IMPRESSIONS OF THE PARIS SHOW
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Interesting Exhibits Include New Chassis, Compression-ignition Engines, Improved Bodywork and Tractor-trailers Written After an Actual Inspection of the Show, Our Report Reveals Marked Progress in French Design
THERE can be no doubt that the French makers of commercial chassis are now doing their utmost to remove the long-existing opinion that their designs have been somewhat behind the times. This also applies to the bodybuilders, whose ranks have recently been aug
mented by several who were previously employed exclusively on the production of bodies for private cars, and they are making good jobs of their commercial models.
Typical of the new tendency is the latest Rochet-Schneider passenger chassis for large-capacity bodies. This has a six-cylindered engine of 110-140 b.h.p., with unit-constructed gearbox and offset transmission line, the offsetting being to the left of the chassis. The propeller shaft is in two sections, and at the front of the rear section is mounted a transmission brake drum of ample size and ribbed for cooling. Two Dewandre servos are provided—a small B14 one for the front brakes and the other and larger for those acting in the back wheels.
Much care has been paid to adequate lubrication, there being several groups of Tecalemit nipples. The frame, which is over 11 ins, deep, has side-members dropped gently behind the dash and 'upswept over the back axle, whilst outriggers facilitate the use of low-built bodies.
At the left are two battery carriers, the fronts of which can be released by unscrewing and swinging back two clips on each, when well-supported platforms are formed, on which the batteries can be slid out for topping-up, etc. Two petrol tanks are carried under the outriggers at the other side. Long springs with reversed camber and Houdaille shock absorbers complete an attractive specification, whilst the appearance of the wide, deep radiator, with its thermostatically controlled vertical shutters, is exceptionally good.
A trailer tanker, known as the Titan and built by Sulitzer Freres, aroused our curiosity because of a front compartment with a rollershutter blind which was carefully closed and lead-sealed. The seals having been removed and the shutter lifted a 4 h.p. Oranium petrol engine connected to a neat turbine pump was disclosed. The outfit is intended mainly for dealing with wine, but petrol, beer, etc., Cap be handled and the fluid can be pumped into or out of the tank. Incidentally, this trailer has a useful overrun brake, which also comes into action when the drawbar is dropped.
The Paris Show is, of course, international, and there are several important exhibits from other countries; amongst these is the Tatra six-wheeler. This type is well known chiefly because of its unusual features of a tubular " backbone " and swivelling half axles.
Antong,st the Tatra products is a new oil engine built under Bosch Acre licence. It is a particularly neat unit with six cylinders of 115 mm. bore and 180 mm. stroke, developing 80 b.h.p. at 1,200 r.p.m. The injection pump is the familiar Bosch. A cast-iron cylinder block is employed, but the crankcase is of light metal. A governor maintains the engine speed at 300 r.p.m. when idling, and limits it to 1,200 r.p.m. under load. An A.C. fuel pump is utilized and starting is effected by an electric motor ; electric heater plugs assist when the engine is cold.
Berliet shows several oil engines, one being partly sectioned to expose the working parts. The combustion chamber is quite regular and the oil is sprayed downwards at an angle; in each piston is a hemispherical cavity, enclosed by a screwed-plug, concave in the centre, and provided with exit holes for the air enclosed in the cavity. The pump is a Bosch and the six cylinders are cast en bloc, but the heads are in pairs. The overhead valves are operated by push rods and rocker. arms. Care has obviously been taken to avoid oil dilution, and each piston has four main rings and a scraper ring.
The Renault oil engine is shown in unit construction with a gearbox. Overhead valves are employed and the injectors are set vertically ; here again the Bosch pump is used to supply the six cylinders.
Chapuis Dornier has a four-cylin dered oil engine built under licence from the maker of the Swiss 0.M.O, power unit. It has a Bosch pump, electric heater plugs, electric starter, governor and four-bladed aluminium
fan driven by a link belt. It is said to develop 110 b.h.p. at 1,500 r.p.m. This 'type of engine is being used in Germany by the Vomag concern, and will be fitted in France by RochetSchneider.
