TWO FRENCH HEAVY-DUTY CHASSIS.
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Brief Particulars Of the 3-4-ton and 5-6-ton Aries Chain-driven Models Which are Now Being Marketed in This Country.
'1% TAM" visitors to the Commercial Vehicle Exhibition were interested in the vehicles and chassis staged by Soc. Anon. Aries, these consisting of a 12-eivt. van, a 1-ton boxvan, tonuer with an engine of 90 men. bore and 150 mm. stroke, and a 5-6-tonner with a more powerful engine of 100 nun. bore and 160 mm. stroke.
We have recently been afforded an opportunity of examining the 'chassis of these • •latter two machines'rather more closely than was possible with the finished products, and we were invited to do so by the sole British .concessionnaire, F. W. Taylor, 67; Victoria Road, Surbiton, whose business is known as Taylor's Motor Mart.
So far as actual design is concerned, the two heavy models closely resemble each other.They are of. straightforward design, not ultra modern, but excellent for heavy-duty haulage, and are sold at very moderate prices, the 3-4-tonner short chassis being priced at £355, or complete with lorry body and canvas ton £398; the long chassis of the same capacity costs £390, and com plete with body and canvas top £444. In the case of the, 5-6-tonner, the short type is marketed at £425, and complete with body £465; the long chassis at £465, and with body £525.
Each model has a four-cylinder monobloc engine with fixed head and side valves, a four-bladed fan working in a cowl, ignition by high-tension magneto and a hot and cold air control for the &Ilex carburetter ; in addition, the ignition is provided with an automatic advance which relieves the driver of a certain amount of responsibility. The bonnet is so designed as to permit of 'ample accessibility to the engine; the top is hinged and has detachable sides, the whole being held tightly against 'rattle by leather straps and coil tension springs. .
• One of the features of the radiator is that the tubes are arranged in 14 detachable sections, so that, in the event of damage, repair is a simple matter. A certain amount of protection is afforded by a buffer bar carried in front of the radiator; it is supported by brackets bolted to the upper flanges of the frame side-members.
Power is conveyed through a multiple-disc clutch of the dry type and a cardan shaft to a combined gearbox ancV•jackshaft unit, which has, at the off, side of the jackshaft, a powerful brake of the loco type, whilst the final drive is via open roller chains to the rear wheels, chain adjustment being effected by round radius rods.
The hand brake consists of contracting bands built up from steel cable carrying blocks of wood, whilst castiron liners are employed for the foot brake_ A triangulated sprag of the drop type is provided for emergencies, this being controlled by a wire rope endhig at a point conveniently close to the driver.
The springing arrangement is somewhat unusual. The semi-empties at the front have slippers at their rear ends, whilst at the back there are undershing semi-elliptics with slippers at both ends and auxiliary semielliptics mounted above the axle, the ends not coming into contact with the
pads on the frame until a lead is imposed upon the vehicle ; by this means the springing with the vehicle running light or only partially laden is rendered almost as good as when carrying the full load.
In the 3-4--tenser the wheels are of the disc type, whilst in the heavier model cast-steel-spoked wheels are employed.
Pneumatic tyres, 955 tom. by 155 mm., can be fitted if required, and the 3-4-tonner is illustrated with this equipment.
In the case of the 5-tonner there is a governor for the engine. In both instances the 'circulation of the cooling water is effected therino-siphonically, and the gearbox provides four forward speeds.
As a result of combining reliability with moderate price, the Arik has become very popular in the country of its origin, and the 4-5-tenner is being extensively employed by. the military authorities. The little 8-10 hp. 12-cwt. van forms quite an interesting example of modern design ; it is, of course, based on the private car chassis, and embodies a powerful little engine with overhead valves operated by a bevel-driven overhead camshaft, forming a unit with a three-speed-and-reverse gearbox having central control. The final drive is by card= shaft to spiral-bevel gearing.
We have not yet referred to the clutch ; this is of the single-disc type running dry. Semi-elliptic springs are emplOyed all round.
Braking has received considerable attention, and that operated by pedal acts on the transmission, whilst the hand brake expands shoes in the drums , of the rear wheels.
An unusual feature is that low-pressure pneumatic tyres are fitted all round, these being on steel-disc wheels and of 730 mm. by 130 ram. dimensions.
Other types of vehicle marketed are tipping lorries on both the heavier chassis and a pantechnicon on the _ heaviest model, the price of the latter, • with pneumatic-tyre equipment, being £795.