Albion Four-cylinder Van or Taxicab Chassis.
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The Famous Scotstoun Works Produce a Live-Axle Model Possessing Many Interesting and Original Features.
By Our Glasgow Representative.
The decision of the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Scotstoun, Glasgow, to put a four-cylinder liveaxle model of 15 h.p. on the market for 1912 attracted considerable interest at the time, and, where reliability and consistent service under all conditions are of primary importance, this vehicle has enjoyed no small favour as a twoseated or four-seated passenger vehicle. The type was, however, obviously calaable of development for taxicab or light van work, and, with ample road experience, its producers can now offer a chassis that is calculated still further to enhance the Albion reputation in the sphere of commercial applications and economy.
A test chassis, fully loaded and .fitted with solid tires to the driving wheels, recently completed 10,000 miles over all varieties of road, so that there is nothing experimental in the new model, which is, indeed, the outcome of some two years of experiment and testing.
[We had the advantage of trying one of these chassis, when in Glasgow last March, and we were favourably impressed by its smooth running and easy control. It should prove a very successful model.—En.] The Value of Experience.
In designing the chassis, a somewhat-higher speed than that given by the well-known two-cylinder engine has been aimed at, whilst material and construction have been selected so that a minimum of attention will be required, and so that when any renewals or adjustments have to be made they can be effected easily and quickly—important points in a vehicle of this class. The designers realize, from their extensive experience, that failures and minor troubles, which the pleasure-car owner may protest against. but which after all cause him little inconvenience, are as vital matters in commercial work as inability to handle distribution, and that loss of customers due to late running may affect the whole business organization of the user. No little harm has been done to the branch of the industry for which this model caters, by the injudicious adoption of touring chassis by the simple expedient of fitting a van body, and, even worse, by using solid tires on the driving wheels of such chassis : the result, in too many cases, has been repeated breakdowns and heavy repair bills, so that the light van as a class has been somewhat discredited.
Construction and Design.
It is now admitted that an industrial vehicle must be designed from the beginning for the purpose for which it is to be used,and, although the makers of the new Albion cab lay no claim to exceptional cheapness for its type, they do feel sure that the sound construction and design embodied will make it—after the first years of running, as well as when new— one of the very cheapest of its type to keep on the road. The 15 11.p. chassis is being made in several types, suitable for taxicab work, or 10-cwt. or 15-cwt. loads, while any length of wheelbase can be supplied to order. The 10-cwt. chassis is equipped with pneumatic tires to all four wheels, but the 15-cwt. model is designed so that solids or pneumatics can be used on the driving wheels. In general design, however, all follow the same lines. These include several departures from previous Albion practice, although some, such as the pump on the fan spindle, have been in use on the big three-ton chassis.
Engine and gearbox form a unit, so that alignment is a simple matter when erecting or when any subsequent overhaul is made. The unit syster18 ILE to commend id. for industrial work, provided, as in the Albion, accessibility is in no way impaired. When using the unit construction, there is a temptation to strive after compactness to the. exclusion of other factors, and to this are due attempts to eliminate the centre hearing and to use enclosed clutches, with imperfect facilities for adjustment. The Albion design, while giving rigidity and permanent alignment, offers the same accessibility as if the separate mounting of engine and gearbox were adopted the clutch, for instance, is easily adjustable or entirely removable, without interference with other parts.
Engine Fiatures.
The four 79 mm. by 127 mm. cylinders are cast en bloc, with ample water-spaces, and beneath the jackets are spacious recesses, in which the valves, which are covered by flat plates, operate. Even if the smaller valve-pocket area possible
with valves on one side makes for a slight gain in efficiency, there is no doubt that valves on opposite sides give the greatest accessibility and simplify piping. In this case, the valves and tappets can be got at without the removal of anything but the cover plates, which are secured by large-diameter knurled nuts.
The carburetter is directly attached to the cylinder casting, on the off side, and a separate ribbed exhaust trunk on the near side takes away the waste gases without obstructing the valves. Lubrication Features.
The camshaft, which is of ample diameter, runs in three long bearings, and is drilled for forced lubrication. The latter is by a pump of the gear type, skew driven from the exhaust camshaft and contained in a sump into which the oil drains for re-circulation, an accessible level cock being furnished. The oil goes under pressure to the main bearings, and thence through the crankshaft to the big-ends, drilled connecting rods supplying the gudgeons. A. by-pass in the top of the sump allows the oil supply to be adjusted, and a good point is the easy way in which the filter can be withdrawn from the outside for cleaning or examination. There is a small oiljet in the distribution casing, which sprays oil on the small pinion, ensuring efficient lubrication of the whole timing gear and governor. The camshafts have the cams formed integral, and are ground to shape. On the first models, a oham drive was employed, but this has been replaced by a pinion drive.
