Correspondence.
Page 14
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Wheel for Road, Rail or Tram.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—We are much interested in your article respecting short distance journeys by railway, and think the following• description of the " Jouesway " wheel will interest your readers.—Yours faithfully,
'ERE " JONES" HAULAGE SYNDICATE.
Hampton-in-Arden.
September 29th, 1905.
" The wheel is a combination for use on road, rail, or tramway without a change of wheel or vehicle_ A is the road tread, B the rail tread and C a groove with an expansible ring (1)) for tramways. The diameter of rim for rail being less than that for road or tram makes it simple in construction, as the latter may be either cast on a metal wheel or riveted on wrought iron or wood as required. The advantages are considerable when used on motor wagons, as it enables them to run on terminals, and soft ground otherwise inaccessible, by merely laying down a necessary length of rails which is less costly than any other method of temporary roadway. The invention opens up a considerable field for the steam wagon which, in the past, could not be used by many contractors, builders, brick
mu s, quarries, mines, etc.; during frosty alai; snowy weather, when was elms have been weather-bound, the rail flange is ready for Fixing any non-slipping device, enabling a vehicle to get home as well as to work on ice-bound roads. On railways unfrequented by constant train services, motor wagons constructed to the railway gauge can be used—by simply blocking the pointsand crossings—at slow speed. For road, rail or train transshipment can be avoided.
" For use on existing tram lines, in towns such as Man chester, where special cars are employed for parcels traffic, the " Jonesway " wheel would be far more economical than their present system of working. For instance, at the present time the tramway people use horsed lorries to collect the parcels from various parts of the town where rails are not laid, and these lorries take the loads to a depot where each parcel is trans-shipped to the parcel van which runs in the direction it has to go. 'The van runs on the rails as far as the terminus and, if necessary, the parcel is again transferred to the horsed lorry for delivery. With an electricallypropelled vehicle fitted with a " Jonesway " wheel, all the difficulties could be overcome. The van, horse, or tractor drawn could collect its parcels front different points off the route and board the rails at any convenient spot. While on the rails it would, of course, be driven the same way as the cars, and immediately it arrived at a terminus it could run right off the rails and deliver its load. This means twice handling instead of four times as heretofore."
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