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New Ideas in

17th November 1931
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GOODS BODYWORK

AMARKED tendency evidenced by the goods-carrying bodywork seen at Olympia was certainly that of utilizing metal, either steel or light alloys, for the framework. The Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd., had an example in its splendid all-metal endtipping body for 6-ton loads, this having three intermediate transverse frame-. members of 2-in. by 8-in, steel channel, which were curved upwards to act as

side pillars. Tremendous strength is obtained by this method of construction. Again, one of the big tipping bodies of Dromilow and Edwards, Ltd., on an A.E.C. Mammoth Major chassis was noticeable for its all-steel under-frame and flooring. The sub-frame of 4-in. by 2-in, roller channels, with cleated joints, rested upon two main longitudinals of 7-in, by 3k-in. rolled channel.

Probably the most interesting case was that of a tipping body shown by the Hydraulic Hoist Co., Ltd. The sub-frame was of 5-in. by 3-in. H-section joists carrying 3-in. by 3-in, fullwidth crossbars. To these was welded 8-gauge steel flooring. The body uprights were actually hollow pressings welded to the 8-gauge steel side panelling. Rigidity and lightness are combined in such a structure.

An example of the use of strong, wood members was seen in a zinc-lined provision van body shown by Scammell and Nephew, Ltd., on a Commer chassis. The lower panelling on each side of this body consisted of a single piece' of mahogany 13 ft. 6 ins. long, 1 in. thick and no less than 2 ft. deep.

The saving of weight by the use of light alloys was championed by the Duramin Engineering Co., Ltd. Apart from the remarkable meat-carrying body built upon a Mercedes-Benz six-wheeler for the Hay's Wharf Cartage Go., Ltd., the company exhibited an A.E.C. Mandator 6-tonner with a large body suitable for carrying sheep, cattle or killed meat and having a removable middeck of isg-in. slatted aluminium sheeting. Considering that the body was fully insulated and had insulated window flaps, as well as meat-hanging rods, it was hardly credible that it could weigh so little as 30 cwt., yet that was the figure.

A Special Van.

Scammell and Nephew, Ltd., showed on a Dennis 2-tonner an aluminiumpanelled body equipped with duralumin shelving to carry gas fittings. This body, which had roller shutters at the back and side, weightd only 15 cwt.

Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., a concern which has in use some 400 "liftvan," or container, bodies for 4-ton loads, has managed to reduce the weight of the standard container from about 21 cwt. to approximately 16 cwt. by the use of fabric panelling stretched over a slatted wooden frame having oak main members. Felt lining is employed to prevent the sharp edges of the framework from chafing the fabric.

Metal-faced and wood-faced plywood are nowadays largely used for obtaining strong but light panels ; in the case of a Dennis 2-ton van with body by the R.E.A.L. Carriage Works, Ltd., the main five-ply panel was not less than 5 ft. 7 ins. deep.

Even for "maximum load" vehicles, such as the Fowler 8-tonner, plywood can be used, this particular machine having Venesta metal-faced plywood fixed to a flitched oak body frame.

In tank wagons we see astonishing results from the use of steel and light alloys to reduce weight. Thompson Brothers (BiLston), Ltd., had a 400gallon trailer tanker in which the tank served as the frame; the lower half was made of 116-in. steel sheet and the upper half of Fin. sheet. Another frameless tanker of this company's make was the 3,000-gallon container shown on a Scammell articulated vehicle, the tank cylinder in this case being of f-in. aluminium alloy, with 1-in, end and division plates.

Even for the mounting of these bigcapacity tanks light metals can be used. W. B. Butterfield, Ltd., uses Birrnabright light alloy for its transverse bolsters as well as for the tank itself, and showed an example of this construction at Olympia.

Quick loading and unloading are obtained by ingenious methods, the outstanding example being the movable floor made of an endless rubbercomposition belt, a product of the Principality Wagon Co., Ltd., Cardiff. This was seen to advantage on a Garrett vehicle. The floor is well supported on a number of closely spaced rollers and, whilst it is most useful for bulk materials, such as coal, it will be appreciated that for the handling of milk churns or cased goods it means a great saving of time and labour. A grain-carrying body built by the Harrow Industrial Co., Ltd., upon a Beardmore multi-wheelir was equipped with a hopper floor through which the grain could pour out; the cover plate for the hopper was, in this instance, actuated by a simple screw gear.

Covering Hinge Gaps.

Methods of covering hinge gaps when ramps are used are nowadays common. On a general-purpose farmer's lorry shown by Herbert E. Taylor and Co., Ltd., a 9i-in. steel flap was hinged to the top of the slatted ramp, so that cattle or sheep should not catch their feet between the ramp and the floor.

It was noticeable in a furnitureremoval body built by Midland Light Bodies, Ltd., upon a Morris-Commercial Leader chassis, that no attempt was made to supply a ramp ; a wide step was hinged at a point 16 ins, below the floor level and 18 ins, above the ground. The body, incidentally, had a capacity of 1,000 cubic ft. and the rear doors could be strapped back to the sides when loading was in progress.

Clever ideas are introduced into the designs of travelling showrooms. For example, the two side doors at the forward end of a confectioner's van (Willys 30-cwt. chassis) shown by J. H. Jennings and Son Ltd., had glass panels, so that the confectionery displayed on the five sliding trays could be seen from the outside. To obtain the ample headroom which is essential to a showroom body Wm. and Thos. Robson, Ltd., had made a clerestory roof with fixed end panels but with side panels that were hinged along their upper edge, these having rollers at their ends. Instead of evolving an intricate mechanism for raising the roof the bodybuilder employed the admirably simple expedient of providing a short pole which would fit into a roof socket,

enabling the clerestory portion to be raised manually with but little effort ; the extra 14 ins, of height thus obtained gave a headroom of 6 ft. 1 in.

Such showrooms frequently are required to have an unusually attractive finish, especially when they serve the additional purpose of publicity vehicles. To obtain an attractive panelling the Cunard Motor and Carriage Co., Ltd., was induced to employ fabric for a particularly handsome publicity body on a Morris light van chassis, the fabric affording a wider scope of effect than would cellulose.

The usual place for the groom's coraphrtment on a horsebox is at the rear, but a Reo vehicle shown by Wilson Commercial Motor Bodybuilders (Kingston), Ltd., had the compartment for two grooms at the front, behind the driver. This vehicle, incidentally, was equipped with thermostatic ventilation control.

An ingenious device for warning the driver of a vehicle that his mate is not ready to move on is that incorporated by the Normand Garage, Ltd,, in some of its vehicles. A Dennis 2-ton van for of catering concern was exhibited which had a folding rear step, and so long as the step was down a warning device would appear in the driver's cab.

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