GOTFREDSON CHASSIS FOR 1926.
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The Range Includes Models for 25-cwt. Loads, or 14 Passengers, and up to 3-ton Loads or 30-36 Passengers, a Special Low-frame Bus Chassis and a Rigid Six-wheeler.
CONSIDERABLE interest attaches to the Gotfredson chassis which are being marketed in this country by Bonsnack and Sons, St. George's Works, cable Street, London, E.1, as these embody many features which lift them out of the ordinary rut. For instance, ' there is the special bus chassis built for bodies capable of carrying 36 passengers and equipped with either a four-cylinder engine of 4-in, bore and 5i-in. stroke, or a six-cylinder power unit of 31-in. bore and 5k-in. stroke. We illustrate the frame of the latter machine. As will be seen. this is perfectly straight and equipped with very wide body brackets bolted to the sides of the frame, these making a very stiff construction and assisting in the prevention of rolling. The frame height is low, but not excessively so. It is believed by the concessionnaires that this chassis has the longest wheelbase of any vehicle obtainable, this being, in the largest model, 19 ft. 1 in.; thus the bulk of th load is carried between the axles and the overhang is reduced to the minimum, which permits excellent riding comfort. The track is 4 ft. 10 ins., and the body space behind the driver's seat 17 ft. 6 ins.
The drive is taken through a singleplate clutch, running dry, to a four-speed gearbox, the gearbox, clutch and engine forming a unit, from which a divided propeller shaft runs to the overhead worm of the rear axle.
The tyres are 32-in. by 6-in. pneumatics, twins at the rear, or larger tyres can be fitted if desired.
Each chassis is provided with a selfstarter, dynamo and other equipment, and the pneumatic tyre prices include a Kellogg air pump driven from the gearbox. , The special bus chassis have Boyce meters on the dashboard.
The road clearance is 10 ins, and the chassis weight, in the case of the largest model, is 2 tons 7 cwt.--exceptionally light for a vehicle of this size.
The 14-passenger chassis is equipped with an engine of 22.5 rating, has a wheelbase of 10 ft. 11 ins., a three-speed gearbox and a final drive by spiral bavels.
The 20-seater embodies the same engine, can be obtained in wheelbases of 12 ft. or 12 ft. 10 ins., and has optional c24
final drive by overhead worm or spiral bevel, accordins'' to the particular partialities of the buyers, some preferring worm gearing, whilst others pin their faith to the spiral bevel.
Next comes the 26-30-seater with an engine of 25.6 h.p., and wheelbases of 12 ft., 12 ft. 10 ins., or 14 ft. 10 ins. Four speeds are provided and the drive is by overhead worm.
The 3-ton models fur goods carrying, with solid-tyre equipment as Standard, have wheelbases of 12 ft. 3 ins. and 13 ft. 11 ins. respectively. They also include the 25.6 h.p. engine, four speeds and overhead worm drive.
Finally, there is a new Gotfredson rigid six-wheeler equipped with a sixcylinder engine. The first experimental machine of this type was produced in November of last year, and the actual one illustrated has been running over a tryins bus route for testing purposes during several months and is stated to be giving perfect satisfaction.
The six-wheel features employed are based on the Goodyear patents and have already been dealt with in detail in The Commercial Motor, but certain improvements have been incorporated to overcome faults in the Goodyear designs which showed themselves after considerable usage.
The springs used in the semi-bogie must necessarily be fairly short to keep the axles close together ; consequently, they have very little capacity for twisting, and as a result the bushes in the spring brackets at the centres of the springs used to wear rapidly and soon cause noise. In the Gotfredson chassis, as well as making these bushes larger, both ends of each spring have been swivelled, so that the springs are relieved of all torsion due to uneven road surfaces. This refinement is probably of more importance when exceptionally rough roads are encountered, but it goes to show that six-wheeler design in America is progressing rapidly, and is already well beyond the experimental stage.
Air brakes are provided for the front and rear, axles, and a mechanical hand brak.: on the middle axle. When the air brakes are applied to the front and rear axles, the middle wheels must necessarily also be braked, because of the fact that they are geared together by means of a propeller shaft connecting the two sets of worm gear. In this way the braking takes place on all six wheels when the air foot brake is applied, and on the four rear wheels when ths mechanical hand brake is utilized. This gives a measure of safety infinitels greater than is the case when only tws wheels are braked.