Paddys motorbike
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Paddy's Motorbike An English (or possibly Irish) navvy colloquialism for a type of spark ignition petrol earth (or hardcore) compactor. The term appears to have arisen from the construction industry where in the west there has been a traditional resource of Irish construction labourers. The machine itself is heavy and petrol-powered. The weight pushes down the cylinder onto the piston, compressing a petrol/air mixture, which is then ignited using a spark plug controlled by a trigger on the handles. The explosion pushes the piston down against the weight of the machine, using this weight plus the force of the exploding gas to compact the material in the trench. The unit jumps slightly into the air and then subsequently drops back down onto the ground, providing the compression required for the next compaction cycle .
[edit] See also
Navvy (Navigational engineer)
