He I explained that It would appear that S suction sometimes slow up or stop I the best kind for the driver. The trouble, he pointed out, occurred only i when the driver sat in a bad position or tho springs of tho seat had given way. Petrol stations In Montreal have been asked by the Montreal Motor--3 ists's League to clean tho number plates of automobiles to which they ;c | supply petrol It is stated that tho i- | object is to assist the authorities in *" j tracking reckless and murderous | drivers.

i HIT AND RUN.

AN OFFENDER FLOGGED. A Johannesburg taxi driver, found guilty of knocking down a man and then driving on, was ordered to be flogged. The driver, William Debrles, had caused the death of a oyolist. In passing sentnece, Mr Juetloe Krause, of the Rand Criminal Court, declared;— “I said some time ago if motorists are brought before me for running away after killing a man by accident, lam going to give them lashes. I shall, therefore, give them to you, and I shall do the same In every case, whether the motorist is black, brown, or white.” THE GENERATOR DRIVE. In the past the generator or dynamo of the oar has usually been driven by means of a gear or chain drive from the front of the engine. Now this praotice has been superseded by a belt drive, which is oarried out by mounting the generator In line with the belt from the crank shaft which drives the fan, the belt passing round the pulley on the generator. Although this latter method has produced a certain amount of criticism, it proves very efficient, and, moreover, the risk of the fan belt breaking is now a thing of the past. However, shocld the fan belt slip at all, the fact is immedia'tely shown by the wavering of the ammeter needle on the dashboard, and the trouble can instantly be rectified. SPARKS. The petrol tax yield In the United States, approximately 525,000,000 dollars in 1931. * * * * Highway building In the United States set a new record In 1931, in spite of the depression. * * * • Tho opinion Is expressed that women are becoming better motor-car drivers than men in France. „ * m * Financed by the British banker, Sir Eric liambro, the first British plant for tho commercial production of petrol from coal is being constructed at Sheffield (England). 9 •* • • An observant person states that on a recent afternoon of the cars travelling south between Dunedin and Milton, 80 per cent were driven by women. mo * * The Duke of York has issued in England a strong appeal to all to promote good fellowship among all users of the highway, by exercising care and consideration for others. «g ¥ * ¥ The coroner at Hammersmith, commenting on the use of motor horns, said that motorists would be nothing less than a nuisance if they sounded their hooters every time they passed another vehicle. 9 * • • New light cars promised for 1932 from European factories include a 750 c.u. Alfa Romeo speedster and 1100 and 1500 c.c. Bentley sports models to be produoect under the direction of tho Rolls Royce engineers. H O * * Tho 1932 Argentine Grand Prix was marred by five deaths, while live other drivers and spectators were injured. The race was run over 800 miles, and was won by Ernesto Blanco, whose brother was among the killed drivers. No fewer than 447,857 driving licenses were issued, after the usual examination, in France during 1931. This is an Increase of 10,122 over the number granted during 1930. Of last year’s licenses 48 per cent were issued to women. a m • • For cleaning celluloid side curtains use a mixture of equal parts of paraffin oil, methylated spirits, and water. This should be placed in a bottle, well shaken, and applied to the soreens with tissue paper. AXter rubbing gently for a few minutes, clean off with a soft doth or pieoe of silk. • * • • In oold weather the starter motor may take a momentary ourrent of, perhaps, 200 amps, to " unstlok " and start a gummed-up motor. Prevent this heavy drain on your battery and starter by freeing up the engine with the starting handle before pressing the starter button on.oold mornings. * • * • The dosing down of tho Automobile Club of Amerioa, the oldest motor olub In U.S.A., is announced from New York. The club was formed In 1899 to promote motor sporting events. In 1920 resident members of the club alone totalled 1600, but Qe last three years have seen a tremendous fall off in membership, moo* All kinds of damage can be done to the rear end of the car If a dutch is permitted to grab. This condition, if severe, will eventually oause rear axles to break, strip the master gear, or break the drive shaft. m * • * Many motorists forget that the shock absorbers need occasional attention and that they should be adjusted from time to time. Car bounce on rough roads, providing the tyre pressures are correct, oan nearly always bo traced to slaok absorber adjustments. A little attention to these parts oan provide a lot of oomfort. • • m * A great many car owners, tire men find, still do not know all the tricks of gottlng a flat off the wheel. One generally missed really is quite important if It happens to he a heavy tyre. That is tho trick of pulling the tyre free at the bottom —while the valve is at the top—-and then rolling the wheel around to allow the valve stem to drop free naturally. * * * * New consideration for the “ backseat " driver is shown in tho construction of new models of a weilknown make of ear which lias a special In slrument honed built Into the read of the front, seat. A speedometer, clock i and stopwatch enable the passengers in the rear seat to know just how fast thoy are going and when they .will get therfc-