Several French malers are using the L.M. engine, with either two or three cylinders ; it is the French edition of the Junkers and is a twostroke-cycle type with opposed pistons. The original models had compressor pistons formed in one with the upper pistons and much larger in diameter, but these are no longer employed. We could find only one trolley-bus. This is a V.T.E. made by Vehieules Transport
Eiectriques, and has bodywork by La Carrosserie Industrielle Dreux. A. curious but practical feature of this machine is the double doors at the front, which give access to the controller gear, fuses, etc. There are folding doors at each end and an ordinary one for the driver, who sits perched above his passengers on a kind of dais. Forward control is provided.
While on the subject of electric vehicles reference may be made tc the Soya This machine appears somewhat crude and dated because of its wood wheels, solid tyres and open chain drive from two motors, but it has Edison storage batteries, which can be readily withdrawn for attention. Another Sovel electric is shown equipped lyith a Geneve hydraulic tipping gear.
A Remarkable Caravan Coach.
The most elaborate vehicle in the Show is undoubtedly the caravan coach, with body by J. Saoutchik, mounted on a Lailly chassis. There is a central semi-partition with a curtain in the middle to hide the two bunks and the lavatory apartment which projects between them from the back. In the front portion are chests of drawers, movable seats and a table. On the fixed parts of the partition are two cupboatds, one containing shelves, the other a frame aerial. There is also ample storage space under the bunks. The roof and sides are lined witla a silver and red material giving the effect of tapestry. In the cab the seat squab lifts up and thus, with the seat proper, forms two additional bunks. More than half the body is overhung, but much of the rear portion is taken up by a capacious boot which, however, is much narrower than the rest of the body.
The Ottin coach body on a Berliet chassis has separate doors to the rows of seats, and a fabric roof which slides to the back. The appearance inside is somewhat marred by three inwardly projecting screws, 6 ins, long, carrying large milled nuts by which the roof is kept taut. There is a small luggage boot at the back.
Another sunshine roof is to be found on the raurax at Chaussande metal-panelled coach body on a 316 Bdrliet Six; the roof is operated by a handle at the front almost as big as one used for an engine. The semi-armchair seats are in pairs, with a gangway between. Coat or rug rails are mounted on the seat backs, and the body has four doors. There is a rather handsome combined lamp bracket, cross-bar and front-wing stay on this model.
Hardy et Cie stage a trailer, the floor of which comprises an endless shutter, which is revolved around rollers at the ends of the trailer, thus loading or unloading suitable materials. The power is derived from a Staub air-cooled singlecylindered engine mounted at the front of the trailer. This drives through a flat belt, enclosed worm and spur gearing to a cross-shaft connected to roller chains running the full length of the floor.
We were surprised at the absence of the parcelcars which, on previous occasions, have been so conspicuous; it appears, however, that their makers decided to exhibit at the previous motorcycle Show, and consequently they are excluded from the commercial Show, although they particularly wanted to do so, for this year there is no Show for motorcycles,. • Citroen, in addition to the normal types, exhibits a six-wheeler with a large van body. The CitroenKegresse small lorry now has its rubber tracks covered by closefitting steel-tread plates, to the centres of which are bolted thick rubber "lozenges."
Lad]. shows its familiar fourwlieel-drive tractor with folding spuds and pneumatic tyres, but equipped as a snow plough with steel ram and long side " wings " adjustable as to width. These side devices are of wood, faced with steel.
Small four-wheeled parcel-de,, livery vehicles are not much in evidence at the present Salon, and only four makers show chassis with engines of less than 11-litre capacity. These are Peugeot, Rosengart, La Licorne and Sima-Standard. Peugeot shows two versions of the ;famous " 201 " model, which has a 63 mm. by 90 ram. engine of 1,122
c.c. capacity. One is simply the light car chassis arranged to carry about 5 cwt. of goods, but the other, whilst retaining the same engine, is designed throughout for commercial purposes. This model has a wormdriven axle of the inverted-pot type, whilst the frame side members are splayed outwards widely and have a big upsweep over the axle. This model is intended to carry a useful load of 30 cwt. • One example is shown fitted with a particularly smart and serviceable looking ambulance body. The independent-front-wheel suspension, now fitted to Peugeot "201 " touring cars, has not been adopted for industrial types, and the original at
rangement of a transverse spring in front and very long half-elliptics at the rear is retained, all springs being suitably reinforced for industrial work.
