From Our U.S.A. Correspondent.
Page 15
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I read, the other day, that an undertaker in Chicago had recently acquired a seven-seated touring car, "which he uses to good effect in his business—his son being the driver." I should like to know exactly what this means. I recall that a gentleman of that "profession," in Coventry, is the owner of a Lotis van, which he uses alternatively as a hearse—or, by changing the body (I mean the wooden one), as a vehicle of a lessmelancholy purpose. Hitherto, I had thought of this only in the light of an ingenious economy, but, in view of the possible procedure of the American mentioned above, the enterprise seems to assume a sinister aspect.
I have just returned from a visit to Detroit in connection with the Convention of the Society of Automobile Engineers, and have had my first opportunity of examining some of the big factories. That any industry should be carried on under such conditions is remarkable. Factories turning out. 140 to 160 cars a day sound like the language of hyperbole; nevertheless, such is at present the case. It is quite evident, however, that overproduction has already set in in the case of some of the cheaper touring cars, and one firm (not in Detroit) has, it is reported, 2,000 of last year's model cars on its hands, which cars are now unsaleable. It is to be hoped that this example will cheek some cf the speculative business which has been carried on during the past year. As 1 hod occasion to point out some time ago. many makers have already seen the advantage of being prepared with a commercial vehicle of some kind, and almost all are now entering this field in earnest—some with reasonably-good models, others without this asset, and the next motor show at New York should bring out some interesting things.
According to present arrangements. it will last a fortnight: the whole of the Madison Square Carden will be occupied during the first week with touring cars and during the second week with commercial vehicles— the change from the first to the second class of vehicles being effected between closing time on Saturday and the time for opening on the following Monday. This arrangement., at any rate, will give one an opportunity of inspecting the various models in something like comfort—which condition was impossible at the show last January.
See how history repeats itself ! The Brush Runabout Go.. organized in December, 1906, with a capital of $400,000, is fitting its little chassis with light delivery bodies. I seem to remember several English concerns who produced this sort of " commercial" vehicle some three years ago. I, also, remember the result.
The Packard Co. seems to have arrived at a good three-ton model, and, moreover, 1li is selling well. The capital of this company is $10,000,000 and its factory is one of the largest in the world, as also is its reputation for sound work and reliable goods, so it was to be expected that its commercial vehicles would be well above the average for the U.S.A. I hope shortly to send an illustration of one of these machines in service in Buffalo.
The Anderson Carriage Co. is about to market a 1,000-pound delivery wagon with electric drive and equipped with the new Edison cells. As this company is in a very large way of business it should enable the public to obtain a good insight into the behaviour of that much-discussed form of storage battery.
From New York come two interesting items of news: the first two of a number of Hallford four-ton chassis have arrived ; and the New York Transportation Co. is reported to have decided to change its de-Dion omnibuses into petrol-electries. The firstmentioned vehicles are being watched with considerable interest by many makers, as, owing to the reputation of the Snorer vehicle, on the lines of which the Hallford is known to be built, great things are expected from the newcomer. With regard to the New-York omnibuses, it will be remembered that a number of petrol-electric vehicles have been giving excellent results in use for some 18 months by this company, which has made exhaustive tests in the matter before finally coming to a decision. The conversion to this silent form of transmission should be a good boon to the dwellers on the fashionable residential streets over which these omnibuses run.
From what I can gather there is likely to be a considerable revival of this type of chassis before long ; it will be recalled that quite a number of models were made in the States and used there before they made anything like progress in Europe.
The following somewhat remarkable description of the K.P.L. combination has recently appeared here in a non-technical motor paper. I reproduce it verbatim with the exception of the italics, which are my own. It would be interesting to know, among other things, what the " other obstacles" beside bridges may be which limit the height of an omnibus to 12 ft. 6 in. in London :—
" A new form of motor omnibus has just been built in England after four years experimentation, in general appearance the vehicle resembles a touring car, wire wheels being used with solid rubber tires vulcanized directly on to the rims. The new car is only 17 ft. 10 in. in length and will carry 16 passengers inside and 18 outside. On account of bridges and other obstacles in London, where it is expected the new vehicle will be operated, omnibuses may not exceed 12 ft. 6 in. in height. The new machine is 9 in. lower than this.
The new omnibus will, it is claimed, largely relieve the present strain. on the omnibus driver. A simple lever on the top of the steering wheel entirely controls the speed of the vehicle and there is no gearbox at all. There is another lever on the same wheel for working the gasolene supply on the
throttle principle. A single pedal operates the magnetic brakes in addition to which there are two internal expanding shoe brakes to the front wheels. so that the four wheels of the machine can be braked, thereby obviating skidding. It is further claimed that the absence of a gearbox and the employment of a worm drive to the wheels will. prevent the sudden jerks and the grinding noises.
It is predicted that there will be a great saving in the mechanism, as it will not be necessary to race the engine when going uphill or when the vehicle is started.
" The machine will have a body of sheet metal, and so riveted that there will be little rattling, while the peculiar system of suspension, wherein incidentally the whole roof portion of the omnibus rests directly on the springs in place of being supported on them only through the lower part of the body work, furnishes a luxuriousness in riding in combination with silence that is certainly a revelation."
One may gather from this that Mr. Lanchester's method of springing was not fairly treated in the reports in the English papers, and intending passengers will he gratified to note the method of riveting adopted. But what has become of the electrical portion of the omnibus? This evidently did not appeal to the transcriber.
H.R.T.