MOTORING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 305, 21 June 1912, Page 8

MOTORING.

WOODEN TYRES FOR CARS'. A well-known inventor. Mr.iehn Henry Knight, tin; builder of the Cr.sl two-seat-ed petrol cur made in England (says Chambers' Journal), has <L--vised an ingenious substitute for the rubber tyre, which should be particularly serviceable for commercial vehicles. He has selected wood for this purpose, owing to its remarkable elasticity, which is strikingly illustrated in the archer's bow, which retains its original elasticity for half a century or more. Two years ago he evolved a -tyre made from ash, fitting it to an experimental wheel 34 inches in diameter, which, without the intervention of any carriage spring, easily carried a load of four or five hundredweight. He found this to run over uneven road surfaces and obstacles quite easily and without suffering any damage. Then he fitted up a similar pair of wheels which were | used as drivers on his (i-h.p. Darracq car. ■ This v hide has been in use for several month-, during which time it has covered hundreds of miles over roads of all descriptions, with slight signs of wear, ' while as regards riding, comfort and efficiency, the tyre appears to be quite equal ,to solid rubber. The tyre is built up of I sections of ash bolted on the rim in two I rows. If the vehicle is heavy the number of rows is increased. The blocks of ash break joint with one another, i.e., the joint of one row is not placed over the joint of another row. The blocks have steel cleats on them as a protection against being split by stones on the road. If the block is damaged it can be replaced in a few minutes. The cost of these wooden tyres, which are shortly to be placed! on the market, is estimated to be from one-sixth to one-fourth that of rubber tyres, so that if wooden tyres last only half as long as rubber ones they must represent a considerable economy. It is expected that these wooden tyres will overcome side-slipping, while they will go through sand or over soft gravel where a rubber tyre would be useless.

SEAGUMITE FOR MOTOR TYRES. A GREAT INVENTION. Considerable attention has been aroused during the last few weeks by the appearance of a substitute for india-rubber, vulcanite and leather, under the name of seagumite (says Chambers' Journal). It is the discovery of a London chemist, and the fundamental material from which it is made is seaweed. Seagumite is not only damp-proof, non-inflammable and germ-proof, but is not affected by heat, cold, oils or exposure to weather. It can be made as tough as desired. A series of tests wero carried out with this composition at the Westminster testing laboratories, and it was found capable of standing a test of 32,000 volts. As a packing material in steam engines it has proved highly serviceable, and stands the work excellently. It can be used for the manufacture of motor tyres just as easily; it is as resilient as rubber, and costs about 30 per cent, less than the rubber tyre. 'lt is practically unbreakable, is almost imperishable, and completely fireproof.