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New Four-wheeled Bus Has Side Engine

8th May 1936, Page 41
8th May 1936
Page 41
Page 42
Page 41, 8th May 1936 — New Four-wheeled Bus Has Side Engine
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ONE of the most enterprising bus concerns in the country is the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., which operates a large number of vehicles, many of which are built to the special design of Mr. G. W. Hayter, the chief engineer. They are of the side-engined type, which gives excellent passenger accommodation and comfort.

Hitherto, six-wheelers of this pattern have been employed, but the company has now built a four-wheeler on the same principle, the 40-seater body for which is now being constructed by the English Electric Co., Ltd., Preston. The six-wheelers carry only 44 seated passengers, thus the change involves the loss of but four scats.

• As in the earlier model, a Hercules six-cylindered, petrol unit is utilized, the bore and stroke of which are 4.1 ins. and 4* ins, respectively, and the construction, including the use of side valves, gives a low overall height.

The Solex thermo-starter governor-type carburetter has a Hall-Winslow air cleaner, and ignition is by a DekoRemy twin-coil unit.

The clutch and gearbox form a unit with the engine, the whole being located on rubber mountings, and the clutch is a Borg and Beck, hydraulically controlled, the pedal being connected to a master cylinder operating a telescopic cylinder on the off side of the clutch casing. The master cylinder is fed from a reservoir on the steering column.

Four speeds and reverse, with silent second and third, are given by the David Drown synchromesh gearbox, the ratios being: top, direct; third, 1.7_ to 1; second, 2.94 to 1;

first, 6.4. to 1; reverse, 8.73. to 1. The drive is taken through a propeller shaft with Hardy Spicer needle-roller joints to a David Brown worm and worm wheel with a ratio of fli to 1.

Chrome molybdenum steel is used for the worm-wheel casing, whilst the driving shafts are of Vibrac steel forgings. The complete driving-axle casing is welded from 38-ton steel, with axle tubes bored from the solid. The differential easing is a steel plate bent to shape and welded, with spring webs securing it to the tubes. Spring and brakeshoe carriers are maciiined from the solid and welded.

Channel•steel pressings of three per cent, nickel steel are bolted together to form the frame, the cross-members being extended to carry the body bearings. High-tensile fitted bolts are used throughout. The frame is practically straight, except for the arch over the rear axle and a slight drop at the driver's position.

Much attention has been given to braking. The foot brake operates internal expanding shoes on all wheels: The system is the Lockheed hydraulic with a Dewaradre vacuum servo, and the shoes, which are 6 ins, wide, are machined from aluminium-alloy castings, the fulcrum ends having Oilite self-lubricating bearings. A screwed adjust ment is provided at the cam end of the shoes. The operating camshafts are mounted on Hoffmann roller bearings, and the total friction area of the foot brake is 1,130 sq. ins. The hand brake operates on the rear wheels through the same shoes, and full compensation is provided. Here, again, Oilite bearings are used throughout the handbrake system, and the friction area is 453 sq. ins.

Steering is effected through the David Brown gear and a 20-in.-diameter wheel, the ratio giving 41 turns from lock to lock. Vibrac steel is used for the drop arm, which is polished, and the turning circle is: right lock, 59 ft.; left lock, 63 ft.

Exceptionally long springs are employed, the dimension being 5 ft. 6 ins, both front and rear, with the springs fiat. They are of high-quality silico-manganese steel, the off side having 15 plates and the near side 14. This is a reversal of the usual procedure, to allow for the weight of the engine and transmission. Maintenance is facilitated by making the whole suspension system self-lubricating.

Clayton-Still tubes built into three rows constitute the cooling block, and the connections to the engine are by means of 11-in, tubes which, to afford additional cooling,

are wrapped throughout their length with Clayton-Still ,heat-radiating wire.

A shaft divided into three lengths connects the change.'speed lever and control box with the gearbox. The intermediate position has needle-roller bearings, the other sections two plain bearings, which are lubricated through a pipe brought to a convenient position on the engine rear cross-member. Means for adjustment is provided at the front end of the intermediate shaft.

Lighting is by Simms equipment. The battery is an Exide of 185 amp. hour capacity and the starter a DelcoRemy. Engine silencing is effected by a Vortex device.

Interchangeable dished wheels are fitted throughout, with polished aluminium covers for the securing nuts. Thu single tyres are of 9.75-in. by 20-in. dimensions,

The main chassis details are: wheelbase, 16 ft. 3 ins.; overall length, 26 ft. 11+ ins.; front track, 6 ft. 6+ ins.; rear track, 6 ft. 6+ ins.; frame height (unladen), 2 ft. 4 ins.; ground clearance up to engine, 1 ft.; chassis weight complete, 3 tons 5 cwt.

Tags

Organisations: US Federal Reserve
People: G. W. Hayter
Locations: Preston

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