The very adequate lubrication of all moving parts is quite a feature of the chassis ; the greasers to steering centres, shackles, etc., are of a good size and well placed for easy operation. The steering box has a large-sized plug for the introduction of grease, and the gearbox, wormcase and differential have large inspection plates, rendering oil replenishment easy, whilst large drain-cocks are fitted to run off old oil.
Carburation and Control.
The carburetter, to the location of which reference has been made, is of a new type, the air being unheated, but the mixture pipe is warmed from the water-jackets. The float chamber is low, so as to give an ample head from the dashboard tank, but is not so low as to be inaccessible. The air entering around the jet can be reduced at starting by a choke device operated by a rod and knob in front and convenient to the starting handle ; this provides an easier and better way of ensuring a supply of rich mixture at starting than the commoner method of flooding.
The throttle and extra air are controlled by a double-beat valve contained in a chamber on a level with the valves, so that the mixture pipe is of considerable length. This pipe is built up of concentric copper tubes, so that the mixture may be thoroughly warmed by the water from the jackets which circulates in the outer and inner spaces. An outside plate on the throttle casing is connected up to a small hand lever beneath the steering wheel, and this enables any fine adjustment for temperature or humidity to be made while running, although the carburetter is very carefully set for ordinary running before the chassis is delivered.
The actual control of the doublebeat valve is through the governor, which is of the usual centrifugal type, with central spring, mounted on a forward extension of the crankshaft and contained in an oiltight casing, together with the timing gears. The normal engine speed is from 1200 to 1500 r.p.m., the governor coming into action at the latter speed, although the principle of the Albion control is that the governor is set from the steering wheel to act at any required speed, which speed the engine will maintain until a change of speed becomes necessary. This control has always been an Albion feature, and, owing to the limit it places on any possible abuse of the engine by the driver, has without any doubt contributed largely to the long life of the Albion engine, The petrol feed is from a dashboard tank which holds eight gallons.
Transmission and Brakes.
The Albion clutch is of an interesting type, being designed to work dry. It consists of a thin floating steel plate, radially cut to impart, a certain amount of spring to it, and punched out for the sake of lightness. This plate is gripped between a Ferodo ring on the flywheel and another on the clutch cover, which latter carries six equally spaced and adjustable springs. The result is a simple clutch, the grip of which can hardly vary, whilst, the rotating portion being exceptionally light, gearchanging is rendered very easy. The Ferodo used for the clutch surfaces is a material much favoured by the Albion Co. It is used, also, for both foot and hand brakes, and is found to give a smooth yet powerful retardation, without the dangers of fierceness or heating which accompany metal-to-metal surfaces in too many cases.
[A photograph of the clutch is reproduced on page 25.—ED.]
The foot brake at the rear of the gearbox is of large diameter and is of excellent design ; it is of the floating calliper type giving equal pressures on both blocks. A large wing-nut gives easy adjustment, and a similar provision belowthe side lever allows the rear brakes to be easily taken up. The latter are operated finally from a. cross shaft, by side rods formed of two steel strips disposed vertically and spaced about i in. apart.
The gearbox gives three speeds, controlled by a lever working in a gate quadrant with enclosed sides, whilst the drive to the rear axle is through a shaft jointed at both ends, the joints being well enclosed although the shaft is exposed. The worm is of the overhead type, so that a straight drive right through is obtained when the chassis is normally loaded. The worm is well provided with large ball thrusts at the rear. and together with the axle is on well-proved lines. The differential is of the bevel type. The rear brake drums, which are wide and well enclosed, are directly attached to the hub flanges.
Unusual Location of the Circulating Pump.
We have already referred to the unusual arrangement of the watercirculating pump. and it may be exnlained that this is housed in the forward water jacket of the forward cylinder, so that it draws water with equal velocity from the entire jacket. It also allows the usual length of piping between cylinders and pump to be dispensed with, and certainly makes for simplicity. The pump shaft has a stuffing gland, and is carried on two well-spaced outside ball races, back over which the fan pulley is extended to reduce the pull of the driving belt, which is driven from the exhaust camshaft..
Other Details.
Such are the main features of the 15 h.p. Albion chassis, and a few others which are worthy of note are : the enclosed-type Bosch mag
neto with its spring drive ; the care taken throughout to prevent oil leakage ; the ample water-cooling arrangements ; the mounting of the reverse pinions on ball bearings ; and the use of a pressed-steel torque rod, spring-mounted at its forward end.
The makers have already received a number of orders for this model, and, judging by the inquiries reclived both from home and abroad, the only difficulty likely to be experienced will be to turn out the chassis quickly enough, despite the facilities which the Scotstoun works possess for large output. Batches are now coming through.