MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2722, 17 March 1916, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

1 IBr Cldhjh.l Electric Vehicles. ■ _ A great future for the electric vehicle is foretold by Mr. A. J. Marshall (seerotary of the Electric Vehicle Association of America), and in support of liis opinion ho gives an interesting account of the way in which "the olectrio" is coming into favour in the United States both as a passengejj 1 vehicle and in the commercial- field. "There havo been no sudden illusory spurts o£ popularity in the progress of the electric vehicle," ho remarks. "Rather it has been a gradual steady growth, forming a good; strong foundation upon which to build up its evor-increasing business. Ever since, the transportation world has recognised the' value of tho motor truck as a medium for transporting, merchandise, it has. invariably been admitted in the larger cities where there aro opportunities of testing tho various forms of trucks, that while' tho gasolene motor truck is especially adapted for lon,!}, uninterrupted hauls, tho electric vehicle is the desirable and economical vehicle for city and suburban work. Tho Boston Institute of Technology, employing the best authorities in ail unbiassed study of transportation probears out this statement of the electric's adaptability to city traffio after four years of observation and statistical study. Indeed, all wo need do is to observe the largo fleets of electrics in. our city streets which havo been adopted by our largest and most conservative business houses. What a Spring Framo Con Do. There is little doing in the motor cycle World at present (says an English writer) apart from catering for tho Army's needs, but such glimpses as one can obtain of the hopes designers are cherishing tor post-war activities suggest that the spring frame must boom soon after tho Peace of Potsdam. I wonder if the rider who glibly murraurs that "we want bettor springing" realises what a good spring frame can do. To quote an actual example, I took a trial some wcelts ago of a certain machine which was efficiently sprung fore and aft .without any sacrifice of lateral stability. Its front wheel could rise 4in. from the datum line of the road' without jerking the rider .or saddle a millimetre upwards, and the back wheel could jump no loss than s£in. upwards whilst leaving the rider's level unaffected. On such a mount a level crossing can be taken at speed without its presence being felt at all. The machine can be ridden at 30 m.p.h. over really bad pot-holes without tile wheels ever leaving the road at all. It can bo bucked at right angles over a row of planks measuring 3in. x 3in. square without the least risk of losing steering control and without the rider quitting the saddle or liis feet being thrown oft the rests, though the extremely vertical and angular nature of such artificial obstacles rendors their presence under the wheels perceptible. In the last Scottish Trials many 'ji man dismounted for two or three rests in the descents of two Icing'hills simply to seek a moment's eass from the agony of aching wrists and jarred teeth and jawbones; another man hit the mouthpiece of lub pipe clean, through over one of tho bumps, The ascent of these twin hills of loathsome memory would not feel as smooth as newly-rolled asphalt with the spring frame in question; but if it were ridden up those rugged roads and naked rock ■reefs, tho rider would not wish to dismount for a rest, and his body movements during tlio ascent would remind one rather of skipping on a spring mak tTess than of being rolled down stone steps in a barrel. The spring frame bas got to oome; and the designer who ignores its possibilities will,, get left when peace returns. , Here and There,

Lighting-up time for motor-oars and motor-cycles:—To-day, 6.17 p.iil.; next Friday, 0.8 p.m. A motor searchlight, presumably the most powerful yet constructed, is reported to be in nse by the Italian Army. It is claimed to be of 60 million candlepower, though this is no doubt an "elastic" estimate. The reflector ia specially air-cooled to avoid damage by the arc.

A special and -peculiar oar lias been built at Pomona, Cal., TJ.S.A., for tlio purpose of carrying on church extension work throughout the United. States, The. vehicle, which has been named the Automobungalow, is built on a , sixwheeled chassis, lengthened to accommodate the extra wheels; the body is -with all the conveniences of a modern cottage,,there being a full-sized bed and three bunks, a petrol cooking stove, a -wash sink with hot and cold water, collapsible dining table and writ, ing desk, cupboards, private dressing room, bookcase, clothes press, and folding ohairs. In most instances the centrifugal water, pump casing is kept right against leakage by packing the glands which carrythe pump shaft with somn form of wicking. Nuts either side of the pump provide for the tightening of these glands from time to time should there be any leakago of water. In doing this, howeror, the precaution of not binding the shaft should'bs made. -In that'case the shaft would be apt to heat up, burning the packing out or making it hard, defeating the purpose of this packing and causing considerable leakage. Steam fitters and supply houses carry packing for the purpose, and should it wear out, unscrew the racking nuts and replace with_ new. _ Instead of' the prepared packing, thirl wicking can be used. This should ho soaked in grease or paraffin before using.'