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A NOVEL Heavy-duty THREE-WHEELER.

19th March 1929, Page 54
19th March 1929
Page 54
Page 55
Page 54, 19th March 1929 — A NOVEL Heavy-duty THREE-WHEELER.
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Details for of an Interesting F.W.D. Vehicle a Wide Variety of Purposes.

MHE accompanying -I... illustrations depict an unusually interesting

three wheeled vehicle which was recently built by the Four Wheel Drive Lorry Co., Ltd., 46, Charing Cross. London, S.W.L The usual capacity of the vehicle,: is from 2 tons to 21 tons, but it can easily be adapted to carry a load of 4 tons.

It has a capacious body, which, in the particular example shown, is 7 ft. longand has drop sides 20 ins. deep. The body, incidentally, is arranged for three-way tipping. The specially low cab permits an overall height of only 7 ft. 3 ins. The chassis is priced at i500 and with tipping body £583.

One of the leading features is the wonderful manceuvrability obtained by the manner of construction adopted. It will be seen that the driver sits

B28 in a cab behind the body, the main load being supported by the largediameter driving wheels, which are not steerable, steering being effects(' by the single cast-steelfwheel at the rear, which is equipped with a 20-in. by 6-in. solid tyre, runs on roller bearings interchangeable with those of the driving wheels, and is carried on a turntable. A feature of the last-named is that, inserted between the two rings, is a bronze ring of fl-section, the flanges at the edges being intended to keep it central and to retain the grease. In holes in this bronze ring is a number of steel balls of a diameter slightly in excess of the thickness of the ring, so that the turntable is actually carried on a large thrust hall race.

It will be realized that to take full advantage of the third wheel on short turns a much larger angle is necessary on the turntable than is the case with the ordinary stub axle. To permit this a special layout of steering is employed. The end of the horizontal "drop arm is connected to another lever secured to a vertical shaft, on the upper end of which is a chain sprocket around which passes a triple roller chain running to a smaller sprocket attached to the king-pin, which is rigidly secured to the turntable.

Again, in order to take fall advantage of the steering lock of the third wheel, independent braking is utilized for the two driving wheels, thus the inner wheel may be held firmly, allowing the vehicle to pivot about it.

The independent braking is effected by a lever at the right of the driver.• Compensation of the hand brakes on the driving axle' is achieved by means of a perch bar. At each end of this bar there is a catch mounted on a shaft connected to the band lever, so that if the lever be moved in one direction one catch drops and prevents that end of the perch bar, from going forward, whilst movement of the lever in the opposite direction holds the other end of the perch bar. So soon as this lever has been moved the hand brake may be applied, and, will only act on the side which is not held by the catch to which we have referred. The approximate diameter of the turning circle is 17 ft.

The engine is the company's standard four-cylindered type with a bore of 41 ins, and a stroke of 5i ins, developing 56 b.h.P. It is mounted at the left side of the machine with a standard three-speed gearbox at the right and alongside it. This gearbox is connected with the engine by an enclosed triple roller chain running in oil and having a 1-to-1 ratio ; forward speeds of 16, 8 and 4 m.p.h. are provided.

The direction of rotation of the clefts of the gearbox are reversed as compared with the standard vehicle ; consequently, the dogs on the gears have been relieved in the opposite direction. The driven front axle is a standard 1-ton fully floating type, the only modification being that the bevel pinion is almost central with the chassis instead of being offset.

Cast-steel wheels equipped with twin 36-in, by rehe tyres are employed with this axle, and the brake shoes are of the internal-expanding pattern. A foot brake is mounted at the rear of the gearbox, as in the ordinary F.W.D. design, whilst cooling is effected by a gilled-tube radiator mounted at the rear of the machine, the air being forced through this by a fan of the pusher type.

Such a machine as this can handle considerable loads in congested areas.

Another use is in connection with gritting roads after they have been sprayed with tar or bituminous emulsion, which must be done before any wheels pass over the sprayed part. At present this process is being carried out either by hand or by vehicles • running in reverse, which is most cumbersome and difficult. Used for this purpose a tipping gear or spreader can easily be fitted on to the body.

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Locations: London

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