The third model shown is the " baby " Peugeot, which has a 51 mm. by 85 mm. (694 c.c.) engine with side-by-side valves, and is rated at 5 h.p. in France and 7 h.p.
in England. This is shown with several varieties of camionette and box-form bodies to carry about 3 cwt. of goods. It is a sturdy little outfit, credited with a very low fuel consumption.
Commercial Austin Sevens.
Rosengart shows the French Austin Seven with frames and suspension suitably stiffened up for industrial purposes. The four-cylinder, 56 mm. by 76 mm. Rosengart is shown in long and short wheelbase form, with a great variety of coachwork, but the new six-cylinder model, which appeared at the recent Salon de l'Automobile, does not yet seem to have been adapted to commercial work.
La Licorne shows its fine little 7 h.p. 60 mm. by 80 mm. (903 c.c.) model, which has earned an excellent reputation in France during the past four years. Arranged for delivery work, this chassis is intended to deal with loads of 5 cwt. to 6 cwt.
The fourth parcels-delivery chassis shown is a curious little job. This is the 7 h.p. Sima-Standard, a modernized version of the famous old 7 h.p. Citroen, the manufacture of which was discontinued over six years ago! In presenting this vehicle, which, by the way, is boldly labelled as an improved 7 h.p. Citroen, with AmiIcar transmission, the makers point out the great
benefit enjoyed by owners. in being able to obtain spare parts at almost every country garage throughout the whole of France. The SimaStandard is intended for loads of from 4 cwt. to 5 cwt.
In France one of the most popular types of load carrier is the tractor and semi-trailer with or without auxiliary front wheels for the trailer portion. In nearly all the larger types the rear wheels are arranged in pairs on short centrally fulcrumed axles, so that the four wheels are set in line across the chassis; where the loads are very heavy four pairs of these wheels are employed, and they are invariably shod with pneumatic tyres.
A 35-tonner on 14 Wheels.
One of the biggest outfits is the Willeme 35-tonner with 14 wheels; this is shown carrying two huge blocks of what appears to be quarried stone, one marked 17 tons and the other 18 tons, but when tapped they emitted a hollow sound. An unusual feature of this vehicle is that the pivot point of the trailer on the turntable is a good 7 ft. behind the front of the trailer frame, so that the front must project a considerable amount to one side or the other as the tractor turns. The trailer wheel suspension is by centrally fulcrumed inverted semielliptics, two side by side above the fulcrum and two below it. Each pair of trailer wheels has its own Westinghouse-brake cylinder, which pulls on to a compensating bar.
There is also a Wilterm fourwheeled lorry with a three-cylindered oil engine built by Willeme under Junkers licence. This chassis is really the descendant of the Liberty truck, but constructed throughout in France. It has a central gearbox, overhead worm drive and two large Westinghouse vacuum
servos. The lubrication is somewhat out of the ordinary, the brake
shafts, spring hangers, etc., having oil reservoirs, each with its screwed cap carried on a chain to prevent loss. The oil passes through wicks to the bearing surfaces.
A further Willeme lorry has a trailing axle and rocker-bar spring compensation.
The Coder semi-trailer has a ball and socket connection for the tractor, and the ball slides up a narrowing steel slope when the tractor is backed. A pair of small wheels at the front can be raised clear by turning a large handle at the side of the trailer. This concern stages a four-wheeled trailer with automatic brake connected to the draw hook ; dropping the drawbar also applies the brake, which, incidentally, has a large handwheel for adjusting the cable.
