THE SCOUT WORM – DRIVE AXLE.
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We have, on several occasions, placed before our readers various productions of interest which emanate from the works of Scout Motors, Ltd., Salisbury, and the latest example of what is undoubtedly a. well-thought-out design in the matter of back axles is shown herewith.
The illustration depicts the concern's latest type of wortn-driven axle, constructed to be. mounted on a three-ton chassis. This manufacturer, as is well known, caters for inter-urban passenger transport and country carrier's work, Scout machines being well designed to withstand the arduous nature of work to which vehicles used for this particular class of business are likely to be subjected. As will be noticed, there is a liberal supply of ball bearings, and we are informed that the four large ones—that is, those on which till: rear roa.d wheels are mounted—are calculated to withstand a weight of 2 1 tons, so that, considering the axle has been designed for carrying useful loads of three tons, it will be at once seen that there is a large factor of safety. Moreover, the bearings have been placed well apart on the axle tube, thus insuring steadiness and even running of the road wheels.
The wrought-steel tube which carries the bearings, and therefore, the axle-weight of the car, is continued well to the centre of the vehicle, where it is supported in east-steel sleeves. The worm drive and differential mechanism are.arranged to be taken adrift, in a similar manner to that of most of the buses in service on the London streets—that is, by merely withdrawing the differential shafts a few inches, the driving mechanism can be taken . away as a unit.. The differential shafts are of the full floating type, so that they are in no wise subjected to load carrying, simply being utilized to transmit the driving torque, and the load of the machine is carried on the wrought-steel tubes, as beforementioned.
The road wheels fitted to these axle-units are cast-steel and of English manufacture ; in fact, the whole of the Scout chassis, including the raw material, is manufactured in this country.