A Newcomer in the Parcelcar Market
Page 78
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The James Machine has One Steerable Wheel and Two Driving Wheels
AN entirely new design of parceicar made its bow to the public at the Cycle and Motorcycle Exhibition which closed last Saturday. It is a three-wheeled James machine which, in brief, consists of a motorcycle minus its rear wheel as the motive unit, w hi ls t the loadcarrying box is supported upon two driven rear wheels.
Dealing first with the frame construction; the support for the box portion consists of a rectangular tubular assembly, having four longitudinal tubes a n d two lateral ones ; through the rearmost cross-tube runs the live axle which has a differential. Suspension of the box is by Cee springs at the front and quarterelliptic springs at the rear ; these are all bolted to .lugs on the frame. Suspension of the front wheel is effected by forks, having a parallel-ruler action, equipped. with a single compression spring ; lock stops are fitted to the forks.
• Reverting to the frame construction, there is a box-form bracket carrying the countershaft and forward of this is the main loop frame which is stayed at the top by two inclined members, from the seat pillar lug to the frame cross-member behind the countershaft. The saddle-type tank is carried upon two detachable rails, whilst the oil tank is slung underneath them. A Terry soft-top saddle is threepoint supported on the top tube and on the stays behind the loop frame, A Villiers 247 c.c. two-stroke-Cycle engine, with a flywheel magneto, drives an Albion three-speed gearbox ; the clutch is incorporated in the driven sprocket of the gearbox and the drive then passes through a secondary chain to the countershaft, which also incorporates a pedal-applied transmission brake, and thence to the differential. The primary chain is adjusted by moving the gearbox, the secondary chain by moving the countershaft and the tertiary chain by means of a jockey sprocket on a swinging
arm. A lever on the right handlebar operates internalexpanding shoes in the front-wheel drum. Other items of the specification are adjustable handlebars and footrests, direct lighting from the -flywheel magneto, automatic engine lubrication, a -Villiers carburetter and grease-gun lubrication for the cycle parts.. The tyres are of the 25-in. by 3-in, low-pressure pattern.
The load-carrying box has a rear opening and a basket rail is provided on the top. The mudguards for the rear wheels are mounted directly on the body and the machine is stated to have a permissible pay-load of 5 cwt. It is mannfactufed by the :fames Cycle Co., Ltd., of Greet, Birmingham, and of 21-22, Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C.1. It is priced at k55 complete.