A two-cylindered C.L.M. oil engine (Junkers licence) is used in the Lavigne tractor and semi-trailer outfit, which carries 15 tons. This maker also shows a 2-tonner with the same type of oil engine. It is one of the few models utilizing Lockheed hydraulically operated brakes. The Lavigne 6-tonner has a Lycoming six-cylindered power unit. Recent improvements in these models are handsome radiators and new four-speed gearboxes. The 2-tonner has spiral-bevel drive, but the others have worm gearing.
A Bernet Tractor-trailer.
Berliet stages a tractor and semitrailer with rails, upon which is a closed truck held down by aeroplanetype tensioners. The trailer portion is of S.C.E.M.I.A. make, with four wheels at the rear, and Westinghouse braking.
The largest vehicle is a Renault oil tanker, the semi-trailer of which has eight wheels at the rear.
A new arrival is the Mathis sixwheeler with trailing axle and rocker beams for connecting the semi-elliptic springs. The braking includes a Westinghouse servo and enclosed cables to operate the shoes in the front-wheel drums.
Wine in bulk is the load for which Panhard et Levassor intend a large tanker which is shown connected to a tank trailer. The containers are made by Coder.
Chenard et Walcker have several F.A.R. trailers on view, the largest to carry 20 tons ; this has 10 wheels, whilst the 10-tonner has only sir: A tractor for semi-trailers is also shown.
Saurer has a really fine display of petrol and oil-engined chassis; these are built in France, but are of types familiar to our readers.
Municipal work is wellcatered for. There are numerous fire-fighting appliances, of which one of the most impressive is the Lail:IT-Metz water tower and escape. In the Delahaye tire-engine adequate protection is afforded the crew, who sit in a limousine body on cross-facing seats behind the driver. The pump is housed partly in and partly under the back, in which is a large compartment for equipment. The hoses are carried on two large reels at the rear and a short escape ladder is mounted on the roof.
A Smart Coach for the P.L.M.
Delahaye shows also a fine P.L.M. coach for the Route des ..9.1pes, the semi-armchair seats are arranged in rows of four, there are lockers in the back of each, and a folding roof is provided. The body-builder is leaurax et Chaussande.
The Laffly road sweeper, with small water tank, is much as formerly, as is also the De Dion combined sweeper and watering wagon. Somua again stages its small sweeper, in which a separately driven brush sweeps the gutters. The engine employed is a one-cylindered model of the two-stroke-cycle type with water cooling. The driver, who is not protected in any way, sits in a small, semi-bucket seat mounted right at the rear on a single steel spring leaf. He steers by means of two small solid-tyred wheels set 10 ins, apart, larger wheels with pneumatic tyres and spaced 2 ft. 6 ins, apart support the front.
One of the most successful tipping gears in France is the mechanical type made by Marrel. To us it appeared complicated, because of the elaborate gearing. The drive is taken from some convenient point to a pair of facing straight-toothed bevel pinions, either of which can be clutched by dogs to the driving shaft. After the crown wheel comes a pair of spiral bevels, then worm gearing to a cross-shaft on which are cut two sets of teeth to mesh with the racks by which the body is actually lifted.
Bodywork Tendencies.
Practically all coach and bus bodies are now panelled in steel, and some are of all-metal construction. Ansart has a dual-purpose coach the steel floor of which has sockets into which the seat legs can he inserted, the inside is panelled in varnished wood and, with the seats removed, ample loading space is afforded.
A particularly comfortable coach body is mounted by Deroualt et Jongen on a Bernard-Six chassis. The seats are upholstered in tapestry and at the back of each is a shallow recess covered by a net with elastic at the top.
All the panelling is in steel, the inside being finished to resemble wood. The seats are also built of steel and the inner elbow rest of each pair can bend out to accommodate stout passengers. At the back of each rest is a small spiral spring carried in a socket in the seat back.
H. Labourdette has produced a fine parlour coach on a Delahaye. The driver is partitioned off ; there are divan seats around the sides, also movable chairs and tables.