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Foden . . 66

10th November 1931
Page 14
Page 14, 10th November 1931 — Foden . . 66
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DITE to the interest now displayed in compression-ignition engines and the fact that the Foden 6-tonner is a newcomer to this market, we will deal with it first.

The power unit employed is the Gardner 6L2 type, which is, of course, a six-cylindered direct-injection engine developing 72 b.h.p. at 1,300 r.p.m. It can be started from cold by hand without the use of heater plugs. The crankcase has specially large doors which permit an overhaul to be carried out without the need for removal of the engine from the chassis.

This motor has achieved wide popularity on account of its meritorious performance, therefore the efficient operation of the Foden lorry can be regarded with certainty. From the Gardner engine the power passes through a singleplate clutch to a four-forward-speed gearbox, the pinions of which have been made specially large to cope with the torque of an oil engine. Final drive is by propeller shaft to a worm axle, and the service brake is of the servo type taking effect on all four wheels; the hand brake works on the transmission. This model has a wheelbase of 13 ft. Si ins.

A point which is certain to appeal to operators is that cast-steel wheels are employed; these obviate troubles with retaining studs. Another detail, which shows that simplicity has been studied in the interests of efficiency, is that fuel is pumped from the main 40-gallon tank to the 12-gallon tank on the dash;

pumping would rarely be needed more than once a day, so that the trifling work involved is more than compensated by the abolition of mechanical devices which might cause trouble. Owing to the starting abilities of the Gardner engine it is possible to employ a simple and light electrical installation.

Having a similar load capacity of 6 tons is an example of the well-known Speed-Six steam wagon on pneumatic tyres. The exhibit has an hydraulically operated three-way tipping gear. This machine has a legal speed of 20 m.p.h., but its maximum is, of course, far in excess of this figure. The boiler is of the horizontal type with a working pressure of 275 lb. per sq. in. This supplies steam through a superheater of the return-loop variety to a two-cylindered, double-acting, high-pressure engine which gives 90 b:h.p. at 1,000

r.p.m. It is located across the frame, giving good accessibility to the valve mechanism on the near side. The camshaft gives three running speeds forward and the reverse. In unit with this engine is the two-speed gearbox giving overall ratios of 4.2 to 1 and 13 to 1. Shaft drive is employed.

A second steam wagon is the SpeedTwelve. This is a 10-12-tonner of the rigid six-wheeled type, having a threedifferential bogie giving four-wheel drive. It also is mounted on pneumatic tyres, a feature which has been adopted on certain Peden models from the time of the last Commercial Motor Show. This wagon has a similar specification to that of the Speed-Six, but the gear ratios are 4.8 to 1 and 15 to 1, to cope with the extra load. In the case of the exhibit, the body is 20 ft. long and 6 ft. 9 ins, wide. it has hinged sideboards and a tailboard.

As pneumatics are installed a mechanical tyre pump is provided on the engine ; this is put into action by means of a sliding dog clutch. As regards the brakes, these are controlled by pedals. The service set operates when the appropriate pedal opens the valve to the steam cylinders. For parking purposes the other pedal is used. There is a ratchet, working in conjunction with this control, to give security when leaving the wagon on a slope.

Both the Speed-Six and SpeedTwelve are examples of the most modern practice in steam-vehicle construction.—Fodens, Ltd., Sandbach.

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