A Double engined American Six wheeler
Page 53
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
itREMARKABLE six wheeled goods chassis has been produced by the Relay Motors Corporation, Lima, Ohio, U.S.A., according to our Philadelphia contemporary Automotive industries. Under a conventional bonnet are mounted two Lycoming eight-cylindered engines of 31 ins, bore and 41 ins. stroke, developing together 275 b.h.p.
Mounted as a unit with each is a gearbox givingfive forward and two reverse speeds, fourth forward speed being direct. Clutches on both engines are simultaneously actuated by a pedal-operated hydraulic cylinder, and gears are changed by the aid of conipressed air supplied by independent compressors on the two engines. The gear lever is placed beneath the steering wheel. A separate control on the dash cuts out either one or the other, transmission control when the vehicle is running light with only,one engine driving.
Two propeller shafts are carried aft to a four-wheel driving bogie,one
to the central axle and the, other to the third axle; the axle housings are offset, but are identical, one being mounted upside down. Each rear axle has two radius rods and a torque rod. An interesting feature is that the propeller shaft for the rear axle embodies a short section rigidly attached to the top of the centre axle. The final drive embodies in .a modified form the ingenious Relay pendulum principle, described in our issue dated March 25th, 1930; Westinghouse compressed-air service brakes are fitted as well' as hand-controlled vacuum brakes acting upon two discs on the propeller shafts. Hydraulic steering is used.
The actual load capacity of this chassis is not known to us, but it is intended to carry heavy loads at high speed and to pull trailers.