Passing Comments
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" His(s)tory" Repeats itself
A READER of this journal, impressed by the story of the German firm and the plate with a hole in it, published in this journal on December 9, thought it would interest an old friend, a retired Scots engineer with an impressive string of letters, acquired across the Atlantic as well as in Britain, after his name.
As soon as he mentioned the hole in the metal plate the Scot stopped him with "wait now and I'll tell you what happened." He said that both the engineering firms involved were British, one being his own. When the plate was returned to the challenger not only had a tube been inserted in the hole, but a piece of wire was threaded through the tube! Then, to cap the story, he added, "I have the metal plate in question in my possession still."
Street and Other Lighting Demonstrated
THE lighting of streets, docks, bus stations, transI port depots and other places of a similar nature is the subject of the new exhibition, staged for an indefinite period, at the Mazda Showroom, Crown House, Aldwych, in conjunction with the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.
Street lighting is given the greatest prominence because of its vital importance in the matter of reducing road accident risks, Apart from actual lamps of various types, there are many models Mowing the lighting effects with different systems.
An innovation is a 4-ft., 40-watt fluorescent tube incorporated in which, and occupying 60 per cent. of its circumference-, is a highly reflecting powder coating between the fluorescent powder and the tube
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interior. This lamp is intended for use where• space restriction prevents the use of reflector fittings, also in dusty atmospheres where it is operated horizontally and dust might quickly reduce the efficiency. Incidentally, the coating is an effective glare shield.
Eleven Times Faster
THE cutting speed of modern, well-designed I machine tools is sometimes almost spectacular. Exemplifying this is the Hydrax high-speed gearhobber, designed and made by David Brown Machine Tools, Ltd., and installed in the new Park Gear Works of the company's automobile gearbox division.
In a recent demonstration, given to the editor of The Commercial Motor, a pair of 9-in.-diameter helical-spur gears, each with 53 teeth, was cut from the blanks in 4i min. The normal time for this job on an ordinary hobbing machine is 50 min. The main secret appears to be in the great strength and rigidity of the machine, which obviate any possibility of chatter. Incidentally the deep, heavy cut is accompanied by clouds of smoke from the oil coolant. The finish of these gears was observed to be notably good.
Passenger Congestion on Railways
'J THERE is much talk of congestion on the roads, HERE little concerning thaS on the main-line railways. The electrification of the latter is often put forward as a solution of this problem, but the " packing " of the trains to Brighton in the evening rush hours is almost unbelievable unless experienced. Frequently compartments, corridors and even guards vans are occupied by standing passengers.