A TRACTOR-LORRY WITH EIGHT WHEELS.
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An interesting Type of Vehicle Employing a Four-wheeled Trailer Attachment.
AMONGST the patents accepted recently was one dealing with what is called "a new or improved vehicle applicable for tractor-trains," the patentee being Henri Wouter Jonkhoff, of Semarang, Java, Dutch East Indies.
The invention consists in part in providing a combination comprising a tractor and trailer, of which the body is supported upon a four-wheeled trailer chassis, or two four-wheeled trailer chassis coupled together, in which provision is made, by the use of a particular form of turntable, for the requisite movement of the trailers with respect to each other or to the chassis of the tractor portion. It also permits the adjustment of the turntables longitudinally on the trailers which carry them.
Where one or more four-wheeled trailers are employed, each has a pair of Ackerman-steered wheels at the front, steering being effected by the drawbar or drawbars.
The actual size of the combination is not limited, except, of couree, by the regulations in this country, and various combinations having equal wheelbases and supporting a single body,can be made up, as, for instarrce, an eight wheeled component consisting of a fourwheeled tractor and a four-wheeled
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trailer; a ten-wheeled vehicle comprising a four-wheeled tractor, a two-wheeled trailer and a four-wheeled trailer, or is twelve-wheeled combination eonsisting. of a four-wheeled tractor and two fourwheeled trailers.
The special turntable, which permits the distances between.the turntables to increase or decrease within certain limits, is illustrated on this page. Each turntable. is formed with depending brackets, between which a transverse shaft is held by spiral springs. This shaft is secured to longitudinal shafts, which can slide in bearings so adapted that they can, be clamped to the 6i-demembers of the chassis either of the tractor or trailer portion of the complete vehicle, and the-position of the-se
bearings can also bs. adjusted as required. Thus the whole turntable can move longitudinally, the movement in either direction being limited. by the position of the bearings of the sliding shafts. In any case, if actual contact is made between these bearings and the crossshaft any shocks are cushioned by the spiral springs.
If necessary the sliding shafts can be secured in the bearings so that the body may act as a drawbar, the spiral springs then giving a, certain amount of cushioning to the drive. There must, however, always be connection between the towhook of the tractor and the drawbar of the trailer, so that proper. steering can be effected