A New Battery-electric for light deliveries
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The General Vehicle Co., Ltd., Announces a New Model for Pay Loads of from 10 cwt. to 15 apt.
SDVERAL manufacturers of light commercial vehicles appear to be concerned at present with the production of models calculated to replace horse-drawn vans for the purpose of house-to-house deliveries, and this week we are in a position to make an announcement in connection with a new battery-electric machine produced by the General Vehicle Co., Ltd., King's Road, Tyseley, Birmingham.
The vehicle has its ;Ingle motor mounted below the frame level between the two axles the batteries being slung, pannier fashion, outside the frame, whilst the driver's platform is carried on a step forming a downswept extension at the forward end of the frame members. The aim has been to give easy control of the vehicle, as well as quick ingress to and egress from the driving position.
The new model has a chassis weight of 15 cwt., not including the batteries, and will carry a gross load of 25 cwt. Allowing 5 cwt. for the body, which should be ample, and 10 cwt. for battery equipment, a pay load of about 10 cwt. can be reckoned upon.
The wheelbase is 6 ft. 10 ins., and the track 4 ft. 8 ins, so that behind the driver's cab, which, normally, would not be equipped with doors, a body about 8 ft. 9 ins, long and 4 ft. wide can be accommodated, this Coming within the width between the wheel-arches. For such a body, the floor height, when laden, would be 2 ft. 3 ins., or 3 ins, higher than the top of the frame.
This is the first G.V chassis to have a frame swept downward ahead of the front axle, and it will be appreciated that, subject to ground clearance and the accommodation of the steering drop arm and track link, the forward platform might be arranged just as low as desired. The company considers that a height of 1 ft. 3 ins, laden is convenient for the driver-salesman, and this is the height selected as standard for the new model.
Steel artillery or disc wheels can be fitted, these carrying 28-in. by 4.75-in. pneumatic tyres.
Upon examination, the frame strikes us as being particularly rigid. The main longitudinals are pressed channels 2 ft. 3i ins, apart, and, in addition to orthodox cross-members, they are braced by the battery-box cross-members and by the boxes themselves, these being made of :1-in. plate and being adequately gusseted to the longitudinals. The underslung cross-member connecting the rear ends of the battery boxes serves as an anchorage for the front ends of the semi-elliptic rear springs. Further strengthening for the frame is afforded by the controller box, also made of i-in. plate, which forms a cross-member at the forward end, being located under the driver's seat.
The motor is a series-parallel trac.tion-type unit which will work at either 48 volts or 80 volts, according to the speed required, and the drive is taken from it through a short shaft having two fabric universal joints to a wormdriven rear axle of the three-quarter floating type, this being carried in a strong banjo-type axle case, beneath which the springs are fixed.
Bishop steering gear has been chosen and the rake of the steering column is adjustable, so that should the man be required to stand while driving the column can be fixed in an almost vertical position.
Attached to the rear wheels are Millenite brake drums, each containing two pairs of shoes, one operated by the hand lever and the other by pedal. A hand lever is provided for speed control, being fixed directly on to the controller shaft and operated by the driver's left hand ; it gives five forward and two reverse speeds.
According to the battery equipment, the maximum speed with full, load is between 8 m.p.h. and 12 m.p.h. A 60ampere-hour battery is reckoned to give 15-20 miles per charge, and a 190ampere-hour battery 45-50 miles per charge, these figures being calculated on travel over hard and level roads with a maximum load for half the distance.
The vehicle has a turning circle of 24 ft. diameter, rendering it particularly useful for work in urban areas, whilst the ground clearance (under load) is 7 ins.
The front springs are 2 ft. 6 ins, long, and the rear springs 3 ft. long, and the wheels are mounted ore ball and tapered roller bearings, lubrication being by Enots grease gun.