A Petrol Utility Truck of Remarkable Mobility.
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A MOST practicable petrol utility .11. truck with the useful load capacity of one ton has recently been produced by R. A. Lister and Co., Ltd., of Dursley, and 5, Tothill Street, London, S.W.1. It is known as the Lister AutoTruck, and has been designed to meet the increasing demand for a compact mobile Machine which will give continuous service both day and night and will withstand the stress of hard usage,
• whilst having the characteristic of great case in raanceuvring.
It is claimed for this machine that, using a petrol engine, it does not have' to carry the heavy load of a battery and that it does not have to be idle for charging, and as the whole of the motive unit is mounted at the front of the truck, the platform is unimpeded and can be built very low ; in fact, it is only 14 ins, from the ground, a most important feature in the loading and unloading of goods.
The unit, which comprises a 44 h.p. J.A.P. air-cooled engine, with fan and petrol and oil tanks, is carried in a strong steel casing with detachable covers, and is so mounted in the truck frame that it can be swung round for the full cireje and 'the truck can be made to turn in a radius of less thau its own length, whilst reversing is effected merely by swinging the engine unit round so that it drives in the reverse direction through its forward single rubber-tyred wheel.
On the level and easy gradients it can carry its own load and haul three trucks carrying a ton each, making a total useful load of 4 tons. and giving a remarkably high power-weight factor.
The initial cost is low, being £95 only with tools and accessories f.o.r. Dursley. This is with the standard platform.
Maintenance and running costs are claimed to be Iess.than id. per ton-mile, and there are few wearing parts. The wheels run on ball hearings and the truck can be pushed with comparative ease by one man, even when it is fully loaded.
Efficient brakes are provided on all wheels and there is a safety switch, whilst all controls are within easy reach of the driver when he is seated.
Special bodies can be fitted to the chassis to meet any particular trade requirements.
The speed, fully loaded, is 7-8 m.p.h., and the maximum gradient climbable with this load is 1 in 14.
The steering can be arranged to be permanent from the reverse position if desired, and the seat fixed accordingly, leaving a larger loading space.
The engine drives the front road wheel through the medium of roller chains and a single-disc clutch with asbestos-fabric friction surfacing.% and the theoretical drawbar pull is 360 lb., which is quite on the generous side for a vehicle of this type.
The solid rubber tyres are 10 ins. by 4 ins, at the back and 174 ins. by 5 ins. at the front.
The main dimensions are: Length, 8 ft. 8 ins,; width, 3 ft. 9 ins. ; height, 3 ft. 94 ins.; loading space, 6 ft. by 3 ft. 9 ins., whilst the weight is 84 cwt.
This vehicle will be shown on the Lister stand at the Royal Show.