Converting Wheels for Pneumatic Tyres
Page 48
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AVING in view the attitude of _Li the Minister of Transport towards heavy motor vehicles shod with solid rubber tyres, and the market which is bound to present itself for the conversion of existing wheel equipment to take pneumatics, Cranes (Dereham), Ltd., of South Green Works, East Dereham, Norfolk, has tackled the problem of altering the cast-steel wheels commonly used for solid tyres. The chief benefits of the conversion are the short time taken for the changeover, the absence of heavy expense and the ease with which the rim portion may afterwards be detached in order to permit ordinary servicing operations.
The rim of the original cast-steel wheel is cut from the spokes at the required radius, ahd a stout steerring is welded to the sides of the spokes. Hollow spokes and solid ones of cruciform section are both easily dealt with. Stud holes are then drilled to take the rim portion for pneumatic equipment. This is of Michelin make and is in halve, which are held together, first, by the Michelin studs and then by other studs on the outside. When tyrechanging is necessary, instead of the tyre being removed from the rim, the rim is split and taken sideway: from the tyre.
Cranes (Dereham), Ltd., actually claims to be Wale to carry out a conversion within 24 hrs.
In addition to the method outlined above, two other methods are possible. The standard type of disc wheel for pneumatic tyres may be bolted to the cut-down castings, or a demountable rim, as used very much in the past, may be bolted to felloe band welded to the cast steel spokes. There is no doubt, however, that tho split type of Michelin rim, explained above, is likely to prove extremely popular,