KRUPP'S PRODUCE A 30-40-CWT. VAN.
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The Famous Essen Armament Factory Turns to Commercial Motor Vehicles and Decides Upon a Type Suitable for Medium Loads.
/rENTION has already been made 1V_Lin these columns of the fact that the 10.r. Krupp Gesellschaft, of Essen, Ruhr, Germany, in addition to making heavy motor trucks, were also building a high-speed van or lorry for loads of from 1i tons to 2 tons. We are now able to publish some illustrations of the vehicle, together with a few details of the specification. The engine is fourcylindered, and is rated at 16-40 h.p., the bore and stroke being 90 mm. and 160 mm. respectively. The cylinders are cast in one block and mounted on an aluminium crankcase, which is not only readily detachable, but is provided with ribs to assist in cooling the lubricating oil. The overhead valves are operated through enclosed push rods.
A feature of the design is that the timing gear is located, not at the front end, but at the rear of the engine. The cylinder heads, the combustion spaces in which are machined, are detachable, the pistons are of aluminium and the connecting rods of steel and hollow, whilst the crankcase is supported on three bearings. The carburetter is a Zenith, and the magneto, lighting dynamo and engine starter are of Bosch manufacture. The accumulators are located under the driver's seat.
In place of the usual water pump, a small impelling wheel, driven off the radiator fan belt; is incorporated in the water-circulating system, it being claimed that this necessitates the use of only a single stuffing box. To facilitate overhaul work, the engine is constructed separately from the gearbox, and is secured to the pressed-steel frame by means of six bolts. The radiator, which is spring-supported on the frame, is provided with adjustable shutters controlled from the dashboard, so that an even temperature can be maintained, a thermometer being combined with the radiator finer cap.
Coming now to the transmission, this embodies a leather cone clutch and three-speed-and-reverse gearbox : the latter is suspended at three po7lits, the gearwheels being of chrome Atickel-steel. The propeller shaft is enclosed in a casing which acts as a torque tube,
and the final drive is by spiral-bevel gear, so arranged that it can be removed when necessary without complete dismantling of the back axle.
The foot and hand brakes act on drums secured to the rear wheels, the shoes being of aluminium faced with cast-iron or ferro-asbestos. The handbrake and change-speed levers are centrally mounted, and, with the steering arranged on the left, are at the driver's right hand.
The road wheels are of the steel disc type, and, instead of employing tyres of equal size, the Krupp Co., in view of the fact that only one-third of the load is carried by the front axle against two-thirds on the rear axle, employ smaller tyres at the front than at the back. They state that they prefer this arrangement to using twin tyres at the rear, as their experience is that on rough roads loose stones become embedded between twin tyres and quickly cut the covers. In this country the loose stone is becoming a rarity.
" Moreover, they point out that, although tyres of different sizes are used, the wheel and rim dimensions are identical, so that it is only necessary to carry a spare rear wheel. For use on open country roads, where speeds up to 32 m.p.h. are possible, pneumatic tyres are recommended. For town use and speeds up to 20 m.p.h., solid tyres can, however, be fitted.
The petrol tank, which has a capacity of about 13 gallons, is located in front of the dash under the bonnet, and, in this connection, attention may be drawn to a feature that might be adopted in this country—that of incorporating a lock in the bonnet catches, so that only the responsible driver has access to the engine and fuel tank. Apparently a tendency for petrol, and even magnetos, surreptitiously to disappear has led to this innovation. It will be noted, too, that the chassis is provided with a sprag of the dig-in type, this being operated .rom the driver's seat, and intended for use in hilly districts. We are rather surprised at the fitting of this type of e,rag, as experience has proved it to be of little use.