THE LATEST GOODS CHASSIS For Loads of 21-tons
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A New Bean Product of Simple Design and Robust Construction Which Has Been Tested Out for Several Months Before Being Put Into Production
SENTERAL months ago Sir Robert Hadfield, Bt., chairman of Bean Cars, Ltd., Tipton, near Birmingham, announced that the company, had .developed a new chassis in the form of the Empire Model 21-tortner, • and he stated that a lorry of this type had for some time been making, three trips per week front Dudley to London with a load of 52 cwt., the mileage being 238 per day of 10 hours. Reference to this was made in T he Mninerciat Motor dated April 23rd, but the official introduction to the public was made in London last Friday, when the new Bean was exhibited to Et gathering of representatives of the Press.
Owing to the date' chosen for this ceremony and the clashing with our press arrangements, we cannot devote much space to this new product. We are therefore including only a brief synopsis of its leading features, together with an illustration which will give an impression of the appearance of the chassis.
• As regards the engine, this has four cylinders of 05'-mm. bore and 130 aim_ stroke, and owing to' the inclusion in the design of high-efficiency combustion chambers giving a good degree of turbulence,, and the special bifurcated inlet manifold, high efficiency.has been ensured,-; the unit developing.51 b.h.p. at 2,400 r.p.m. An interesting point is that the steel cylinder liners are renewable in case of wear. • The arrangernent of the manifold 'also is claimed to give easy starting and econcimical.. running.
Engine and Gearbox as a Unit.
A satisfactory degree of rigidity of the power unit is afforded by four-point suspension, and the 'gearbox forms part of the; unit, thus obviating the possibility, of faulty alignment•in the event
of the gearbox being removed: •
As is the case with many engines used on commercial vehicles, the valves are arranged' side by side ; they 'are accessible, and tappet adjustment can be effected with ease. The', tendency towards every effort being Made to increase the life of the unit is shown by the provision of an oil Purolator, which extracts all foreign matter from the lubricant ; this device is independent of the ordinary crankcase filter. Another feature is the accessibility of the oil filler, the level 'gauge and the drain tap for the sump. An oil radiator assists in keeping down the ternperature of the engine lubriertet, . Ordinary cooling is effected by a gilled4ube radiator which can easily be • dismounted in case of emergency, but is well insulated from any weaving.
Cooling is assisted by a belt-driven fan, which can easily be disconnected if required. The belt employed is of V-section ; an' adjustment is -provided.
• Ignition is effected by a high-tension magneto with an advance and retard control. A 12-volt dYnamo of the constant-voltage pattern' serves to supply the battery. A dimmer -switch is provided for the powerful headlamps, and the side lamps are • inoimfed 'on the wings. The dimmer switch is on the instrument board, which also carries the other .electrical controls, an oil gauge, a dash lamp, speedometer, etc.
A dry-plate clutch with an exceptionally large friction surface and mo.unted • in a well-ventilated housing conveys the drive to the gearbox, a clutch stOP • facilitating gear changing. Four speeds are provided, and the various positions for these are marked on the centrally situated change-speed lever. Provision is made in the gearbox for a power take-off and the driving of a mechanical tyre pump. A large orifice permits easy replenishing of the lubricant, and it is impossible
to over-fill the box. The gear ratios are : top. 7.33 to 1; third, 15.25 to 1; second, 24.9 to 1; first and reverse, both 42.3 to 1.
A central steady-bearing is utilized for the two-piece propeller shaft, thus ooviating whirling of the shaft at maximum engine speeds, the joints embodied being Hardy Spicer of the all-enclosed mechanical type arid self-lubricating. Brakes of ample power and capable of easy adjustment operate on all four wheels, -which are of tbe steel-disc detachable pattern, each secured by eight ,studs" and being interchangeable with the others. They carry 86-in. by 8-in. heavy-duty tyres, the equipment in the chassis price including five wheels and tyres and a' carrier for the spare wheel. The price of the short-wheelbase model is £525, and that of the long•wheelbase model £545.
Chassis Details and Leading
.
Chassis Details and Leading
. Dimensions.
The robtis0 side-members of the chassis frame are 7 ins. deep, 2+ ins. wide and . made of Taa-in. • Hadfield's Sheffield steel with an ample number of cross-members. The height to the top of the fraine is only 2,1t, 71 ins. kladfield's steel is also ,employed for the semi-elliptic springs, which are 40 ins. by 21 ins. at the front and 56 ins. by 3 ins, at the rear. • The chassis is lubricated' throughout by the Tecalemit system with the bookon-type gun, the nipples being grouped together on the frame side-members.
Other leading dimensions of the chassis are : long wheelbase, 13 ft.
11 short wheelbase, 11 it. 1i in,.; track, 4 ft. S,k ins. ; ground clearance, 10/ ins.
A 12-gallon tank on the dash gives A gravity supply of filtered petrol.